Mapping methods, techniques, tools and design values

Methods can be a bit like a black box. Embedded within them are particular assumptions about design and participation that can be unwittingly projected into our design process and outcomes. If we hope to privilege sociability, flexibility and openness in our designs, these values can be better supported through some tools and techniques more than others. In my thesis I have drawn attention to particular qualities and concepts relevant to design in the context of social technologies. I’m in the process of making these available to others in different ways such as maps, vocabularies and considerations.

mapping goals, experiences, enablers and qualities in early design research

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Emerging a User Experience Strategy: people, pencils and post-its

Emerging a User Experience Strategy: people, pencils and post-its is the title of the presentation @michellegilmore and I will be giving at UX Australia at the end of August. The conference is happening for the first time this year and there is an excellent range of speakers. The event will be a much appreciated addition to Australia’s calendar of UX and HCI events. A brief outline of our presentation is provided below based on our submission.

Michelle and I will be talking about the process of emerging a User Experience Strategy (or getting from fluffy to something). The approach we’ll be sharing emphasises collaborative and light-weight design methods (people, pencils and post-its). Drawing on a recent case study we’ll highlight experiences and techniques evolved over a number of projects and influenced by IxD and agile development methods. Continue reading…

‘Very’ Direct Manipulation – cut and paste

A tongue in cheek comment from @scotthelot about very direct manipulation prompted me to share some brief thoughts about thinking with our body – taking as an example the tangible method of editing that I use on large pieces of writing. I print everything out and literally cut and paste the chapter together with sticky tape. (Usually paper length articles I can do on screen. It’s definitely something about scale.) Instead of using word processing tools like word or outlining tools like omni outliner, – everything that relates to a topic is printed out and cut up into individual ideas – sometimes single sentences, sometimes paragraphs. Then they are ordered and reordered until they represent a draft structure that makes enough sense to start transferring it back into digital format. This tangible form of analysis, structuring, thinking and ‘meaning making’ is not possible with current computing tools.

Scott suggested we might think of this of this as -  ‘very’ direct manipulation’. I have to say I like the idea of VDM as an objective for future interfaces and modes of interaction.

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