interface design

Connecting: A short film that explores trends in UI, Interaction, & Experience Design [connectingthefilm.com]

On 04/17/2013, in design, human-computer interaction (HCI), interaction design, interactivity, user experience (UX), user interface design, by Daniel Christian

Connecting: A short film that explores trends in UI, Interaction, & Experience Design — from connectingthefilm.com with thanks to siobhan-o-flynn for scooping this!

Description:

The 18 minute “Connecting” documentary is an exploration of the future of Interaction Design and User Experience from some of the industry’s thought leaders. As the role of software is catapulting forward, Interaction Design is seen to be not only increasing in importance dramatically, but also expected to play a leading role in shaping the coming “Internet of things.” Ultimately, when the digital and physical worlds become one, humans along with technology are potentially on the path to becoming a “super organism” capable of influencing and enabling a broad spectrum of new behaviors in the world. Available with Chinese, French, Spanish,German, Korean, Portuguese, and Japanese subtitles at on YouTube.

Tagged with: Connectivism • interaction design • interactivity • interface design • user experience • user interface design • UX

My reflections on “MOOCs of Hazard” – a well-thought out, balanced article by Andrew Delbanco

On 04/10/2013, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, analytics, animation, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, Bring your own device (BYOD), cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, collaboration, computer science, consortiums, content development, aggregation, repositories, convergence, cost of getting a degree, creativity, Daniel S. Christian, data related items, design, digital learning, digital storytelling, disruption, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, experimentation, future of higher education, game-changing environment, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, internet, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, machine-to-machine communications, media/film, mirroring and/or multiple devices, mobile learning, MOOCs -- Massive Open Online Courses, multi-touch, multimedia, Near Field Communication (NFC), New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, new media literacies, online learning, online tutoring, personalized/customized learning, programming, real-world assignments, reinvent, second screen apps, simulations, smart/connected TV, social learning / networks, storytelling, streams of content, user experience (UX), user interface design, using teams, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, by Daniel Christian

From DSC: Below are my reflections on MOOCs of Hazard — from newrepublic.com by Andrew Delbanco — who asks: Will online education dampen the college experience? Yes. Will it be worth it? Well…

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While I’m not sure that I agree with the idea that online education will dampen the college experience — and while I could point to some amazing capabilities that online education brings to the table in terms of true global exchanges — I’ll instead focus my comments on the following items:

1) Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are recent experiments — ones that will continue to change/morph into something else.
They are half-baked at best, but they should not be taken lightly. Christensen, Horn, Johnson are spot on with their theories of disruption here, especially as they relate to innovations occurring within the virtual/digital realm. For example, the technologies behind IBM’s Watson could be mixed into the list of ingredients that will be used to develop MOOCs in the future. It would be a very powerful, effective MOOC indeed if you could get the following parties/functionalities to the table:

IBM — to provide Watson like auto-curation/filtering capabilities, artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, as well as data mining/learning analytics expertise, joined by
Several highly-creative firms from the film/media/novel/storytelling industry, who would be further joined by
Experts from Human Computer Interaction (HCI)/user interface/user experience design teams, who would be further joined by
Programmers and interaction specialists from educational gaming endeavors (and from those who can design simulations), joined by
Instructional designers, joined by
The appropriate Subject Matter Experts who can be reached by the students as necessary, joined by
Those skilled in research and library services, joined by
Legal experts to assist with copyright issues, joined by
Other specialists in mobile learning, 3D, web development, database administration, animation, graphic design, musicians, etc.

It won’t be long before this type of powerful team gets pulled together — from some organizations(s) with deep pockets — and the content is interacted with and presented to us within our living rooms via connected/Smart TVs and via second screen devices/applications.

2) The benefits of MOOCs

For colleges/universities:
- MOOCs offer some serious marketing horsepower (rather than sound pedagogical tools, at this point in time at least)
- They are forcing higher ed to become much more innovative
- They provide great opportunities to build one’s personalized learning networks, as they bring forth those colleagues who are interested in topic A, B, or C
- They move us closer to team-based content creation and delivery
  .
For students:
- They offer a much less expensive option to go exploring disciplines for themselves…to see if they enjoy (and/or are gifted in) topic A, B or C
- They provide great opportunities to build one’s personalized learning networks, as they bring forth those colleagues who are interested in topic A, B, or C
- They provide a chance to see what it’s like to learn about something in a digital/virtual manner

3) The drawbacks of MOOCs:

MOOCs are not nearly the same thing as what has come to be known as “online learning” — at least in the higher ed industry. MOOCs do not yet offer what more “traditional” (can I say that?) online learning provides: Far more support and pedagogical/instructional design, instructor presence and dialog, student academic support services, advising, more student-to-student and student-to-faculty interaction, etc.
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MOOCs are like drinking from a firehose — there are too many blogs/RSS feeds, twitter feeds, websites, and other resources to review.

4) It would be wise for all of us to be involved with such experiments and have at least a subset of one’s college or university become much more nimble/responsive.

Also see:

Delbanco’s interview in The Hedgehog Review

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • A/V • adjunct faculty • AI • analytics • Bring your own device (BYOD) • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • computer science • creativity • cross-disciplinary assignments • customized learning • Daniel S. Christian • data mining • design • digital storytelling • faculty • graphic design • instructional design • interaction design • interface design • Learning Agents • learning from the living [class] room • Media/film • mirroring / multiple devices • multi-touch • multimedia • online learning • online tutoring • personalized learning • programming • second screen apps • simulations • Smart/Connected TV • Using teams • vendors • virtual reality / worlds / learning • virtual tutoring • visual design • Walmart of Education • web design

Reflections on a useful infographic re: “The intricate anatomy of UX design” [Wilson]

On 02/06/2013, in design, interaction design, interface design, user experience (UX), user interface design, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
After briefly reviewing the Infographic: The intricate anatomy of UX design (from fastcodesign.com by Mark Wilson) which “attempts to tackle the relationship between UX and all other aspects of design,” two thoughts immediately came to my mind:

To me, this is why intuition and a sense of keeping things simple (less is more) are so important.
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It’s a miracle that things lined up so that someone like Steve Jobs not only had so many of these design-related skills, but also the business skills — and opportunities — to persuade others to bring those ideas to fruition. Had he not grown up where he did…and had he not been mentored by whom he was mentored…and had he not met those he met…I wonder…how many of his ideas would have ever come to fruition?
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Also see:

Elements of User Experience Design — from wikipedia.org
Interaction Design — from wikipedia.org
5 consumer-driven technologies that will reshape society — from fastcompany.com by Seth Priebatsch
Technology consumers, not companies, are driving nothing less than revolutions based on demand for alternatives to expensive dinosaur institutions. Seth Priebatsch of LevelUp predicts which will be the next titans to fall.

Tagged with: interaction design • interface design • user experience • user interface design • UX

An HCI related item — T(ether)

On 06/12/2012, in human-computer interaction (HCI), interactivity, interface design, user experience (UX), user interface design, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: gesture / gesturing • human-computer interaction (HCI) • interactivity • interface design • user experience • user interface design

In Silicon Valley, designers emerge as rock stars [Shih]

On 04/16/2012, in art, career development, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, programming, user experience (UX), user interface design, visualizing information, by Daniel Christian

In Silicon Valley, designers emerge as rock stars — from Reuters.com by Gerry Shih

Excerpt:

The new breed of “user experience” designers – part sketch artist, part programmer, with a dash of behavioral scientist thrown in – are some of the most sought-after employees in technology. Entry-level interactive designers at startups are commanding salaries easily topping $80,000, almost twice the median pay for primarily print designers of about $45,000, according to a recent survey by the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

From DSC:
From my experience with Internet-related work and careers, most people are either gifted in the front end of things (interface design, graphic design, web design, etc.) or in the back end of things (programming, databases, scripting, e-commerce, security, etc.). I have seen individuals who can do both…but it’s rare that someone is deeply versed in both sides of the coin.

What are we doing in higher ed to foster more cross-disciplinary skills/assignments/projects/teams like this?

Tagged with: art • career development • interaction design • interactivity • interface design • programming • user experience • UX • visual design • visualizing information

From DSC: Reflections on Apple’s announcements…expectations, today, are getting hard to beat!

On 10/05/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, Apple, Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning / Deep Learning / Algorithms, assistive technologies, cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related, computer science, convergence, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, education technology, emerging technologies, expectations, future, innovation, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interactivity, interface design, internet, learning agents, learning ecosystem, Learning from the Living [Class] Room, mirroring and/or multiple devices, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multi-touch, multimedia, programming, technology (general), television, tools, transmedia, trends, usability, user experience (UX), user interface design, vendors, videoconferencing, by Daniel Christian

From DSC: Expectations, today, are getting hard to beat

Since Apple’s event yesterday, I’ve heard some conversations on the radio and reviewed several blog postings and articles about Apple’s announcements…many with a sense of let down (and some with the usual critical viewpoints by the backseat drivers out there who have never tried to invent anything, but who sure like to find fault with everyone else’s inventions and innovations).

It made me reflect on how high our expectations are becoming these days! It wasn’t enough that iCloud is coming on 10/12 (and who knows the directions that will take society in). It wasn’t enough to introduce some serious software-based innovations such as Siri (which bring some significant advancements in the world of artificial intelligence) or AirPlay for the iPhone. It wasn’t enough to enter into the multi-billion dollar card industry with their new Cards app for the iPhone. Wow…tough crowd.

What might these announcements — and expectations — mean for education?
Well…I can see intelligent tutoring, intelligent agents, machine-to-machine communications, the continued growth of mobile learning, learning from the living room, the initiation of programs/events caused by changes in one’s location, continued convergence of the television/computer/telephone, continued use of videoconferencing on handheld devices, cloud-based textbooks/apps, and more.

Tagged with: 21st century • 24x7x365 • A/V • AI • Apple • assistive technologies • cloud-based computing / apps / other cloud-related • computer science • convergence • digital audio • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital video • disruption • educational technology • emerging technologies • future • innovation • intelligent systems • intelligent tutoring • interaction design • interactivity • interface design • internet • iPhone • Learning Agents • location aware/enabled apps • mirroring / multiple devices • multi-touch • multimedia • programming • student expectations • tools • transmedia • trends • TV • usability • user experience • user interface design • vendors • videoconferencing

Multiscreen Patterns — from Precious-Forever.com by Christophe Stolle
Patterns to help understand and define strategies for the multiscreen world.

Tagged with: A/V • convergence • design • digital audio • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital textbooks • digital video • e-books • e-readers • educational technology • emerging technologies • Europe • future • interface design • Mobile learning • technologies for the home • technology (general) • transmedia • trends • TV • usability • user experience • user interface design

Be aware of the light source hitting your screen [Carey]; also monitor calibration

On 05/31/2011, in design, graphics, interface design, by Daniel Christian

Be aware of the light source hitting your screen — from Digital Photography Schoolby Peter West Carey

Which also points to:

How to calibrate your monitor — from Digital Photography School

Tagged with: graphic design • Graphics • interface design • visual design • web design

Mike Matas: A next-generation digital book (filmed March 2011)

About this talk
Software developer Mike Matas demos the first full-length interactive book for the iPad — with clever, swipeable video and graphics and some very cool data visualizations to play with. The book is “Our Choice,” Al Gore’s sequel to “An Inconvenient Truth.”

About Mike Matas
While at Apple, Mike Matas helped write the user interface for the iPhone and iPad. Now with Push Pop Press, he’s helping to rewrite the electronic book.

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 3D • A/V • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital textbooks • e-books • e-readers • future • human-computer interaction (HCI) • innovation • interaction design • interactivity • interface design • iPad • iPhone • journalism • multi-touch • multimedia • user experience • user interface design • visual design • visualizing information

Good illustration of why I say “easy is hard”

On 04/16/2011, in digital audio, engagement / engaging students, graphics, human-computer interaction (HCI), interaction design, interactivity, interface design, learning theories, memory, usability, user experience (UX), user interface design, by Daniel Christian

Why Angry Birds is so successful and popular: A cognitive teardown of the user experience — from Pulse > UX by Charles L. Mauro

Excerpt:

Simple yet engaging interaction concept: This seems an obvious point, but few realize that a simple interaction model need not be, and rarely is, procedurally simple. Simplification means once users have a relatively brief period of experience with the software, their mental model of how the interface behaves is well formed and fully embedded. This is known technically as schema formation. In truly great user interfaces, this critical bit of skill acquisition takes place during a specific use cycle known as the First User Experience or FUE. When users are able to construct a robust schema quickly, they routinely rate the user interface as “simple”. However, simple does not equal engaging. It is possible to create a user interface solution that is initially perceived by users as simple. However, the challenge is to create a desire by users to continue interaction with a system over time, what we call user “engagement”.

What makes a user interface engaging is adding more detail to the user’s mental model at just the right time. Angry Birds’ simple interaction model is easy to learn because it allows the user to quickly develop a mental model of the game’s interaction methodology, core strategy and scoring processes. It is engaging, in fact addictive, due to the carefully scripted expansion of the user’s mental model of the strategy component and incremental increases in problem/solution methodology. These little birds are packed with clever behaviors that expand the user’s mental model at just the point when game-level complexity is increased. The process of creating simple, engaging interaction models turns out to be exceedingly complex. Most groups developing software today think expansion of the user’s mental model is for the birds. Not necessarily so.

Other key items discussed:

Simple yet engaging interaction concept

Cleverly managed response time

Short-term memory management

Mystery

How things sound

How things look

Measuring that which some say cannot be measured

From DSC:
What Apple is able to do with many of their hardware and software products, what Charles describes here with Angry Birds, what Steelcase did with their Media:Scape product’s puck — and other examples — point out that creating something that is “easy” is actually quite hard.

Tagged with: cognition • cognitive psychology / computing • digital audio • engagement • graphic design • human-computer interaction (HCI) • interaction design • interactivity • interface design • learning theories • memory • scaffolding • usability • user experience • user interface design • UX

Stream Catcher: A new concept for the user interface/learning experience of the future

On 04/15/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, content development, aggregation, repositories, convergence, corporate universities / corporate training, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-readers, entrepreneurship, future, higher education, human-computer interaction (HCI), innovation, intelligent systems, interaction design, interactivity, K-12 related, mobile learning, multi-touch, multimedia, online learning, online media, online tutoring, RSS, social learning / networks, social media, training / L&D, usability, user experience (UX), user interface design, web-based collaboration, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: 21st century • 24x7x365 • A/V • Connectivism • content • Content aggregration • content repositories • convergence • corporate training / universities • Daniel S. Christian • digital audio • digital learning • digital storytelling • digital video • disruption • distance ed • e-books • e-readers • entrepreneurship • future • higher education • human-computer interaction (HCI) • innovation • interaction design • interactivity • interface design • lecture recording • Mobile learning • multi-touch • multimedia • online learning • online media • online tutoring • RSS • social learning • social media • social networking • training • TV • usability • user experience • videoconferencing • web-based collaboration • webinars

A hugely powerful vision: A potent addition to our learning ecosystems of the future

On 04/09/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, change, colleges, convergence, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital audio, digital learning, digital photography, digital storytelling, digital textbooks, digital video, disruption, distance education, e-books, e-readers, education, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, elearning, emerging technologies, engagement / engaging students, entrepreneurship, future of higher education, game-changing environment, generational differences, global / globalization, higher education, homeschooling/homeschoolers, human-computer interaction (HCI), hybrid learning, immersion, informal learning, innovation, instructional design, intelligent systems, intelligent tutoring, interaction design, interactivity, interface design, internet, IT in HE, K-12 related, learning agents, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, lifelong learning, marketplaces, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multi-touch, multimedia, New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, new business models, new media literacies, online learning, online media, online tutoring, pace of change, personalized/customized learning, platforms, play, podcasting, professional development, reinvent, RSS, simulations, smart classrooms, social learning / networks, social media, society, storytelling, strategy, student teaching/teacher education, student-related, surviving, tablets, teaching & learning, teaching online, technologies for your home, technology (general), telecommunications, telepresence, television, transmedia, trends, ubiquitous learning, universities, user experience (UX), using teams, videoconferencing, virtual field trips, virtual K-12 schools, Virtual Reality (VR) / worlds / learning, virtual tutoring, vision/possibilities, web-based collaboration, webinars, by Daniel Christian

Daniel Christian:
A Vision of Our Future Learning Ecosystems

In the near future, as the computer, the television, the telephone (and more) continues to converge, we will most likely enjoy even more powerful capabilities to conveniently create and share our content as well as participate in a global learning ecosystem — whether that be from within our homes and/or from within our schools, colleges, universities and businesses throughout the world.

We will be teachers and students at the same time — even within the same hour — with online-based learning exchanges taking place all over the virtual and physical world. Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) — in the form of online-based tutors, instructors, teachers, and professors — will be available on demand. Even more powerful/accurate/helpful learning engines will be involved behind the scenes in delivering up personalized, customized learning — available 24x7x365. Cloud-based learner profiles may enter the equation as well.

The chances for creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship that are coming will be mind-blowing! What employers will be looking for — and where they can look for it — may change as well.

What we know today as the “television” will most likely play a significant role in this learning ecosystem of the future. But it won’t be like the TV we’ve come to know. It will be much more interactive and will be aware of who is using it — and what that person is interested in learning about. Technologies/applications like Apple’s AirPlay will become more standard, allowing a person to move from device to device without missing a beat. Transmedia storytellers will thrive in this environment!

Much of the professionally done content will be created by teams of specialists, including the publishers of educational content, and the in-house teams of specialists within colleges, universities, and corporations around the globe. Perhaps consortiums of colleges/universities will each contribute some of the content — more readily accepting previous coursework that was delivered via their consortium’s membership.

An additional thought regarding higher education and K-12 and their Smart Classrooms/Spaces:
For input devices…
The “chalkboards” of the future may be transparent, or they may be on top of a drawing board-sized table or they may be tablet-based. But whatever form they take and whatever is displayed upon them, the ability to annotate will be there; with the resulting graphics saved and instantly distributed. (Eventually, we may get to voice-controlled Smart Classrooms, but we have a ways to go in that area…)

Below are some of the graphics that capture a bit of what I’m seeing in my mind…and in our futures.

Alternatively available as a PowerPoint Presentation (audio forthcoming in a future version)

— from Daniel S. Christian | April 2011

Interesting way to present a case study…[Jack & Suzy Welch]

On 04/04/2011, in business, computer science, corporate / business world, marketing/social marketing, MBA, user experience (UX), user interface design, by Daniel Christian

Originally saw this at:
BizDeansTalk.net

From DSC:
I appreciated the variety of clever interface elements at play here. Worth checking out just from an interface design standpoint, if not from a standpoint of relaying/processing information in a creative way (as well as discerning the critical business-related items/decisions).

Tagged with: computer science • interface design • marketing/social marketing • MBA • user experience

Adobe Museum of Digital Media, A lecture by John Maeda

From DSC:
If online courses could feature content done this well…wow! Incredibly well done. Engaging. Professsional. Cross-disciplinary. Multimedia-based. Creative. Innovative. Features a real craftsman at his work. The Forthcoming Walmart of Education will feature content at this level…blowing away most of the competition.