31. Mai 2010

iPad Polar Bear Wallpaper

Ich habe beim UXcamp doch einige frisch gebackene iPad User gesehen. Für Euch habe ich hier was: das niegelnagelneue, original Polar Bear Wallpaper fürs iPad.

Illustration in Web Design

Das hier ist ein sehr schöner Montags-Post denke ich: 60 Excellent Examples of Illustration in Web Design.

The great thing about web design is that we have an enormous range of styles, techniques and ideas to implement when designing. You can go from Super Clean and Minimal Layouts to Colorful Layouts, and you can use Huge Typography or Hand Drawn elements – as long as you keep your style and give your website your own personality. As illustration is somewhere in between those options and is something that can be used to give your website a very unique touch, we decided to gather 60 excellent examples of illustration in web design. There should be plenty here to inspire you.

Sind wirklich einige sehr schöne Beispiele dabei.

30. Mai 2010

UXcamp Europe 2010 - Closing Keynote

UXcamp Europe 2010

The Chief Campers.

Eric Reiss - Closing Keynote

Eric Reiss, the author of the Information Architecture Handbook, on top of things. As always.

More impressions here on The Hot Strudel.

Wireframe Showcase

Das hier ist für uns Informationsarchitekten doch genau das richtige (an einem Sonntag): Wireframe Showcase.

Eine tolle Sammlung von Wireframes. Sehr hübsch...

UXcamp Europe 2010 - some impressions

Having a good time at the UXcamp Europe 2010 in Berlin.

The Party

29. Mai 2010

UXCamp Europe 2010

Heute beginnt in Berlin ja das UXCamp Europe.

Ich freu mich schon dort viele bekannte Gesichter zu treffen. Wird sicher super. Hier ein Bild von der gestrigen Kick-off Party.

Content Strategy

Das hier ist ein wirklich sehr interessanter Artikel: Content Strategy: The Philosophy of Data.

The analogy I’ve been using recently is that content strategy is to copywriting as information architecture is to design. I find this analogy to be especially encouraging because six years ago, as the crest of the first wave of the web was about to break, people had no idea what “information architecture” meant either. The irony of this communication challenge is that the main goal of content strategy is to use words and data to create unambiguous content that supports meaningful, interactive experiences. We have to be experts in all aspects of communication in order to do this effectively.

Der Artikel enthält auch recht interessante Kommentare. Ein Blick lohnt sich, auch wenn der Beitrag von 2007 ist.

28. Mai 2010

UPA2010, Munich - Some first impressions

Visit the Conference Homepage to find out more.

Mind-Mapping Tools

Das hier ist ein guter Artikel: Mind-Mapping Tools for Designers and Why It’s Important.

For designers mind-mapping may not seem like a feasible tool to have in their arsenal, however, if you take into consideration the amount of inspiration, ideas, and creative thoughts we take in, mind-mapping could be a very useful way to channel all of the creativity and solve design problems, figure out development issues and much more.

Sind wirklich ein paar gute Tools dabei.

27. Mai 2010

Repositories for Memory

Ich bin neulich erst über diesen ALA Beitrag gestolpert: Habit Fields.

Consider the desk in your office. Maybe it reminds you of when you opened the box and put the pieces together. Or maybe it recalls your first day at work, when your colleague showed you where you would sit. The desk, the computer on top of it, the chair you sit in, and the space they comprise are all repositories for memory. But these things don’t just store our memories; they store our behaviors too. The sum of these stored behaviors is an object’s habit field, and merely being around it compels our bodies and minds to act in certain ways. By understanding these invisible forces and employing strategies to shape them, we can enjoy more frequent, sustained periods of flow.

Ein sehr guter und lesenwerter Text.

26. Mai 2010

Color matters

Das hier, liebe THS-Leser, ist ein sehr guter Artikel: Why Colors Can Make or Break Your Design.

Color will be one of the first things anyone notices when visiting your site and it will be a large part of the initial impressions people form about you, your website, and your business. Color sets a mood and creates an emotional response in your audience. Set the wrong mood or create an undesired emotional response and little you do after will matter. You will have put people in the wrong frame of mind to absorb your content or buy your products and services. Color matters.

Der Artikel hat einige sehr nette Beispiele.

25. Mai 2010

UPA 2010

Liebe THS-Leser, heute Abend fliege ich nach München zur UPA International Conference.

For the first time in its history, the UPA conference will travel to the heart of Europe. Our key theme will focus on how UX professionals can create great user experiences across different cultures, meeting the challenges of delivering to diverse audiences.

Ich bin schon sehr auf die Konferenz gespannt und hoffe viele von Euch vor Ort zu treffen. Bitte haut und labert mich an, wenn Ihr auch vor Ort sein solltet. Das freut mich immer sehr.

Also: bis heute Abend an der Bar oder morgen bei der Konferenz...

24. Mai 2010

Interview with Don Norman

Seit ich dieses Interview getweetet habe, geht es rund um die Welt und ich bekomme seit Tagen Retweets. Daher will ich es Euch mal hier als Feiertagslektüre empfehlen, meine lieben THS-Leser: Interview with Don Norman.

I try to examine our basic beliefs and question them. Not necessarily because they are wrong, but because often we never even thought of questioning them! If you question the most fundamental tenets of design and design research, you learn a lot.

Don Norman ist Autor vieler Bücher. Beispielsweise The Design of Everyday Things oder The Design of Future Things.

Sehr interessantes Interview.

23. Mai 2010

EuroIA 2010

Die Aufräumarbeiten nach der IA Konferenz sind noch im vollen Gange, da meldet sich schon die nächste große IA Konferenz an: die EuroIA - welche dieses Jahr bekanntlich in ... Paris stattfinden wird.

Paris? Hallo? Kann es eine noch bessere Konferenzlocation geben? Kann es einen besseren Grund geben nach Paris zu müssen?

Haltet Euch den Termin (September 24-25, 2010) schon mal frei. Besser ist das.

22. Mai 2010

Value of Information Architecture

Das hier ist eine schöne Wochenendlektüre: Expanding, or Redefining, the Value of Information Architecture.

Information architects need to help people define space on the Internet. How can individuals, groups and communities use the Internet to their best advantage. We think of corporations that are inundated by information: email, ftp files, html files, web based applications, social media. How do all these items affect smaller for-profit companies, non-profit groups and charities, and individuals? How do poorer people participate in this “space”? How can information architects help members of society make the Internet meaningful?

Netter Beitrag und guter Lesestoff.

21. Mai 2010

Sketched Wireframes

Das hier, liebe THS-Leser, ist ein wirklich lesenswerter Artikel: 18 Great Examples of Sketched UI Wireframes and Mockups.

Whether you’re designing a user interface for a website or an iPhone app, it’s always a good idea to start with a wireframe. It can be a big time saver if you’re able to nail down the placement of major layout elements early on in a project. There are a number of wireframing applications out there, but a lot of user interface designers like to start out on paper with sketches of what things might look like. With so many tools available to quickly create digital wireframes, some may argue that this is an unnecessary step in the design process. But I think the free flowing style of a sketched wireframe or mockup can be refreshing.

Na, ist das nicht eine Wochenendlektüre die wie geschaffen ist für Informationsarchitekten und angehende UX Profis?

Herrlich.

20. Mai 2010

UX for Psychos

Hier habe ich einen guten Artikel für Euch, liebe THS-Leser: The Psychologist’s View of UX Design.

The story of the elephant reminds me of the different view of design that people of different backgrounds, education, and experience have. A visual designer approaches UX design from one point of view, the interaction designer from another, and the programmer from yet another. It can be helpful to understand and even experience the part of the elephant that others are experiencing.

Der Beitrag listet einige gute Punkte auf.

Well-read UXers

Lou Rosenfeld, der Autor von Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, hat eine seltsame Liste veröffentlicht: Who are the most well-read UXers?

Da ich aber auch drauf bin auf dieser Liste, will ich sie Euch auch nicht vorenthalten. Abgesehen von der Zweifelhaftigkeit dieser komischen Liste, bin ich natürlich mit meiner Platzierung nicht ganz einverstanden...

Mittelfeld? Hallo? Komm Lou, da geht noch was nach oben!

19. Mai 2010

Mobile UX

Das hier ist ein wirklich interessanter Beitrag: Archetypes and Their Use in Mobile UX.

Have you ever needed a user manual to sit on a good chair? Probably not. When we see a good chair, we almost always know exactly what to do, how to use it and what not to do with it. And yet, chairs are made by the thousands, and several challenge these base assumptions to become classics in their own right. The chair is one of the most universally recognized archetypes known to us. In light of recent events in the mobile realm, I believe that the stage is set to probe notions of archetypes in the mobile space.

Guter Text. Lohnt sich da mal drüber zu lesen, falls Ihr es nicht schon getan habt.

18. Mai 2010

Interview: Search Patterns

Peter Morville ist ein wirklich talentierter Schreiber. Umso mehr freue ich mich auf sein neues Buch Search Patterns.

Zum Buch ist hier ein kurzes Interview erschienen: Interview with Peter Morville about his new book “Search Patterns”.

... faceted navigation lets users begin naturally with a keyword or two. They're rewarded with traditional results plus a list of facets (or fields) and values, usually on the left. This SERP (search engine results page) serves as a custom map that offers insights into the content and its organization. And, this is a map that's also the territory. Users can take a simple next step to clarify or refine their query by clicking on a facet value. And, by taking several of these simple next steps, users can construct a sophisticated, powerful query. So, not only do users find what they need, but they also learn along the way.

Hört sich spannend an.

User Interface Prototypes

Das hier ist ja mal wieder ein sehr schöner Smashing Beitrag: Resurrecting User Interface Prototypes (Without Creating Zombies).

Let’s forget for a while that, though called “natural” user interfaces, they are still far from being truly natural. They just feel more natural than before. With multi-touch systems, most gestures are implicit, and you don’t get any convincing tactile feedback so far. Talking to a machine (like one with a speech-recognition system) can be pretty embarrassing. Nonetheless, NUIs are brilliant stuff and will conquer the world.

Durchaus lesenswert. Schaut mal drüber, wenn Ihr Zeit habt.

17. Mai 2010

Don Norman: Natural User Interfaces

Das hier, hätte ich Euch normalerweise fürs Wochenende unters Kopfkissen gelegt, ich war aber in Köln auf unserer IA Konferenz und daher kommt der Link erst jetzt: Natural User Interfaces are not Natural.

Fundamental principles of knowledge of results, feedback, and a good conceptual model still rule. The strength of the graphical user interface (GUI) has little to do with its use of graphics: It has to do with the ease of remembering actions, both in what actions are possible and how to invoke them. Visible icons and visible menus are the mechanisms, and despite the well-known problems of scaling up to the demands of modern complex systems, they still allow one to explore and learn. The important design rule of a GUI is visibility: Through the menus, all possible actions can be made visible and, therefore, easily discoverable. The system can often be learned through exploration. Systems that avoid these well-known methods suffer.

Ein toller Artikel vom großen Don Norman.

Interview with Peter Morville

Liebe THS-Leser, das hier ist ein nettes, kurzes Interview mit Peter Morville: Interview with Peter Morville about his new book “Search Patterns”.

The terms "faceted navigation" and "parametric search" are often used interchangeably, but for the sake of comparison I find it valuable to define interfaces that require the simultaneous, up-front specification of all search parameters as exemplars of parametric search. Like the Boolean queries of yore, this forces users to formulate and execute a search strategy without guidance or feedback. Sliders and pull-downs are easier than ANDs and ORs, but syntax is only part of the problem.

Hier geht es zu meinem Amazon Store, falls Ihr Euch das Buch sofort holen wollt :) ...

16. Mai 2010

Double your Conversion Rate

Das hier ist mal ein guter Artikel fürs Wochenende: Human Photos Double your Conversion Rate.

I have analyzed two A/B testing case studies of Visual Website Optimizer users and have concluded that the sure fire way of catching visitors attention is having human photos on a website. What’s interesting is that even though both tests were independent, they (surprisingly) tested the same aspect and arrived at the same result. This gives me confidence that there is something special about having human photos on a website which increases conversion rate instantly. Let’s have a look at the two studies.

Guter Beitrag.

IA Konferenz 2010 - German IA Conference 2010

Great opening keynote by Erin Malone (tangible UX, co-author of Designing Social Interfaces). Oh, she can speak German.

Closing keynote speaker Arne van Oosterom (designthinkers) waiting for me to stop making stupid jokes.

Vera and I (IA Konferenz) talking about who knows what...

Klaus Rüggenmann (Aperto) talking about Design Thinking at work.

Jason Hobbs (jh-01) giving an inspiring talk on IA Theory...

Stefan Freimark (Aperto) talking about Mental Models (the book) at work.

Birgit Mager (sdn) giving a great introduction to Service Design.

Søren Muus (FatDUX) talking about how to win new clients...

Bogo Vatovec (Bovacon) giving a kick-ass presentation: The IA Survival Guide to Service Design.

Sylvain Cottong (integratedplace) talking about the relation between Service Design and Design Thinking.

More impressions here and here on Flickr.

15. Mai 2010

Design Thinking

Thema Design Thinking... da bin ich neulich über dieses lesenswerte PDF gestolpert: The Development of Design Sensibilities.

DESIGN THINKING IS RECEIVING a great deal of attention as increasing numbers of innovative organizations succeed in solving complex problems by creative means. In doing so, many of these firms implement specific "design methods" such as observational research, iterative prototyping and storytelling alongside more mainstream approaches. But as any professional designer will attest, design thinking entails much more than applying methods: to create value, methods must be applied together with design sensibilities.

Schaut unbedingt mal rein. Lohnt sich sehr.

IA Konferenz 2010 - German IA Conference 2010

Party after Conference Day 1

We had a great night at the offices of one of our sponsors: Capricoup.

Conference Day 1

I love the Polar Bear Button :) Looking for the Polar Bear iPhone Walpaper? It's here

Pre-Conference Party Day 0

Sponsored by Capricoup. One of our Sponsors.

EuroIA Submission Deadline

Liebe Freunde der Informationsarchitektur und User Experience, hier noch ein dringender Hinweis: morgen ist die submission deadline zur diesjährigen EuroIA in Paris (16. Mai, Sonntag Mitternacht).

The Sixth European Information Architecture Summit does not have a specific theme. Rather, we will be putting together an English-language programme that represents a wide range of subjects - from hard-core search strategies, to more general user-experience topics. The objective of our event is to bring together a number of disciplines and practitioner communities by providing a stimulating environment for debate and an opportunity for establishing cooperation.

Hier ist der Link direkt zum CfP.

14. Mai 2010

Freelancing: Walk the Walk

Viele von Euch sind ja Freelancer. Da wird Euch dieser Beitrag sicher sehr interessieren: How to Know When to Walk Away.

No matter how hard freelancers try to stave off the feast-or-famine cycle, it still hits every one of you now and then. You need money, and you need it now. If that’s the case, don’t think. Do your best to get the rate you deserve, but if all you can manage is the lower rate, you may not have time to look around for a better client. The problem is that a lot of freelancers behave this way even when they can afford to let the job go by.

Der Text enthält ebenfalls ganz gute Kommentare.

13. Mai 2010

Problems with Alt-Tab

Das hier ist ein wirklich guter Beitrag: Solving the Alt-Tab Problem.

Switching between applications, windows, and tabs is a fundamental action of modern computers. As people browse the web, we know that an average user will switch tabs more times in a day than they click on a link. Think about that. Much of your time using a modern browser (computer) is spent in the digital equivalent of shuffling papers.

Ein schöner Artikel über ein Problem das mich echt schon lange nervt.

12. Mai 2010

Our Global Community

Liebe THS-Leser, hier ist mal ein anregender Artikel - selbst das Video mit mir konnte das nicht verhindern :) ... The Global Community of Practice.

Design communities of practice need to re-think what “community” means today. Though we may be more connected to others’ ideas through the Internet, true understanding cannot be achieved by a theoretical knowing. We need to look at solutions that foster conversations beyond the antiquated mailing list in a manner that recognizes the impact different cultures have on what we collectively consider to be “good design”.

Bin mal gespannt, was für Kommentare sich unter dem Artikel sammeln werden...

IA Konferenz Countdown

IA Konferenz in Köln: 14 und 15 Mai

Sodelle, ihr lieben THS-Leser. Heute ist es soweit. Man könnte auch sagen... JETZT. Ich reise ab und zwar nach Köln zur IA Konferenz. Morgen früh fangen ja die Workshops an, und da will ich heute Nacht schon in Köln sein.

Und am Freitag in aller Frühe geht dann die Konferenz los (Programm).

Ich hoffe viele von Euch vor Ort zu treffen. Haut mich bitte an, wenn Ihr mich seht und ich Euch nicht sofort als THS-Leser erkenne.

Ach ja: Nicht vergessen, am Donnerstag Abend ist die Pre-Conference Party im Arkadia. Die ersten 300 Kölsch gehen auf die Rechnung von unseren Freunden von Capricoup, die den Abend sponsorn.

iPad Usability

Das hier ist, nicht nur aus aktuellem Anlass, ein interessanter Artikel: iPad Usability: First Findings From User Testing.

iPad apps are inconsistent and have low feature discoverability, with frequent user errors due to accidental gestures. An overly strong print metaphor and weird interaction styles cause further usability problems.

LOL: Wacky Interfaces - ich mag den Begriff.

11. Mai 2010

Prime is no crime

Das hier ist ein recht guter und lesenswerter Text: Not to prime, is a crime!

As UXers in the corporate world, my team have to focus on practical ways of doing things to get better results – in what is often a shorter time frame. Take this, and the fact that users are often poor at relaying why they have behaved in a certain way, and we are under some pressure to make inferences from observed behaviour that may (or may not), apply to a broader context. However, we’ve found that the process of priming our users before we see them – getting them to create collages as a homework activity – has amazing benefits with valuable results.

Der Beitrag ist sehr schön mit Bildern und Beispielen angereichert.

10. Mai 2010

Design Thinking

Das hier ist eine ganz interessante Lektüre zum Thema Design Thinking: Designing a design-thinking organization.

The Value Orientation Model can specifically identify value systems that are, yes, future oriented, but have four other qualities that support innovation. Anthropologist Florence Kluckhohn argued that all cultures can be understood in terms of five major values. I have adapted this model to show the groupings of organizations. Innovative organizations, surprisingly, embrace “static” values, thus allowing the free floating of ideas.

Der Artikel lohnt einen Blick.

Freitag: IA Konferenz in Köln

IA Konferenz in Köln: 14 und 15 Mai

Liebe THS-Leser, diese Woche ist es nun endlich so weit :) ... am Freitag sehr, sehr früh Morgens beginnt die vierte IA Konferenz in Köln.

Hier ist das Programm für Euch zum herunter laden. Hier geht es zu den Workshop, die am Donnerstag vor der Konferenz stattfinden - falls Ihr Euch noch flott anmelden wollt: Workshops.

Am Donnerstag Abend steigt im Arkadia in Köln (Friesenstraße 52) die Pre-Conference get-together Party, gesponsert von unseren Freunden von Capricoup. Alle Freunde der IA Konferenz sind herzlich eingeladen vorbei zu schauen (auch diejenigen, die leider nicht zur Konferenz gehen).

Die Konferenz selbst findet im Pullman Hotel in Köln statt (Helenenstraße 14).

Ich freue mich auf Euch :)

9. Mai 2010

Searching Intranets

Das hier ist ein interessanter und recht kurzer Artikel zum Thema Intranet: Do intranets only need search?

Stakeholders, often very senior ones, ask: ‘Why don’t we just provide search, like Google’. This would save the time spent developing a user-centred site structure, and after all, ‘it works for Google, and it’s the most popular site on the web’. It’s an interesting idea, and on the surface, an attractive one. Search is something that can be bought as a product, and deployed. It’s even possible to get a Google-branded product for enterprise deployment.

Der Text enthält auch ein, zwei gute Kommentare.

8. Mai 2010

Contact Forms

Hier habe ich was schönes für Euch, liebe THS-Leser: Beautiful Contact Forms for your Inspiration.

Contact forms have evolved a lot since the days of simple bland html forms. This holds especially true for portfolio websites and design agencies. The current designs are beautiful and can be extremely creative. Besides the common fields that everyone expects, forms can be enhanced by adding extra features such as maps, social networking information and appealing illustrations.

Sind ein paar tolle Beispiele dabei.

HTML Tags

Ich habe schon oft Leute sagen hören jeder Web-Designer muss auch programmieren könen. Das halte ich für Unsinn - oder zumindest stellt sich die Frage, was man unter Programmieren versteht. Aber beispielsweise ein gewisses Verständnis für CSS oder HTMl hat tatsächlich noch keinem geschadet. Als kurze Wochenendlektüre empfehle ich daher diesen netten Überblick: A Brief History of Markup.

As with the web itself, the HyperText Markup Language was the brainchild of Sir Tim Berners-Lee. In 1991 he wrote a document called “HTML Tags” in which he proposed fewer than two dozen elements that could be used for writing web pages. Sir Tim didn’t come up with the idea of using tags consisting of words between angle brackets; those kinds of tags already existed in the SGML format.

Lässt sich gut lesen und ist wirklich nicht mehr als ein kleiner Rückblick.

7. Mai 2010

Gimme FIve

Will five users really find 85% of all usability problems? Diese Frage beantwortet Measuring Usability in gewohnt übersichtlicher Manier.

Most people can understand that there is a diminishing return with testing users. Fewer believe you can actually quantify the percent of problems found and so are dubious when they hear claims such as five users can detect 85% of problems. There's good reason for the skepticism--they're right, you can never know the total number of problems (if you did you'd go and fix them). Instead, you can only quantify the percent of problems found given problems that affect a certain percent of your users given a specific set of tasks.

Ein guter und interessanter Beitrag.

6. Mai 2010

Speed? Oh, let it bleed!

Eric Reiss hat einen neuen Artikel veröffentlicht: The Speed of Thought.

My thoughts centered on a simple question: Is there a speed limit for technology? If so, who sets it? And is someone writing speeding tickets? The disturbing answers are “yes”, “yes”, and “yes”. Now for most readers of this column, this makes no sense at all. After all, we want to grow and develop, which means embracing new technology. And we certainly don’t want to slow down. Anything else is unthinkable.

Wie alle Artikel von Eric regt auch dieser zum Nachdenken an. Ein Blick lohnt sich.

EuroIA in Paris

Oh, ich sehe gerade, dass die ersten Informationen zur diesjährigen EuroIA Konferenz online sind.

Join us in Paris, France, September 24-25, 2010, for three incredible days of workshops, presentations, panels, and networking with information architects from across Europe and around the world.

Konferenz in Paris? Na das hört sich doch klasse an, oder?

5. Mai 2010

My One Thing

Oh, ich sehe gerade, dass mein Mini-Interview auf OneThing live ist.

Q: What do you like about what you do? Jan: I actually try to see it the other way round: I do what I like. I love Information Architecture and User Experience. By a lucky chance I one day found myself surrounded with a great team and a cool job. But you know what they say about chance? It favors the prepared.

Na ja - ich hoffe es kommt halbwegs lustig rüber...

Do it faster and cheaper

Das hier ist eine wunderbare Lektüre für uns alle, oder? Doing User Research Faster and Cheaper.

Despite our seeing some initial signs of a recovery, for most people the economy still sucks. Companies have less money to spend and are more cautious about how they spend it. Companies that haven’t already cut user research from their project plans altogether are asking researchers to achieve the same results for less money, in less time—or just to do less. Is it possible to scale back user research and still provide value? If so, how can we do things faster and cheaper?

Guter Beitrag der einen Blick lohnt.

4. Mai 2010

IA Konferenz: Programm Update

Kurzer Hinweis: Wir haben das Programm der IA Konferenz leicht aktualisiert. Live ist nun die Version 1.1.

Zwei Vorträge waren falsch benannt.

Es ist nicht mehr allzu lange bis zur IA Konferenz. Ich freu mich schon.

Social Objects

Das hier, liebe THS-Leser, ist ein recht interessanter Artikel: What’s Up With Social Objects?

The most common use of the term “social object” refers to shared online resources around which interactions develop and coalesce. Examples could include gifts on Facebook, videos, or what have you. The object sort of serves as a shared object, a focus of attention, an actual digital object, and so on. And the object plays a role in governing or informing interactions; we know what objects mean and what to do with them (give them, comment on them, play them, etc.)

Tja, was sind nun also diese Sozialen Objekte? Einfach nur ein neues Buzzwort oder steckt da mehr dahinter? Lest selbst...

3. Mai 2010

Identity Design

Das hier ist ein guter Artikel zum Wochenanfang: Experience Precedes Branding.

Conventional wisdom, or a trip to Times Square, might convince us that logos and imagery change the way we think about companies. After all corporations spend billions of dollars a year sending messages our way to convince us that their offerings are the tops.

Ein wirklich sehr lesenswerter und kurzer Text.

IA Konferenz: Get-Together Event

Nur ein kurzer Hinweis, liebe THS-Leser - für alle die den RSS-Feed der IA Konferenz nicht abonniert haben...

Am Donnerstag ab 19:00 Uhr (der Abend vor Konferenz-Beginn) findet ein kleines Get-Together Event statt. Alle die bereits am Vorabend der Konferenz in Köln sind - oder sowieso in Köln leben, sind herzlichst eingeladen zu kommen.

2. Mai 2010

Mobile Applications

Das hier ist ein ganz guter Blog-Post: The Dos and Do Nots of Mobile Applications.

When building your first mobile app, be careful to focus on user experience and delivering value to your customers. [...] Try and keep the mobile app experience coupled with the web experience. Data and content consistency is important to building consumer confidence that your mobile app is a strategic part of your brand, not just an afterthought. Make sure that orders placed on the web can be viewed in your mobile app and vice versa.

Sind einige Bilder und Beispiele dabei, so dass sich der Artikel schnell überfliegen lässt.

IA Konferenz Workshops

IA Konferenz in Köln: 14 und 15 Mai

Ich freu mich schon auf die vielen guten Workshops auf der IA Konferenz. Beispielsweise der Design Thinking Workshop hört sich sehr gut an.

Während analytisches Denken in die Vergangenheit starrt und versucht analytisch die Zukunft in der Vergangenheit zu finden, öffnet Design Thinking das Tor zur Welt einer komplett anderen, einer nutzerzentrierten und innovativen Logik: Der Logik des „Wie könnte es sein?“.

Hört sich sehr spannend an.

Faceted Navigation

Das hier ist ein schöner Sonntagsartikel, liebe THS-Leser: Design Patterns: Faceted Navigation.

Also called guided navigation and faceted search, the faceted navigation model leverages metadata fields and values to provide users with visible options for clarifying and refining queries. Faceted navigation is arguably the most significant search innovation of the past decade. It features an integrated, incremental search and browse experience that lets users begin with a classic keyword search and then scan a list of results. It also serves up a custom map that provides insights into the content and its organization and offers a variety of useful next steps. That’s where faceted navigation proves its power.

Wirklich sehr lesenswert.

1. Mai 2010

Wikinomics

Ich habe gestern Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything angefangen zu lesen.

Ich habe schon viel über das Buch gehört und es stand echt schon lange auf meiner Leseliste. Na ja, der Wiki-Hype ist ja schon vorbei und Wikis gehören einfach zum Web 2.0 Alltag - aber das Buch sollte dennoch recht gut sein.

Die ersten Seiten lassen sich sehr gut lesen. Mal sehen wie es weiter geht...

Anyone who has done even a modest amount of browsing on the Internet has probably run across Wikipedia, the user-edited online encyclopedia that now dwarfs the online version of Encyclopedia Britannica. This is the prime example of what is called the new Web, or Web 2.0, where sites such as MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, and even the Human Genome Project allow mass collaboration from participants in the online community. These open systems can produce faster and more powerful results than the traditional closed proprietary systems that have been the norm for private industry and educational institutions.

Na ja, ich lese zwar auch immer noch Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation - aber damit bin ich fast durch. Ein echt lesenswertes Buch, übrigens.

Usability: Task Times

Das hier ist ein gutes, kleines Info-Häppchen: What to do with task times when users fail a task.

It would be nice if all users completed tasks in a usability test. If they did you wouldn't have to worry about what to do with their task times if they are unable to complete the task. But then again, if all your users had no problems completing tasks, you wouldn't worry about improving usability.

Wirklich gut ind schnell zu lesen. Ein Blick lohnt sich.