UPA MN on February 13, 2008.
UPA MN had a nice crowd at the Best of dux07 talk presented by Suzanne Currie. Several examples of compelling user experiences were discussed (see list below), and attendees discussed the role that usability and user-centered design plays in the examples provided. A new verb was introduced: experientialize .. to turn an object into an experience. A new object type was introduced: the experience object. The practical and inciteful paper by B.J. Fogg, Elements of Simplicity, was also discussed (see link below). Suzanne can be reached at stcurrie@gmail.com
The UPA Expose (our 5-minute in-the-news spotlight) featured the hot topic of Genius Design. We considered the role that usability testing plays in an organization that enjoys high design thinking maturity. Jess McMillin's design thinking maturity continuum was useful to our short expose.
Peep: The Network Analyzer
SpiderCrab and the Emergent Object: Designing for the Twenty first Century
Bowl: token-based media for children
Experientializing Home Appliances to Empower the Aging Population for Autonomous Living
180 x 120: Designing Alternate Location Systems
Shared Moments: Opportunities for mobile phones in religious participation
The Elements of Simplicity
Genius Design
Word Salad - google a few of these words-phrases to expand your awareness of some hot topics.
Suzanne Currie
Suzanne Currie is an anthropologist by training, and practices design research including ethnographic fieldwork to identify product concepts that offer a good match to real-world human activities. Suzanne is a design researcher and interaction designer. She designed GPS consumer products for boats and cars for three years in New Zealand prior to moving to Minneapolis to join Medtronic. Prior to living in New Zealand, Suzanne worked for The Hiser Group in Melbourne, Australia.
If you or someone you know would like to attend, please register by emailing rsvp@upamn.org that you will attend.
Know someone interested in usability? Feel free to invite them to an upcoming meeting. Visitors are always welcome. Please forward this announcement to other area professionals who might have an interest in UPA-MN meetings or activities.
Do you have an idea for a future meeting or know someone you think would be a good speaker? Contact our Program Directors (ProgramDirector@upamn.org) with your suggestions.