“Users aged 65 and older are 43% slower at using websites than users aged 21-55. This is an improvement over previous studies, but designs must change to better accommodate aging users.”
Service Design: A catalyst for customer orientation
“Increased competitive pressure, technology convergence and changing user behaviors require a new approach to future-proof businesses and organizations. Service design has a track record of being a catalyst towards customer orientation, organizational alignment and improving the total customer experience.”
(Stefan Moritz ~ Veryday)
Interview with content strategy author Ann Rockley
“Content strategists should realize that XML isn’t scary and it is really powerful for doing cool things with your content. In the ‘olden days’ when we first began creating Web-based content we used to have to use HTML codes to tag the content, now you create content in web forms or Word and rarely, if ever, have to think about the HTML codes. The same is true of XML, you don’t have to use codes to create content, there are lots of tools that ‘hide’ the XML tags. However, XML is much smarter than HTML. HTML tags describe the formatting structure of the content, XML defines the semantic structure of the content. For example, we can define that some content is a teaser and then have the system handle it differently when published to the Web, mobile, or even print.”
Expanded user journey maps: Combining several UX deliverables into one useful document
“UX deliverables had a rocky year so far. I feel particularly bad for the humble wireframe, which took some serious knocks over the past few months. There’s also a growing skepticism about the value of Personas. The Persona thing made me particularly uneasy because I’ve always been a huge fan, and we still start most of our projects with a workshop to define Personas and User Journeys.”
Information architecture’s teenage dilemma
“Imagine if you will information architecture as a pimply-faced, malcontent teenager. IA is eager to express and redefine itself. It wants to be an individual yet accepted by its peers. It is simultaneously aggravated and apathetic about its parents, mentors, and role-models. It is a bit of a mess, but a wonderful, beautiful mess with endless opportunity and potential.”
(Jeff Pass a.k.a. @jeffpass ~ Boxes and Arrows)
Apples and oranges: Developing an enterprise taxonomy that works
“The increasing need to dynamically deliver targeted content that is contextually relevant rests on three things – the technology to deliver it, the appropriate personalization and targeting strategies, and a robust enterprise taxonomy. Developing and managing your taxonomy is not a painless exercise, and it requires the help of an expert and the involvement and buy-in of key stakeholders, but based on our experiences, the benefits far outweigh the effort.”
(SiteWorx)
The greatest secrets of UX revealed
“I know many UX designers present themselves as unquestionable experts on human beings; as seers whose edicts should be followed to the letter. Come on.”
(Joseph Dickerson a.k.a. @JosephDickerson ~ UX Magazine)
Is the iPad mobile?
“Listen to your users and always check whether the new features are desirable. As you first release an app, start with your core competency and consider the features that are essential to your primary user path. As you iterate and add more features from your business and product road map, take into account what users are saying. You may find yourself adding or sunsetting features based on how and where people are using your app. Mobile or not, the tablet market is here to stay and, directly or indirectly, users will tell us what features to build next.”
The Governance component of content strategy success
“While all three components (creation, publication, governance) of the content strategy lifecycle are intended to be ongoing, it’s the Governance component that often requires the most dedication due to its never ending need for attention. Once content is created and published then it will forever need to be managed, maintained, optimised and compliant which leads to the age old question of ‘where to begin?'”
Service design for UX designers
“If you are in an agency or consultancy environment, you might categorise service design as part of user experience and/or experience strategy. If you come from a product environment, service design might vibrate more to what you consider as product management and business design. In a nutshell, service design is delivering a designed experience onto different levels of actors with a more holistic approach in mind. Let me elaborate on that.”
(Patrick Neeman a.k.a. @usabilitycounts ~ Usability Counts)
User experience benchmarks for tablets and smartphones
“User experience is arguably the most important aspect of a connected digital device such as a tablet or a smartphone.”
Creating a successful information experience for your users
“The good news is that most applications are already set up for integrating information. With planning and creativity, you can create a successful, positive information experience for your users.”
Defining Design ‘as agent of change’
“Framing a people-centred design challenge as a service design project, will always initially require lots of pursuasive communications. This is why my focus is now on the generative research, co-discovery and co-design fuzzy front end of the design process, where you begin by understanding the experiences of people who are the new design experts, but who are too often ignored in design process.”
What soccer teams and UX teams have in common
“Soccer teams, just like teams in any other sport, share a lot of difficulties and joys with UX teams. Think about how each player needs to have his or her role in the tactic scheme. Isn’t that the same as each creative having his or her own place on the UX team based on specific skills and abilities? Egos, collaboration, controversy, fast decisions, and especially the unpredictable moves are the beauty of being part of the game or the design project. Success in both cases is also closely related to teamwork, individual talents, and leadership.”
(David Sachs a.k.a. @sachs ~ UX Magazine)
UX design, role-playing and micromoments
“Good interaction design is about attending to every moment that passes between a person and the device (or system, or service) with which he or she is interacting. These moments can be explicit, as with gestures, taps, a button-click, or the completion of a form field. Or, these moments may be more elusive, such as a pause while you try and understand what is being asked of you or how to answer. It’s these internal conversations that users have at any given moment that often get overlooked.”
Position of navigation buttons affects the usability of apps for kids
“As technology becomes more advanced, interactive devices find their path into our everyday lives. Education is one of the most recent fields where new and interactive devices such as the iPad are being introduced. When interactive systems are used to teach children, it is essential to make sure that these systems are easy to learn and easy to use. They must not create a barrier between the child and the information to be accessed. On touch screen interfaces, interaction happens through direct contact between the hand and the interface. Especially for kids this offers great perspectives, as children naturally tend to touch things they want to interact with. However, due to the young age of interactive learning systems, little research has been done on how children interact with mobile devices.”
(Sabina Idler a.k.a. @SabinaIdler ~ UXkids)
Libraries: A canvas for creating meaningful user experience
“UX in libraries needs to be a completely immersive experience. We make sure our shelves are full of items patrons want and need. The surroundings are designed to be home-like with fireplaces, couches, power outlets, lamps, and meeting rooms. Across the country, libraries are thus transforming themselves from book warehouses to places where people want to come and hang out.”
(Amanda L. Goodman a.k.a. @alagoodman ~ UX Magazine)
Your taxonomy is broken
“The only answer that makes any sense when managing large amounts of content is – perhaps counter-intuitively – to use a flat structure, without a taxonomy.”
(Rick Yagodich a.k.a. @ThinkInfo ~ Think Info)
Feeling, thinking, doing Service Design
“I believe that the strategic process of experience engineering is why it is imperative that the benefits of Service Design are communicated to and supported by people working at the highest organisational business level.”
(Richard Arnott a.k.a. @servicejunkie ~ Curiosity Junkie)
Five prevalent pitfalls when prototyping
“In our work with design teams, we see a lot of teams using prototypes today. We’re also seeing many of those same teams fall into traps that reduce the effectiveness of their prototyping efforts. Here’s five of the most common ones we see.”