Re: [IxDA Discuss] anyone interested in a short project?
Lynn, I'm local to MN and could probably fit it in my schedule this week depending on the scope. Let's talk more about the project - srlevan at gmail (email) or GTalk: tigerfork at gmail Samantha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=49624 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] User Experience job levels.
What I have seen work well is having a path that splits after the senior level, which works well for designers, researchers, or generalists: For example: -UX Designer I, II, III -Sr. UX Designer -Principal Designer (team lead, knowledge expert) or UX Manager/Director (people management, budget, liason with execs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=49602 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] The Red Cross donation form
Hugh- I'd be happy to help as well, perhaps with a little quick and dirty usability testing. Shoot me an email - we haven't spoken in a while! Samantha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=48363 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Storyboards in Balsamiq?
Bonnie, I've never used Balsamiq for interactive wireframing but I believe it could be successful. When I've done interactive wireframing, it usually has been with HTML (Axure also is a great tool but expensive). My preference for Balsamiq, though, is to demonstrate a sketchy concept for individual pages rather than for interactive testing. :) Samantha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=47357 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Article on Number of Usability Test Participants
In the corporate world, rarely do we have the budget and time to test a website or app with hundreds, if not thousands, of users. What matters most is deciding what you need to learn from a study - how many critical tasks should be evaluated, is it a comparison study, etc. Then you can start with a smaller sample of users and if necessary, add more. Rarely do I find a need to have more than five participants per task (in many cases, they complete multiple task workflows). After five, I see the patterns. I see the critical issues. Then I make my recommendations and move on. If there is obvious inconsistency, I continue to evaluate until the glaring issues are exposed. It works. It's quick. And it's cheap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=46278 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Usability review of sharepoint application
Get to know the user base really well first. If possible, observe them using the application in their own space to understand their frustrations as well as what works best for them now. Learn the limitations of Sharepoint so that when you communicate usability recommendations, you won't hear too much we can't actually fix that. Be clear on what the goals of the app will be. What are users trying to accomplish? Are they sharing files, communicating through a discussion board, sharing a calendar, etc? Every Sharepoint site/app is set up a little different because each group using it will have different goals. Know the user and the goals and you'll be on your way to a good start. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=44420 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] CONAN Design Review
I'd love to participate. tigerfork at gmail dot com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=43460 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Mentoring, eh?
It's a brand new opportunity developed by a great committee of IxDA members. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=42967 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] How to hire an interaction designer?
IMO - from both an interviewer and an interviewee perspective, the best way to judge an interaction design candidate is to hold a working session where the candidate is given a problem to solve and works by brainstorming potential solutions by whiteboarding, sketching, and discussing with the team. By seeing how they work, it's easier to tell whether the candidate will fit with the team and whether they have the analytic and presentation skills required for this type of work. Can this person think fast? Do they jump to conclusions or evaluate several possibilities? Do they consider others' opinions? How will they evaluate if the solution is effective? Just an idea. :) Samantha LeVan http://www.perfecttuna.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=39953 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Your First UX / ID Job -- Q from the HCI Class of \'09.
When I finished grad school, I chose to work on a commercial software product as both designer and researcher. I was hesitant about the company but really thought the application was a good fit and I'd get a chance to do a little bit of everything. But it really is like Scott says - you should pick the company, not the project. While I loved the product I worked on, and definitely had good managers and colleagues, the company wasn't strong or supportive and very soon the development team for my application was sent overseas. Look for a company with potential for growth and that demonstrates respect for employees with educational/training support, a team atmosphere, and a pleasant working environment... and if possible, that offers a chance to work on a variety of project types. Samantha LeVan www.perfecttuna.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=39620 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Do you work from a home office?
I work four days a week in a traditional cubical environment and one day at home. I use that one day at home to avoid meetings and crunch on data and usually put in more productive hours there. I don't mind cubes as long as there's also a group space to brainstorm and be creative. While I do have that space available, my coworkers are all out of state so there aren't any group activities. It makes me just want to work from home 100% but my company is still getting used to the idea of one day per week. I think telecommuting success depends on personality - both of the employee and the organization. Some older companies aren't as progressive and prefer to stick with the same old cubical, 9-5 mentality. Younger companies tend to be more open to what employees would prefer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=39200 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Wireframes, supporting documentation, and software choices
I used to work on desktop software and found that because most of the interactions were long-time standards, usually a pixel-perfect mock sufficed. I now use a combination of methods to generate wires and mocks and import them into PowerPoint or Word. I don't have InDesign or Illustrator but the Office products are easy enough for me to import graphics into and then I usually annotate them as necessary with the interaction recommendations. Note that I'm no longer a designer per se, but mainly a researcher/analyst. My level of detail is far less than what most IAs must do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=39000 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
[IxDA Discuss] JOB: UX Research Summer Internship with SUPERVALU - Minnesota
Location: Chanhassen, MN Work under the direction of a staff researcher to plan and execute usability studies on software user interfaces and training materials. Assist in efforts to define usability study objectives, write usability test task scenarios, recruit and screen users, conduct usability tests, capture and analyze user feedback, identify themes and specify findings recommendations, and present study results to clients. This role does not design user interfaces. Qualifications: Currently pursuing a Bachelor or Masters degree in Human Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Management Information Systems, Cognitive Sciences, Interaction Design, or related discipline. This internship is paid but housing and relocation are not provided. Please contact me directly if interested. Samantha LeVan samantha.le...@supervalu.com 952-906-6748 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] UX testing on social networks
I conduct a diary/log study once or twice a year and find it incredibly valuable for understanding what people are enjoying and what the biggest frustration points are. My favorite study was a workbook that asked participants to describe themselves and their interests, followed by a detailed task to complete and log. We then reviewed that task and covered what information was most or least helpful for my project. Then the participants were guided to document their real experiences for a month. It was a lot of work for both me and my participants and a relatively low completion rate, but the information gathered really helped drive the perception of our users, personas, and solution ideas with engineering and marketing teams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=38658 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] User Testing and Recruiting Advice
In thinking more on this topic and after absorbing Jared's comments, another possible problem came to mind. You have to be flexible and accommodating to the users you really want to bring in. If you have found truly representative users for your study, work with their schedule. Many people with 9-5 jobs cannot be at a study at 10am. Offer evening and weekend opportunities in addition to traditional business hours. Find out if they have young children. I've had studies postponed at the last minute because of childcare difficulties. Knowing this might happened allowed me to communicate with users so they know it's okay to let me know if something comes up. Rather than becoming a no-show or cancelation, it's a reschedule for another day. Look at how you promote the opportunity. If it doesn't sound fun or lacks an impact on products the user actually uses, it could be hard to convince them to help without much incentive. Show the user how their feedback could impact the design. Make them feel like they have a say in something important. This also works really well for internal studies on enterprise applications. Employees like having a say in the software they use everyday. Samantha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=38251 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] What do you think should be the 3 primary roles/objectives of an interaction designer?
Marcus, Your post mentions which roles for interaction designers but most of what I could think of fit best in a skills category. These are my top three: 1. Designing interactions best suited to the needs of the user 2. Having strong wireframing and documentation skills 3. Genius presentation abilities Samantha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=38049 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] What to do in an environment run by engineers??
I think it's time to let the engineers observe representative users with their product. When you've gotten to the point of frustration and feel like your opinion isn't respected, back it up with user data. Schedule a few informal usability tests and let the engineers watch users struggle. I've seen this work in a number of environments - it makes a huge difference in understanding that there is a problem when you see it for yourself. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=37605 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Design (graphic and interaction), budgets, waterfalls, minimalism, and bridges to software developers
Product managers have a strong grasp of market trends and make it a point to understand the demographics and buying power of their customers. In organizations that can't afford interactions designers, supporting product managers with design training and exposure to interaction designers can work as a temporary solution until designers are hired, though cannot become a permanent resolution. I have also seen friends and colleagues in IA and UX roles transition to product management positions for job stability and because they have grown a desire to drive the business aspect of the design. In small organizations, this might be a good way for design to remain with designers in a tight budget environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=37548 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Masters Programs in Interaction Design and Design Management at University of Kansas
I believe that at a graduate level, online design education should be possible online. Many people will be going back for a masters degree after several years working in the industry and already have a foundation built. Yes, being able to collaborate in person is an experience that cannot be replicated, however, that is something many of us are used to at work as well. So many companies have teams collaborating across cities, states, and across the globe. Learning remotely supports the education of designing on a cross-cultural team and collaborating with people via email, content management systems, and video conferencing. Several years back, I both attended and worked for SCAD. When they introduced online learning, I signed up for a few courses and my experience was only slightly different from the classroom experience. Yes, there wasn't any face-time with students and professors, but I actually spent more time communicating with them via email and AIM and found the experience more positively challenging than in an in-person class. Later I went to CMU and took an online course in the software engineering department, and while not a design studio class, I felt the same about that experience as I had about the SCAD experience. For people who are already experienced in the discipline, I'm all for online education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=37349 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
