February 2005

Architecting Our Profession

"Design is a valued industry in many fields, with professional support systems to match. Without adequate support systems in IA we will be awkwardly bound to the current design process out of fear of improvement. The nature of software design should be integrated and brought into the design process in a much more sustainable way, and I see support systems as the only way to provide the stability needed to develop through specialization." (Clifton Evans - Boxes and Arrows)

Posted by PJB on February 28, 2005 | Classification: Information architecture | Comments (0) | Permalink

Ten Best Intranets of 2005

"On average, this year's winning intranets increased site use by 149% with designs that supported bigger screens, multinational users, collaboration, easily updated content, and factory-floor workers." (Jakob Nielsen - Alertbox)

Posted by PJB on February 28, 2005 | Classification: Usability | Comments (0) | Permalink

Jef Raskin Passed Away Peacefully

"(...) on Saturday February 26th, 2005 our condolences go out to Jef's family, friends and wider community." (DigiBarn Friends) - Jef's spirit will live through.

Posted by PJB on February 27, 2005 | Classification: HCI | Comments (0) | Permalink

User Experience Diagrams

"In the spirit of convergence, the user experience diagram rationalization brings together the goals, processes, and disciplines that are responsible for great products." (Luke Wroblewski - Functioning Form)

Posted by PJB on February 27, 2005 | Classification: User experience | Comments (0) | Permalink

Is communications up to running intranet?

"The natural home of the intranet is in communications. However, intranet management requires particular skills that many traditional communications departments don’t have." (Gerry McGovern)

Posted by PJB on February 27, 2005 | Classification: Information design | Comments (0) | Permalink

UX Curriculum Content Map

"Imagine teaching User Experience? What would a UX curriculum feel like? What would you want them to know at the end of it? Good UX crosses, technical (information and technology), reflective (testing and pyschological) stuff, creative (design and emotion), sales (marketing and business) and social network boundaries without even trying, before breakfast. Here is one of those thinking-out-loud diagrams, packed full with my pet hobby horses." (Tom Smith)

Posted by PJB on February 25, 2005 | Classification: User experience | Comments (0) | Permalink

Web Accessibility and Design: A Failure of the Imagination

"Web Accessibility and Web Design are two disciplines with a common theory and divergent practices. Both endeavors rely on a standard set of techniques to ensure a consistent experience of data and content across a diverse set of end users. Both rely on creative individuals to build and deliver great sites and great experiences that have an impact on the user. Both seek to extend the reach of the end user and link individuals together to form a stronger collective whole. However, despite the common theory that links them, web accessibility and web design do not share a common set of practices. Sites hailed for their accessibility are rarely noted for their design. Sites hailed for their design are rarely noteworthy as models of accessibility. Few sites are ever held up as models of both great accessibility and great design." (Bob Regan - Designing for the 21st Century III) - courtesy of usability news

Posted by PJB on February 25, 2005 | Classification: Accessibility | Comments (0) | Permalink

Web Analytics: The Voice of Users in Information Architecture Projects

"An information architecture project will uncover the very heart of internal politics in any organisation. In most cases, content owners, department heads and product managers all fight for prime 'real estate' and prominence within the website structure – resulting in a site design that looks like a 'truce' rather than an effective solution." (Hurol Inan) - courtesy of digital web magazine

Posted by PJB on February 24, 2005 | Classification: Information architecture | Comments (0) | Permalink

The Cognitive Science Millennium Project

"Here is the list of the one hundred most influential works in cognitive science from the 20th century as selected by our panel of esteemed judges from all the nominations we received. The works on the list are rank ordered, with #1 being the most influential." (Millennium Project) - courtesy of elearningpost

Posted by PJB on February 24, 2005 | Classification: Information design | Comments (0) | Permalink

HypertextNow

Remarks on the state of hypertext: 1996-1999 - "(...) a series of essays about hypertext in the late '90s. There weren't blogs back then, and HypertextNOW wasn't a precisely a blog, but it's something similar." (Mark Bernstein)

Posted by PJB on February 21, 2005 | Classification: Hypertext | Comments (0) | Permalink

IT is from Mars; Web content is from Venus

"The information technology (IT) industry fundamentally doesn't understand the true value of web content. This lack of understanding is just one more reason why IT will continue to decline in influence over the next five years." (Gerry McGovern)

Posted by PJB on February 21, 2005 | Classification: Content management | Comments (0) | Permalink

Stop the Presses! User Experience Owner Found!

"For years the question of 'Who owns user experience?' has been a topic of serious debate in our field. Frankly, it's getting to be a bit silly, so this week I've decided to end the debate by just answering the question. And in the interest of making the answer understandable to all, I've decided to explain it in the simplest way I know how... this of course would be through the use of N-dimensional optimization theory." (Tom Chi - OK/Cancel)

Posted by PJB on February 20, 2005 | Classification: User experience | Comments (0) | Permalink

Ajax: A New Approach to Web Applications

"Google Suggest and Google Maps are two examples of a new approach to web applications that we call Ajax. The name is shorthand for Asynchronous JavaScript + XML, and it represents a fundamental shift in what's possible on the Web. (...) The biggest challenges in creating Ajax applications are not technical. The core Ajax technologies are mature, stable, and well understood. Instead, the challenges are for the designers of these applications: to forget what we think we know about the limitations of the Web, and begin to imagine a wider, richer range of possibilities." (Jesse James Garrett - Adaptive Path)

Posted by PJB on February 20, 2005 | Classification: Technology | Comments (0) | Permalink

Can we run the company? 

"The answer is Yes, we can. But you knew that already. How do we run the company? That answer has many, complex answers. My goal here is to offer a point of view and some new ideas and hopefully give you a new framework to think about the question more." (Victor Lombardi - Management Innovation Group)

Posted by PJB on February 18, 2005 | Classification: Information architecture | Comments (0) | Permalink

Information Architecture as an Extension of Web Design

"(...) the line between Web design and information architecture doesn't have to be as clear as we may have imagined. There are many opportunities for Web designers to fill the role of information architect in every project. This is not to say that information architects are no longer needed. On the contrary, with Web sites becoming more dynamic and complex every day, information architects are needed more than ever. But as an information architect who transitioned from a Web design role, I can assure you that information architects aren't the only ones who can organize things." (Joshua Kaufman - Digital Web Magazine) - The recurring theme of structure and presentation, of cognition and perception, or of architecture and design.

Posted by PJB on February 17, 2005 | Classification: Information architecture | Comments (0) | Permalink

WritersUA 2005 Salary Survey

"Level of experience is one of the most important aspects in determining salary level. There is a sizeable increase in salary as we move beyond our first years in the technical communication field. Starting salaries average in the mid-40s and move up into the mid-50s as our careers progress. However, there is a stagnation as we reach the middle years of our work experience with average salaries remaining fixed in the mid-70s. There appears to be an earnings ceiling for many of us." (WinWriters)

Posted by PJB on February 17, 2005 | Classification: TechCom | Comments (0) | Permalink

So where are all the Information Designers?

"Over time, we believe that this combination of skills will become the norm and may even become mandatory for many Information Design positions. Given the current economic climate, employers are already demanding more from their prospective new hires. As evidence of this trend, look at the career section in your local newspaper and you will see that employers are now asking for combination skill sets for many jobs. Companies are looking for people who can simultaneously write, design and develop websites. With a small amount of cross-training, many of today's Information Designers could position themselves for these multi-skilled jobs." (Online Learning)

Posted by PJB on February 17, 2005 | Classification: Information design | Comments (0) | Permalink

Comparison of Two Evaluation Techniques for Technical Documentation

"This study compared two evaluation techniques, Usability Testing and Cognitive Walkthrough, in their ability to identify errors in aviation maintenance documentation. The techniques were evaluated to see how much unique information they each produced as well as the type of errors identified. Results showed that the techniques were complementary in their findings and both are recommended in the development of technical documentation." (Bonnie Rogers et al. - SURL 7.1) - courtesy of uidesigner

Posted by PJB on February 16, 2005 | Classification: TechCom | Comments (0) | Permalink

Reading Online Text with a Poor Layout: Is Performance Worse?

"This study examined the effects of enhanced layout (headers, indentation, and figure placement) on reading performance, comprehension, and satisfaction. Participants read text passages with and without enhanced layout. Results showed that reading speed and comprehension were not affected by layout, however, participants were more satisfied with the enhanced layout and reported it to be less fatiguing to read." (Barbara S. Chaparro et al. - SURL 7.1)

Posted by PJB on February 16, 2005 | Classification: Typography | Comments (0) | Permalink

Seven Common Usability Testing Mistakes

"Usability testing is a serious investment of time and resources for any team. Having a clear understanding of what you want to get from it is critical to its success. The most successful teams constantly monitor the decisions that come out of the testing process. They look at subsequent usability problems that appear and ask, 'How did our process miss this? What should we change for next time?' Only with the constant process of honing our skills and improving our processes can we ensure that we're getting the best value from this priceless technique." (Jared Spool - UIE Roadshow: Know Your Users)

Posted by PJB on February 15, 2005 | Classification: Usability | Comments (0) | Permalink

International Differences: Language

"Labels can also be quite problematic as translation processes often lack the context behind content selections and thereby result in non-standard or confusing terminology for users. As anyone that has sat through a usability test or two can testify, confusing or non-descriptive terms on category labels and calls to action are some of the most common usability problems. (...) The right solution to translation, of course, is cultural experts that can inform correct action and category labels." (Luke Wroblewski - Functioning Form)

Posted by PJB on February 15, 2005 | Classification: Writing | Comments (0) | Permalink

It's All Happening in China: A Report from User Friendly 2004

"The community includes people working on mobile telephony, web design and in many other industries as usability engineers, user researchers and interaction designers. Take a look at your phone. There’s a good chance that people from UPA China worked on the user interface. (...) There are all these bright, young, clever, motivated people here who are interested in usability." (Whitney Quesenbery - The UPA Voice) - courtesy of usabilityviews

Posted by PJB on February 15, 2005 | Classification: Usability | Comments (0) | Permalink

Software Toolkits for Infovis

"After some years of a certain dispersion of resources we now have some advanced toolkits that contain diverse components within architectures that allow you to reuse components and the creation of sophisticated applications without having to reinvent the most advanced techniques, like Treemaps or semantic zooming user interfaces. Although it can appear to be very bound to the academic world, these toolkits offer to many software developing companies the possibility to include sophisticated visualisations in their product portfolio thus beginning to use 'visual thinking' in the same, with a reduced cost of approximation to those technologies, since you don't need to program algorithms, you just use them in your product." (Juan C. Dürsteler - InfoVis)

Posted by PJB on February 15, 2005 | Classification: InfoViz | Comments (0) | Permalink

Authentic Behavior in User Testing

"Despite being an artificial situation, user testing generates realistic findings because people engage strongly with the tasks and suspend their disbelief." (Jakob Nielsen - Alertbox)

Posted by PJB on February 14, 2005 | Classification: Usability | Comments (0) | Permalink

Blogs vs. Mags

"(...) lead times, especially for the bi-monthly and monthly design magazines, can actually be as long as four to six months before a story sees print, and by then it is likely an original idea will have turned stale. Conversely, blogs are instant transmitters of thought and, more importantly, forums for instantaneous response." (Steven Heller - AIGA Voice) - courtesy of xblog

Posted by PJB on February 14, 2005 | Classification: Weblogs | Comments (0) | Permalink

Is this you? (Reader persona design: an example)

"Do you work in a medium-to-large organization whose web content you feel could be put to better use? If so, you’re my target reader." (Gerry McGovern)

Posted by PJB on February 13, 2005 | Classification: Personas | Comments (0) | Permalink

Developing with Web Standards: Recommendations and Best Practices

"This document explains how and why using web standards will let you build websites in a way that saves time and money for the developer and provides a better experience for the visitor. Also discussed are other methods, guidelines and best practices that will help produce high-quality websites that are accessible to as many as possible." (Roger Johansson - 456 Berea Street)

Posted by PJB on February 13, 2005 | Classification: Technology | Comments (0) | Permalink

Artefacts for Understanding

"Artefact derives from latin arte factum, which means artificial. In general, that implies an object made by the human hand, an artificial object. Artefacts are manmade for a specific purpose with an intention of fulfilling that purpose. Sometimes they also fulfill unspoken purposes. This paper addresses some aspects of the intentionally made artefacts and their way through the cooperative design process and how they will be attached to new meanings on the way." (Sinna Lindquist and Bosse Westerlund - Working Papers in Art and Design)

Posted by PJB on February 11, 2005 | Classification: Information design | Comments (0) | Permalink

Involution Studios: Innovating The Digital World

"(...) organized around our principals. We're industry-leading design professionals who work directly with you to provide the innovative design solutions you need to maximize your business success." (Dirk Knemeyer & Andrei Michael Herasimchuk) - best of luck

Posted by PJB on February 10, 2005 | Classification: User experience | Comments (0) | Permalink

The Dollars and Sense of Building to Standards

"Ultimately, the push for standards-compliant code should come from the coding ranks. We need to enlighten all levels of management to the savings they can achieve by embracing Web standards. If the people on the front lines don't take on the job of promoting standards to management and management learns of these savings first, you'll be faced with a tougher challenge-why didn't you know to use and push for standards-compliant code?" (Alan K'necht - Digital Web Magazine)

Posted by PJB on February 10, 2005 | Classification: Technology | Comments (0) | Permalink

Meet the MasterMinds: Common Sense Web Design with Steve Krug

"When you watch a lot of people use web sites (which is what usability experts do), you realize that even minor things that are left unclear or ambiguous often lead users astray and keep them from succeeding at whatever they're trying to do on the site." (Management Consulting News) - courtesy of webword

Posted by PJB on February 09, 2005 | Classification: Interviews | Comments (0) | Permalink

Creating the Ultimate Online Shopping Experience: User Behavior and Purchase Decisions in E-Commerce

Presentation slides included - "Companies are slowly beginning to understand that 'it's all about the experience'. But too many companies stumble by trying to replicate the retail experience online, rather than focus on ways to deliver a better online experience." (Kevin Kearney - New York City Chapter Usability Professionals' Association) - courtesy of noisebetweenstations

Posted by PJB on February 08, 2005 | Classification: User experience | Comments (0) | Permalink

Points of View

"In our Points of View papers, we offer our insights on topics related to our solutions and client projects. We examine current technologies or marketing approaches, share best practices and explore emerging trends. Our Points of View are based on analyst and industry research, as well as on-the-ground experience with our clients." (Avenue A | Razorfish)

Posted by PJB on February 08, 2005 | Classification: User experience | Comments (0) | Permalink

Emotional Design: People and Things

"(...) I proposed a framework for analyzing products in a holistic way to include their attractiveness, their behavior, and the image they present to the user -- and of the owner. In this work on design, these different aspects of a product were identified with different levels of processing by people: visceral, behavioral, and reflective. These three levels translate into three different kinds of design. Visceral design refers primarily to that initial impact, to its appearance. Behavioral design is about look and feel -- the total experience of using a product. And reflection is about ones thoughts afterwards, how it makes one feel, the image it portrays, the message it tells others about the owner's taste." (Donald Norman)

Posted by PJB on February 07, 2005 | Classification: User experience | Comments (0) | Permalink

Mind/Brain Learning Principles

"(1) The brain is a complex adaptive system. (2) The brain is a social brain. (3) The search for meaning is innate. (4) The search for meaning occurs through 'patterning'. (5) Emotions are critical to patterning. (6) Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. (7) Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral perception. (8) Learning always involves conscious and unconscious processes. (9) We have at least two ways of organizing memory. (10) Learning is developmental. (11) Complex learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat. (12) Every brain is uniquely organized." (Renate Nummela Caine and Geoffrey Caine - New Horizons for Learning) - courtesy of elearningpost

Posted by PJB on February 07, 2005 | Classification: UCD | Comments (0) | Permalink

Key steps in creating your reader persona

"The first step in developing successful reader personas is to decide what readers you are not going to focus on. Good web management is often more about what you exclude than what you include." (Gerry McGovern)

Posted by PJB on February 06, 2005 | Classification: Personas | Comments (0) | Permalink

UXCentric

"UX for user experience. Centric for at the center. UXCentric is for those passionate about - and consumed by - improving people's experiences on the Web." (Dave Rogers)

Posted by PJB on February 06, 2005 | Classification: Weblogs | Comments (0) | Permalink

Pace, Timing and Rhythm in Information Architecture

"Scaling up the numerous devices and information architectures competing for my diminishing attentional resources makes me wish there were some way for us to talk at a more macro level when discussing information. But this is not just a matter of ubiquity or usability, this is really about the human rhythm of information use, the coupling of person and process." (Andrew Dillon - ASIS&T Bulletin Dec. 2004/Jan. 2005)

Posted by PJB on February 04, 2005 | Classification: Information architecture | Comments (0) | Permalink

GK. VanPatter: The InfoDesign interview

"Regularly, InfoDesign interviews a thought leader in the design industry, focusing on people who are identified with or show strong sensibilities to the design of information and experiences. This time, Peter J. Bogaards has a conversation with GK. VanPatter on Next Design(ers), business innovation, cross-disciplinary work, design education and the growing complexity load." (Peter J. Bogaards - InfoDesign: Understanding by Design)

Posted by PJB on February 04, 2005 | Classification: Special | Comments (0) | Permalink

Automatic Meaning Discovery Using Google

"We propose a new method to extract semantic knowledge from the World Wide Web for both supervised and unsupervised learning using the Google search engine in an unconventional manner." (Rudi Cilibrasi and Paul M. B. Vitanyi - CWI, University of Amsterdam)

Posted by PJB on February 04, 2005 | Classification: Search | Comments (0) | Permalink

Design as a Core Strategy

An interview with John Zapolski, national AIGA board member and expert in the design of human-centered products, systems, strategies, and decision-making structures. - "(...) a very senior person in the organization, often the CEO, implicitly 'gets' design, and uses those biases to orient the activities of the corporation. Steve Jobs is probably the most obviously example. While Jobs may not consider himself a designer, I don't think he can talk about Apple for more than five minutes within mentioning design. His passion gets operationalized within the company in a number of ways: in who the company hires and promotes ('great product people' instead of 'sales guys'), in which projects it chooses to invest in, in how the company talks about itself publicly. And its a self-reinforcing cycle." (Institute of Design Strategy Conference)

Posted by PJB on February 02, 2005 | Classification: Interviews | Comments (0) | Permalink

Usability in E-Learning

"While a large number of organizations have adopted e-learning programs, far fewer have addressed the usability of their learning applications. More attention should be devoted to assuring the usability of e-learning applications if organizations are to fully benefit from their investments." (Michael J. Miller - Learning Circuits) - courtesy of webword

Posted by PJB on February 02, 2005 | Classification: Usability | Comments (0) | Permalink

Folksonomies Tap People Power

"(...) as more people understand what tags are, how they work and why they're important, the number of participants in folksonomies has grown." (Daniel Terdiman - Wired)

Posted by PJB on February 01, 2005 | Classification: Metadata | Comments (0) | Permalink

Total Experience

"(...) a leading news and business intelligence service on technology and science that's read by many of the sector's top entrepreneurs, executives, funders, followers and thinkers. An information service that delivers targeted news coverage of multiple verticals via its website and email newsletters, Corante is also helping to pioneer the emergence of blogging as an influential and important form of reportage, analysis and commentary." (Corante)

Posted by PJB on February 01, 2005 | Classification: Weblogs | Comments (0) | Permalink