Experiences: Technology Trends

With the rapid pace of technological advancement in the 21st century, we must expect that critical social institutions will be impacted in some way or another. In Jamaica, one such social institution is the justice system, which continues to feel the impacts of complex technological advancements in their varied permutations. Plus, beginning five years ago, we experienced the paradigm-shifting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the technological upheaval it occasioned across the world.

On June 21, 2024, the Jamaica Information Service reported that the Jamaican Government “will be introducing technology to facilitate a paperless system throughout the country’s court network….” This project, which is slated to commence this fiscal year, will reportedly cost the Government of Jamaica (GoJ) “…approximately US$5 million or the equivalent of J$780 million for software and training over the next two years.” This announcement of the GoJ’s intention to embark upon this paperless-system project follows its promise, some 7 years ago, to “replace the ailing court system with a modern court infrastructure in two years.” More recently, the GoJ expressed its intention to “roll out more virtual services in the administration of justice across the island…,” given that “…broadband Internet connectivity [had] improved significantly” by that time. Read More

Something wonderful has been happening in the world of software development for quite some time now: we are seeing an incredibly strong trend among the developers of Software as a Service (SaaS) products who are questioning the need for passwords for Web applications. Gartner anticipates that 60% of large, global enterprises will implement some kind of passwordless authentication method by 2022. The percentage of mid-size businesses making this prediction is even higher: 90%, making this an essential consideration when you’re rethinking your application’s log-in and sign-up flows.

The elimination of passwords challenges cybersecurity’s status quo, reduces bad friction, and enables businesses to enhance their products’ user experience. What is wrong with passwords? What are the pros and cons of passwordless authentication. How can apply this approach to your next product? Let’s find out. Read More

There are a number of technological drivers that are affecting the way interaction design is currently evolving. Even more than artificial intelligence and virtual and augmented reality, cloud computing has become the new norm for information technology (IT) in all kinds of companies. What does this mean for interaction designers?

In this article, I’ll explain what cloud computing is and its four major benefits for designers and users:

1. Democratized innovation
2. Seamless, personalized experiences
3. Native collaboration
4. Robust user experiences

I’ll also explain a few common misconceptions about cloud computing, as well some concerns and misconceptions that people have about computing in the cloud. Read More