Discussion Archive: November 2008

Where that ACD thing fits

So, I've spent much of the last month thinking about what Activity-
Centered Design (or ACD) might be and where it fits into other design
approaches. This long-winded email is an attempt to get these thoughts
out.

Before I start, the last time we went around on this, there was a
sentiment of "Who cares what we call it? My clients/co-workers don't
care what it is, as long as I produce great designs.

How much setup information to give test participants

I'm preparing a usability test on a major redesign of an online
marketplace for manufacturing. Our customers are going to see major
changes to the way they source RFQs using our online app. I am planning
to go into the interviews without telling the participants what has
changed. There will be emails and online training before and after the
launch. However, we all know people usually skip over this material.

Would it be fair to give the participants a brief explanation about how
the process has changed?

Seattle monthly meetup - Tuesday 11/11

On the 2nd Tuesday of every month, Seattle-area information
architects, user-centered designers, librarians, technical writers,
and usability folk meet up at the Elysian pub in Capitol Hill to talk
shop and socialize. The format is informal - all you need to bring is
a topic of conversation, such as an interesting problem, a project
you're working on, or even your resume.

PC Suites and mobile handsets

Mates,

Hope everyone is well. Apart from the lovely weather and all the hard work, everything is peachy around these sides of London. Got a new project in hands - the redesign of a PC Suite for a mobile company (discretion advised).