IxDA Atlanta July09 Interaction Conference Recaps

IxDA Atlanta MeetingInteraction Conference Recaps

July 8, 2009

IxDA [email protected] You

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IxDA Atlanta thanks Macquarium for hosting this and future meetings!

IxDA Background

IxDA [email protected]

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About IxDA

A network for the professional practice of Interaction Design.

– Founded in 2003 to fill professional organization gap for interaction designers.

– Incorporated as non-profit in 2005; thrives as member-supported community.

– A novel kind of “un-organization” with no membership fees.*

– Focused on interaction design issues for the practitioner, at all experience levels.

– Over 10,000 members with about 70 local groups (like IxDA Atlanta!) around the world.

* IxDA does, however, take donations at www.ixda.org.

IxDA [email protected]

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About IxDA

– Reliant on individual initiative, contribution, sharing, and self-organization as primary means for achieving goals.

– Core initiatives include:

• Education and Mentoring

• Public Relations for IxDA

• Local Groups Support

• Business Outreach

• Internationalization

– Join at http://www.ixda.org/join.php

IxDA [email protected] IxDA Site Improvements

– Dedicated Careers area, including resources for hiring managers

– Local group mini-sites with local leader announcements, local discussions and job postings as well as local member directory

– IxDA events calendar with RSVP tools

– Member profiles with Local Group affiliation and links to external feeds

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IxDA [email protected] IxDA Site Improvements

– Searchable global member directory

– Space for mentoring program and educational resources

– Improved visibility for all IxDA initiatives

– Conference access from main site

– Media library enhancements to serve content from Interaction conferences and Local Group events

– Home page & About Us content updates to provide clearer participation paths

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IxDA [email protected] 10

– Interaction conference returns to Savannah!• February 4 - 7, 2010

• More at interaction.ixda.org

– Great opportunity for IxDA Atlanta members• Attend a “local” conference

• Volunteer

• Submit papers, panels, and/or posters

– August 1: Submissions open

– September 1: Submissions deadline

– October 1: Conference registration opens

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IxDA [email protected] Atlanta

– One of many “Local Groups” around the world

– Fills important practitioner gap in Atlanta

– Gives voice to Atlanta-based interaction designers

– Well positioned to be highly visible

– Meets predictably: 2nd Wednesday of each month

– Meetings alternate between formal and social

– “Local Leaders” guide and organize with members

– IxDA Local Leaders (a.k.a. planners/instigators):

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• Maria Cordell (Macquarium)

• Danny Muller (Moxie)

• David DeMumbrum

• Josh Cothran (GTRI)

IxDA [email protected] Atlanta Calendar

– The 2009 Plan• 07/08 Meeting: Interaction Conference Recaps

• 08/12 Social: Salon

• 09/09 Meeting: UX/IxD Slam

• 10/14 Social: “Beer Pong” Design Challenge

• 11/11 National Speaker: TBD

• 12/09 Social: UX White Elephant

– Your Role• Planning and organizing for remaining 2009 events

• Looking ahead to 2010

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What is Interaction Design?

The Elements of User ExperienceA basic duality: The Web was originally conceived as a hypertextual information space;but the development of increasingly sophisticated front- and back-end technologies hasfostered its use as a remote software interface. This dual nature has led to much confusion,as user experience practitioners have attempted to adapt their terminology to cases beyondthe scope of its original application. The goal of this document is to define some of theseterms within their appropriate contexts, and to clarify the underlying relationships amongthese various elements.

Jesse James [email protected]

Visual Design: graphic treatment of interfaceelements (the "look" in "look-and-feel")

Information Architecture: structural designof the information space to facilitateintuitive access to content

Interaction Design: development ofapplication flows to facilitate user tasks,defining how the user interacts withsite functionality

Navigation Design: design of interfaceelements to facilitate the user's movementthrough the information architectureInformation Design: in the Tuftean sense:designing the presentation of informationto facilitate understanding

Functional Specifications: "feature set":detailed descriptions of functionality the sitemust include in order to meet user needs

User Needs: externally derived goalsfor the site; identified through user research,ethno/techno/psychographics, etc.Site Objectives: business, creative, or otherinternally derived goals for the site

Content Requirements: definition ofcontent elements required in the sitein order to meet user needs

Interface Design: as in traditional HCI:design of interface elements to facilitateuser interaction with functionalityInformation Design: in the Tuftean sense:designing the presentation of informationto facilitate understanding

Web as software interface Web as hypertext system

Visual Design: visual treatment of text,graphic page elements and navigationalcomponents

Concrete

Abstract

time

Conception

Completion

FunctionalSpecifications

ContentRequirements

InteractionDesign

InformationArchitecture

Visual Design

Information DesignInterface Design Navigation Design

Site ObjectivesUser Needs


This picture is incomplete: The model outlined here does not account for secondary considerations (such as those arising during technical or content development)that may influence decisions during user experience development. Also, this model does not describe a development process, nor does it define roles within auser experience development team. Rather, it seeks to define the key considerations that go into the development of user experience on the Web today.

task-oriented information-oriented

30 March 2000

© 2000 Jesse James Garrett http://www.jjg.net/ia/

IxDA [email protected]: Elements of User Experience

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The Elements of User ExperienceA basic duality: The Web was originally conceived as a hypertextual information space;but the development of increasingly sophisticated front- and back-end technologies hasfostered its use as a remote software interface. This dual nature has led to much confusion,as user experience practitioners have attempted to adapt their terminology to cases beyondthe scope of its original application. The goal of this document is to define some of theseterms within their appropriate contexts, and to clarify the underlying relationships amongthese various elements.

Jesse James [email protected]

Visual Design: graphic treatment of interfaceelements (the "look" in "look-and-feel")

Information Architecture: structural designof the information space to facilitateintuitive access to content

Interaction Design: development ofapplication flows to facilitate user tasks,defining how the user interacts withsite functionality

Navigation Design: design of interfaceelements to facilitate the user's movementthrough the information architectureInformation Design: in the Tuftean sense:designing the presentation of informationto facilitate understanding

Functional Specifications: "feature set":detailed descriptions of functionality the sitemust include in order to meet user needs


Content Requirements: definition ofcontent elements required in the sitein order to meet user needs

Interface Design: as in traditional HCI:design of interface elements to facilitateuser interaction with functionalityInformation Design: in the Tuftean sense:designing the presentation of informationto facilitate understanding

Web as software interface Web as hypertext system

Visual Design: visual treatment of text,graphic page elements and navigationalcomponents

Concrete

Abstract

time

Conception

Completion

FunctionalSpecifications

ContentRequirements

InteractionDesign

InformationArchitecture

Visual Design

Information DesignInterface Design Navigation Design

Site ObjectivesUser Needs


This picture is incomplete: The model outlined here does not account for secondary considerations (such as those arising during technical or content development)that may influence decisions during user experience development. Also, this model does not describe a development process, nor does it define roles within auser experience development team. Rather, it seeks to define the key considerations that go into the development of user experience on the Web today.

task-oriented information-oriented

30 March 2000

© 2000 Jesse James Garrett http://www.jjg.net/ia/

IxDA [email protected] Crampton Smith

“In the same way that industrial designers have shaped our everyday life objects ... interaction design is shaping our life with interactive technologies—computers, telecommunications, mobile phones, and so on.

14Excerpt from Designing Interactions, by Bill Moggridge (2002)

If I were to sum up interaction design in a sentence, I would say that it’s about shaping our everyday life through digital artifacts—for work, for play, and for entertainment.”

IxDA [email protected] Crampton Smith

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To minimize presentation size, the video is not included, but it’s available here:http://www.designinginteractions.com/interviews/GillianCramptonSmith

IxDA [email protected] Saffer

16http://www.kickerstudio.com/blog/2008/12/the-disciplines-of-user-experience/

Source: Dan Saffer

IxDA [email protected] Kolko

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Interaction Design is the creation of a dialog between a person and a product, service, or system. The value [of IxD is] in the development of human centered designs, and in the creation of framework in which to experience these designs.

Interaction Designers are the shapers of behavior. Interaction Designers—whether practicing as Usability Engineers, Visual Interface Designers, or Information Architects—all attempt to understand and shape human behavior.

Excerpts from Thoughts on Interaction Design, by Jon Kolko (2007)


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IxDA [email protected]’s Definition

Interaction design (IxD) is a professional discipline that illuminates the relationship between people and the interactive products they use.

While interaction design has a firm foundation in the theory, practice, and methodology of traditional design, its focus is on defining the complex dialogues that occur between people and interactive devices of many types—from computers to mobile communications devices to appliances.

22http://www.ixda.org/about_interaction.php

IxDA [email protected]’s Definition

Interaction design (IxD) is a professional discipline that illuminates the relationship between people and the interactive products they use.

While interaction design has a firm foundation in the theory, practice, and methodology of traditional design, its focus is on defining the complex dialogues that occur between people and interactive devices of many types—from computers to mobile communications devices to appliances.

23http://www.ixda.org/about_interaction.php

IxDA [email protected] Zaki Warfel

While other people are running

around trying to define it,

I’ll be doing it.

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Interaction Conference Recaps

IxDA [email protected] Conference Recaps

– Matt Wallens, Principal Consultant, 80 Watts• I08: Bill Buxton: The Design Eco-System

– Josh Cothran, GTRI• I08: Sigi Moeslinger: Intervention Interaction

– Robert Hamburger, Director, UX Design, User Insight• I08: Saskia Idzerda: Redesigning Sony-Ericsson's Product Catalog

– Karyn Lu, Site Development Manager, CNN.com• I09: Nathan Moody: Designing Natural User Interfaces

– Sharon Haber, User Experience Analyst, Engauge• I09: Christina Wodtke: Designing the Viral App

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Interaction ’08 Recap

Bill Buxton: The Design Eco-System

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Bill Buxton: Background

Principal Researcher at Microsoft Research

Author of Sketching User Experiences

Recipient of the Canadian Human-Computer Communications SocietyAward

New Media Visionary of the Year Award

…and much more!

See http://www.billbuxton.com/

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Highlights

Threshold of Frustration - Fit the good, meaningful functionalityunder it.

Pre-production work - There needs to be something thatproceeds the start of when you build the software.

To be a good designer, you must know:- What makes you distinct- Your value lies in your distinctiveness- You a minority- There will be pressure to conform- Your value is lost in assimilation

Apple’s Lesson - Change your organization; it's not necessarilythe people.

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Highlights

Remember the User - You're not just designing a product, but thewhole experience

Branched Design - The design process isn't about a single path. It'sabout multiples. Multiple options, multiple paths, test multiplesolutions.

Sketching - No such thing as high or low fidelity, only the "right"fidelity. Sketching and design are ultimately about thought andrepresentation

Watch it here: http://interaction08.ixda.org/Bill_Buxton.php

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Thank you!

Contact info:

Matt Wallens

@mattallica

[email protected]

80watts.com

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Goals: Learn, Share, Write ‘em Down

• Clearly define the study goals at the project kickoff

• Document those goals and share them with everyone

• Revisit the goals between sessions with moderators,clients, co-workers

• Reference goals like a checklist when analyzing studydata

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Context, Perspective & Iterations

• Keep a few impartial eyes available for spot-checking & cognitive walkthroughs

• Test at the right fidelity (and be ready to throw it allaway)

• Whenever possible, test in the appropriate context.Otherwise, be ready to explain it.

• Helps to categorize design implications within Goals,share, discuss, revise

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The Gap between Usability and UX

• Testing well isn’t the same as well-tested

• Patterns and best practices need to be validated

• Flesh out User profiles into real personas.

Recap: Christina Wodtke Designing the ViralApp IXDA 09

How to get people to use your socialapplicationshttp://library.ixda.org/node?page=1

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Christina Wodtke

Founded Information ArchitectureInstitute

Created Boxes and Arrows

Currently a Product Manager atLinkedIn

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If you build it, they will come….. or not

In Technology:

“You can Build it, and theystill won’t come.”

But, as we learned in theTipping Point, if we canjust get the Influencers todo it, everyone else willtoo. But this is somethingthat is hard to control!

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So What Else Can We Do?

We cannot control people,but we are in control oftheir environment so wecan change their behavior.

There are certain patterns we can follow thatwill help our application take off.

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1. Make things Frictionless

Make it Effortless - remove every single inkling of adoubt about doing something.

This is different than usability.

–This is a common issue when considering Privacyvs. Virality

–To make things viral its best to default to public(in flickr things are public by default, this is how ittook off by being used in the news, etc.)

–Make it simple for the user, come up with gooddefaults and allow the user the control to changesettings if they choose.

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2. At Hand

Have things right at hand.

–What is the most important thing you want userto do?

–Place it in a very obvious location

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3. Maximize Your Reach

Make your features Impactful, Spread the Word:

–Email This (reaches 1-3 people, small reach)

–Share This (social network is many people)

–Twitter and assymetric followbigger reach (no formal handshake)and Re-Tweet’s are accepted

–Groups on LinkedIn – wide reach

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3. Maximize Your Reach

Reciprocity: if someone gives you a gift, you feelthe immediate urge to pay them back in somefashion.

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4. Targeted

Target features for the most useful users. Only afew people will write reviews, start groups,comment, etc.

In a group, like Yahoo!Groups, the groupmanager relatively has alarge amount of features.This makes sense sincethis person has the mostinfluence.

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5. Outreach

How will we get people to come to our site?

SEO – single best way.

•Very code oriented.

•But also there is PageRank – people recommendsites by linking to them. Digg is powerful – ifpeople Digg your site, you up your PageRank.

Make it really easy for people to find the best stuffyou have and share with everyone they know.

•Display “Most Popular” items (NY Times Articles)

Interaction ’09 RecapHighlights from Vancouver

Clip: Designing Natural User Interfaces

Nathan Moody, Stimulant

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Highlights / Key Themes

Designing natural user interfaces (NUIs)

Workshop: Designing for touch screens and interactivegestures (Dan Saffer & Bill DeRouchey)

>> Check out Dan’s new book Designing Gestural Interfaces (O’Reilly 2008)

Importance of prototyping

Industrial design + interaction design

Designing for sustainability

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Surviving a design review

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More great talks to check out

Surviving a design review

by Charles Kreitzberg (Cognetics Corporation)

Design by community - The Drupal.org redesign

by Leisa Reichelt (consultant)

Visual complexity: A visual exploration on mapping complexnetworks

by Manuel Lima (visualcomplexity.com/Nokia)

What's in a game: A look at game design best practices as primeinfluencers of interaction design

by Nadya Direkova (Razorfish)