Marcia Conner, "Our Shared Playground: An Interview with Michael Schrage," LiNE Zine, Winter 2001
...in researching the histories of disciplines like biotech and software development for the book, what I really found at the core of innovation weren't only creative individuals, per se, but rather creative relationships. Intriguingly, the key medium for managing those creative and innovative relationships was the shared space. I found that all collaboration, without exception, requires shared space.
11 October 2001
"Making the World a Happier Place, One Web Site at a Time: Interview with Jakob Nielsen and Marie Tahir," WebReference.com, Oct 2001
At the same time, to get high quality design, you must have usability-directed design where you start out with studying users' needs and let that decide where you're going to go. That more integrated approach, where usability permeates throughout the lifecycle and becomes the way a company designs interfaces, I would say that is exceedingly rare. Basically, it almost never happens that way. I recommend that is the direction things should move because whenever products or websites are designed that way, they become so dramatically superior that they take over and gain some substantial market shares. So it's self-perpetuating.
At the same time, to get high quality design, you must have usability-directed design where you start out with studying users' needs and let that decide where you're going to go. That more integrated approach, where usability permeates throughout the lifecycle and becomes the way a company designs interfaces, I would say that is exceedingly rare. Basically, it almost never happens that way. I recommend that is the direction things should move because whenever products or websites are designed that way, they become so dramatically superior that they take over and gain some substantial market shares. So it's self-perpetuating.
10 October 2001
Dan Bricklin, "Copy Protection Robs The Future, Bricklin.com, Oct 2001
Copy protection will break the chain of formal and informal archivists who are necessary to the long-term preservation of creative works.
Copy protection will break the chain of formal and informal archivists who are necessary to the long-term preservation of creative works.
26 September 2001
Jennifer McFarland, "The Consumer Anthropologist," HBS Working Knowledge, 24 Sep 2001
When a new product needs testing for consumer reaction, companies traditionally turn to that old market-research mainstay, the focus group. Today, however, alternative techniques offer deeper insights that can inform the product development cycle like never before. Ethnographic market research—somewhat new to marketers but as old as the science of anthropology—is increasingly being used to provide new information about consumers. Using the anthropologist's tool kit of methods and theories, ethnographers are giving corporations an inside look at the cultural trends, attitudes, and lifestyle factors that influence consumer decisions about everything from bathtubs and toothpaste to insurance and batteries.
Such research can give companies an advantage in learning not just what customers want, but what they will want, says Eric Arnould, professor of marketing at the University of Nebraska. "Ethnography is a way to get up close and personal with consumers," he says. "As the cycle time for new product development goes down and its cost goes up, and as competition becomes fiercer, many firms are trying to get closer to the consumer to try to figure out the context of use for new products."
Whereas focus groups often work in artificial settings for short periods, ethnography situates consumers within the larger social and cultural context.... Ethnography looks not for opinions but for a 360-degree understanding of how a product might resonate with the consumer's daily life.
When a new product needs testing for consumer reaction, companies traditionally turn to that old market-research mainstay, the focus group. Today, however, alternative techniques offer deeper insights that can inform the product development cycle like never before. Ethnographic market research—somewhat new to marketers but as old as the science of anthropology—is increasingly being used to provide new information about consumers. Using the anthropologist's tool kit of methods and theories, ethnographers are giving corporations an inside look at the cultural trends, attitudes, and lifestyle factors that influence consumer decisions about everything from bathtubs and toothpaste to insurance and batteries.
Such research can give companies an advantage in learning not just what customers want, but what they will want, says Eric Arnould, professor of marketing at the University of Nebraska. "Ethnography is a way to get up close and personal with consumers," he says. "As the cycle time for new product development goes down and its cost goes up, and as competition becomes fiercer, many firms are trying to get closer to the consumer to try to figure out the context of use for new products."
Whereas focus groups often work in artificial settings for short periods, ethnography situates consumers within the larger social and cultural context.... Ethnography looks not for opinions but for a 360-degree understanding of how a product might resonate with the consumer's daily life.
25 September 2001
Tony Fernandes, "It's the people, stupid," CNET.com, 25 Sep 2001
Billions of dollars of investment have been wasted simply because companies have ignored people and their needs. Doing usability testing late in the process only refines a bad design and won't fix the problem. What the industry needs is to sign up for product design in advance of product development. I see the unwillingness to do this as a plague that increasingly affects the market advantage the United States currently enjoys.
Billions of dollars of investment have been wasted simply because companies have ignored people and their needs. Doing usability testing late in the process only refines a bad design and won't fix the problem. What the industry needs is to sign up for product design in advance of product development. I see the unwillingness to do this as a plague that increasingly affects the market advantage the United States currently enjoys.
05 September 2001
Linda Tischler, "Simplicity + Technology = Sweet Success," Fast Company, Sep 2001
"If you really want a category killer, you've got to go simple, simple, simple."
The old design mantra "Less is more" has never been truer than in the world of technological gadgetry, Lovelady says. As consumers balk at the steep learning curve attached to each software upgrade and "time-saving" appliance, manufacturers and engineers are ceding power to designers who insist on simplicity, elegance, and user friendliness, even if it means sacrificing some technological wizardry.
"If you really want a category killer, you've got to go simple, simple, simple."
The old design mantra "Less is more" has never been truer than in the world of technological gadgetry, Lovelady says. As consumers balk at the steep learning curve attached to each software upgrade and "time-saving" appliance, manufacturers and engineers are ceding power to designers who insist on simplicity, elegance, and user friendliness, even if it means sacrificing some technological wizardry.
31 August 2001
Porter Anderson, "Scott Adams: Dilbert's Ultimate Cubicle," CNN.com, 28 Aug 2001
"They've got this whole design process that starts with this incredible, chaotic brainstorming session where anything goes and nothing's criticized -- and at that stage, you're pretty sure nothing good can ever come out of this.
"Then you find out that they've done this before. And they actually do throw away the bad ideas. They do a rapid prototype and start building stuff."
"They've got this whole design process that starts with this incredible, chaotic brainstorming session where anything goes and nothing's criticized -- and at that stage, you're pretty sure nothing good can ever come out of this.
"Then you find out that they've done this before. And they actually do throw away the bad ideas. They do a rapid prototype and start building stuff."
22 August 2001
Jay Conrad Levinson, "What do people want online? It's not what you think it is," CAP Online, April 2001
Some folks see the web as a vast, new field for advertising messages, assuming that while people may want to do something else, if we can entice them with Flash, we can sort of trick them into paying attention to our products and services. Guess what. That's not gonna happen.
What does this mean to emarketers? It means that if you're constructing a site for goal-oriented consumers, you'd better make sure you can help facilitate their seeking. Rather than focus on entertainment, Flash, and useless splash screens, the most effective sites are those that help people get the information they want when they need it. Straightforward data, information that invites comparison, and straight talk are going to win the day.
Some folks see the web as a vast, new field for advertising messages, assuming that while people may want to do something else, if we can entice them with Flash, we can sort of trick them into paying attention to our products and services. Guess what. That's not gonna happen.
What does this mean to emarketers? It means that if you're constructing a site for goal-oriented consumers, you'd better make sure you can help facilitate their seeking. Rather than focus on entertainment, Flash, and useless splash screens, the most effective sites are those that help people get the information they want when they need it. Straightforward data, information that invites comparison, and straight talk are going to win the day.
16 August 2001
Charles L. Mauro, "Is a high priced usability 'Guru' a good investment?" TaskZ.com, 6 Aug 2001
When taken in this context, even the best usability Guru is unlikely to have a suitable understanding of your customer profile and their critical cognitive structures, such as prior learning, experience with other software, and motivation. Therefore, even though usability Gurus may have the best intentions in their criticisms, there is absolutely no guarantee that their recommendations will improve customer acquisition, retention, or migration. Granted, some design flaws are so obvious that they deserve a bit of rant and rave; but such reviews should always leave the motivation of the development team intact. It should never be a humiliating experience in front of the boss and the boss's boss. Want to kill UCD for the current generation of web development teams? Make them think that everything they did was stupid and wasteful.
When taken in this context, even the best usability Guru is unlikely to have a suitable understanding of your customer profile and their critical cognitive structures, such as prior learning, experience with other software, and motivation. Therefore, even though usability Gurus may have the best intentions in their criticisms, there is absolutely no guarantee that their recommendations will improve customer acquisition, retention, or migration. Granted, some design flaws are so obvious that they deserve a bit of rant and rave; but such reviews should always leave the motivation of the development team intact. It should never be a humiliating experience in front of the boss and the boss's boss. Want to kill UCD for the current generation of web development teams? Make them think that everything they did was stupid and wasteful.
04 August 2001
Lewis Samuels, "Designing for Usability on a Shoestring,"
WebReview.com, 3 Aug 2001: The goals of the user are relevant because, again, it's the users who will determine the eventual success or failure of any site. This fact is worth repeating because it's frequently forgotten when defining navigation, functionality, and visual design.
In my experience, Web professionals often lose sight of the end user, focusing instead on the opinions of their clients, coworkers, or worse yet, themselves. This is a natural reaction, but a very dangerous one. If it's the client that signs the checks, it's only natural to want to please them. However, the savvy designer will keep in mind that the client often knows nothing about the user and their needs.
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