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Posted: November 22nd, 2013 | Author: Mark Connolly | Filed under: Events | Tags: design, mobile, usability | No Comments »
Designing simplified user experiences for complex and complicated products is hard work. Designing user experiences destined for consumption and interaction on the latest generation of mobile devices introduces slightly different challenges and constraints. Designing user experiences that can be used effectively and universally by customers of all shapes and sizes, abilities and disabilities, is an even more difficult venture that can be very challenging and rewarding for software engineers and UX practitioners. Join Greg Fields as he uses real world examples to explore the best practices and heuristics for creating mobile user experiences that are both accessible and usable. Adventurous attendees are welcome to bring in examples of their work for review and evaluation.
Greg Fields manages a portfolio of BlackBerry Handheld Software products and services at BlackBerry (nee Research In Motion), is a Certified Usability Analyst, remains an Interaction Designer hobbyist, and is generally a curious guy. He has led the introduction of accessible BlackBerry products and services over the last 7 years, led the institutionalization of Accessibility @ BlackBerry, has worked closely with end users in 100+ instances of user studies, is an innovator with 20+ patents in the area of Wireless/UI/Human Factors, and has contributed to international research and standards in the area of Human Factors.
Note that we’re meeting on a Tuesday this month!
Tuesday December 10, 2013
5:30 to 7:00 pm
Communitech Hub, P2P Room
151 Charles St. W.
Kitchener, ON N2G 1H6
Posted: March 6th, 2013 | Author: Mark Connolly | Filed under: Jobs | Tags: job, usability | No Comments »
Job: Usability Specialist
Company: Desire2Learn
Location: Kitchener, Ontario
Industry: E-Learning
What would I be doing in this role at Desire2Learn?
The Usability Specialist will work across product teams to define and implement user experience standards and best practices. They will provide research support at all phases of the design process. To drive integration of research findings, the Usability Specialist will develop written summaries and concept designs.
The Usability Specialist will also promote inclusive design by researching, specifying, designing and advocating for accessibility-oriented features and functionality. Additionally, they will act as an ambassador for Desire2Learn user experience both internally and within the larger user community.
What would my main duties be?
- Conduct research into ergonomics and human-computer interaction (HCI)
- Ensure overall consistency and ease of use of the product suite
- Conduct design reviews
- Responsible for accessibility reviews and evangelism
- Conduct remote and in-person user research
- Facilitate user-centered design practices throughout the Product Design function
- Create and maintain all necessary patterns and design guides
What is Desire2Learn looking for from me?
- Strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills
- Experience planning and facilitating usability testing, focus groups, and customer interviews
- Experience with software development life cycles including Agile or other project methodologies is an asset
- An exceptional understanding of fundamental design principles and graphical design fundamentals
- Knowledge of eLearning and/or Learning Management Systems is an asset
Education Recommendations
- Post-secondary degree in human factors or interaction design (or equivalent professional experience)
Company Description
Be part of the excitement as Desire2Learn continues to grow and expand! Founded in 1999, Desire2Learn is a stable and growing company that is transforming the way people teach and learn. Desire2Learn is a leader in providing innovative eLearning solutions to academic and other leading organizations around the world. We have a proven track record of client success. Our outstanding service and support has made us the partner of choice for leading organizations around the globe. We take great pride in providing our clients with the best learning environment possible. As our name suggests, we’re passionate about creating solutions that can ignite the desire to learn in anyone. With a focus on user experience, accessibility, mobility, platform security and reliability we deliver systems that our clients and their learners can count on anywhere, anytime.
To support our unique and thriving culture, Desire2learn’s highly skilled employees are encouraged to drive innovation and excellence in a dynamic environment which promotes collaboration, continual self-improvement, and effective communication. We look for people who want to make an impact and be a part of something big. We are seeking superstars who demonstrate a strong entrepreneurial drive, an enthusiastic and dedicated mindset and a thirst for challenge. The ability to think on your feet and work successfully both in independent and team-settings is essential. You will grow professionally as you help us grow as a leader in providing eLearning solutions!
Visit www.desire2learn.com/careers to learn more about our exciting career opportunities and the amazing employee experience offered by Desire2Learn! Or, apply for this job here.
Posted: July 11th, 2010 | Author: Mark Connolly | Filed under: Events | Tags: conference, usability, user experience | No Comments »
Thursday, July 22, 2010
5:30 to 7:00 pm
Accelerator Centre
Meeting Room #2
295 Hagey Blvd., Waterloo
[Map]
This month’s meeting focuses on highlights from the 2010 UPA and UX Lx conferences. James Stewart and Ryan DeGorter, two of our group members, recently attended these conferences in Europe. They will each present highlights of what they learned, with an opportunity for questions and discussion too. We’ve had some great discussions in recent meetings, and this month is certain to be no exception.
Topics under discussion will include:
Please click here to register for this UX Group event. Thanks! Hope to see you there.
Posted: June 29th, 2010 | Author: Katie Cerar | Filed under: Events | Tags: think aloud, usability, user research | No Comments »
Last Thursday, June 24th, the UX Group met to learn more about the Think Aloud method from Guelph Master’s student, Amy Gill. Amy graciously gave us a presentation on her Master’s work, which has been focussing on learning about the psychology roots of the Think Aloud method, and how it can and should be used by UX practitioners today. We had almost 30 attendees this month, which made the discussions lively and insightful.
The session taught us a lot of about how Think Aloud was created, and some very interesting guidelines for how to use the method to gather the best results. The presentation was a great lead-in to an exciting discussion. Amy brought to light a number of interesting points, including:
- Think Aloud was originally created in the psychology tradition to learn about the thought processes inside of subjects’ heads
- We can gather great quotes to convince others of changes that need to be made
- It can provide us with insight into the mental models and the assumptions of the user
- The method doesn’t alter though patterns if we stick to level 1 and level 2 statements that do not require extra thinking or meta thinking.
- When we ask “Why?” the user has to start thinking about what they should say – altering their thoughts
- Asking “Why?” can also produce inaccurate reports as users tell us what they think we want to hear
After Amy’s presentation, the discussion broadened to include topics such as:
- When we ask “Why?”
- How we know when usability testing is being done “correctly” or is having a positive impact
- How people in the community incorporate usability testing, and when
If you missed Amy’s presentation, she has graciously provided us with a number of resources which were used or mentioned throughout her talk:
Thanks to Amy and everyone who showed up to see her present and participate in the insightful discussions. See you in July!
Posted: June 23rd, 2010 | Author: Julie Rutherford | Filed under: Events | Tags: think aloud, usability, user research | No Comments »
Hi everyone!
The User Experience Group planning committee has a great night scheduled! We have some video examples of think aloud studies that we will be showing and we’ll discuss best practices that we’ve used when asking participants to think aloud in usability tests. Amy Gill, who is pursuing a Masters degree in Applied Computer Science at the University of Guelph, will also be sharing more information about her research about think aloud practices in usability testing. Some of us from our UX group volunteered as participants in Amy’s studies, so we know we’re in for a treat!
Please click here to register for this event and hope to see you there!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
5:30 to 7:00 pm
Accelerator Centre
Meeting Room #2
295 Hagey Blvd., Waterloo
[Map]
Posted: May 26th, 2010 | Author: Mark Connolly | Filed under: Events | Tags: think aloud, usability, user research | No Comments »
Thursday, June 24, 2010
5:30 to 7:00 pm
Accelerator Centre
Meeting Room #2
295 Hagey Blvd., Waterloo
[Map]
Many of us have used think aloud sessions as a way of understanding how users interact with a software product. In tonight’s meeting, we’ll run some actual sessions to see how a think aloud session works in practice.
We’ll also hear from Amy Gill, who is a pursuing a Masters degree in Applied Computer Science at the University of Guelph under the guidance of Dr. Blair Nonnecke (no stranger to the UX Group). The focus of Amy’s research is the think aloud method which is often used during usability testing. Her research aims to explore current think aloud practices to compare the use of think aloud in the usability field with the original use of think aloud in psychology. For this research, practitioners in the usability field were interviewed to gain an understanding of current think aloud practices.
RSVP
Posted: February 28th, 2010 | Author: Mark Connolly | Filed under: Events | Tags: usability, user experience, workshop | No Comments »
The February UX Group meeting was a great success. Blair Nonnecke led a guerrilla usability workshop. The resulting discussions and explorations were rich enough that we didn’t actually get through the entire workshop!
Blair’s focus on building community and on sharing experiences helped us to understand that we all have similar challenges. Moreover, the discussion around the suitability of a martial metaphor made it clear that there are a wide range of experiences amongst our group members. It’s not at all clear that there’s any kind of metaphorical war going on here!
For the 40+ folks that attended, thanks for making the evening such a rewarding one. For those of you who missed it, come out to a future event and get connected. For everyone, let us know what kind of activities and presentations you’d like the UX Group to organize. Add your thoughts to the comments for this post.
Posted: February 3rd, 2010 | Author: Mark Connolly | Filed under: Events | Tags: usability, user experience | No Comments »
Usability doesn’t have to be a big investment of time and resources. Guerrilla usability techniques can be applied to just about any project and deliver valuable insights. Join us for a guerrilla usability workshop led by Blair Nonnecke, a user experience researcher and practitioner who is an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph. You’ll get hands-on experience in valuable techniques that you can use on your own projects.
Please bring your own favorite guerrilla technique for show and tell!
RSVPs requested
If you’re hoping to attend, please help us make an appropriate reservation by RSVP’ing to Wanda Eby at Communitech. Thanks! Everyone’s invited, so spread the word.
Thursday February 18, 2010
5:30 to 7:00 pm
Accelerator Centre
Meeting Room #2
295 Hagey Blvd., Waterloo
[Map]
Posted: January 5th, 2010 | Author: Robert Barlow-Busch | Filed under: Events | Tags: aesthetics, commodity, RIM, usability, ux | No Comments »
Monday January 18, 2010
5:30 to 7:00 pm
Accelerator Centre
Meeting Room #2
295 Hagey Blvd., Waterloo
[Map]
In November, Kem-Laurin Kramer of Research in Motion (RIM) wrote a provocative article for JohnnyHolland magazine that opened with these words:
After 10 years in the field, I woke up one day to realise that my service as a UX practitioner had become a commodity. Usability had become the “in thing” and everyone could do it and show that their products were better than the competition. Usability as a buzzword, populated Product Lifecycle processes in many organizations. So it comes as no suprise when the general attitude of stakeholders these days is one of a shopper saying: “One McUser Experience with usability fries please.”
On January 18, Kem will lead us into a deep dive on this question of whether our practice has become commoditized. Are we producing goods or services that lack differentiation? Is it a problem that user experience is concerned with aesthetics? Can anyone do our job?
Hope you can join us for what’s sure to be a lively, perhaps even heated, UX Group get-together!
RSVPs requested
If you’re hoping to attend, please help us anticipate numbers by RSVP’ing to Wanda Eby at Communitech. Thanks!
Posted: April 6th, 2008 | Author: Robert Barlow-Busch | Filed under: Events | Tags: event, RIM, usability | 4 Comments »
Thursday April 17, 2008
5:00 to 6:30 pm
Research In Motion (RIM)
Usability Lab, first floor, RIM 1 building
175 Columbia Street (southwest corner of Columbia and Phillip)
Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 5Z5
[Map]
Parking at RIM
Although parking at RIM can sometimes be a challenge, it shouldn’t be a problem at this time of day. Security knows that we’ll be descending on the usability lab, so feel free to park in any available spot — even outside the designated visitor parking.
Event Description
Join us for a tour and demonstration of RIM’s usability lab. While snacking on coffee and cookies, we’ll hear about some of RIM’s work on testing their Blackberry devices and talk with each other about current methods in usability testing.
RSVP
To help us estimate numbers, please RSVP to the UX group coordinators if you’re hoping to attend. (Note: No need to RSVP again if you’re a Communitech member and have already done so via Wanda Eby.)
