Week Seven: The UX of Daily Life

Welcome to another week! At this stage of this experiment, I find it interesting to reflect regularly—it’s a different kind of challenge. It’s more of me encouraging myself to do this each week, shaping a narrative that blends personal and professional experiences.

User Experience & Adaptation

This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about user experience, particularly through the lens of being in a new country. Moving from a more digitally integrated environment to one that operates in a more traditional, cash-based way has been eye-opening. It’s made me question what truly defines an effective and simple user experience.

For example, public transportation here operates differently from what I’m used to. The buses—essentially large vans—follow general routes but often adapt based on traffic. You wave one down, hop on, tell the driver where you want to stop, and pay in cash. The system is manual but works smoothly for locals. It raises an interesting question: What makes a good user experience?

• Should systems evolve just for the sake of modernization?
• How do you introduce changes that improve efficiency without alienating users?
• How do you make things more accessible for visitors and new residents?

An app-based system with digital payments could streamline things, but in a predominantly cash-based economy, skipping the credit card phase and moving straight to digital wallets presents its own set of challenges. Moreover, any transition must be inclusive, ensuring accessibility across different income levels and technology adoption rates. This thought exercise has made me think more about designing for all communities, not just those accustomed to high-tech solutions.

And we went on a walk around the Botanical Gardens with one of our colleagues who knows the gardens better and now I have some ideas as some paths are overgrown but now I understand where these are so I can’t wait to head back with my camera.

The Good, The Challenge & What’s Next

🤠 The Good: Food has been a highlight this week! I used a local version of Uber Eats (which, while full of user experience quirks, did deliver the food). I had some great curry chicken, delicious Chinese food, and even a rum punch from a local brewery. 

😱 The Challenge: A little bit of missing home—not necessarily in terms of big events, but the small comforts and routines. Being on my own has definitely made me more independent, but also aware of when to reach out and ask for help.

😎 What’s Next: This week will be a quieter one, but I’m focusing on appreciating the little things—taking walks, enjoying new foods, and embracing the daily moments that make this experience unique.

That’s it for this week—thanks for reading! See you next time!