Written by David Charney
Posted: May 9, 2009 (10 months ago) | 0 comments
I was at Siggraph a few years back and these guys were presenting their new usability ideas and theories that surrounded a new UI. They tried to go for the cool factor as a means for better usability but without the many other attributes they were failing fast.
One of the components they had on screen was similar to what I have created here - except for their first example had a little close button in the top right corner of the main panel. Basically there were these little info panels that could display contact information - or really any kind of information on screen. They could throw these different panels out and re-align them quickly. It sounded like the usability testing they did involved a focus group of themselves and that everything was working great except for one thing. They explained that the close button was too small in the top right hand corner of their info panel. They kept missing it with a mouse or touch screen. There can be many panels on screen and so closing them needs to be quick and effortless. Their current system was unacceptable to them and their “new” approach to usability… but they had a trick up their sleeve.
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Written by David Charney
Posted: May 8, 2009 (10 months ago) | 1 comment
I just got back from RIApalooza 2 (and felt the need to drink around seven liters of Mountain Dew). There were 100+ people who attended and ranged from Silverlight, Flash, and Flex developers to UI/UX designers (and everyone in between).
The speakers were UX evangeilsts, platform evangelists, evangelist evangelists, consultants, and developers, who came from Adobe, Microsoft (Alphabetical order on the first two - no favorites), Clarity Consulting, Digital Primates, Magenic, The Iona Group, and Roundarch. Their ideas, theories, and best practices were all very different but they all had in common the desire to create better RIA today and in the future. Here is a list of what went on:
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Written by David Charney
Posted: May 6, 2009 (10 months, 1 week ago) | 0 comments
My company, Illumen Group, has just introduced a new blog called Illumenate. [www.illumengroup.com/illumenate]
Illumenate looks to advance new ideas, new technology, and best practices for learning, training, and marketing professionals.
Articles will be posted on educational/learning/training/marketing news, tips & tricks, theories, case studies, technologies, etc. We will have articles written by David Denz, Tony O’Dell, Chris Okamoto, myself, as well as by our advisers and subject matter experts.
Written by David Charney
Posted: April 18, 2009 (10 months, 3 weeks ago) | 0 comments
The Travelers - In Synch Challenge site has been around for a while but is still the definition of a site that uses fantastic user centered design. I work in the education and training space every day and this site still jumps off the page for me. It takes a fairly dull topic and delivers a visually enhanced, engaging user experience that drives the user to explore, interact, and be challenged - all while learning. There are few sites who do such a great job utilizing video, 3D animation, audio, strong instructional design, and engaging challenges to tell a series of educational stories. My hat is off to B-Reel and Fallon who did an excellent job putting this together and Travelers Insurance for taking the initiative to provide a great learning application.
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Written by David Charney
Posted: April 17, 2009 (10 months, 3 weeks ago) | 0 comments
The snow is gone and it is time for that age old process of designers and developers stretching, unhinging themselves from their chairs, wiping the pixels from their eyes, and letting the sunlight actually hit their skin (SolvingDesign recommends a sunscreen of about SPF 90 until your skin understands sunlight). Here are a few events occurring soon in Chicago:
RIApalooza
Friday, May 8, 2009 (9am to 5pm) - Illinois Technology Association - Chicago, IL
http://www.riapalooza.com
RIApalooza promises a platform agnostic and “PowerPoint-Free” zone, which means we are going to forgo the boring marketing pitches in favor of talking technology. RIApalooza is about creating Rich Internet Applications; how to go about building them and what is being built.
Flash in the Can - FITC - Design & Technology Event
June 22-23, 2009 - Chicago, IL
http://www.fitc.ca/event_detail.cfm?festival_id=94
Now in its 3rd year, FITC Chicago is back with some of the most unique and engaging presenters from around the world. FITC Chicago is a blitz of presentations and abundant networking opportunities, its an event that will leave you inspired, energized and awed.
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