[IxDA Discuss] Interesting analysis on the G1 from the folks at MEX
http://is.gd/3aef The Mobile User Experience conf folks has an interesting take on the G1. Worth the read. dave -- David Malouf http://synapticburn.com/ http://ixda.org/ http://motorola.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] practice vs. discipline roles vs. people
Really nicely put, Jonas. I think you're right on the money. This one point jumped out at me: On Sep 26, 2008, at 3:12 AM, Jonas Löwgren wrote: - I think there is a difference between adequate and outstanding interaction design ability. This is true, no matter what you're talking about. There's a difference between adequacy and excellence in architecture, medicine, politics, and management. And it's often overlooked by the foundations of the discipline. How do you identify the excellent within the field? How do you extract what makes them excel? How do you teach those elements to those that are merely adequate (or worse)? This is one of the key things we're looking into for UX. I don't have any answers yet, but I think we've made some progress. Jared Jared M. Spool User Interface Engineering 510 Turnpike St., Suite 102, North Andover, MA 01845 e: [EMAIL PROTECTED] p: +1 978 327 5561 http://uie.com Blog: http://uie.com/brainsparks 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] right hand vertical menus
Doesn't it depend on the target market? It seems everyone assumed Chris was asking about right hand menu vs. left on a web or web application. Look at desktop apps such as MS Expression Blend, Axure or Adobe Lightroom. They use both Left and Right hand menus and would be very challenging to remove either. If the product is going into a similar market then right and left navigation is necessary. That being said I have worked on web apps that had both; however the right hand nav was definitely secondary to the left. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33108 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] changing images and color schemes on refresh
It sincerely sounds like a thin line to be treading - users can generally handle significant changes in content - intermediate+ users usually find value in updated content, deals and suggested items on their Amazon landing site for example, but framework changes such as color would seem to be confusing. Banner images are often expected to be inserts, ads or only related to structure as to the space they occupy, so the change of the image seems less significant or even expected. Does the color change serve another aspect of the user experience? Does it highlight a direction for the user, a purpose for their being there or what they want to do? Scott On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Scott Cobban [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: If a visitor arrives on one of the landing pages, leaves that landing page, but then returns to that same landing page (via Back button or site navigation), they'll see a page with a different banner image and color scheme for the 4 boxes. I'm concerned that this can cause the visitor some confusion. The main marketing message in the banner image won't change, but the colors of the page and the sub-boxes' content will. How do you feel about changing the visual elements on a page and potentially presenting the visitor with new color schemes upon their return to a page? Thanks, Scott -- * It's very important to know when you're in a pissing match. And it's very important to get out of it as quickly as possible. - Randy Pausch 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] G1 Android - case study in inconsistency
I agree totally, and this is the point I was trying to make. I would even add the impact of the business model into the total experience of a product and the cost to the environment. Good design finds the sweet spot between the tech, the biz model and the experience that delights and meets the needs of real people. Even better it considers the environmental impact as well. There are a lot of entry points into that ven diagram. Google is coming in from the tech side, apple from the human pov but they are both trying to get into the zone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33456 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] practice vs. discipline roles vs. people
Jonas, Thank-you for one of the most articulate descriptions of interaction design that I have seen. Your comments below on understanding, sensing, and experimenting with the materials: medium + time are exceptionally well- worded. - Donna Fritzsche On Fri, 26 Sep 2008 09:12:55 +0200, Jonas Löwgren wrote We have been over this many times before, I am sure, but hopefully snip... - Outstanding design ability tends to correlate with a more profound understanding of the design material. Here, I am thinking specifically of two aspects of understanding the material. - One is the ability to sketch interaction by experimenting in code (or hardware, for that matter). The point is that key qualities of interaction design are in the interactive behavior over time. If you want to design innovative interaction, you must be able to sketch your ideas in forms that you can actually play with to judge how they feel, in order to guide your further explorations. Wireframes, storyboards, video scenarios, etc. are no substitutes for experimental programming when it comes to designing innovative interaction. - The other is the sensibility to the aesthetics of interaction, which are material-specific to some extent and have everything to do with the feel of the interaction over time. Again, for standard- compliant or idiom-based interactions this is not as big an issue as it is for innovative interactions. - I notice that my last set of bullets seems to define outstanding interaction design ability mainly in terms of innovativity. I am actually happy with this interpretation, as I think a main aspiration for any design discipline is to go beyond incremental design. - But, of course, innovation in interaction design is nothing without a rock-solid understanding of users and use practices in the design sittuation. - This is why the notion of genre should be recognized more generally in interaction design (You wouldn't ask a productivity- app expert to design a game, for example). But that is another thread, I guess. Hope this makes sense, Jonas Löwgren 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] Heuristic Evaluation Criteria for Physical Devices
That would depend on the type and purpose of the device being evaluated. Can you elaborate? Heuristics are rules of thumb, educated guesses, intuitive judgments or simply common sense http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic -Adamya On 9/26/08, David Shaw [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Good Friday! I'm trying to find a list of criteria when doing a heuristic evaluation on a physical device. So far the only thing I've been able to find is Useit.com's list, http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html which is specific to screen interfaces. Is there anything out there for non-screen based testing? Thanks in advance! David -- Art provokes thinking, design solves problems w: http://www.davidshaw.info 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] Heuristic Evaluation Criteria for Physical Devices
Sure... we're investigating some peripheral devices to our product (medical measurement devices like a blood sugar meter, etc.). Our target is elderly 60-80 with some type of chronic condition. I didn't know if there was a list geared more towards physical interaction (maybe even ergonomics). On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 10:14 AM, adamya ashk [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: That would depend on the type and purpose of the device being evaluated. Can you elaborate? Heuristics are rules of thumb, educated guesses, intuitive judgments or simply common sense http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic -Adamya On 9/26/08, David Shaw [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Good Friday! I'm trying to find a list of criteria when doing a heuristic evaluation on a physical device. So far the only thing I've been able to find is Useit.com's list, http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html which is specific to screen interfaces. Is there anything out there for non-screen based testing? Thanks in advance! David -- Art provokes thinking, design solves problems w: http://www.davidshaw.info 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 -- Art provokes thinking, design solves problems w: http://www.davidshaw.info 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] (Job) Mid-level Information Architect - Contract - NYC Ad Agency - Recruiter
My client, a growing interactive ad agency in New York City is seeking a mid-level addition to their IA team. This person will be primarily assisting the lead IA with documentation and strategy across multiple accounts. They truly offer the best of both worlds: small agency environment with big clients! This position is perfect for someone with 2-3 years professional experience or a recent ID graduate or a documentation heavy slightly more senior IA. Prior advertising agency experience is preferred. Documentation samples are required. This is an ongoing freelance opportunity - staff position a possibility. Please contact me (Jackie at ttspersonnel dot com) for more information. 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] practice vs. discipline roles vs. people
On Sep 26, 2008, at 11:03 AM, adamya ashk wrote: Imagine an architect is designing a house for you. The process of design will take place in her mind as she considers your requirements and the experiential flow of spaces desired. She can communicate her ideas in ways that will add sufficiently to your understanding of her design. All of these would be poor substitutes for being able to walk through the house. But because we are talking about physical space, we intuitively understand an architects sketches, plans, walkthroughs etc.. Architects and industrial designers have for decades now built scale models of their work. And at minimum they sketch and render many versions of the design in 3D perspective from various vantage points. These days, it's common practice at many firms to build 3D flythroughs of the design on the computer. All of these approaches provide the means to make judgements about the design and get a feel for it. So, in essence, my question is: What makes 'innovative' interaction schema so unique that we think we need actual prototypes? I feel to this day people get concerned about being asked to learn something new with regard to their job. In this case, coding and scripting. I also think this is the incorrect way to approach the problem. The question isn't whether a prototype is needed for product design. It clearly is, and all the evidence you need comes from every single other design profession in existence. Architects, industrial design, fashion design, graphic design, automobile design, the list goes on. Once you accept that, then the question becomes: How do we make it happen? At Involution, we have dedicated developers who are experts at front- end work. They also have major interest in the design and behavior of that front end. They help the designers build prototypes during the process, and in doing so, also help to teach the designers how to build it themselves. It's an on-going process, and one that is fraught with difficulty and will take a lot of time for those that haven't trained themselves in coding or scripting, including myself. But I firmly believe you have to dive into it if you want to make progress in this regard. To do that, I think you have to embrace it, not question if it is even needed. If you are questioning it, then you are many steps removed from where you should be heading, imho. I've experimented with many techniques in the past. Initially, I relied solely on code/prototype to design but felt a little hamstrung. As I grew more at home with the 'material' I learned better to communicate my ideas on paper, whiteboard and through conversation. I guess you could say I became a better 'visual communicator'. :-) That's all good, and highly encouraged. You're getting the hand drawn sketching and rendering part that architects and industrial designers do as well. That sketching process does *NOT* replace a scale model nor a 3D flythrough. That's the key. -- 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] Heuristic Evaluation Criteria for Physical Devices
David, Here's a link to a paper by Jiajie Zhang and others where they extend heuristic evaluation and task analysis a bit with ideas from distributed cognitive task theory (from earlier work by Zhang and Don Norman) for the medical device domain; e.g. they analyze infusion pump interfaces in the paper. There are newer papers by Zhang on his site, but many are pay-for-access such as ACM Portal. Zhang, J., Patel, V. L., Johnson, T. R., Chung, P., Turley, J. P. (2005). Evaluating and predicting patient safety for medical devices with integral information technology. In K. Henriksen, J. B. Battles, E. Marks D. I. Lewin (Eds.), Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation (pp. 323-336). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Zhang's research publications page: http://acad88.sahs.uth.tmc.edu/research/research.htm PDF of the paper: http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/advances/vol2/Zhang.pdf Enjoy, Joel On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 1:19 PM, David Shaw [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sure... we're investigating some peripheral devices to our product (medical measurement devices like a blood sugar meter, etc.). Our target is elderly 60-80 with some type of chronic condition. I didn't know if there was a list geared more towards physical interaction (maybe even ergonomics). On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 10:14 AM, adamya ashk [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: That would depend on the type and purpose of the device being evaluated. Can you elaborate? Heuristics are rules of thumb, educated guesses, intuitive judgments or simply common sense http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heuristic -Adamya On 9/26/08, David Shaw [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Good Friday! I'm trying to find a list of criteria when doing a heuristic evaluation on a physical device. So far the only thing I've been able to find is Useit.com's list, http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html which is specific to screen interfaces. Is there anything out there for non-screen based testing? Thanks in advance! David -- Art provokes thinking, design solves problems w: http://www.davidshaw.info 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 -- Art provokes thinking, design solves problems w: http://www.davidshaw.info 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] practice vs. discipline roles vs. people
while ID education requires modeling skills, most in practice today have ... 1) 3D printers for SLA and Waxes (we don't have that, yet though maybe Thermo will help) 2) There is an entire industry of model makers that supports ID studios around the world. It's funny here at Moto, we spend Thousands on model making. Various levels of fidelity throughout the process. (upwards of 6 figures for a single project for a single handheld computer). This is common in consumer electronics so there is no secret here. When I suggested that we hire out (or create internally) a similar model shop with similar budgets for software, it was questioned deeply, but the way I called it out, definitely couldn't be ignored. Modeling is a key need for interactive systems. During education it is crucial for people to be able to do high fidelity models in SOME medium (its amazing what an ID can do with foam, glue and pain; never includes the screen btw). But in practice, it doesn't seem to scale very well for the designer to be the modeler as well, especially when it gets to the point of high fidelity (appearance) modeling. This isn't about ability, but about process. I also think the tools aren't there for us (or there is no agreement on which tools work for what). I loved Jonas' post for sure! -- dave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33500 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] Heuristic Evaluation Criteria for Physical Devices
David - You can apply most, if not all, of the same heuristic principles that you apply to a strictly UI analysis, but I would also integrate key physical ergonomic factors like reach and posture. Here's a quick description of those characterisitcs - Feedback - Identify where the user's access to sensory feedback (e.g. visual, tactile) is comprised Reach - Identify situations where the user's major limbs (arms, legs) and minor limbs (fingers) must over-extend in order to carry-out a task Clearance - Identify situations where the user's major limbs (arms, legs) and minor limbs (fingers) must function within a limited space, such as finger holes or a handle Posture - Identify situations where the user's overall body posture is deviated from neutral position, as well as deviations at key joints (e.g. shoulder, wrist) Strength - Identify situations where the user must apply excessive or prolonged force for movement or stability, relative to their strength capabilities For a little more context, see 5 Guidelines for Ergonomic Observations (focused on field observations, but applicable to heuristics) - http://tinyurl.com/4pzb3c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33561 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] practice vs. discipline roles vs. people
Seriously though, Andrei wrote: Architects and industrial designers have for decades now built scale models of their work.All of these approaches provide the means to make judgements about the design and get a feel for itall the evidence you need comes from every single other design profession in existence. Architects, industrial design, fashion design, graphic design, automobile design, the list goes on. I like to think I know something about this being qualified as an architect and an industrial designer. I practiced both actively before I caught the new media bug. :-) That's all good, and highly encouraged. You're getting the hand drawn sketching and rendering part that architects and industrial designers do as well. That sketching process does *NOT* replace a scale model nor a 3D flythrough. That's the key. I think you're missing the point. Jonas wrote 'you need to mess around in code so you can design innovative interaction'. I took that to be similar to how I would mess around in plaster when I was doing a 'grip' and the tactile nature of the act would inform my design process (chisel biting through and plaster flying...ah, those were the days!). Later on I got very good as visualizing the grip and didn't need to do that so much. A simple sketch would do it for me. Off course the client needs to see and feel it through a slick model/flythrough/perspective but that is after the design act. And off course there are rinse/repeat cycles later onbut as you gain proficiency you do not need to, literally, feel the burn or resistance of the material the first time through. Maybe you've internalized the process and that's that. In architecture, we had a concept that at a certain point in your training you can virtually 'see' the building on paper, as it would show up on the site. Similar to how you can probably 'see' an interaction schema in your mind. If this visualization didn't exist you'd see far too many architects messing around with bricks :-) Not to say that this would be a bad thing. So is messing around in plaster/code essential for the ID/IxD to form design sensibility? Absolutely! Is it the only way? No. This has been fun. -Adamya 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] practice vs. discipline roles vs. people
I'd just like to counter for a moment the notion that digital interactions are unique in their dependence on prototypes, that architectural interactions can't be prototyped or that this form of learning is available only for simple interactions. The most recent high-profile example of a full-scale prototype is probably the Apple Store, but lots of organizations experiment with full-scale prototypes that shed light on their internal interactions. Bank of America runs experimental branches in Atlanta. David Weinberger describes a full-size, functioning Staples prototype store in his book Everything is Miscellaneous. Kaiser Permamente and the Mayo Clinic both prototype on this level. Companies also regularly prototype full size interiors for things like aircraft or trains. IDEO did this for Acela and Henry Dreyfuss wrote about working with full-scale prototypes for airlines in Designing for People. Service design in particular relies on full-scale working prototypes. It's often impossible to evaluate the interactions involved without actually building them out. Southwest airlines took this approach when they were experimenting with assigned seats by prototyping the service in one or two airports. Depending on experience to acquire understanding isn't a limitation of digital interactions. It's a limitation of being human. // jeff adamya wrote: All of these would be poor substitutes for being able to walk through the house. But because we are talking about physical space, we intuitively understand an architects sketches, plans, walkthroughs etc... So, in essence, my question is: What makes 'innovative' interaction schema so unique that we think we need actual prototypes? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33500 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] [Event] Chicago IxDA --Topic: Sustainable Interaction Design --Wed October 8th
Hello fellow Chicagoans, Please join us on Wednesday, October 8th for our next Chicago IxDA gathering! Frank Gruger, and his colleagues from Orbitz, will be facilitating a discussion on Sustainable Interaction Design. As interaction designers we may have felt immune to the call of sustainability and the green movement. Up until now it seems to have been largely the concern of architects and industrial designers connected to the use of green materials. However, as active players in the product and marking life cycles, we bear responsibility for driving consumer behavior, desire, consumption, and eventual disposal of our products and services. Eli Blevis of the School of Informatics at Indiana University coined the term Sustainable Interaction Design in a 2007 article Sustainable Interaction Design: Invention Disposal, Renewal Reusehttp://eli.informatics.indiana.edu/P503-blevis.pdf . In this article he raises questions which will drive our discussion. Some examples: 94% of PCs don't meet the requirements for running a full version of Vista. Where is the interaction designer's responsibility in creating software that drives obsolescence? While Apple has taken great strides in using green materials they are the leaders in rapid obsolescence. Should the interaction designers at Apple be pushing for a longer product horizon for their designs? How can interaction design create products which encourage longevity? Further reading can be found at: http://eli.informatics.indiana.edu/selectedpublications.html Hosted By: Orbitz When: Wednesday, October 8th Time: 6:30 - 8:00 PM (Please arrive promptly. Guests may not be allowed in after 7PM) Address: 500 W. Madison -10th Floor Food and drink will be served Please RSVP by filling out this form: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pKwbS7NpPcWnbsdShaloTEQhl=en We need to give names to the front desk, so please RSVP by Monday, Oct 6th. You will see a confirmation screen after filling out the RSVP form with the contact phone number. PLEASE NOTE: RSVP's for this event are more limited than previous events. Walk ins will not be allowed and the RSVP form will be shut down once we reach our max. Please only RSVP yes if you are certain you can come. Otherwise you are preventing a fellow IXDAer from attending! Come and get to know your community! There's no easier way to network! 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] practice vs. discipline roles vs. people
There's also a parallel with the plaster analogy in the design of complex spatial interactions called bodystorming. Doing with physical space and human beings what you're describing with the plaster and chisel. This type of prototyping is probably more in the spirit of what Jonas was originally talking about. // jeff adamya wrote: I took that to be similar to how I would mess around in plaster when I was doing a 'grip' and the tactile nature of the act would inform my design process (chisel biting through and plaster flying...ah, those were the days!). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33500 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] practice vs. discipline roles vs. people
On Sep 26, 2008, at 1:55 PM, adamya ashk wrote: I like to think I know something about this being qualified as an architect and an industrial designer. I practiced both actively before I caught the new media bug. :-) Good to hear then. Later on I got very good as visualizing the grip and didn't need to do that so much. A simple sketch would do it for me. Off course the client needs to see and feel it through a slick model/flythrough/perspective but that is after the design act. And off course there are rinse/repeat cycles later onbut as you gain proficiency you do not need to, literally, feel the burn or resistance of the material the first time through. Maybe you've internalized the process and that's that. Maybe. I've been designing software for almost two decades now... and I still find a lot of utility in building it, no matter similar the problems are from product to product. What I find are that I can cut through the easier problems faster, and as one builds a library of work to start from, it makes it easier to try bigger and bolder things in the prototyping phase. In architecture, we had a concept that at a certain point in your training you can virtually 'see' the building on paper, as it would show up on the site. Similar to how you can probably 'see' an interaction schema in your mind. If this visualization didn't exist you'd see far too many architects messing around with bricks :-) Not to say that this would be a bad thing. I think you answered your own question there. -- 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
[IxDA Discuss] Job - Interaction / Product Designer - Seattle, WA - Contract
BIG FISH LOVES USER EXPERIENCE We are looking for strong Interaction, Product and UX designers for several of our clients in the greater Seattle area. We are looking for professionals that understand user/customer needs and motivations and who have a strong desire and ability to translate those needs into an amazing user experience. You must be able to generate new and out of the box design ideas and be able to present/sell ideas to clients as well as design and implement said ideas into user interfaces for web, software and/or hardware products. (Build wireframes, navigational structures, prototypes and user flows etc) Qualifications 3-5+ years professional work experience Strong creative skills and ability to generate design ideas required Strong knowledge of user interface and functionality design required. Fluency with design software tools (Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash/Silverlight) required. Strong communication skills as well as the ability to work independently and as part of a team required. Bachelor's degree in related field preferred. Please apply with us online - link to an online portfolio is mandatory! Apply online for this job (#4899) and others at http://www.gobigfish.com/jobDetail.aspx?jobid=4899 - Register with Big Fish today! http://www.theadbash.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] job:: Manager, UED/San Diego, California/FTE/Intuit
Contact: me (nancy falkenburg, iPhone: 650.336.3645 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] COMPANY NAME: Intuit JOB LOCATION: San Diego, California JOB TITLE: Manager, User Experience Design JOB DURATION: FTE JOB DESCRIPTION: Intuit isn't just another place to work. It's a company made up of smart, motivated people with a passion for what they do - developing, marketing and supporting products and services that transform the way people and small businesses around the world manage their finances. We take pride in our dedication to the customers who use our products and services every day. Intuit offers some of the best rewards in the industry. We don't think you'll find another employer more dedicated to its employees' success. The Accounting Professionals Design (APD) Experience Design team (XD) is tasked with designing the user experience for numerous desktop and web-based offerings for our finance professional customers. The XD Manager will be responsible for leading the user experience design team tasked with creating compelling solutions to help small businesses with employee management and payroll needs. Responsibilities: * Lead a team of Experience Designers and Researchers to define Shop, Buy and Use experiences that delight our customers * Work with the team and key stakeholders to understand and promulgate a strong vision for user experience * Collaborate across functional areas and segments to plan innovative changes to experience design methodologies, strategy, development processes, and organizational capabilities/structure * Provide design direction to ensure delivery of high quality user experiences * Drive the integration of user-centered research and design processes into the product development process * Prioritize Experience Research and Design work to align with the APD division's goals and objectives for the business you support * Oversee the work of Interaction Designers, Visual Designers, and User Research across multiple projects * Attract, grow and retain a world class team of experience designers and researchers * Manage all run-the-business aspects of the team (budgets, pe rsonnel, reporting) * Foster user experience collaboration across the Small Business Ecosystem and the Intuit XD Community on shared UI frameworks, design patterns, and cross-offering experiences * Stay abreast of external research, standards, inventions, and trends for potential opportunities Qualifications : * Master's or PhD in design, the social sciences, HCI or related fields, or related experience * Minimum 5 years experience managing design teams that deliver exceptional user experiences in new and existing offerings * At least 7 years of experience as a practicing visual designer, interaction designer, or other design-related role * Proven track record of leading user experience organizations to be highly influential, effective, and strategic within a matrixed structure * Excellent command of: user experience methods, design principles, problem-framing skills, verbal and written communication skills * Proven experience delivering products and services to the market * Ability to build positive, collaborative relationships across teams/groups/functions through facilitative leadership * Strong track-record of developing and hiring great people CONTACT INFORMATION: Please reply to: [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] changing images and color schemes on refresh
Hi Scott, I can't tell how intrinsically tied-together the banner image and the 4 content boxes will be, but if they are as segregated as those on the Apple home page, I would believe that changing the page's theme upon refresh will be disconcerting. Perhaps keeping the text/color in those 4 boxes static will allow more of the user's focus to be on the dynamic refresh of the main banner image. Cheers, Krystal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33529 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] G1 Android - case study in inconsistency
My guess is that android based phones over time will be about performance first On the contrary, therein lies Android's Achilles Heel. The UX on Android phones will rely on these factors: 1. Back-end service hardware 2. Back-end service software 3. Front-end client hardware 4. Front-end client OS 5. Front-end client apps 6. Carrier network 7. Third party hw/sw/services Remember, Google's declared mission is to have Android run on all kinds of mobile devices, even beyond cell phones. Apple developers know what the operational variables they have to deal with are, Android developers have little idea. We could easily be back to the era of Windows supporting 3,968 sound cards 1,876 video boards and 4,423 print drivers, million legacy codebases, bugs, etc. That's the price you pay for ubiquity, a la Vista. So Google perhaps can control #1, #2 and #4, but beyond that they are at the mercy of partners. Good luck with that UX approach. -- 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] Alphabet Readibility
Hello folks, In this blog entry i stumbled you can find great inspration of airport typography. http://www.designworkplan.com/design/airport-signage-photo-inspiration.htm One thing made me curious, latin, thai, arabic.. all used in similar width or height values on these signs, Are they all readable from every distance or is this just an aesthetic decision? I wonder if there is a search on this, about the readibility of different alphabets. Thanks in advance, Yunus Tunak Creative Lead spacesheep interactive www.spacesheep.net Istanbul, Turkey 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] JOB: User Experience Consultants - UI / UX; London, UK; Recruiter; Full Time
£££ + benefits One of London's best respected design agencies is seeking to carefully add to its already pristine collection of design minds. User Experience Consultants are required to come aboard to work on brand new web and other product projects. Having a penchant for Usability Research will very much be required as this role asks you to dig deeper than usual which is why my client has such a sound reputation. Projects are multi-diciplinary and User Experience Consultants will gain experience in the entire design flow. You will work closely with planning, visual design, technology and project management. Strong communication skills and a passion for UX is mandatory - so is the desire to have fun and be rewarded. Sean Pook D +44 (0)118 988 1156 T +44 (0)118 988 1150 F +44 (0)118 988 1162 http://www.ic-software.co.uk/ the software dsp specialists http://www.linkedin.com/in/icsoftware IC Software is part of the IC(Intellectual Capital) Group also comprising IC Resources (semiconductor systems specialists - http://www.ic-resources.co.uk/ www.ic-resources.co.uk ) and IC 3e (electronics, electrical and engineering specialists - http://www.ic-3e.co.uk/ www.ic-3e.co.uk ) __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ 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] JOB: Senior/Lead UI Designer; S Francisco Bay Area, USA; Recruiter; Full Time
£££ + benefits A company that has been blazing the trail for advanced handheld consumer electronics devices is seeking to further strengthen their team with the hire of a talented and experience User Interface Designer (Principle/Lead level). Responsibilities will include taking over work for cutting edge design projects and mentoring/leading junior members of the design team. Key role: - Lead a cross-functional team through the design process from research to delivery Key skills required: - Ability to create simple, intuitive, functional and appealing interfaces - Ability to work in a highly collaborative environment - Ability to clearly, succinctly and persuasively articulate design decisions and influence cross-functional teams - Strong interpersonal skills - Can successfully juggle multiple projects and competing priorities - Good sense of humour Please get in touch for further details on this rare role Sean Pook D +44 (0)118 988 1156 T +44 (0)118 988 1150 F +44 (0)118 988 1162 http://www.ic-software.co.uk/ the software dsp specialists http://www.linkedin.com/in/icsoftware IC Software is part of the IC(Intellectual Capital) Group also comprising IC Resources (semiconductor systems specialists - http://www.ic-resources.co.uk/ www.ic-resources.co.uk ) and IC 3e (electronics, electrical and engineering specialists - http://www.ic-3e.co.uk/ www.ic-3e.co.uk ) __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ 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] JOB: Senior User Interface (UI) Designer- UI/UX; Canada; Recruiter; Full Time
£££ + great working culture You will know someone who has a device created by my client. They continue to dominate their chosen market and are world leaders in creating highly desired and highly functional consumer electronics. They are seeking to hire a senior UI / UX designer to continue developing their award winning line of product interfaces. Candidates must have senior UI design experience, wireframing, prototyping, usability research - the whole design flow. Experience with mobiles and/or hand held device UIs is 100% required. My client offers great benefits and a beautiful working location. This is a great firm to have on anyone's UI CV. Sean Pook D +44 (0)118 988 1156 T +44 (0)118 988 1150 F +44 (0)118 988 1162 http://www.ic-software.co.uk/ the software dsp specialists __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ 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] JOB: User Experience (UX/UI) Managers- Snr and Jnr Management; Germany, Europe; Recruiter; Full Time
£Neg - Dependant on Experience Global and cutting-edge telecomms company is seeking to acquire 5+ user experience managers for embedded software products. Key responsibilities for the role: - Leading a team who will do the following: - Creating design specifications - Creating screen flows - Wire frame modeling - Rapid prototyping Taking a proactive and intelligent stance towards UI design and management will be an asset and will feature as a very interesting facet of the role. Key requirements: - Solid user experience design within a demanding commercial environment - Proven leadership/management of UI design teams - Exposure to the full design life-cycle and/or a solid appreciation for HCI design principles - Specific experience of having designed for mobile devices or mobile handsets - Enthusiasm, drive, creative fair and the ability to utilise all three to add value to the design process Ideally you have experience using many industry standard design tools and have an approachable and professional management style. Various levels of experience can be considered, get in touch now to explore this unique opportunity further. Sean Pook D +44 (0)118 988 1156 T +44 (0)118 988 1150 F +44 (0)118 988 1162 http://www.ic-software.co.uk/ the software dsp specialists http://www.linkedin.com/in/icsoftware IC Software is part of the IC(Intellectual Capital) Group also comprising IC Resources (semiconductor systems specialists - http://www.ic-resources.co.uk/ www.ic-resources.co.uk ) and IC 3e (electronics, electrical and engineering specialists - http://www.ic-3e.co.uk/ www.ic-3e.co.uk ) __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ 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] JOB: Principle UX Manager; Hong Kong, Far East; Recruiter; Full Time
£££Superb + Best Benefits Around!! My global client is undergoing rapid expansion of its substantial Usability group. An opportunity has arisen to lead a developing group of Usability experts in Hong Kong. You will need previous UX line or product management experience as well as a desire to work within a startup type atmosphere (although with the benefits that come with the stability of working for a large firm) in a slightly alien environment. You must have solid and proven experience with UX in addition to the ability to plan and motivate others around you. My client pays very well and has one of the best benefits packages in this industry. Sean Pook D +44 (0)118 988 1156 T +44 (0)118 988 1150 F +44 (0)118 988 1162 http://www.ic-software.co.uk/ the software dsp specialists http://www.linkedin.com/in/icsoftware IC Software is part of the IC(Intellectual Capital) Group also comprising IC Resources (semiconductor systems specialists - http://www.ic-resources.co.uk/ www.ic-resources.co.uk ) and IC 3e (electronics, electrical and engineering specialists - http://www.ic-3e.co.uk/ www.ic-3e.co.uk ) __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ 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] changing images and color schemes on refresh
Thank you all for the feedback. The color change does NOT serve any other purpose. It changes color to match the banner. That's it. I really like the idea of sticking to specific color themes for a page and had made that suggestion to my team initially. However, it was turned down for a number of reasons (two of which involved the combination of a lack of/unclear communication between the project leads and having to get it done according to a strict timeline). Phase 1 of the project - creating these new landing pages which hadn't existed before - will be finished soon, but I'll have a chance to revisit these design ideas during Phase 2 when we plan to redesign our homepage. I appreciate the links that were sent and would love any other information in this area. - Scott On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 11:11 AM, Scott McDaniel [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: It sincerely sounds like a thin line to be treading - users can generally handle significant changes in content - intermediate+ users usually find value in updated content, deals and suggested items on their Amazon landing site for example, but framework changes such as color would seem to be confusing. Banner images are often expected to be inserts, ads or only related to structure as to the space they occupy, so the change of the image seems less significant or even expected. Does the color change serve another aspect of the user experience? Does it highlight a direction for the user, a purpose for their being there or what they want to do? Scott On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Scott Cobban [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: If a visitor arrives on one of the landing pages, leaves that landing page, but then returns to that same landing page (via Back button or site navigation), they'll see a page with a different banner image and color scheme for the 4 boxes. I'm concerned that this can cause the visitor some confusion. The main marketing message in the banner image won't change, but the colors of the page and the sub-boxes' content will. How do you feel about changing the visual elements on a page and potentially presenting the visitor with new color schemes upon their return to a page? Thanks, Scott -- * It's very important to know when you're in a pissing match. And it's very important to get out of it as quickly as possible. - Randy Pausch 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] JOB: Principle User Experience (UX) Architect - London + Stock, London UK, Recruiter, Full Time
£50-70k + benefits + stock It's with pleasure that I can make you aware of a new senior UX Architect position based in London. It's a very senior role requiring solid experience as a UX architect/Senior Designer within a respected commercial environment. They are paying between £50 and £70k plus candidates will have a bonus and stock options. They're an innovative startup with their product due to be launched in the first half of 2009. It's an interactive education system to be based online. It aims to immerse users in an educational and interactive environment where online learning can be effective and fun at the same time. It has a strong sense of style and now needs someone to come aboard and lead the delivery from design to finished product and thereafter shape the development of new versions. If you are interested in further details or know someone who might be please contact us asap as this role wont be around for too long. Candidates abroad can apply on the proviso that you are eligible to work in the UK and will cover your own travel expenses. On this basis someone based in London would be ideal. Sean Pook User Experience Recruitment Specialist D +44 (0)118 988 1156 T +44 (0)118 988 1150 F +44 (0)118 988 1162 [EMAIL PROTECTED] __ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email __ 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] Re : Touchscreen interfaces - hype?
I dont agree. Devices like the blackberry with the trackball to navigate and keyboard are much more eficient and smooth in usability than touchscreen devices keyboard. The Iphone is a great innovation in terms of tactile interface, but its keyboard lacks big time usability... even if you get used to it, you will find the blackberry keyboard much more speed and precise in terms of use. Drausio -- Drausio R. Haddad Product Design Manager / Head of Europe Sanef Group Paris - France -- Envoyé le : Jeudi, 25 Septembre 2008, 23h12mn 10s Objet : Re: [IxDA Discuss] Touchscreen interfaces - hype? On the other hand, devices like BlackBerry offer a really worst alternative. The trackball to navigate links and specially the QWERTY keyboard on a 5 columns of buttons/keys cellphone are so hard to use that using an onscreen keyboard turns to be a very good experience :) Add to that the fact that those are really small keys. I'm curious to see how G1 will behave. Ricardo 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] Touchscreen interfaces - hype?
--- The iPod Touch and the iPhone are cool and sexy, but are rubbish if you want to play the next track when the player is in your pocket. Devices that have tactile controls have advantages which seem to be lost in the reviews of the next new bright shiny thing. Often devices have a key lock activated, so you can't use it, too. I can use my iPod touch in my pocket. It works but a haptic feedback is better, of course. %u2026or in the dark without disturbing your partner in bed at night%u2026 This is a bad example because nearly every device makes light and can disturb your partner at night. Of course, there's a big hype on the iPhone and touchscreens but they have one big advantage: you save space for the keyboard, you can change the complete interface for each app and provide the necessary keys and buttons only. You can save weight and due to no keyboard there are no mechanical wear parts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33524 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] changing images and color schemes on refresh
I like your idea but it's confusing if you think of this case: If you're on the landing page and see 4 banners, you decide which one to click on. You go back via the browser's back button because the content behind banner 1 wasn't that you were searching for and think mhm.. banner 2 sounds more interesting to me. You go back but the banner's content changed. Now, you'll start to think%u2026 Where is the interesting headline? Do I have to wait for the content change? Where's the search bar, but can I remember content of the banner? I think this is very confusing to the user. I had this problem with changing content on the Apple landing page and I had to wait a long time before the desired content returned. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33529 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] Draw (from memory) amazon.com
Apologies in advance for the shameless plug, but I thought some of y'all might be interested in participating. Over at my company's blog, I have a post up that asks people to sketch (from memory) what they think Amazon looks like. I'm interested in what the lingering impressions of a site are--and what things are most memorable. If you have a chance, check it out at (http://preview.tinyurl.com/uxd-amazon). If you want to contribute, you can use flickr (tag: amazon-most-wanted) or just email your sketches to tmoy at capstrat dot com. Cheers, Todd -- - Todd Moy todd.moy /at/ gmail /dot/ 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] Alphabet Readibility
Hello, Yunus! I don't want sound purist (sorry: this is the Graphic
Designer in me speaking!), but I'm not quite sure if what you're
asking is about READIBILITY or LEGIBILITY:
Readibility -- how easy is a block of text readable -- has to do with
how a block text is composed (layout, kerning, tracking, the style of
writing, content of the text, etc...);
Legibility -- the characteristics of letters, numbers, graphics, or
symbols that make it possible to differentiate one from the other --
has to do with how a particular font was designed, such as stroke
width and the presence or absence of serifs, the amount of white
space for each character.
In other words, legibility refers to recognition, while readability
refers to comprehension.
That being said, a lot of factors are in place, making Readibility
and Legibity playing different roles at different time: the way that
you read a magazine has as much to do with recognizing the individual
characters of a block of text as is it has with the the style of
writing and the content of the text.
When it comes to signs, I remember reading an article about a type
family that was commissioned by the US Federal Government called
Clearview, with the specific purpose of increasing the legibility
and improve ease of recognition of road sign legends
(http://clearviewhwy.com/ResearchAndDesign/index.php).
For non-roman alphabets, and I think that there is a lot more at play
than just the recognition of each characters: being a foreigner living
in China, I'm amazed on how fast can Chinese people read hundreds of
characters, given the complexity of its design. I would say there is
something about the structure of the language itself that allows
people to easily perceive (and interpret) combination of characters.
{ Itamar Medeiros } Information Designer
designing clear, understandable communication by
caring to structure, context, and presentation
of data and information
mobile ::: 86 13671503252
website ::: http://designative.info/
aim ::: itamarlmedeiros
skype::: designative
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Re: [IxDA Discuss] browser text zoom inconsistency
Hi Abhishek, Firefox defaults to the behavior you describe, where the entire page is zoomed in or out. There is also a View / Zoom / Zoom Text Only menu item that causes the browser to zoom only text within the original size bounding blocks (like how IE behaves). This flexibility allows people with visual disabilities to choose the behavior they find most useful. Nice people, those Firefoxers. I don't know about a best practice, but what I've observed working is for the web designer to test the page template with text resized to the maximum, with Javascript disabled, with a user stylesheet installed, even using the keyboard only - to ensure that the site's content is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Performing such tests frequently during development of the site's CSS template, in common browsers, helps prevent those awkward moments that can occur when accessibility issues are tested only after the site is completed and more difficult to fix. Yes this does make stylesheet development take longer, sigh. I believe it may be possible to engineer various bounding-box expansion behaviors into multi-column CSS page templates by specifying block widths using ems, but it's also possible to have text resizing work fine in a fixed width block if it's not too skinny and you leave enough margin. Creating flexible and accessible CSS layouts can be a frustrating exercise in compromises, especially at first. But people with disabilities also want to read the news, buy a plane ticket, pay bills online, search for new music... and we, in our role as designers, are uniquely situated to help them succeed. All the best, Michael Micheletti On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 8:20 AM, Abhishek Bhor [EMAIL PROTECTED]wrote: Is there a best practice to handle text zoom and its containing blocks? 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
