Re: [IxDA Discuss] Hourly rates?
This is a very valuable information. Thanks for the question and answers. On Nov 2, 2007 12:22 PM, maya gorton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi there, > > How do you calculate hourly rates? Is there a formula that can help you > extrapolate from a yearly salary? > > I have a freelance job that's 20 hours a week for the next 3 months, working > remotely--I feel I should charge less than I would for a short-term project > but more than I would for a full-time gig. > > What do you think? > > Can anyone give me a clue about industry standards in New York for a Senior > IA and/or Creative Director? > > I'd be happy to hear anyone's experiences with this. > > Thanks for your help! > -- > m a y a > > *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* > February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA > Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ > > > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Unsubscribe http://gamma.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines .... http://gamma.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .. http://gamma.ixda.org/help > -- Raminder Oberoi [EMAIL PROTECTED] *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe http://gamma.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://gamma.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://gamma.ixda.org/help
Re: [IxDA Discuss] What tools do you use for prototyping?
Just for my information, what is that most people dislike Visio so much? • Raminder Oberoi www.retheory.com On Nov 6, 2007, at 8:45 PM, Katie Albers <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > At 8:15 PM -0500 11/6/07, Todd Zaki Warfel wrote: >> On Nov 5, 2007, at 3:52 PM, Andrei Herasimchuk wrote: >> >>> The fact that Visio seems to be a "legitimate" tool in the field >>> just makes me want to cry. I mean, would you create a scale model if >>> you were building the original iPod out of PlayDough to show to the >>> guy who signs the checks what the design will be? Or Legos for that >>> matter? >> >> I don't personally consider Visio a legitimate tool for design or >> prototyping, except that since it has such deep penetration in the >> field it cannot, IMHO, be ignored. I for one am looking forward to >> the >> day when it falls by the wayside. >> > > I think Visio is an excellent tool for creating boxes in different > shapes...but the sooner it disappears the happier I'll be. Everyone > seems to want people who are expert in its use...and in every case > I've seen the design or prototyping it's being used for would be > better served by any number of other tools. > > Katie > -- > > > Katie Albers > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* > February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA > Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ > > > 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 *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ 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] What tools do you use for prototyping?
Ok... Regarding Visio... I can and have always been able to create wireframes, flows, interaction states, pretty much any relationship diagrams. If I didn't have access to a computer/software I would have to do all that on paper. Nothing wrong with paper, but a tool like visio is far more efficient when it comes to reusing, editing and being able to represent concepts nearly. For a guy like me who likes to use pen and paper but only for personal ideation (cause only I can understand my hand drawings) visio is a blessing! Now regarding Visio 'prototyping' I have in many projects been able to create clickthrus that have got clients buy in quickly and effectively, without investing more than a few hours of time and money (why? Because I already had the wireframe which only needed to be stringed together) For paper vs. Visio/any tool, in practical everyday use, almost all the time we use printouts, don't we? Regardless of what tool we use chances are that we do print it on paper. It seems like the sequence is - mind >> paper/pixel >> paper >> mind >> pixel . Repeat process. Finally we are free to use any medium/tool for creating the prototype as determined by project goals. • Raminder Oberoi www.retheory.com On Nov 7, 2007, at 6:57 PM, Andrei Herasimchuk <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > wrote: > I'm going to try and answer a bunch of questions in one message > versus spamming multiple answers. > > > On Nov 6, 2007, at 6:16 PM, Eric Scheid wrote: >> Just for my information, what is that most people dislike Visio so >> much? > > Too many people in our field use Visio as a replacement for > production level drawing tools, like FreeHand, Fireworks r > Illustrator. In doing so, they stop themselves from learning the > skills they need to actually do more design at the production level, > which in turn are skills that help in dealing with richer prototypes. > > > On Nov 6, 2007, at 4:25 PM, Mark Schraad wrote: >> Well unless you think I am either a moron or a hypocrite, then it >> would stand to reason that I believe this to be point of view, not >> of fact. So effectively what you have stated here is something >> along the lines of, "no I'm not, you are". I guess I expect more >> from someone as experienced and seasoned as you. > > I don't think you are either. I was attempting to state that your > position about my phrasing of "paper is not prototyping" leaves me > with either basically saying nothing about the topic or having to > water down my stance to the degree it doesn't contribute anything to > the discussion. Obviously, I phrased that opinion as equally useful > as what I was commenting on. > > > On Nov 6, 2007, at 6:17 PM, Raminder Oberoi wrote: > >> Most people miss what Visio can do. Do not think of Visio as a >> drawing >> tool. Think of it as a drawing language. You can do a lot of great >> stuff with automation. You do not have to use the shapes it gives >> you. You can make your own. > > If people used Visio in that manner, it wouldn't bother nearly as > much. But people do use it a "drawing tool" and that drives me nuts. > > Another reason I hate Visio is that it has quickly become the > PowerPoint of the digital design field. It's methods and approach to > drawing has corned a lot of people into thinking inappropriately > about what constitutes good software design. The same sort of > argument Tufte makes about PowerPoint, in relation to how it changes > the way people think about how to create and give a presentation. > Visio is doing the same thing to our field. > > > On Nov 7, 2007, at 12:14 PM, Christopher Fahey wrote: >> One of the "prototyping" methods used for the original Palm Pilot >> was balsa wood, the equivalent of PlayDough or lego bricks. > > Having built many a scale model using materials like Balsa wood, I > would have to disagree. Balsa wood is on an order much higher than > PlayDough or Legos. > > > On Nov 7, 2007, at 12:14 PM, Christopher Fahey wrote: >> The purpose was to test one critical aspect of the product: The >> aspect they were prototyping was "how does it feel in the hand" and >> "how does it fit into a person's various pockets and bags". They >> built lots of different blocks and tried them all before settling >> on the deck-of-cards size we all know today as the de-facto PDA >> standard form factor. The universal consensus today is that Palm >> completely nailed that form factor question, and I don't doubt that >> the balsa prototyping made that success happen. > > Agreed. However, using wood of any kind and shap
Re: [IxDA Discuss] Where does the usability department belong?
I would think it should be an entity by itself, with members within key deparments. • Raminder Oberoi www.retheory.com On Nov 12, 2007, at 9:12 AM, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi all, > > In a big company (more than 15.000 employees) with lots of > departments, > divisions and sections, where do you put the usability team? In the > marketing department or IT-department or customer care or customer > experience or R&D or ... ? > > Thanks in advance. > > Johan > > > *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* > February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA > Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ > > > 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 *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ 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] Where does the usability department belong?
My interpretation of usability within a large organization is one that is associated with the organization as a whole and not just with its products. So in that sense, while usability has its place within design and engineering and the likes, I would tend to think usabilty should start at the very top. • Raminder Oberoi www.retheory.com On Nov 12, 2007, at 11:32 AM, "Rich Rogan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I've been in different orgs where usability/interface design/ > interaction > design/information architecture was aligned with various other > departments > and each alignment had it's issues: > > Align with Business, (BA's) - functional requirements usurp user > centric > requirements > Align with Marketing - marketing requirements usurp user centric > requirements > Align with Engineering - development issues usurp user centric > requirements > Align with QA - Isn't this team focused on "after the fact/this are > already > built" issues? (what benefit would this have, possibly in user > testing?) > > In my experience, by far the ABSOLUTE best placement of "usability/ > interface > design/interaction design/information architecture" was in it's own > department, where UCD issues could be evaluated on their own, not > competing > with other depts goals. > > As well, having UCD dept as an agency is great as you can swap teams > in and > out of projects, making for a more interesting work environment. > > UCD dept can also include other Creative depts like graphics, and > copy, > which work very well together. > > This is my experience at least. The larger the org, the easier it > should be > to assemble this team. > > *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* > February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA > Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ > > > 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 *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ 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] Jaiku
I think it is important to recognize that in most cases there is one primary action per screen. In this case 'ok' button is the primary action and could be rendered as a primary button. For example 'ok' button can be larger and prominent while the 'cancel' option can be graphicaly rendered with lesser prominence- a text link perhaps. • Raminder Oberoi www.retheory.com On Nov 19, 2007, at 7:24 PM, Prasad Perera <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi All, > > Has anyone done extensive user testing for placement of OK, CANCEL > buttons? Should OK be on left and CANCEL on right? I have seen many > theories to how it should be but didn’t come across any results of a > n actual user testing on this subject. If anyone has information abo > ut this, please let me know. > > > Thanks > Prasad Perera > User Experience Architect > _ > It's simple! Sell your car for just $30 at CarPoint.com.au > http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fsecure%2Dau%2Eimrworldwide%2Ecom%2Fcgi%2Dbin%2Fa%2Fci%5F450304%2Fet%5F2%2Fcg%5F801459%2Fpi%5F1004813%2Fai%5F859641&_t=762955845&_r=tig_OCT07&_m=EXT > > *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* > February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA > Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ > > > 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 *Come to IxDA Interaction08 | Savannah* February 8-10, 2008 in Savannah, GA, USA Register today: http://interaction08.ixda.org/ 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] can you please discuss the effect of the US recession
Report: Despite Economy, Web Will Grow in '08 http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003727162 On Tue, Mar 25, 2008 at 10:27 AM, W Evans <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Exactly. Technically - a recession is six consecutive months of decline in > economic activity measured by such things as a decline in GDP. This has not > happened in the US. So far - there has only been a decrease in the rate of > growth of the economy, but there has been no net decrease in GDP. Not even > for one month. > > > > On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 07:22:54, Benjamin Ho <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > As far as I know and read, there is no recession. It's actually > > called, "stagflation" stemming straight from the sub-prime mortgage > > market. > > > > How this would affect usability contracts, I would think depends > > entirely on the industry and the company. > > > > As for what's critical to whether or not to involve a company > > depends much on their clientele, how they work and whether it aligns > > with company strategy. > > > > If you're a contracting company, it would be in your best interest > > to NOT lower your pricing for your services - unless of course you > > think your company isn't worth the money. > > > > > > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > > Posted from the new ixda.org > > http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=27558 > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > -- > ~ will > > "Where you innovate, how you innovate, > and what you innovate are design problems" > > > - > Will Evans | CrowdSprout > tel +1.617.281.1281 | fax +1.617.507.6016 | [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 > -- Raminder Oberoi [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] too much feedback?
Made me laugh. But also realized that Windows OS didn't know travellers at JFK were its users. • Raminder Oberoi On May 17, 2008, at 6:08 AM, "Apar Maniar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hi everyone I took a look at this photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/albaum/2495004994/sizes/l/ and this got me thinking that while it is a good rule of thumb to give the user feedback, how and when does feedback stop being helpful and become overkill or just plain nuisance. I cant remember the countless number of times I have t click on the little "x" to get rid of the network connection notification in XP somewhere in the subconscious it hurts Apar -- The goal of the action is the action itself! 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] Decentralized Decision Authority
Good question! Would also be very interested to know names of organizations with decentralized organic structures. On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 7:52 AM, Alan Cox wrote: > I have been doing some thinking about how design decisions get made, > both at my company and at others. For the most part, we have a > hybrid (somewhat centralized, somewhat not) authority for making > design decisions: there is one team responsible for them all, but the > team members are assigned to other cross-functional teams. > > I've been doing some brainstorming about whether it would be > appropriate to have a much more decentralized decision authority for > design decisions. I have reasons for exploring whether a > decentralized decision authority makes sense. > > It seems like a decentralized authority comes hand-in-hand with other > aspects of an organic organizational structure. An organic structure > gives things like increased collaboration, more adaptable duties, low > formalization of processes, and increased communication in multiple > directions (e.g. not just down the organization chart). (I got this > information from Stephen Robbins' "Organizational Behavior" ... a > great book.) > > I'm interested in an organic structure because Robbins argues that > such a structure is more conducive to supporting a strategy of > innovation and for dealing with non-routine, ill-defined work, which > in my experience, defines design work well. > > If you made it this far, I have some questions I hope you can help > with: > > If you've worked in an organization that decentralized design > decisions, what worked well and what didn't? > > What did you (or your organization do) to make the organic structure > successful? > > What challenges did you face in the organic structure, and what did > you do to manage those challenges? > > Thanks! > Alan > > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org > Unsubscribe .... http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help > -- Raminder Oberoi siniobe...@gmail.com Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .. http://www.ixda.org/help
