ux quick bits

Accessible design is all about attitude

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:43:00 +0100

“Instead of asking how something should work if a person cannot see, he says he prefers to ask, “How should something work when the user is not looking at the screen?”.

Mr Raman, computer scientist and engineer at Google, and blind since the age of 14, as quoted in the New York Times.

“Some of Mr. Raman’s innovations may help make electronic gadgets and Web services more user-friendly for everyone…

Such systems could prove useful for drivers or anyone else who could benefit from eyes-free access to a phone. They could also appeal to aging baby boomers with fading vision who want to keep using technology they’ve come to depend on.”

- Further indication that accessible design benefits everyone, - not that we needed convincing, right?

Read the full article “For the Blind, Technology Does What a Guide Dog Can’t” to find out about some of Mr Raman’s great inventions.

iPhone wireframe stencils to download

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:15:29 +0100

iPhone wireframe stencils to download:

A website with everything you need to prototype for the iPhone.

It even has stencils for wireframing to download for (Powerpoint or Keynote).

A hands-free, muscle-controlled alternative to physical input...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:06:00 +0100

A hands-free, muscle-controlled alternative to physical input for all sorts of devices. Instead of having to push buttons, you just move your fingers or squeeze your fist.

Its practical application is evident from the clear examples in the video above:

Changing the volume or song on your MP3 player while jogging (or without having to get it out of your pocket).
Opening the car boot when your hands are full without having to put everything down and get out your keys.
Playing air guitar on Guitar Hero!!

But of course its potential uses are endless, imagine just changing the TV channel without having to find the remote, or typing and surfing without getting RSI…

The day keyboards and the computer mouse finally get replaced just got a lot closer!

See the video above of the device presented at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology. See the paper here: Enabling always-available input with muscle-computer interfaces

Tim Brown talks about what he refers to as “Design...

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:53:00 +0200

Tim Brown talks about what he refers to as “Design Thinking”.

There may be more to it than first appears, but I’m not sure he’s talking about anything other good user-centred design.

Culture and context is key. Human need is the place to start.
Get users involved in participatory design.
Learning by making: Prototyping helps ideas evolve quicker and better. Prototype early on for best results and cost-savings.
Test prototypes and products with end users.

Another aspect he mentions is that you don’t have to be a “designer” to design.

Again, I agree, but again I don’t think this is a new idea but instead a return to - or the glamourising of - what has always been:

Dads (yes, dads more often than mums I’m afraid), would generally have a shed to tinker about in and come up with random inventions (a social convention, not that I think us women don’t or can’t invent and tinker or design…). Also, isn’t this all just about the evolution of “making do and getting by” quick fixes? From quick fix (a need and a prototype) to fully-developed commercial product?

Anyway, a move from consumption (passive relationship manufacturer-consumer) to participation (engagement) is to be hailed.

And whether “design thinking” or “user-centred, participatory design”, I completely agree that it’s the best, if not the only way to go!

Facebook user types

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:53:30 +0200

Facebook user types:

People use Facebook in different ways. According to CNN.com/technology, 12 of these user types are extremely annoying!

…though does that mean all facebookers are annoying!?

Text messaging aids community health workers

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:11:00 +0200

Text messaging aids community health workers:

Community Health Workers were walking 60 to 100 miles just to be in touch with staff at St Gabriel’s hospital in Milawi, a hospital with 2 doctors and a catchment area covering a quarter of a million people.

Over a 7 week period, 75 Community Health Workers (CHW) were trained to send text messages before returning to their communities.

The SMS solution is low-cost, but highly-efficient:

A hospital nurse connects twice a day for just 15 minutes to read and reply to the text messages.
The CHW no longer need to walk such great distances and can maintain regular contact, dedicating more time to their work and supporting primary care providers and health advocates in the community.

The system (Frontline SMS) consists of a laptop, SMS and open source software. Strategic partnerships also keep costs low.

Interview with the founders of Frontline SMS in The Guardian

After a guitar got broken in transit and 9 months in which...

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:14:17 +0200

After a guitar got broken in transit and 9 months in which United Airlines failed to show any interest or concern, Sons of Maxwell posted this video response on YouTube.

Yet another astonishing case of how poor customer care can result in bad publicity, all the more surprising given the recession, heightened awareness of consumer rights and the digital age we live in.

Do United Airlines not care about their customers or property? Do they not know about reputation management or how consumers can use the internet to share their experiences and demand their rights?!

Speechless!

Old PCs get new life breathed into them for a fiver

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:42:00 +0200

Old PCs get new life breathed into them for a fiver:

$100 OLPC Laptop Becomes a $5 PC

“What we are doing is taking a bunch of old machines that barely run Windows 2000, and turning them into something interesting and useful for essentially zero cost,” says Walter Bender, former president of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) project.

The new Sugar on a Stick download features 40 software programs, including core applications called Read, Write, Paint, and Etoys. Many other applications are available for download, most of which emphasize creative collaboration among children. The USB software can boot up an aging computer, or a netbook, and save data from any of the programs.

In addition, Sugar-powered machines are designed to work with server software that can also be downloaded for free.

As reported in the MIT Technology Review

Why you should always use dark text on a light coloured background!

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:03:06 +0200

Why you should always use dark text on a light coloured background!:

There may be some circumstances where white text on a dark background maybe effective without necessarily sacrificing legibility, of course really it’s a question of contrast, text size and letting the user have the freedom to make the adjustments she feels necessary, but this is a pretty persuasive way to get the point across nonetheless!

Surprising Twitter stats from Harvard Business School study

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0200

Surprising Twitter stats from Harvard Business School study:

“…the median number of lifetime tweets per user is one.”

Computerized Play Helps Elderly Stay Sharp

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:41:51 +0200

Computerized Play Helps Elderly Stay Sharp:

Video gaming continues to expand into new markets including all sorts of demographic profiles and subject matter. Continuing on the same theme as yesterday’s link, The Science Daily tells of the benefits of play for the elderly.

“The researchers knew that play can help ageing people stay cognitively fit and stimulate much-needed social interaction. What they hoped was that they could design and build a computer-enhanced play platform that elderly people could use easily, would enjoy, and that would enhance quality of life.”

The goal: “to create an attractive, easy-to-use play platform that could support a wide variety of computer-driven games, and that would allow caregivers to assess the cognitive skills of individual players over time.”

Video games to relax to?!

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:08:29 +0200

Video games to relax to?!:

Well, makes a change from teenage boys and shoot ‘em ups hogging the gaming arena, I think Nintendo are on to something!

“There are some who believe the audience expansion movement is beginning to fade. We still have a long way to go in expanding the gaming population.” said Nintendo boss, Satoru Iwata.

And, according to the Guardian: “…the [new] Vitality add-on – which uses pulse measurements to determine heart rate, ecitement and concentration levels – could help Nintendo find new avenues for videogames in the same way that Brain Training or Wii Fit broke into new territory”.

Satoru Iwata explains: “Traditionally videogames have been used to create excitement, but it may not be long before games help people unwind or even fall asleep,”

Dilbert on IT security, usability, user experience… Click...

Sat, 30 May 2009 13:59:38 +0200

Dilbert on IT security, usability, user experience…

Click through to see more.

Wouldn’t be so funny if it didn’t hit a nerve!

User satisfaction reduced by user impatience! “When I was...

Thu, 28 May 2009 00:14:00 +0200

User satisfaction reduced by user impatience!

“When I was a kid, we had a phone you had to stand next to!!”

And yes, oh my, I remember dialling a rotary phone, and having to wait for the dial to get back to its place after dialling a zero, and dear lord, if you were trying to phone an airline, a telethon or any other number that was constantly engaged, you could be there for days and be struck down by RSI!

“Everything is amazing right now, and nobody is happy.”

- Louis CK, a comedian I don’t actually know, talking about how impatient people are with technology and how things have changed in the last 20 years.

He’s right, we should take a minute to marvel at plane travel and mobile phones!

Enjoy the clip.

What's fast, edible, ecologically-sound and inanimate?

Mon, 11 May 2009 17:38:14 +0200

What's fast, edible, ecologically-sound and inanimate?:

A formula 1 racing car powered by chocolate.

This is innovation!

“It is the first Formula 3 racing car designed and made from sustainable and renewable materials, putting the world first by effectively managing the planet’s resources.”

Petition: equal access to e-books

Mon, 11 May 2009 17:28:00 +0200

Petition: equal access to e-books:

AbilityNet reported in April that:

“Amazon intended to release its next version ebook reader the Kindle onto the market with built in text-to-speech.

A great step forward do I hear you shout, a chance for ebooks to reach new markets? Access to reading for people with sensory or physical needs, support for people with Dyslexia. All true ….. But….

The publishing industry didn’t see it this way - they claimed that having the story read out was an infringement of copyright, and would have a detrimental effect on audio-book sales…”

…and so Amazon were forced to disable text to speech on their new ebook reader.

It’s incredible that people cannot adapt to modern times, rethink their business model and also make a profit while providing useful services. It’s also incredibly short-sighted. Someday we’ll all see, know or be people who could make use of this technology, and probably be willing consumers!

Become a fan of the Reading Rights Coalition on Facebook and sign the petition to help try and get this decision reversed. Also, particularly if you’re in the US, have a look at how else you can show your support on readingrights.org.

More and more human-device interaction

Sun, 10 May 2009 19:27:00 +0200

More and more human-device interaction:

BBC Click report on some of the technologies exhibited at the Science Beyond Fiction conference in Prague.

Examples include an eye - or gaze - tracking system that warns drivers of potholes or other dangers without distracting them, cars that adapt to your mood, and shoes that can simulate the sensation of walking on snow!

For any Europeans out there, the European Commission is apparently offering funding for projects that will “further the understanding of how science and technology can be used to bring real benefits to society in the future”.

Ada Lovelace Day 2009

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Female role model in technology:
Chloe O’Brian, 24

Why:
She’s the best in the game and a good person. Chloe combines a family and loyal friendships with a high-flying career. She’s dedicated, professional, doesn’t pass the buck and there’s no tech geek that can beat her.

I think she’s a great role model for younger women. Just about every other film or series with a tech focus has always had guys as the top experts, not this time!

What’s Ada Lovelace Day?

Free web analytics webcasts tomorrow

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 11:56:00 +0100

Free web analytics webcasts tomorrow:

Weds 11 and Thurs 12 Feb

Slum children teach each other how to use a computer

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:02:09 +0100

Slum children teach each other how to use a computer:

- inspiring Delhi “Hole in the Wall” experiment.

…chief scientist Dr Sugata Mitra carved a ‘hole in the wall’ that separated the NIIT premises from the adjoining slum in Kalkaji in 1999. Through this ‘hole’, a freely accessible computer was put out for use and with no prior experience, the children learnt to use the computer on their own.

- from the India Express

Listen to the podcast from BBC Radio 4 programme, Thinking Allowed, with the project leader behind the experiment, Sugata Mitra.

…or visit the Hole in the Wall website