One of the most useful features of Terraform is its ability to import existing resources into your infrastructure as code. This allows you to take control of resources that may have been created manually or by another team and bring them under the management of your infrastructure as code. However, the process of importing resources can be time-consuming and error-prone, particularly if you are dealing with many resources or complex configurations. This is where Terraformer comes in.

What is Terraformer?

Terraformer is an open-source tool written in Go Language, originally developed by Waze SRE that automates the process of importing existing resources into Terraform. It allows you to generate Terraform code from existing resources, making it easy to manage them using Terraform. Terraformer supports a wide range of cloud providers, including AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes, and more. Terraformer currently supports sixteen clouds and more than fifteen providers like Datadog, Kubernetes, PagerDuty, GitHub, and more.

How does Terraformer stand apart from its competitors?

1. Terraformer differs from other competitors in a few keyways.
2. Terraformer is a command-line tool, while some of its competitors are web-based tools. This makes Terraformer more portable and easier to use in a CI/CD pipeline.
3. Terraformer eliminates the manual intervention needed in other IaC tools by automatically generating configurations after importing the infrastructure.
4. Terraformer supports a wider range of infrastructure sources than some of its competitors. Terraformer currently supports AWS, Azure, GCP, and Kubernetes, while some of its competitors only support a subset of these providers.
5. Finally, Terraformer is easier to use as it has a simpler user interface and provides more helpful documentation.

How to use Terraformer?

Using Terraformer is straightforward. First, you need to install it on your local machine. You can do this using the command-line interface (CLI) or a Docker container. Once installed, you can use Terraformer to generate Terraform code for existing resources.

To install Terraformer on a Linux machine, run the below commands:

export PROVIDER={aws}

curl -LO https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/terraformer/releases/download/$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/GoogleCloudPlatform/terraformer/releases/latest | grep tag_name | cut -d ‘”‘ -f 4)/terraformer-${PROVIDER}-linux-amd64

By running the below command, you can check the Terraformer version.

terraformer -v

To import resources with an AWS provider, first authenticate to the AWS account in which the resource is located. To configure Terraformer with your AWS credentials, you would use the following command

terraformer configure –provider aws –credentials ~/.aws/credentials

AWS configuration, including environmental variables, a shared credentials file (~/.aws/credentials), and a shared configuration file (~/.aws/config) will be loaded by the tool by default. To use a specific profile, you can use the following command:

After authenticating to the AWS account, run terraform init against a provider.tf file to install the plugins required for your platform.

terraform {

  required_providers {

    aws = {

      source  = “hashicorp/aws”

      version = “~> 4.0”

    }

  }

}

provider “aws” {

  region = “us-east-1”

}

To import all AWS Elasticache and RDS into Terraform, use the below command:

terraformer import aws –-path-pattern=”{output}/” –compact=true –regions=eu-central-1 –resources=elasticache,rds

The above command tells Terraformer to import all the Elastic cache and RDS in the region eu-central-1 and generate Terraform code, and the –compact=true flag tells Terraformer to write all the configurations in a single file.

Terraformer also supports importing multiple resources at once, and you can use filters to import only specific resources that meet certain criteria.

For example, you can import all AWS EC2 instances that have a certain tag by using the following command:

terraformer import aws –path-pattern=”./ec2/” –compact=true –regions=eu-central-1 –resources=ec2_instance –filter=”Name=tags.NodeRole;Value-node”

The above command tells Terraformer to create Terraform code in the directory./ec2/ and import all EC2 instances with the tag Noderole=node.

By default, Terraformer separates each resource into a file that is placed in a specified service directory. Each provider may have a different default path for resource files, which is {output}/{provider}/{service}/{resource}.tf.

We can manage the resources with Terraform using the plan, apply, and remove actions now that the configuration files have been created with Terraformer.

Also Read this informative blog on How to Secure an AWS Environment with Multiple Accounts.

Benefits of using Terraformer

Achieve Infrastructure as Code: Terraform promotes the principle of infrastructure as code, where infrastructure resources are defined in a declarative language. The tool allows users to import existing resources into Terraform, making it easier to maintain a consistent and reproducible infrastructure state.

Version and manage resources: By importing resources into Terraform, users can take advantage of Terraform’s versioning and management capabilities. This includes tracking changes, applying modifications, and collaborating on infrastructure changes through version control systems.

Apply infrastructure changes: With imported resources, users can modify and apply changes to their infrastructure using Terraform. This provides a standardised and automated way to manage the lifecycle of resources, ensuring consistency and reducing the risk of manual errors.

Leverage the Terraform ecosystem: Importing resources into Terraform allows users to leverage the extensive ecosystem of Terraform providers, modules, and other tooling. This enables the use of various integrations and extensions to enhance infrastructure management and provisioning.

Conclusion

Terraformer is a valuable tool for organizations that are looking to improve the speed, efficiency, and reliability of their infrastructure deployments. By automating the process of converting existing infrastructure to Terraform configuration files, providing a consistent and repeatable way to provision infrastructure resources, and enabling organizations to track changes to infrastructure resources and to roll back changes, if necessary, Terraformer can help organizations to save time and reduce the risk of errors and disruptions.

The post Terraformer: A Powerful Tool for Importing Infrastructure into Terraform appeared first on Indium.

Automating workflow approvals for real estate can revolutionize the way your business operates. The process of buying and selling real estate can be complex and time-consuming, but with the use of an Elasticsearch engine, it becomes a lot more manageable.

The Elasticsearch engine is a highly efficient tool for automating workflow approvals in real estate. It uses advanced algorithms to analyze vast amounts of data in real-time and provide relevant information to stakeholders. This enables real estate professionals to make informed decisions quickly and effectively. Additionally, with automation, the risk of human error is greatly reduced, leading to a more consistent and accurate approval process. By adopting Elasticsearch engine technology, real estate businesses can save time, increase productivity, and improve customer satisfaction.

What is the importance of Real Estate and Automating Workflow Approvals

The importance of real estate and automating workflow approvals include:

• Increased Efficiency: Automated workflows eliminate manual processes and save time, resulting in increased productivity and efficiency.
• Improved Accuracy: Automated workflows reduce the risk of human error and improve the accuracy of data and approvals.
• Better Visibility: Automated workflows provide real-time visibility into the status of approvals and work progress.
• Enhanced Collaboration: Automated workflows enable real-time collaboration among team members, stakeholders, and clients.
• Cost Savings: Automating workflow approvals can help reduce operational costs by streamlining processes and reducing the need for manual labor.

What is the significance of Real Estate in the digital era

The significance of real estate in the digital era is as follows:

• Increased Accessibility: Technology has made real estate information and services more accessible to consumers and clients, enabling them to make informed decisions about buying and selling properties.
• Improved Marketing: Digital tools and platforms allow real estate agents and brokers to reach a wider audience and market properties more effectively.
• Better Customer Experience: The use of digital technologies, such as virtual tours and online portals, enhances the customer experience and makes it easier for clients to manage their properties.
• Data-Driven Insights: The availability of data and analytics tools in the digital era allows real estate professionals to make data-driven decisions and improve their performance.
• Streamlined Processes: Technology has streamlined many aspects of the real estate industry, from property search and evaluation to closing deals and managing properties.

However, the integration of technology has had a major impact on the real estate industry and continues to shape the way real estate is bought, sold, and managed in the digital era.

What are workflow management processes of the real estate industry?

The process of coordinating and organizing the many tasks and operations involved in purchasing, selling, or managing real estate properties is referred to as workflow management in the real estate sector. This can involve activities including putting up listings for rental or sale homes, negotiating contracts, finishing up inspections and appraisals, and finalizing deals.

Here are some typical steps in a workflow process for real estate

Marketing, lead generation, and lead qualification: This entails publicizing homes for sale or rent and luring prospective buyers or tenants through a variety of channels, including listings websites, social media, and conventional advertising. To identify the leads that are most likely to result in a sale or rental, leads must first be qualified. Assessing their financial capacity and desire to buy or rent may be necessary for this.

The next step is to show a qualified lead the property and address any questions they may have. The parameters of the sale or rental, such as the price, closing date, and any contingencies, may be negotiated whenever a prospective buyer or renter expresses interest in a property.

How do organizations use workflow management processes

Workflow management processes are used by organizations to manage and automate the flow of work within a business. Some of the ways organizations use workflow management processes include:

Workflow management processes are essential for organizations looking to improve their efficiency, accuracy, and speed. By automating routine tasks, employees are freed up to focus on more strategic and value-adding tasks. This not only improves overall productivity but also reduces the risk of errors. In addition to process automation, workflow management processes provide a clear and transparent view of tasks, deadlines, and responsibilities. This enables employees to prioritize and manage their workload effectively, ensuring that all tasks are completed on time and to a high standard. Whether it’s improving customer satisfaction, reducing costs, or increasing revenue, workflow management processes play a key role in the success of any organization.

Workflow management processes are not just about improving efficiency, they also support collaboration and coordination, decision making, and compliance. By facilitating collaboration and coordination between teams and departments, organizations can work together efficiently to achieve shared goals. Additionally, workflow management processes provide the information and data needed to make informed decisions and track progress towards goals. This helps organizations make better decisions and achieve their goals more effectively.

Finally, workflow management procedures assist organisations in adhering to legal requirements by offering a transparent and auditable record of actions and choices. For businesses operating in highly regulated fields like finance or healthcare, where compliance is essential, this is crucial. Organizations can accomplish their objectives, enhance collaboration and coordination, make informed decisions, and adhere to regulations by putting in place effective workflow management processes.

What are the issues with workflow management processes in real estate based on legacy technology?

Workflow management processes in real estate that are based on legacy technology can face several issues including:

Legacy technology can be a hindrance to the success of an organization. It can lead to inefficiencies and delays in workflow processes, making it difficult for organizations to keep up with the demands of today’s fast-paced business environment. In addition, legacy technology may not integrate well with other systems and technologies, making it difficult to exchange data and collaborate effectively. This can be particularly challenging for organizations that rely on accurate data to make informed decisions. Furthermore, legacy technology can suffer from data inaccuracies, particularly when data is manually entered, leading to incorrect decision making. By recognizing the limitations of legacy technology and embracing new, more advanced solutions, organizations can overcome these challenges and take their workflow processes to the next level.

• Lack of Scalability: Legacy technology may not be scalable to accommodate the growth of the business or changes in the market, leading to limitations on the ability to respond to new opportunities.
• Security Risks: Legacy technology can present security risks, particularly when it comes to protecting sensitive information, such as client data.

How different is modern day workflow management processes in real estate Using Elasticsearch Engine compared to legacy technology?

Elasticsearch Engine offers modern workflow management processes for real estate, significantly different from legacy technology. It provides fast and scalable search capabilities, enabling real estate organizations to quickly access and analyze large amounts of data. It is also highly flexible and can adapt to changing business needs and new data sources. In comparison, legacy technology is slow, inflexible and difficult to adapt, making it less suitable for today’s fast-paced real estate market. By using Elasticsearch Engine for workflow management processes, real estate organizations can improve their operations, stay ahead of the competition, and provide a better experience for their customers.

One of the key benefits of using Elasticsearch Engine for workflow management processes in real estate is its ability to easily integrate with other systems and technologies. This enables real estate organizations to exchange data and collaborate effectively, making it easier for them to make informed decisions and achieve their goals. In contrast, legacy technology may not integrate well with other systems, leading to data silos and limited collaboration. This can make it difficult for organizations to access and use the data they need to make informed decisions and achieve their goals.

Another advantage of using the Elasticsearch Engine provides real estate organizations with accurate and reliable data for workflow management processes. Unlike legacy technology that can suffer from data inaccuracies, Elasticsearch Engine offers a centralized repository for data and real-time analysis to ensure accuracy. Additionally, it has robust security features such as encryption and access control, making it suitable for regulated industries and handling sensitive information. With its centralized data, real-time analysis, and security measures, Elasticsearch Engine is an ideal choice for workflow management processes in real estate, helping organizations achieve their goals and stay ahead of the competition.

Indium has a proven track record of success in the field of real estate automation. Our expertise in the use of cutting-edge technologies like Python (ETL), Crontab (Automation/Scheduling), AWS S3, AWS EC2, and JavaScript (UI) has enabled us to help businesses streamline their operations and improve their workflow management processes. With a focus on reducing inefficiencies and increasing productivity, our success story with one of our clients showcases our ability to deliver results and make a real impact in the industry.

About the Client

The client is well-known for offering its clients top-notch services because of the length of time it has been in the real estate business. To assist buyers and sellers in making wise real estate investment decisions, the platform is user-friendly and provides a wide range of tools and resources. The client has maintained a competitive edge and improved the experience for its customers by putting a strong emphasis on innovation and technology. In addition to helping clients find their ideal home, the business is committed to giving them the highest level of customer care. The client is here to support you in realizing your objectives, whether you’re a novice home buyer or a seasoned investor.

Project Overview

The client, a provider of real estate brokerage services, is seeking to automate the license management workflow of its platform. The current process involves manual search and validation of licensee information from 50 States, leading to unproductive use of employees and a lengthy approval process. The goal of the project is to reduce manual intervention, improve the approval process, and track user engagement metrics for both customers and agents.

What were the issues with our client’s Diagnostics Management Application?

• Extensive manual intervention required in license management workflow
• License information for 50 States manually searched and validated by managers for approval steps
• Unproductive utilization of employees
• Slow and inefficient approval process
• Need for a solution to reduce non-value hours of staff and improve decision support process.

Business Requirements

• Automated license validation of data files received from 50 different states
• Scalable solution to handle increasing number of data inputs and states
• Admin Console for approval managers to monitor data updates
• Monitor frequency and time of data updates in the Admin Console

Planning and due diligence

• Copied data updates into Amazon S3 in a timely manner
• Created an ETL pipeline with Python API for data updates and new files
• Performed Data Quality Validations on pipeline data
• Data Indexed into Elasticsearch engine for 50 States data files
• Integrated solution with approval workflow and automated next validation steps
• Created a web service/UI for business users to query license approval information
• Optimized database by stress testing the business user console (UI)

The results delivered were:

• The manual license approval process was accelerated by 75%
• Automated successful validations of heavy license data handling from each file for each state in approximately 10 minutes
• Implemented a Data Indexing Solution for 50 states with an architecture capable of handling any number of new states.
• Provided dynamic querying abilities with Elasticsearch implementation
• The business user console was optimized to handle up to 1000 requests per second.

Another success story that may be of interest to you is: Application Performance Engineering Using Elasticsearch For A Global Supply Chain Company

Based on the results delivered, Indium has a strong track record of delivering high-quality and efficient solutions in the field of data handling and management. With the ability to automate manual processes and increase speed and efficiency, Indium can help organizations save time and resources while also improving the accuracy and reliability of their data. Additionally, the dynamic querying abilities provided by the Elasticsearch implementation and the optimization of the business user console demonstrate Indium’s expertise in developing innovative and user-friendly solutions. These capabilities, combined with the company’s ability to handle large amounts of data, make Indium a valuable partner for organizations looking to streamline their operations and stay ahead in their respective industries.

The post Streamlining Real Estate Operations: How Elasticsearch Engine Automation is Revolutionizing Workflow Approvals appeared first on Indium.

One of the key factors driving the success of the cloud application is the use of containers, which are light, fast, and portable, unlike virtual machines. They improve the testability of the applications, are more secure, and allow workloads to be isolated inside cost-effective clusters. This helps with faster development and deployment to meet the ever-changing needs of the customers.

To leverage containers successfully, developers need a managed container platform such as Kubernetes from Google. Kubernetes enables the building of customized platforms that align with the organization’s governance needs regarding project creation, nodes being used, and the libraries and repositories that can be tapped by providing a governed and secure framework.

Kubernetes refers to an open-source model that helps create and scale reliable apps and services in a secure environment and adds value through innovation using standardized plugins and extensions. This is expected to help the global Kubernetes solutions market grow from USD 1747.20 million in 2021 at a CAGR of 17.70% to reach USD 5467.40 million by 2028.

Automating Scaling and Deployment

Kubernetes or K8s automate the deployment and management of cloud-native applications on public cloud platforms or on-premises infrastructure and orchestrate containerized applications to run on a cluster of hosts. Some of the functions of Kubernetes include:

• Distributing application workloads across a Kubernetes cluster
• Automating dynamic container networking needs
• Allocating storage and persistent volumes to running containers
• Enabling automatic scaling
• Maintaining the desired state of applications
• Providing resiliency

Kubernetes Architecture

The applications are encapsulated in the containers in a portable form, which makes it easy to deploy. The Kubernetes architecture is made up of clusters that include a minimum of one control plane and one worker node and are designed to run containerized applications.

The control plane’s responsibilities include exposing the Kubernetes API through the API server and managing the nodes contained in the cluster. It manages the cluster and identifies and responds to cluster events.

Kubernetes Pod is the smallest unit of execution for an application in Kubernetes, has one or more containers, and runs on worker nodes.

Kubernetes allows two kinds of scaling:

Horizontal Scaling: Horizontal Pod Autoscaler allows the adding of new nodes or increasing the replicated count of pods to the existing cluster of computing resources. The number of pods needed is calculated based on the metrics specified at the outset such as CPU and RAM consumption or other custom metrics.

Vertical Scaling: In this, attributed resources are modified for each node in the cluster, and the resource requests and limits are adjusted as per current application requirements using Vertical Pod Autoscaler.

Container Orchestration: Kubernetes container lifecycle management encompassing provisioning, deployment, scaling, networking, and load balancing is enabled through orchestration. This automates the tasks essential for running containerized workloads and services.

Kubernetes Features

Some of the key features of K8 that enable orchestrating containers across multiple hosts, automating cluster management, and optimizing resource utilization include:

Auto-scaling: It enables the automated scaling up and down of containerized applications and their resources based on need.

Lifecycle Management. It enables automated deployments and updates, rollback to earlier versions, pausing or continuing a deployment, and so on.

Declarative Model: When the desired state is declared, K8s maintain that state and recover in case of failures by working in the background.

Self-healing and Resilience: Application self-healing is made possible by automated placement, restart, replication, and scaling.

Persistent Storage: Storage can be mounted and added dynamically.

Load Balancing: Several types of internal and external load balancing is supported for diverse needs.

DevSecOps Support: Kubernetes facilitates DevSecOps to improve developer productivity, simplify and automate container operations across clouds, and integrate security through the container life cycle.

Some of the key benefits of Kubernetes include:

• Faster time to release by simplifying the development lifecycle
• Cost-effectiveness through automatic modulation of resource allocation
• Making applications scalable and available

Advantage Indium

Indium Software is a cutting-edge cloud engineering company with a team of experts that can help with the migration and modernization of applications. Developing microservices and containerizing applications is one of our strengths. We are a Kubernetes solution provider, working closely with our customers and developing cloud-native applications and modernizing apps using the Kubernetes platform.

Our DevSecOps expertise further helps us to leverage Kubernetes for faster development and deployment of applications with security integrated into the process. Our experts analyze and understand the business needs and facilitate smooth management of clusters for scaling up and down based on the need for greater availability at lower costs.

The post Why Auto-Scaling and Deployment of Applications is Easier Using Kubernetes appeared first on Indium.

From the time of its release in 1991 to today, Python has evolved, and as of February 2021, documentation for version 3.9.2 had been released. It is the third most popular language used by developers and its tutorials are the most searched on the Net. A SlashData report published in ZDNet indicates there were 8.2 million Python developers in 2019, up from 7 million the previous year. Compare this to Java, which had 7.1 million users in 2018 and 7.6 million in 2019.

There are many reasons for Python’s popularity, and the increasing search for tutorials indicates that this is going to be the future too.

5 Reasons for Python’s Popularity

Today, speed of development has become essential to shorten time to market and retain competitive advantage. Another emerging trend is machine learning, which helps automate tasks and speed up processes across industries, freeing up resources to add value. Python fits the bill for both.

Python is a flexible, versatile, multi-purpose, object-oriented and high-level programming language that can be used for developing a variety of applications across platforms such as Windows, Mac, Linux, and even Kivy platform to develop games for the desktop and web applications. The Django or Flask frameworks also enable Python developers to create web-based applications that are scalable and can interact with popular databases such as MySQL and PostgreSQL.

Some of the reasons for its popularity include:

1. The Simple Language: Python uses English keywords that make it easy to learn and use. It takes a modular approach with a high degree of code readability and is an interpreted language that does away with the need for a compiler to run it.
2. Versatility: Its modular nature enables developers to create packages for different applications such as NumPy for working with numbers, matrices and vectors; SciPy for technical and engineering computations; Pandas for data manipulation and analysis; and Scikit-Learn for AI-related operations.
3. Pseudocode: Python allows the use of pseudocode, an algorithm that does not conform to specific syntax rules, enabling the developer to focus on the query rather than the language. This simplistic and minimalistic feature facilitates dealing with common programming tasks easily.
4. Open Source: Python is free and open source with a large community that has been instrumental in developing the language as well as third-party libraries. Developers can access pre-written code and standard libraries, further reducing the need for coding for some common features and increasing Python’s usefulness as a development tool.
5. Python Tools: Python developers can also benefit from a large array of tools such as Tkinter–a GUI development tool, custom python interpreters and support, internet protocol, file formats, built-in functions, and modules, among others.

3 Reasons Why it is the Language of the Future

The ease and convenience make it a popular choice for developers today. But its future seems just as bright due to the following reasons:

Artificial Intelligence

Python rules the disruptive and futuristic world of digital transformation, especially Big Data, artificial intelligence and machine learning today. Be it speech recognition or data analysis, Python is the driving force behind AI’s success today, powering the Internet of Thingy devices as Python or Micropython. Its built-in libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, and SciPy empower data scientists with lots of functionalities they need for tasks such as data manipulation and data visualization. Using Python can speed up advanced calculations to move from hypothesis to data analysis quickly. Matplotlib is a rich library from Python, making it ideal for data manipulation and visualization.

Web Development

Python’s versatility makes it very ideal for web development as it can help you get started quickly and remain productive with every new function and feature. Python offers two tools, Flask for a minimalist, flexible framework, and Django for a fairly rigid structure that facilitates prototyping and getting up and running quickly.

Networking

Python programming language is popular for developing and implementing programs to configure routers and switches, facilitating networking and automation duties in a secure and cost-efficient manner.

The fact that Python is here to stay and travel with us in the future is evident from its use cases across industries. Right from NASA’s Workflow Automation System (WAS) developed using Python to Google’s APIs, report generation and other data related features, YouTube

video streaming, Disney’s scripting language for most of its animation-related tasks and production, Python is powering the next-gen applications. Facebook, Instagram, Netflix, Quora, and Spotify are among some of the other users of Python.

If you are interested in reducing your time to market for your digital transformation efforts, we at Indium Software can help you analyze the best-fit use of Python and get you up and running quickly.

Future-Proof Your Development with Python

Today, speed, effectiveness and efficiency are the three key pillars to success and growth. Python facilitates this by speeding up the development process and allowing for easy scaling and flexibility.

Indium Software’s team of developers with experience and expertise in a variety of languages including Python can provide end-to-end solutions for your digitization needs. Our solutions go beyond languages and cover:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Advanced Analytics & Text Analytics
• Big Data
• Data Engineering
• Stream Processing
• Data Virtualization
• Low-code development across platforms

Thus, we integrate knowledge in Python with digital transformation to make you future-ready. To know more about Indium and how we can help you, contact us now:

The post Why Python is the Language of the Future appeared first on Indium.

Some of the world’s best products in terms of functionality and features have failed because end-users of the app didn’t get to experience the full capabilities of the product. In short, the grand vision of the product didn’t translate well into the end-user experience.

At a very basic level, product management leaders are building collaborative teams with developers, UI/UX designers, customer success professionals, and product managers to offer a product that truly solves a problem for end-users and customers. It is not only about aesthetics and look and feel, but also about ease of use, efficiency, effectiveness, and easy flow of information.

UI/UX can sometimes be the deciding factor that determines which of the competing products a customer will choose. According to a Forrester Research report published in European Business Review, the conversion to sales in a website can increase by 200% because of a great UI, and by 400% because of a great UX. The report further lists some of the other benefits of amazing UI/UX:

• Willingness to pay Increases their by 14.4%
• Reluctance to switch brands reduces their by 15.8%
• Likelihood to recommend a product boosts by 16.6%

Therefore, whether it is a product, a website, or an application, it is essential to focus on the UI//UX development along with the functionalities and the features.

The 10 Key Elements of UI/UX

Jakob Nielsen and Rolf Molich, two usability experts, provide Ten User Interface Guidelines that have been used by the likes of Apple, Google, and Adobe to create designs that improve usability, utility, and desirability.

1. Visible System Status: Display easy-to-understand and highly visible elements about the status of system operations.
2. Mirror the Real World: Match your design to user experience in the real world to improve cognition and enhance the ease of use of your product
3. Provide Users with Control and Freedom: Enable undoing and redoing of previous actions with ease
4. Be Consistent and Comply with Standards: The graphic elements and terminology should be uniform across similar platforms
5. Prevent Errors: Minimize potential errors by eliminating or flagging actions
6. Recognition Rather than Recall: Display task-relevant information when users are exploring the interface instead of making them recall information such as using multiple-choice questions instead of writing short answers
7. Flexible and Efficient Use: Facilitate customization of interfaces to enable frequent actions to be performed quickly with the use of abbreviations, function keys, hidden commands, and macro facilities
8. Aesthetic and Minimalist Design: The ‘Keep it Simple Stupid’ thought process applies here too. Avoid cluttering the interface with too many elements and display only the important components
9. Make Recognizing, Diagnosing, and Recovering from Errors Easy: Make error messages lucid and use plain language so that people understand them easily and without ambiguity
10. Help and Documentation: Though the interface should be intuitive and not need documentation it may still be necessary based on the type of product and its use. The product should therefore have a “help” section that is easily accessible.

Are we ready to use AI, ML, and NLP to deliver user experience?

Though still in its nascent stages, algorithm-driven AI and machine learning are helping improve UI/UX and create wonderful customer experiences to enable :

Personalization

Providing personalized experience in design goes beyond aesthetics and is based on the personal information of the user such as date of birth, marital status, preferences, etc. It enhances customer experiences and helps end-users get tasks done with efficiency. This can improve conversion rates and accelerate growth. Recommended movies on Netflix or Youtube are a few such examples of great UX where past viewing helps the recommendation engine suggest similar content and improve viewer loyalty.

Touchless interaction

Voice user interfaces and air gesture controls are becoming very popular and can improve interaction with customers. Delivering an Alexa or Google Assistant-like experience with enterprise apps may not be far away.

3D and Immersive Experiences

Due to higher computing power and the use of cloud computing, interest in 3D elements has increased and is enabling the use of larger and more detailed 3D objects. This is especially important in providing VR and immersive experiences in gaming and modeling applications, among others.

Animation

Animations are appealing and creates an immediate emotional connect with users. Judicious use of animations can make for engaging user experiences.

The possibilities are many and only restricted by the availability of talent and financial resources. Of course, some of these must be used carefully and you may shoot yourself in the foot if you use technology for the sake of it.

Best Practices in UI/UX Trends in these times of Digitalization

While the fundamental principles of design as laid down by Neilsen and Molich continue to form the foundation for good designs, in these times of digital transformation, the UI focus is informed more by UX or user experience. It is created by keeping user expectations in mind and integrating concepts of interaction design, visual design, and information architecture.

Understanding your users forms the basis of developing great UI/UX. Knowing their objectives, capabilities, preferences and tendencies will further influence the style of your UI/UX and should have the following features:

Simplicity

A great design is one that is understated but effective by the use of clear labels and messaging that is easily visible and navigable. Simplicity and responsiveness should be the two mantras you follow for easy navigation

Purpose-Driven

The page layout should establish spatial relationships between the different components based on their importance. This can be further enhanced with the use of color and texture to highlight important elements for easy scanning and readability and also create an emotional connection.

Establishing Hierarchy

The judicious use of different typefaces can help establish the importance of the different components.

Doing it all on your own can be challenging as the design process requires specialized skills. Partnering with an expert like Indium Software can provide businesses with access to experience and expertise that can help them deliver an optimal UI/UX experience that drives user adoption, growth, and conversation rates. Amazing UI/UX can certainly deliver competitive advantages.

To know more about Indium’s capabilities in UI/UX and how you can leverage our capabilities, contact us now:

The post Getting Your UI/UX Right: Think Usability, Utility & Desirability appeared first on Indium.