Re: [IxDA Discuss] Does Forrester know about interaction design?
That might be a reason, yes. I'd love to hear the answer from them directly, because wordings like that make me wonder how well they really know the area they're advising on. I've tried contacting the authors at Forrester, but the report doesn't mention their e-mail addresses, nor is any offered on their profile pages at Forrester.com. - Fredrik Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] iXda badge
Elizabeth, While the board tackles the issue of branding and usage - could you consider and give guidance to Local groups that: 1. Need to know the rules of usage 2. Need to know how to use the logo relative to a local groups promotion of local activities 3. Use of a real logo (not gif), as in an AI or EPS version for posters, Evite or going posts to promote local events 4. Style guide I know in the past we played fast and loose with the logo - but for instance - how to promote IxDA DC -- can we make a local group logo based on the main org logo? How do we do that? Thanks, W On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 2:39 AM, Jeff Gimzek [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: but X marks the interaXtion i guess i will fix my links. i made a smaller badge also: http://www.jdgimzek.com/images/ixda.gif Luke's took up too many pixels. On May 20, 2008, at 9:01 PM, Elizabeth Bacon wrote: Hey there Jeff et al., The Board is tackling brand issues, including access to logos and usage thereof, imminently. We'll make sure they're generally available as we coordinate ourselves going forward. Thanks for keeping them safe in the meantime, Luke! Please also note that our organization, the Interaction Design Association should be referred to as IxDA (not iXda) if'n you want to abbreviate it. Thanks! :) Cheers, Liz (IxDA VP) Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Netflix direct-to-TV streaming
On May 21, 2008, at 9:32 PM, James Nick Sears wrote: But IMO this one was dead in the water before it released. That's exactly what every industry pundit said about the iPod Shuffle. Jared Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Does Forrester know about interaction design?
There was a recent comparative study at Rosenfeld Media around research/analyst firms and Forrester ranked really well: From the Post: Forrester appears relatively strong in areas that are relatively new, such as experience design (2% versus 0.7%), interaction design (2.1% versus 0.2%), interface design (2.5% versus 0.9%), SEO (2.8% versus 0.5%), UCD (2.7% versus 0.2%), and web analytics (8.4% versus 3.8%). User experience, itself a recent term, is the most common term among Forrester's search results (16.4% versus 11%). http://www.rosenfeldmedia.com/announcements/2007/08/user_experience_and_the_analys.php . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=29337 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] six sigma vs. ucd?
There are many methods in Six Sigma that are useful in design and evaluation. Here are a few that I've used: Cause and effect (Fishbone or Ishikawa) diagrams to look for root causes The 5 Why's to get past symptoms and look for causes. This is also a good interviewing technique (similar to laddering which is also useful) to get past superficial answers to questions. Pareto diagrams for summative testing results to help determine where to focus efforts. Affinity diagramming to look for patterns and themes in qualitative data. Cost-benefits analysis to look at issues with different design solutions (here costs and benefits can be monetary, but also social, political, etc.) Chauncey On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 2:47 AM, Zayera Khan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hello, I have recently come across Six Sigma methodology (also Design for Six Sigma), and was wondering if anyone on the mailinglist has experience applying this methodology when it comes to design, user experience and innovation? Do you think it can substitute or perhaps even promote user-centered design approach in a business context? I would be glad to get some tips about best practices and case studies regarding this topic, thanks. Regards, Zayera Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Does Forrester know about interaction design?
I suspect that when Forrester mentions ad agencies, they are talking about ad agencies that do interactive advertising. As Will mentioned, the agencies that started out in the interactive space have always had some flavor of Interaction Design at their core. After the dot com crash many of these interactive agencies were purchased by larger media holding companies (e.g., Omnicom, WPP, and Interpublic). And so those Fortune 2000 companies who have always had a traditional advertising agencies now also most likely have access to a sister interactive agency. Charlie Zicari Manager - Information Architecture Organic -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Will Evans Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 9:50 AM To: charles Sue-Wah-Sing Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Does Forrester know about interaction design? As for the bit about ad agencies/media shops being the best source for UX/IxD help; it does feel off to me. I certainly wouldn't have written that in 2002. But it's been quite a while, something in the market must have caused Forrester to shift their opinion. We -- as the in group - know where the best places are for companies to look if they need deep UX expertise - but the marketplace in general doesn't. Truth is, all Fortune 2000 companies here in the US have an agency. The first place they are going to go is not Coopers or Adaptive Path or NavigationArts unless they have an in-house UX champion that has their fingers on the pulse. This is why many, I would say all, agencies have been building real UX capabilities over the past 5-10 years. Some still don't get-it and are ruled by their creative departments that focus on flash, sizzle, shock-and-awe -- but those groups are now having to integrate more with IxD/UX folks under the direction of VPs within the agency that understand the value and importance of an integrated approach that doesn't put flashy design in front of the complete user experience - which includes IxD and usability. (IMHO). - W On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 9:36 AM, charles Sue-Wah-Sing [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have leveraged many reports from Forrester to help define solutions in the banking and eretail worlds. They are not usability specialists or designers so I won't go to them about tactical issues of designing any UI. But they have a deep understanding of consumer needs, behaviour, and marketplace trends that are applicable to designing customer centric solutions both in the online and offline channels. Also consider their field of research explores trends in customer experiences in North America, EU and Asia. As for IT departments integrating usability and design. Many of my clients have some capability internally. And that's a good move to internalize usability best practices within. I find comfort that they have bought into the need. At the same time they still need outside consultants and agencies who can provide a wider and objective perspective of what's going on online to product managers and business stakeholders. Charles Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help This email is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. Dissemination, distribution or copying of this email or the information herein by anyone other than the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify us by calling our Help Desk at (415) 581-5552 or by e-mailing us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Does Forrester know about interaction design?
I have to think they were talking about interactive agencies and not ad agencies. Over the last 5-10 years, telling the difference between a design studio (IDEO, Gravity Tank, etc), an ad agency, high end IT shop, and consultancy, can be difficult for a business looking for web and interactive expertise. Of those buckets... it would seem that the ad agencies that do not specialize in interactive and the ones that have the weakest grasp on our practice. Part of this, I am sure, is a result of the cultural divide between creative and account management. Mark On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 10:35 AM, Charles Zicari [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I suspect that when Forrester mentions ad agencies, they are talking about ad agencies that do interactive advertising. As Will mentioned, the agencies that started out in the interactive space have always had some flavor of Interaction Design at their core. After the dot com crash many of these interactive agencies were purchased by larger media holding companies (e.g., Omnicom, WPP, and Interpublic). And so those Fortune 2000 companies who have always had a traditional advertising agencies now also most likely have access to a sister interactive agency. Charlie Zicari Manager - Information Architecture Organic -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Will Evans Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 9:50 AM To: charles Sue-Wah-Sing Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [IxDA Discuss] Does Forrester know about interaction design? As for the bit about ad agencies/media shops being the best source for UX/IxD help; it does feel off to me. I certainly wouldn't have written that in 2002. But it's been quite a while, something in the market must have caused Forrester to shift their opinion. We -- as the in group - know where the best places are for companies to look if they need deep UX expertise - but the marketplace in general doesn't. Truth is, all Fortune 2000 companies here in the US have an agency. The first place they are going to go is not Coopers or Adaptive Path or NavigationArts unless they have an in-house UX champion that has their fingers on the pulse. This is why many, I would say all, agencies have been building real UX capabilities over the past 5-10 years. Some still don't get-it and are ruled by their creative departments that focus on flash, sizzle, shock-and-awe -- but those groups are now having to integrate more with IxD/UX folks under the direction of VPs within the agency that understand the value and importance of an integrated approach that doesn't put flashy design in front of the complete user experience - which includes IxD and usability. (IMHO). - W On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 9:36 AM, charles Sue-Wah-Sing [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have leveraged many reports from Forrester to help define solutions in the banking and eretail worlds. They are not usability specialists or designers so I won't go to them about tactical issues of designing any UI. But they have a deep understanding of consumer needs, behaviour, and marketplace trends that are applicable to designing customer centric solutions both in the online and offline channels. Also consider their field of research explores trends in customer experiences in North America, EU and Asia. As for IT departments integrating usability and design. Many of my clients have some capability internally. And that's a good move to internalize usability best practices within. I find comfort that they have bought into the need. At the same time they still need outside consultants and agencies who can provide a wider and objective perspective of what's going on online to product managers and business stakeholders. Charles Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help This email is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. Dissemination, distribution or copying of this email or the information herein by anyone other than the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, is prohibited. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify us by calling our Help Desk at (415) 581-5552 or by e-mailing us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Introducing design to a dev team for the first time
Caveat - I am in the same position as yourself and do not in any way consider myself an expert. That said, I feel your strategy here is entirely dependent on how early on in the process you are working, what your timeframe is, and how much flexibility you have. In my case, I am being brought in during concept stage, with the plan to start developing the software in July, and the opportunity to develop a new branding identity and marketing materials as well as user assistance documentation once the software is well into development. So I have time for all kinds of data collection from the marketing department, and to develop user scenarios, usability testing procedures, and eventually personas and use cases. Following that I plan to do wireframes and paper prototypes with iterative testing and design refinement, based on various concept models for testing usability. In other words, I've been given the time and leeway to go all out on not just usability testing but user experience design including re-architecting documentation and designing marketing materials as well as help systems. On the other hand, you may have very little time or leeway for usability testing. There is definitely information out there for executing guerilla usability testing. Certainly any testing is worthwhile, and if you Google you will find lots of resources. It is up to you which way you take it. Cheers, Erica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=29332 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Components instead of Computers
is there a place for a dedicated component that has a great experience for doing just thing one or two things it needs to do? I live this question daily. I work at Comcast; we used to be just a cable provider, now we provide internet acces, voice services, cable content, web content, mobile content, etc. We are often trying to make one device accomplish too much. Often because we have one device that does one thing successfully and it's easy to expect that adding other things to it will make it as successful (which isn't necessarily true as you have diminishing returns the more you add, features or content). If there is one thing that we are learning more and more through our research across platforms is that there is a paradox between people wanting extreme simplicity (aka limited choice and complexity), and expecting to be able to access everything available immediately and ubiquitously. It's when we try to address that paradox by picking one device or channel to expose everything through that we mess up. I applaud Netflix and Roku's focus -- I haven't even received it yet and I already have preemptive criticism, but I knew I wanted it the second I first heard about it. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] six sigma vs. ucd?
Here's an interesting article from last year about the practice of Six Sigma at 3M. Summary: It didn't work well for them. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_24/b4038406.htm Excerpt: ...four and a half years after arriving, McNerney abruptly left for a bigger opportunity, the top job at Boeing (BA ). Now his successors face a challenging question: whether the relentless emphasis on efficiency had made 3M a less creative company. That's a vitally important issue for a company whose very identity is built on innovation. After all, 3M is the birthplace of masking tape, Thinsulate, and the Post-it note. It is the invention machine whose methods were consecrated in the influential 1994 best-seller Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras. But those old hits have become distant memories. It has been a long time since the debut of 3M's last game-changing technology: the multilayered optical films that coat liquid-crystal display screens. At the company that has always prided itself on drawing at least one-third of sales from products released in the past five years, today that fraction has slipped to only one-quarter. Those results are not coincidental. Efficiency programs such as Six Sigma are designed to identify problems in work processes-and then use rigorous measurement to reduce variation and eliminate defects. When these types of initiatives become ingrained in a company's culture, as they did at 3M, creativity can easily get squelched. After all, a breakthrough innovation is something that challenges existing procedures and norms. Invention is by its very nature a disorderly process, says current CEO George Buckley, who has dialed back many of McNerney's initiatives. You can't put a Six Sigma process into that area and say, well, I'm getting behind on invention, so I'm going to schedule myself for three good ideas on Wednesday and two on Friday. That's not how creativity works. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Printer Recommendations Needed
I have found the Brother MFC-9440CN to be very satisfactory in my home office: o Color laser printer, copier, scanner, fax machine. o About $450 at Costco. o Ethernet networking built in. o Surprisingly decent printing of color UI mockups. o Color toner cartridges are expensive, but seem to last quite awhile. o But only letter and legal size. For 11 x 17 printouts, why don't you look at 13 or wider inkjet printers. You can use cheap paper for draft printouts or glossy photo paper for fine art photographic prints, and anything in between. FWIW, Bill At 5:45 PM -0400 5/21/08, Will Evans wrote: So here is what I am looking for: Color Laser Printer for UX guy Home office - so a huge monster won't be viable High quality for printing from Illustrator and Photoshop Print speed is good - 18-22ppm Resolution 1200 x 600 Here is the catch - I would really love it to be able to handle 11x17 (for wireframes). And I don't want to eat Ramen for 3 months to pay for it. Any recommendations? -- ~ will Where you innovate, how you innovate, and what you innovate are design problems -- == Bill Fernandez * User Interface Architect * Bill Fernandez Design (505) 346-3080 * bf_list1 AT billfernandez DOT com * http://billfernandez.com == Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Introducing design to a dev team for the first time
Hi Erica, ... your strategy here is entirely dependent on how early on in the process you are working, what your timeframe is, and how much flexibility you have. I think my timeline is going to be a bit more compressed than yours. I'm coming into a project in the middle, where the functionality of an existing product is being extended. So I probably will have to take a somewhat guerrilla approach. But I certainly get the importance of usability testing, and I'll try to incorporate it *somehow*. And I still have to make sure the documentation is ready on time *as well*. Thanks, Martin On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 8:14 PM, erica [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Caveat - I am in the same position as yourself and do not in any way consider myself an expert. That said, I feel your strategy here is entirely dependent on how early on in the process you are working, what your timeframe is, and how much flexibility you have. In my case, I am being brought in during concept stage, with the plan to start developing the software in July, and the opportunity to develop a new branding identity and marketing materials as well as user assistance documentation once the software is well into development. So I have time for all kinds of data collection from the marketing department, and to develop user scenarios, usability testing procedures, and eventually personas and use cases. Following that I plan to do wireframes and paper prototypes with iterative testing and design refinement, based on various concept models for testing usability. In other words, I've been given the time and leeway to go all out on not just usability testing but user experience design including re-architecting documentation and designing marketing materials as well as help systems. On the other hand, you may have very little time or leeway for usability testing. There is definitely information out there for executing guerilla usability testing. Certainly any testing is worthwhile, and if you Google you will find lots of resources. It is up to you which way you take it. Cheers, Erica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=29332 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help -- Martin Polley Technical writer, etc. +972 52 3864280 Calendar—http://capcloud.com/calendar Site—http://capcloud.com/ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Introducing design to a dev team for the first time
On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 12:28 PM, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I get the definite impression that they are after something more visual that they can take and translate into the built product. Which raises another question: how interactive/hi-fidelity to make wireframes/prototypes? Whiteboard/paper? Visio with layers to simulate different page states? HTML/CSS/JS for something that wags and barks like the real thing? (The latter will require a crash course to fill in some big blanks...) They are used to receiving PPTs to illustrate interaction flows, so I guess anything's better than that :) Ugh Visio layers, what a sadly broken feature. You've listed some good choices. The usual criteria to select might include: - What you know how to do - How much time you have to do it in - What your customer prefers - Why you are prototyping or wireframing For usability testing, it's great to have a working prototype. It's perfectly acceptable during an early design stage to use a paper prototype. A paper prototype gets done quick, finds lots of problems, is easy to work with, low tech, cheap. No style points but big results, and early in the project where it can really count. Powerpoint can work for you too if needed. Flash is a great prototyping tool, as is HTML/CSS/Javascript. There's a tendency for Flash or HTML prototypes to end up as front end code in the app sometimes so heads up there. Since you're introducing design into the process for the first time, and it's a bit new to you, I'd recommend that you focus more on facilitating design processes and communications than on higher fidelity prototypes, at least during the early phases of the project. Good luck! Michael Micheletti Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
[IxDA Discuss] Components instead of Computers
Hi Jared, apologies for being unclear. I think the Roka box is a great idea - do one thing and do it well. Anyway I've laboured that point to death and obviously wasnt very eloquent in my argument that the Roka box is a feature and AppleTV is a system From a systems perspective, a 'computer' is a versatile tool that can be applied to a wide range of problems. Metaphorically its the hammer and all problems start to look like nails. The advantage to this approach is cost efficiencies gained in the mass production of this tool means it can be quickly and cheaply applied to design problems. The downside however is that the tool's interface (OS UI framework peripherals) has to be generic enough for it to be applicable to a wide range of problems which leads to issues such as http://www.flickr.com/photos/zigzaglens/1944832885/ For example, a PC can be a games machine, but it will never be as good as a Playstation/XBox/Wii. It can be packaged as a media center but wont be as good as an Apple TV. It has an infinite number of applications but not always as good as a dedicated product if the task is simple and well defined. As a systems solution its a jack of all trades but master of none. So, to your example of the Sony BKM FW50 (who comes up with these names?) a computer could be applied here, the issue is having non technical staff operate an application... total cost of a lowend PC, Linux application maybe ~$400. The Sony solution, doing one task well, weighs in at $720. That premium of ~$320 is for no end-user support display space savings. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] six sigma vs. ucd?
Having been through Lean / Six Sigma, I do agree with David's point as well as the conclusions drawn by the article he cites. In general, Six Sigma is really overwrought and demands a lot of time. It is definitely not designed for messy environments where deviations are encouraged in the name of innovation. Six Sigma seems best for sustaining what you already know. But that's not to say it doesn't have some value. If it were applied to the wrong culture--say, a design studio--then I don't think the results would be very good. I think it would stifle innovation. But a design team could use some of Six Sigma's philosophies to ensure its products' users are, themselves, able to work without error or interruption. Cautionary note though. Just steer clear of Six Sigma's demeaning green belt, black belt and sensei levels of aptitude. Those are just inane. On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 2:28 PM, David Adam Edelstein [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Here's an interesting article from last year about the practice of Six Sigma at 3M. Summary: It didn't work well for them. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_24/b4038406.htm Excerpt: ...four and a half years after arriving, McNerney abruptly left for a bigger opportunity, the top job at Boeing (BA ). Now his successors face a challenging question: whether the relentless emphasis on efficiency had made 3M a less creative company. That's a vitally important issue for a company whose very identity is built on innovation. After all, 3M is the birthplace of masking tape, Thinsulate, and the Post-it note. It is the invention machine whose methods were consecrated in the influential 1994 best-seller Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras. But those old hits have become distant memories. It has been a long time since the debut of 3M's last game-changing technology: the multilayered optical films that coat liquid-crystal display screens. At the company that has always prided itself on drawing at least one-third of sales from products released in the past five years, today that fraction has slipped to only one-quarter. Those results are not coincidental. Efficiency programs such as Six Sigma are designed to identify problems in work processes-and then use rigorous measurement to reduce variation and eliminate defects. When these types of initiatives become ingrained in a company's culture, as they did at 3M, creativity can easily get squelched. After all, a breakthrough innovation is something that challenges existing procedures and norms. Invention is by its very nature a disorderly process, says current CEO George Buckley, who has dialed back many of McNerney's initiatives. You can't put a Six Sigma process into that area and say, well, I'm getting behind on invention, so I'm going to schedule myself for three good ideas on Wednesday and two on Friday. That's not how creativity works. Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Introducing design to a dev team for the first time
Thanks, Michael. Those are all important factors. I didn't have it as clear in my head as how you articulated it. As for what the customer prefers, I think they are open to being educated and respect and defer to the expertise of people in fields other than their own. (Not that I'm in any way an expert at this stage.) There's a tendency for Flash or HTML prototypes to end up as front end code in the app sometimes so heads up there. Not likely in this case, luckily. I'll be working on enhancements to an existing project, so it will be implemented in GWT, for better or for worse. ... I'd recommend that you focus more on facilitating design processes and communications than on higher fidelity prototypes, at least during the early phases of the project. Good luck! Sounds sensible. I get the impression that I am just expected to come up with one design that will work, which the developers can then go build. So I'll have to impress upon them that this will require *some* sort of user input. The thing is, I'm not clear about which would better serve the design: some sort of ethnographic research, or some kind of usability testing. (Sure, doing both would be best, but in this situation, what would give me more bang per buck? I think usability testing would be the easier sell, in any case...) Thanks, Martin Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Introducing design to a dev team for the first time
Hi Michael, Thank you for the wise words. Offer to facilitate design/whiteboard sessions and volunteer to write the design specs. ... you can offer suggestions on interfaces ... prepare two or three different versions of wireframes ahead of time as discussion aids. I get the definite impression that they are after something more visual that they can take and translate into the built product. Which raises another question: how interactive/hi-fidelity to make wireframes/prototypes? Whiteboard/paper? Visio with layers to simulate different page states? HTML/CSS/JS for something that wags and barks like the real thing? (The latter will require a crash course to fill in some big blanks...) They are used to receiving PPTs to illustrate interaction flows, so I guess anything's better than that :) If you can get a little budget for field studies... I will definitely try to get them to let me do some sort of usability testing. Something small to begin with, to prove its worth. The main idea is to be a facilitator of design on the team. I'll try to keep that in mind at all times. Finally, if you're good with graphics, symbols, colors, visual design - offer to contribute to this part. Otherwise some Java programmer will do it all in the Gimp, underwhelm, and deliver code late. Or more likely it will be the standard GWT look with a logo slapped on it :) Thanks very much, Martin Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] The Continuing Saga of OLPC
Okay, I'll bite on ths. Disclosures for the new folks are that I work for Microsoft but that these opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of my employer. I'm not sure that OLPC running Windows is equal to The decision marks the end of the effort to spread Constructionist learning pedagogy-learning by doing-to tens of millions of poor children in villages around the world. Especially when one considers that neither FOSS or the interface that presumably is optimized for this type of learning, Sugar, is going away. In fact I'm under the impression that there is a desire to make Sugar run on Windows. But I would argue that constructionist learning is agnostic of computing in general and platform in particular and it's disingenuous to say that FOSS was a critical or even necessary component to enable it--some people no doubt wanted it to be that way but those reasons really didn't have a thing to do with constructivist learning. You could enable it on just about any OS. In fact, one could argue that the way just about any developer that learns how to build and develop software today is doing so using very similar approaches that could easily be considered as similar to constructivist techniques. OLPC has been challenged because too many dynamics of the effort were simply ignored and agendas that had nothing to do with learning rose to prominence (pushing computers and pushing FOSS at the expense of truly understanding what their target audience and all its stakeholders needed). A few of the most glaring missteps follow: 1.) How critical are computers to constructivist learning? Before Microsoft I spent a few years at IBM working on their global IBM On Demand project (an effort designed to enable IBM employees all over the world to volunteer in the communities in which they live and work). Although we probably didn't throw the term constructionist learning around a lot we were in fact doing just that. Computers were a part of but certainly not the central focus, they were merely tools that were occasionally used to facilitate the ideas being communicated. IBM in fact rejected an idea very similar to OLPC that had be presented to them by the Institute of Design in 2004. OLPC has admitted many times that this was about getting technology into the emerging world. I think the original intent was to focus on constructivist learning but I think that intent got hijacked by competing agendas way before Microsoft ever showed up on the scene. 2.) OLPC didn't seem to understand the market they were selling to. Which wasn't the user but the governments or sometimes institutions, like NGO's, that would provide them. In fact, one could argue if the real mission was about constructivist learning, even with computers, they shouldn't have been trying to sell anything, but rather find patrons at the get go that would give this crap away--a strategy that was only tried after the OLPC had failed to achieve momentum. But their initial model was simply out of touch with both how aid and assistance gets pushed out and how governmental institutions make decisions. It almost seems like they presumed that the dynamics of microfinance and small-scale capitalism had something to do with these organization and big institutions. I'm by no means an expert but in my limited experience with organizations like this nothing could be further from the truth. The market they were actually trying to engage (The people that were going to write the checks) function much more like a traditional IT customer or public sector enterprise than many of the bottom of the pyramid efforts we might be familiar with. 3.) But by far the biggest issue was this. They tried to ascribe constructivist learning to the idea of actually maintaining these devices. This utopian thought is what ultimately caused this effort to go off the rails. Who was going to fix the 100 million of these things out the wild? Windows is still (for better or worse depending on where you sit) a defacto standard with over a billion installations all over the world. There are tens of millions of people (even in the emerging world) that are well equipped to work with it, that even might prefer to work with it. This ecosystem means that Windows on OLPC might be its salvation in fulfilling its original mission of being a tool for constructivist learning versus a harbinger of its demise. Chris Bernard Microsoft User Experience Evangelist [EMAIL PROTECTED] 630.530.4208 Office 312.925.4095 Mobile -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan Saffer Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 9:11 AM To: IXDA list Subject: [IxDA Discuss] The Continuing Saga of OLPC It's been a weird week for the One Laptop Per Child project, and I'm surprised we didn't discuss it here. First was the news that: Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child organization admitted defeat in its
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Introducing design to a dev team for the first time
Hi Martin, I'd talk to your CEO or whoever is in charge, show them before and after scenarios and make a case as to why you think usability = increased revenue. I would also do a bit of internal marketing, ensure your team are referred to as interaction designer (never graphic designers) and do some educational sessions on why preplanning and information architecture add to the product and is something everyone can support. You have to solve the internal attitude to it before you (and your coworkers) can educate the client. I would research industrial design history and how they got into the mix (they were seen as glorified prettifiers before). hope that helps. james On Thu, May 22, 2008 at 4:38 PM, Martin [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Thanks, Michael. Those are all important factors. I didn't have it as clear in my head as how you articulated it. As for what the customer prefers, I think they are open to being educated and respect and defer to the expertise of people in fields other than their own. (Not that I'm in any way an expert at this stage.) There's a tendency for Flash or HTML prototypes to end up as front end code in the app sometimes so heads up there. Not likely in this case, luckily. I'll be working on enhancements to an existing project, so it will be implemented in GWT, for better or for worse. ... I'd recommend that you focus more on facilitating design processes and communications than on higher fidelity prototypes, at least during the early phases of the project. Good luck! Sounds sensible. I get the impression that I am just expected to come up with one design that will work, which the developers can then go build. So I'll have to impress upon them that this will require *some* sort of user input. The thing is, I'm not clear about which would better serve the design: some sort of ethnographic research, or some kind of usability testing. (Sure, doing both would be best, but in this situation, what would give me more bang per buck? I think usability testing would be the easier sell, in any case...) Thanks, Martin Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] The Continuing Saga of OLPC
OLPC has been challenged because too many dynamics of the effort were simply ignored... Negraponte promised 100 million users: couldn't deliver a minute fraction of it. He promised a $100 PC: delivered it at twice the price. He promised a revolutionary UI: he's now switching to Windows. He promised a third consumer-level PC platform as an alternative: he's now serving the dominant player. He promised deployment without support: he neither deployed nor supported it. And so on. If a public company CEO made these outlandish promises (and predictably delivered none of it) he'd be sued by shareholders to smithereens. Now, he's promising an enlarged iPhone sandwich at $75, targeted to, for all we know, 500 million users. How does one take any of this seriously? -- Kontra http://counternotions.com Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
[IxDA Discuss] ATTIGO TT, Touchscreen Turntable
In case others haven't seen this yet. Tre cool. http://www.psfk.com/2008/05/attigo-tt-the-touch-screen-turntable.html -- Andrei Herasimchuk Principal, Involution Studios innovating the digital world e. [EMAIL PROTECTED] c. +1 408 306 6422 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Introducing design to a dev team for the first time
Martin's question - Where to start? What are the things I can do right now that will have the greatest positive impact for the effort I will be putting in? Speak to the team about key pages or flows that are in need of help and have the greatest impact on the product. Find out where they are hurting and where you can help. Perhaps a quick usability review and to cross check the thinking with the team. When you have created some design ideas, walkthrough with the team - http://www.uxmatters.com/MT/archives/000199.php rgds, Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=29332 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
[IxDA Discuss] Interaction design and usability workshop - June 7, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Hello IxDA members! There's an upcoming interaction design and usability testing workshop next June 7 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The workshop lasts 8 hours, between 9am and 18:30pm. Participants learn the basics of interaction design, low fidelity prototyping and usability testing with users. You can get more info at www.cursodeusabilidad.com.ar (in Spanish). Best regards, -- Guillermo Ermel Interaction designer and Usability Consultant Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
