avatarJennifer Dunne

Summary

The author is experiencing frustration with the inconsistencies and limitations of the Medium app's user interface across different devices, hindering their ability to work efficiently while traveling.

Abstract

The article titled "What’s Wrong With One UI?" expresses the author's dissatisfaction with the Medium app's user interface, particularly its lack of uniformity across devices. While attempting to maintain their writing routine on Medium during travel, the author found that the app's functionality varied significantly between their smartphone and tablet. On the phone, they could view some story statistics but not others, and responses were inconsistently posted to their profile. The tablet offered a glimpse at daily and partner program stats but lacked the ability to respond or compose new content. This fragmented experience led the author to resort to unconventional methods, such as typing on the phone while monitoring word count on the tablet, to perform basic tasks. The author concludes that Medium's current state is not conducive to the digital nomad lifestyle, confining them to work from their home office for productivity.

Opinions

  • The author believes that Medium's user interface should be consistent across different platforms for a seamless user experience.
  • There is a clear expectation that Medium should provide full functionality on both smartphones and tablets, which is currently not met.
  • The author is particularly frustrated with the inability to access complete statistics and post responses uniformly across devices.
  • The author finds Medium's lack of support for digital nomads ironic, given the modern, flexible work environment that digital tools are supposed to facilitate.
  • The author implies that the current state of Medium's app is a significant inconvenience, forcing them to adopt a cumbersome workflow to manage their content.

What’s Wrong With One UI?

The Medium app can’t even post right!

Photo: Cookie the Pom from Unsplash.

Traveling, I was determined to keep up with Medium. I had my smartphone. I had my tablet.

I could do this.

I expected the Medium developers had created a single User Interface across platforms. Not even close.

From my phone, I can look at individual story stats, but not daily stats. I can’t look at partner program stats at all. And for some reason, some but not all responses post to my profile as stories.

From my tablet, I can see daily stats (not numbers, just the graph) and MPP stats. But I can’t respond or write anything.

To count words in this article, I am typing it on my phone, looking at word count in drafts on the tablet.

Medium is anti-digital-nomad. I can only work from my home office.

Writing
Medium
User Interface
Travel
Life
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