The best UX and design conferences in 2017

The best UX and design conferences in 2017
A complete guide for designers who are looking for events and conferences to attend this year, or who are simply planning their next trip around the world.
by Fabricio Teixeira

Photo credit: Knak

A great way of learning more about User Experience and getting in touch with professionals who share the same passion as you is to attend UX Conferences and UX Events happening every year around the globe.

The events listed are the ones our team at uxdesign.cc have been to or would like to attend in the near future. Make sure you charge your smartphone, bring some business cards in your pocket and consider including one of these design events before or after your next trip.

• Events about creativity and technology

• Get together with local UX groups

• Follow events in your area

uxdesign.cc

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Foundations of Human-Computer Interaction

Foundations of Human-Computer Interaction

Goal and Outcomes.

This course introduces students to the field of human-computer interaction.

Introduction

The body of knowledge of Human-Computer Interaction can be perceived as resulting from the following five interrelated aspects, depicted in the diagram bellow:

(N) the nature of human-computer interaction;
(U) the use and context of computers;
(H) human characteristics;
(C) computer system and interface architecture; and

(D) the development process.

This course touches the (N) aspect but mainly targets the (H) aspects illustrated in the diagram above. It comprises seven modules:

Visibility, Affordances, Mapping, Constraints, Conceptual models

Seven stages of action, Types of knowledge

Feedback, Errors, Forcing Functions, Gestalt laws, Responsiveness

The Human Processor Model, Fitts Law

Interface Efficiency, KLM, GOMS

State transition diagrams, Petri nets

History and vision

After successfully attending this course, students will know how user interfaces have developed over the past decades, and what constants of human performance need to be considered when designing user interfaces.

Further details are available including…

• The pedagogical script;
• The technical script;
• The assessment criteria; and
• The bibliography.

Foundations of Human-Computer Interaction

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Wichita State University’s Engineering 101 courses

Wichita State University’s Engineering 101 courses

Human Factors Ph.D. Program

Welcome to the class blog for Wichita State University’s Engineering 101 courses.

Engineering 101 is a three-hour course specifically designed for College of Engineering freshmen and transfer students in their first year at Wichita State University. This course provides application to being both engineering students and practicing engineers.

...
In human factors, of course, we are specifically concerned with human interfaces. Typically, research in this field is geared towards improving productivity and reducing errors and injuries, and you can usually separate this into two categories: the application of human psychology and the implications of human anatomy.

Good psychological human factors design would include systems which are intuitive – someone new to the interface can operate it with little or no instruction. Can you think of any examples?

Good anatomical human factors design includes systems which are physically natural – using the system requires little strength or effort, or it could be used many times or over a long period without stress or injury. Can you think of any examples of this? ...

********************* 

Human Factors submissions

An example:

Human Factors – TuTh0930 – Spencer Shield


The problem:
The problem with spray bottles is that it is hard to read whether or not it is open at first glance. Most spray bottles have a labeling system of just being embossed on the nozzle with the words “on” or “off”. This way makes it hard for people with bad eye sight to understand whether or not it is open.

This is on.

This is off.












The solution:
The solution for this problem is to have the nozzle be color coded like stop lights. This makes it so people can tell if the nozzle is locked or not without having to strain their eyes. This solution is very practical and can be implemented easily in the production line. I think the original designers didn’t do this because of the cost of adding this step to the  production line.

The implementation:
The design would look like the fallowing. The red stands for when the nozzle is locked. The green stands for when the nozzle is unlocked.

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Ikea mug notch

IKEA Trofe Mug: Dishwasherowned
by Travis Hudson

This isn't so much of a gadget, but an extremely handy device that I wish I would have thought of. This TROFE mug from IKEA has a simple notch on the bottom of the mug that prevents water from pooling up around the base during a dishwasher run.

Some comments from the website:

___________

Gizmometer
These are a perfect example of design without testing. The notch is under the handle. Most dishwashers load cups so that the handle points toward the center of the dishwasher and are tilted upward at the handle so that the spray can reach the inside of the cup. Thus, the notch is at the highest point of the cup when it's loaded in a dishwasher, making the notch useless. A few tests in a few dishwashers would have pointed that out. Now people will buy these thinking they're clever, only to find that they don't work as advertised when they get home.

___________ 

John Laur
I agree with the comments about poor design choice. It would have been easier to make the bottom flat or put two or 3 notches in it.

Plus it's not like Ikea invented this. Look at any cheap plasticware in any restaraunt and you will find drain notches. You can also use them to 'hook' one or two cups onto the rim of another and carry four or six drinks at a time without using a tray.

___________ 

jetstar7
I don't own a dishwasher. I am the dish-washer. I put stuff on a wire rack to drip dry. So this cup works. And the image of the cup is seen in IKEA's latest catalogue. No mention of it's intent to optimise dishwasher cleaning in there.

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How to Create a UX Design Portfolio: Tips from a UX Recruiter

How to Create a UX Design Portfolio: Tips from a UX Recruiter
by Tom Cotterill

How to Create a UX Design Portfolio: Tips from a UX Recruiter

As a UX recruiter, my role involves not just identifying and developing tech talent, but also following the industry closely; going to events, workshops, and conferences to make sure I’m in a strong position to connect the dots and successfully match companies with perfect-fit employees.

Through the conversations I have day-to-day, I’ve managed to put together a clear picture of the industry as it stands in 2017 and what the expectations are for all levels of UX designer, from absolute beginners to senior UXers and UX directors.

One big aspect of my role is making sure that the candidates I work with are amazing at showcasing their skills, experience, and past achievements. One thing I get asked over and over again is, “Where should I begin with creating my portfolio? What’s the standard? How can I make it better?”

So, I’m going to share the advice that I frequently give out to candidates I work with, be it a beginner, mid-level or senior UX designer. I’ll be explaining why your portfolio is so important, what to include, where to host it, how much to include, and answering lots of other common questions.

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The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction, 2nd Ed.

The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction, 2nd Ed.
by Interaction Design Foundation

Textbooks written by 100+ leading designers, bestselling authors, and Ivy League professors. The textbooks are assembled in a gigantic 4000+ page encyclopedia covering the design of interactive products and services such as websites, household objects, smartphones, computer software, aircraft cockpits, you name it.

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