Information architecture for high-fashion store

Added on 8 May 2006 Peter Bogaards
“In December 2001 the Italian haute couturier Prada opened its groundbreaking new “epicenter” store in New York City, designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. IDEO, working with Koolhaas and his architecture and research firm OMA/AMO, created the invisible technology that allows Prada staff members to choreograph the in-store sales experience. IDEO Human Factors specialists interviewed store staff and observed the technology currently in use. The results of this research were incorporated into the design of the store’s information architecture, as well as the interactive dressing rooms and the in-store devices that allow the staff to focus completely on the customers, such as the Staff Device, the Recharging Trolley, the Staff Clip, and the Customer Card.” (IDEO)

Folksonomies: The Fall and Rise of Plain-text Tagging

Added on 4 May 2006 Peter Bogaards
“Today’s ‘hot topic’ is collaborative tagging: the classification of items using free-text tags, unconstrained and arbitrary values. Tagging services are separated into two general classifications: ‘broad’, meaning that many different users can tag a single resource, or ‘narrow’, meaning that a resource is tagged by only one or a few users.” (Emma Tonkin – Ariadne Issue 47) – courtesy of libraryclips

Sphere: Balancing Power and Simplicity

Added on 3 May 2006 Peter Bogaards
“Part of the challenge of this project was the relative universality of search. For many users, search has become so familiar that it’s a de facto means of navigation. Meanwhile algorithms have become more advanced, and the number of indexed pages has grown exponentially. There’s potential to do so much more with search, but there are relatively few standards for how to present users with more options.” (Ryan Freitas – Adaptive Path)

Understanding Experience in Interactive Systems PDF Logo

Added on 2 May 2006 Peter Bogaards
In: DIS04 Conference Proceedings, Cambridge, MA, August 2004 – “Understanding experience is complex. Designing the user experience for interactive systems is even more complex, particularly when conducted by a team of multidisciplinary experts. (…) In this paper, we argue that an interaction-centered view is the most valuable for understanding how a user experiences a designed product.” (Jodi Forlizzi and Katja Battarbee)

User experience: A research agenda PDF Logo

Added on 1 May 2006 Peter Bogaards
“Over the last decade, ‘user experience’ (UX) became a buzzword in the field of human-computer interaction (HCI) and interaction design. As technology matured, interactive products became not only more useful and usable, but also fashionable, fascinating things to desire. Driven by the impression that a narrow focus on interactive products as tools does not capture the variety and emerging aspects of technology use, practitioners and researchers alike, seem to readily embrace the notion of UX as a viable alternative to traditional HCI. And, indeed, the term promises change and a fresh look, without being too specific about its definite meaning. The present introduction to the special issue on ‘Empiral studies of the user experience’ attempts to give a provisional answer to the question of what is meant by ‘the user experience’. It provides a cursory sketch of UX and how we think UX research will look like in the future. It is not so much meant as a forecast of the future, but as a proposal – a stimulus for further UX research.” (Marc Hassenzahl and Noam Tractinsky)

In The Making

Added on 1 May 2006 Peter Bogaards
Proceedings from the Nordic Design Research Conference (May 29-31 2005, Copenhagen Denmark) – “Design is a restless field positioned as a productive practice in between conceiving and making. Design research is no less volatile, as it explores, explains and challenges what we know in and through design.” (About the conference)

Does information need architects?

Added on 28 April 2006 Peter Bogaards
“(…) the dividing line among information architects is real. One group tends more toward control and using expertise to create a structure that should work the same way for every user. The other tends more toward flexibility and enabling user interaction to determine the structure of the site and the content of the answers. (…) I would think it’s a good time to proudly state ‘I am an information architect, dammit!'” (David Weinberger – KMWorld)

Defining the Problem with Tom Chi

Added on 27 April 2006 Peter Bogaards
“(…) designers are often able to reframe business ‘problems’ to better communicate existing and potential relationships (and outcomes) between the market, customer goals, and product ecosystems. To further illustrate this point, I’ve asked a few seasoned designers that have successfully defined or re-defined business strategies to share their experiences defining problems.” (Luke Wroblewski – Functioning Form)

Dimensions of Usability: Defining the Conversation, Driving the Process

Added on 26 April 2006 Peter Bogaards
“Have you ever wondered if your colleagues or clients really understand usability? Too often, standards or guidelines substitute for really engaging our business, technical and design colleagues in a discussion of what usability means. By looking at usability from five dimensions, we can create a consensus around usability goals and use that definition to provide the basis for planning user centered design activities.” (Whitney Quesenbery – uigarden)

How Much Effort Does It Take to Create a Great User Experience?

Added on 25 April 2006 Peter Bogaards
“The purpose of this article is to provide you with a way to measure the level of effort required to successfully complete a project in respect to user experience. This is a powerful merging of project management, user experience, requirements and best practices. And, it is simple enough for a little monkey to use. More accurately, it is simple enough for me to use.” (John Rhodes – Apogee)