Re: [IxDA Discuss] Five things Interaction Design probably isn't

If Monday's article has in fact been responsible for sparking a timely conversation in the IxD community, I'm happy to help, and honored to have had it taken so seriously by such a thoughtful group of creative professionals. To be honest though, it was written out of something more like self-intere

[IxDA Discuss] Carousel + Filters

I am doing a research on carousels interactions. Does anyone knows where I can find an examples of a carousel design using some of filters to sort the contents? Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this li

[IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

During the closing plenary of the IA Summit on Sunday, Jesse James Garrett said that “Information Architecture is not a profession … and neither is Interaction Design … we have and always will be User Experience Designers”. I’m paraphrasing a little from memory (the podcast isn’t out ye

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Really like the sentiment from JJG! rgds, Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=40553 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

Jared, could you post your results of your study - I've been getting a similar question about icons. There is some literature regarding icons versus text only versus text+icons in the HFES literature. This was a big topic in the early days of toolbars. Deb Mayhew has some research results in her

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

http://theuxtribe.wordpress.com/ On Thu, Mar 26, 2009 at 9:47 PM, Daniel Szuc wrote: > Really like the sentiment from JJG! > > rgds, > Dan > > > . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . > Posted from the new ixda.org > http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=40553 > > > _

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

On Mar 26, 2009, at 6:46 PM, Jared Spool wrote: Based on what data? I have studies that say that, in most apps, most experts can't tell you what the icons they look at, day-in and day- out, do or represent. I'm with Jared on this one, as my experience and research shows the same. Additio

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

Chauncey asked: > Jared, could you post your results of your study > - I've been getting a > similar question about icons. Anecdotally: I've found that it's possible to take any moderately well-used program, e.g. Powerpoint, and use it to demonstrate the problems of icon recognition. - capture al

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

Icons aren't really about recallthey're more about recognition and location. Recognition: The question is not whether people remember what the icon looks like, but can they recognize it when they see it in context? (think of song lyrics...you probably can't tell us what they are right

[IxDA Discuss] Lexus ad, another mention of design and usability

I know people have already discussed the Ford designer TV commercial here, so I thought I would note a related ad...maybe it's a trend...is design becoming more of a differentiator with the economy the way it is? Will Ford start staying "usability is job #1?" So, this morning I saw a TV ad for Lex

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

Hi Mat, I thought you might find these posts useful. This one talks about how the Office 2007 team decided when to use icons or not: http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/archive/2006/03/06/544499.aspx This one talks about the importance of labels: http://blogs.msdn.com/jensenh/archive/2005/11/01/487661

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Socrates said, "The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms." I've only been in this industry for a dozen years and have always found it both amusing and frustrating that we cannot agree on how to describe what it is that we do! Not only does it make it challenging when talking to each othe

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Trying to keep this short! I had a million problems with JJG's talk, but I'm in a hurry and you asked for viewpoints, not diatribes. To Jeremy's point (woot), User Experience is waay generic. It's also a professional umbrella that works for the here and now. Further, it is severely limiting to

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

(at the end, I should have said practices with similar problems with external perception, not similar practices! Though that would be a new page in broadening the bejeesus out of our definitions ...) Welcome to the Interaction Design

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Out of interest, does anyone know the terms to describe what we do that are the most used or recognized in the industry outside of our own professional communities or tribes? rgds, Dan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixd

[IxDA Discuss] Nice collection of content from Steve Portigal's blog (e.g., Failed Tropicana Design)

http://www.portigal.com/blog/ c hittahchattah-quickies-344/or March 26th Blog: http://www.portigal.com/blog/

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Here's a different spin on your question. What scares me the most is that the term 'User Experience' is most often used to describe what we do, but not 'User Experience Designer' to describe us. That doesn't seem right to me. Out of interest, does anyone know the terms to describe what we do > th

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

Joshua Porter's post most clearly captures the value of using both, "The reason why icons text works best is because that combination provides the most information...which by sheer probability makes it more likely that a user will recognize them when they need to." I would add that icon text cr

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

On Mar 27, 2009, at 10:14 AM, Nasir Barday wrote: I had a million problems with JJG's talk[...] When you have more time, I'd love to hear about a few of those million. To Jeremy's point (woot), User Experience is waay generic. Or it's waay simple. When two or more solutions are available,

[IxDA Discuss] CfP: Persistent Conversation abstracts (due 3/30)

CALL FOR PARTICIPATION The 11th Persistent Conversation Minitrack Digital Media and Content Track at HICSS 43 January 5-8, 2010 Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort, Kauai, Hawai'i See http://www.visi.com/~snowfall/HICSS_PC.html for an online version and further information. IN ONE PARAGRAPH The Persiste

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

I'm not a definitions guy so don't take this as support of keeping all these terms around. I do, however, work with a lot of different people who use specific terms to explain what they do AND other people that need to understand them. So I need a simple, concise way to explain things. For m

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 3:02 AM, Jeremy Kriegel wrote: > I have recently gravitated to User Experience as an umbrella term, > but I can't agree that 'User Experience Designer' is a title that > we should all use. It is too generic. I'd equate it with calling > anyone who writes code a 'Programmer

[IxDA Discuss] JOB: Usability Project Manager, Framingham, MA, Staples Inc. Fulltime

Apologies for cross posting. We have an opening in our group. Please send your responses to joseph.ca...@staples.com Thanks and best of luck, -Adamya Ashk Director Usability, NAD | Staples Inc. Ph. 508 253 3986 | Fax 508 253 8946 -- *Usabil

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

On Mar 27, 2009, at 7:35 AM, Mike Myles wrote: There are countless examples of bad icons and poorly worded labels. Keep in mind that there's a lot more work to make a high-quality icon than to make high-quality labels. To make a high-quality icon: First, you have to figure out what the s

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

> > Information architecture defines the structure of information (which can > exist in many formats). > Interaction design enables people to manipulate and contribute to that > information. > Visual design communicates these possibilities to people and creates > affinity to them (desirability). >

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

We have a few contexts going on here, and I'm going to bite Janna DeVylder's concept here: -) Defining to Defend -) Defining to Educate I think Luke's list: > Information architecture defines the structure of information (which can > exist in many formats). > Interaction design enables people to

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Five things Interaction Design probably isn't

On Thu, Mar 26, 2009 at 9:10 AM, Carl Alviani wrote: > The level of discourse and soul-searching within the IxD community is > incredibly high, and its theoretical tenets get debated with a > precision rarely seen in [many other professional communities], but that > discourse rarely seems to > ex

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

On 27 Mar 2009, at 15:25, Jared Spool wrote: [snip] However, most functions don't have clear imagery already established. Harry Hersch did a wonderful study in the '80s that we've replicated dozens of times and is still solid: He measured how long it took the team to decide what the best ic

Re: [IxDA Discuss] looking for examples of how to best edit large forms

thank you. i'll take a look at these. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=40496 Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! T

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

I recently put on a slide ... I was an Information Architect I was a UI Designer I was a User Experience Designer I am an Interaction Designer and I am soon to be a Designer Titles in an area of practice like ours will always be fluid. Concentrating on titles at all, is barely productive. This o

Re: [IxDA Discuss] $705k for redesigning a website???

My company has worked on several county-level web site redesigns, and for a complete soup-to-nuts job, 705K does not strike me as too high, at all. You have to discover all of the maverick web sites that are going to be folded in to the new site, negotiate with 25 different departments over how th

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 5:56 AM, dave malouf wrote: > THEN! there is the false idol of UX. What the heck? Let's fess up > and admit that UX is as jargonny as Web 2.0. It is marketing speak > geared towards a segment of our world that needed it. For so much of > Design it is just a given. It is hu

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

I get that "user experience" has become default in the business world as an umbrella term and I often play along to get my paycheck. But my own personal problems with "it's all just UX": 1. (this is admittedly a bit hair-splitting) One technically cannot design a user's experience since an "exper

[IxDA Discuss] Some sites which have the worst design

Here are a few sites which have the worst design (atleast i think so) www.graphikpromo.com www.americangreenwood.com www.garbinc.com Regards, Siya Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ...

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

even the U.S. News report of Best Careers of 2009 (http://tinyurl.com/6kj5q3) identified that our profession has a hard time agreeing on a name for itself. In an excellent article on a structured approach to building%u2019 a UX team (http://boxesandarrows.com/view/building-the-ux), Anthony Co

[IxDA Discuss] IxDA, User Experience and Usability Websites

I am currently researching on a website with immense data and this company being a corporate needs some good user interface that will showcase this data, get more hits, have interactive elements, etc. This software company has a 18 year history. Can the IxDA community help me with a few things on

[IxDA Discuss] If there was a quiz about whether someone was more suited to being an ixd, usability researcher, ia, etc...

What would be the questions and what would be the defining factor that decides a persons core/most effective skill even if they work in another profession? - I focus on color theory, typography and image creation (core focus of a visual designer) - I focus on studying user responses/behavior when

[IxDA Discuss] [Job] Web Content Strategist - NYC - FTE

Hello! I have a full-time role with a large bank in Jersey City. There is a lot of work to be done and the position just opened. Please send your updated resume to liz.ged...@sapphire.com and give me a call at 212-257-6123 if you are interested and I would be happy to go over the detail

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

I found nothing whatsoever to disagree with in Jesse's plenary. In fact, it all seemed obvious and non-controversial. Of course, it was neither. :-( I hope that folks don't see Jesse's declaration as being synonymous with some kind of death of IA or IxD or whatever. He's not asking anyone

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Well said. On Mar 27, 2009, at 3:09 PM, Christopher Fahey wrote: In short: No need to throw down any walls here. Just open some gates. Cheers! Todd Zaki Warfel Principal Design Researcher Messagefirst | Designing Information. Beautifully. -- Contact Info Voic

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

> > Information architecture defines the structure of information (which can > exist in many formats). > Interaction design enables people to manipulate and contribute to that > information. > Visual design communicates these possibilities to people and creates > affinity to them (desirability). >

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture." The frustrating thing to me about threads like this in our lovely ecosystem is that most of us seem to be on the same page, but we misunderstand each other a lot-- mostly because creative types like to think we are misunderstood :-). Judgi

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

On Mar 27, 2009, at 3:38 PM, Nasir Barday wrote: Are we really on opposite ends of the universe? If you truly believe that, then I don't understand how you could have a million problems with JJG's closing keynote. I'm still interested to know a few. Cheers! Todd Zaki Warfel Principal

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Lexus ad, another mention of design and usability

I saw this ad on the web in January '09 for the Acura MDX SUV. Tagline: "Advancing the user experience." It struck me as a funny choice of words for a car ad. I would have expected language like "Advancing the driving experience" or something a long those lines. User Experience is quite the buzz-wo

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Lexus ad, another mention of design and usability

"Enhanced"& "Experience" were last quarters most sited by my self. Everything I did had and enhanced experience, my bottled water, my movies, my music, etc On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 12:49 PM, Dev Yamakawa wrote: > I saw this ad on the web in January '09 for the Acura MDX SUV. Tagline: > "Advan

[IxDA Discuss] Visualization of what data represents

I know there has been much discussion about data visualization here, but I ran into a need this week to represent not the data, but rather what makes up the data. I.e., data point combinations or collections of processes that produce the information that we are looking at. The goal being to help

[IxDA Discuss] JJG's IA Summit 2009 Keynote

The longer that thread gets, the crankier I get, so I'm starting a new one specifically to talk about Jesse James Garrett's talk at the IA Summit last weekend. It's what he wanted us to do, anyway. Todd wrote > If you truly believe that, then I don't understand how you could have a > million prob

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Examples of UI fading in and out over content?

Nice example. This one works well since the user is likely to be moving the mouse over at least one of the results at some point, so discoverability isn't much of a problem. I'm not sure it'd work as well for a media player though. Has anyone seen in user tests whether people understand the impli

Re: [IxDA Discuss] JJG's IA Summit 2009 Keynote

On Mar 27, 2009, at 4:17 PM, Nasir Barday wrote: I LOVED the fact that he said that our practices will make the next leap when a someone creates a truly design-led company that "makes stuff," that kicks everyone's asses and leaves them playing catch up. And I suppose there is some reason

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Visualization of what data represents

Perhaps I'm oversimplifying, but how about UML? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Modeling_Language - Nasir Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe .

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

For those who practice their "profession" in languages other than English, is this discussion also happening for you in your communities of practice? Is this a discussion that knows no language boundaries, or is our English language failing us? Just curious. Janna

Re: [IxDA Discuss] JJG's IA Summit 2009 Keynote

Thanks for adding some clarification. I can't speak for JJG, only what I took away from his talk. More below... On Mar 27, 2009, at 4:17 PM, Nasir Barday wrote: -) He alluded to some sort of war between the IA and IxD communities, and that interaction designers were eating IA's lunch. Is t

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Why can't we have our cake *and* eat it? There are benefits from having foci on the individual aspects of UX (IA, IxDA, ID, etc) - those benefits are mainly realized very internally to the practitioners - specific mailing lists, conferences, etc. We have this now with IAI and IxDA. There are also

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Seems to me the market (our clients, business leaders, HR, recruiters etc.) have as much or more to do with labeling our practice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=40553 _

Re: [IxDA Discuss] JJG's IA Summit 2009 Keynote

Funny. As I read that, I was thinking, "what about Apple". I wish there were more Apple-think companies and Apple-minded individuals. And for the record, I am not a zealot about Apple, Macs, iPhone, iPod, iAnything but I do appreciate clean design, user satisfaction, and fun. . . . . . . . . . .

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

Nasir, here's something concrete for you - I personally would much prefer to go to a 5 day, 1500 person UX conference jointly sponsored by ASIS, IAI and IxDA than 3, 500 person conferences. - Richard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.or

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 9:07 AM, Richard Dalton wrote: > I personally would much prefer to go to a 5 day, 1500 person UX conference > jointly sponsored > by ASIS, IAI and IxDA than 3, 500 person conferences. > Hear hear!! -ambrose

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

I can't spend my own money for so many conferences... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=40553 Welcome to the Interaction Design Associ

Re: [IxDA Discuss] JJG's IA Summit 2009 Keynote

On Mar 27, 2009, at 4:41 PM, Nasir Barday wrote: Apple is secretive about their process and allows the general public to believe that their success hinges on "looking sleek and cool," having a brand built solely around being hip, and being great marketers. While WE recognize that design fu

Re: [IxDA Discuss] When to use icons and when to use text

To Jared's point, >Keep in mind that there's a lot more work to make a high-quality icon than to make high-quality labels. I certainly agree that is most often the case, but there cases where it's easier to convey a concept symbolically. One specific personal experience... I worked on an applica

[IxDA Discuss] Combined Conferences (was Its Just UX)

On Mar 27, 2009, at 2:08 PM, J. Ambrose Little wrote: On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 9:07 AM, Richard Dalton >wrote: I personally would much prefer to go to a 5 day, 1500 person UX conference jointly sponsored by ASIS, IAI and IxDA than 3, 500 person conferences. You can go to it: it's called U

Re: [IxDA Discuss] JJG's IA Summit 2009 Keynote

I think we all (on this board) wish there were companies that realized the importance of design and leveraged design as a strategic asset. On Mar 27, 2009, at 1:50 PM, Dru wrote: Funny. As I read that, I was thinking, "what about Apple". I wish there were more Apple-think companies and Ap

Re: [IxDA Discuss] JJG's IA Summit 2009 Keynote

Nasir accidentally forgot to reply to the list. I've got your back. ;) I've already overblown my personal quota for IxDA list time, and I still have things to get out the door for today, but quickly: Todd, thanks for taking that on. We do agree on most things, and whatever's left to disagre

[IxDA Discuss] Primary Navigation Research & Best Practices

Has there been any research or best practices posted around Primary Navigation? Specifically I want to find out: 1) The benefit of duplicating a primary navigation link as the first link in its drop-down. (Example: You have a primary navigation item labeled “Solutions” and when you hover ov

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

I hate 1500 or 3000 person conferences. I find they devoid of depth, usually with bad infrastructure and you always feel overwhelmed. Don't go to 3. Pick one! make it your own and stick w/ it. Then if/when you have resources to move from your base, move on. All the conferences have breadth to the

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

I personally also hate extremely large conferences (even though I can't afford to go to many during the year), because its so difficult to meet new people and really get to know others. I was thinking that perhaps we might consider taking a cue from ACM, which has an incredibly varied base of disci

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Its Just UX

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM, David Malouf wrote: > Maybe all the people out there who want this big UX thing just > haven't found the right community for you. This sounds a lot like one person is defining the IxDA, and if you don't like it, you can go play on some other playground. I can

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Combined Conferences (was Its Just UX)

why does this community (writ large) have to constantly go through "it's a salad dressing! / it's a floorwax!" dialectics? big conferences good for some things niche conferences good for other things -x- Welcome to the Interaction De

[IxDA Discuss] Some of the non-software things that interaction designers do

J. Ambrose Little wrote: > This is an honest question. What are some of the non-software > things that you all see interaction designers doing? I'm currently designing a new department for my company. I've also worked on projects to envision end-to-end business scenarios X years in the future

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Combined Conferences (was Its Just UX)

I was stating my opinion Christian. Richard was trying to state that X is better than Y, the pretext of which is that doing both is a waste of time. This was exemplified by him saying I don't want to go to 3 smaller conferences. As if to say, the choices are the problem. If I would Richard, I wou

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Some of the non-software things that interaction designers do

keypad layout General button controls port configurations or back panels Eco-system integration Power management communications Voice communication systems Scripts for service agents Near-field systems Barcode applications It isn't whether or not it is non-software, but whether or not the software

Re: [IxDA Discuss] Combined Conferences (was Its Just UX)

David, I meant in no way to single you out individually. I am commenting on the general thesis, antithesis, synthesis cycle of so many of these conversations. I am as much a part of it as anyone. -x- On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 1:15 PM, David Malouf wrote: > I was stating my opinion Christian. > ___