Dean Barker presented his (and Susan Weinschenk's) poster on the InterPhase5 UCD process. Dean and Susan will be presenting at the National UPA Conference next month. Check out their session or contact them for copies of the Poster and Process (both are available for purchase, I believe).
-- Dee Dee DeMulling presented her (and Caryn Zange-Josephson's) white paper on Putting a Java/Web Interface on a Legacy/Mainframe System. Dee Dee and Caryn will be presenting at the National UPA Conference next month. Check out their session or contact them for copies of their white paper.
-- The following topics were also discussed:
a. Moving GUI to Web -- this topic fit nicely into the presentation Dee Dee gave earlier in the evening since it was the subject of her white paper and the project on which the paper was based. Generally, the concepts for the interaction design are the same as for GUI (e.g., providing feedback, minimizing errors or allowing recovery from errors, etc.) with some twists. There was lots of discussion around the topic of disabling/removing standard browser controls (e.g., Back, Forward, etc.) and how that would impact internal employee users vs. external client users.
b. WebSiteGarage.com -- This is a pseudo-automated usability testing system. You provide the URL for your prototype (or live site) and it provides information such as download times, size of images and associated load times, etc. Something to check out as an aid to your normal design review or Heuristic Evaluation activities. [Note: the exact URL was not known. If anyone knows the appropriate URL, please post it to the MN UPA site.]
-- the following topics were discussed for future meetings:
a. Design and testing for kids -- how does it differ from
designing/testing for adults?
b. Tools for prototyping -- what's your favorite tool? VB, Power Point? DreamWeaver? Come prepared to discuss your preferred tools.
c. Automated usability testing -- will try to get one of the vendors at UPA to present via conf. call (e.g., WebCriteria, Vividence, etc.)
d. Immersibility.com -- A collaborative effort between Gomoll Research & Design, Jakob Nielsen & Agency.com on marketing and usability. Recognizes the synergies and respects the differences between the two disciplines and seeks to deliver a means of measuring both.
e. Web TV -- rumor has it they do weekly usability testing on their product....does it show?
-- the next meeting (August) will happen on Tuesday, August 15, 2000 in Asheville, NC at the National Conference. Lucy's still waiting to hear on a conf. room or other venue for the meeting and will notify the group (via e-mail or posting at the conference) once a site is secured.