Topic: Design
November 14, 2006
MakingLifeEasy.Org & Red Balloons in the Streets of Auckland
One of the great initiatives of this year’s World Usability Day is the little big project called MakingLifeEasy.org
Here’s the idea:
Confusing cash machines, parking meters, unclear signs, frustrating websites - poor usability is everywhere and it gets in the way of life. Sometimes it is just annoying. At other times it stops us doing what we need to do. Sometimes it can even be dangerous.
On World Usability Day (and in the lead up), we will be going out on the streets of Auckland to document some of the worst offenders and the best examples of usability and user experience.
As we come across examples of good and bad design, we will tie our balloons to them, photograph them and post them to the Making Life Easy website to ensure that the statements continue to be made long after the balloons disappear.
World Usability Day and Making Life Easy are initiatives to let people know that they shouldn’t be putting up with average or bad design and poor usability. If they’ve ever asked themselves “Why doesn’t this work right? What am I supposed to do with this now?””, they should know that they are not alone. Come and join us in this initiative!
We’d LOVE you to get involved.
Here’s how:
1. Join us! We’ll be heading out from Vulcan Lane at 12pm on Tuesday 14th November for a lunchtime ‘urban safari’. You won’t miss us: we’ll be the ones with the red balloons. Contact justine[at]userfaction.com to register your interest.
This is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about usability in our everyday lives – AND a great team exercise for any development team – highlighting that poor design is all around us, but that good design principles are easy to apply... Check out Flow’s (the initiators of this project) experience…
2. Help get more people involved! If you have a blog, point them to the MakingLifeEasy.org website. If you have a Flickr account, come join our group and invite all your friends!
3. If you can’t join us on the day, feel free to share your examples of the best and the worst of usability where you live (or visit or holiday!). Add photos to the Flickr group or drop us an email and we’ll add your submission to the website and potentially to the Hall of Fame or Shame.
4. Cast your vote! Take a look at the MakingLifeEasy.org website and have your say in what *really* drives you crazy and what you really love.
July 14, 2005
The Fantastic Voyage: Using Design to Get Into the Mind of the Customer
Sales & Marketing Institute
Speaker: Dorenda Britten
Design is a concept based on principles of 'getting it right'. The end goal is to put something in front of the customer that they will desire and purchase and want more of. Design leadership is about incorporating these principles into every aspect of a business to ensure that everything is geared towards creating products and services that are extraordinary, and that are sought after by customers.
Traditional wisdom says 'ask the customer what they want and deliver it to them'. Design says 'don't bother, they don't know'. One of the greatest challenges in design is getting into the mind of the customer, rather than just listening to their voice; figuring out where the customer will be by the time the product or service is ready for market. Design offers a framework and tools through which to achieve this goal.
Dorenda Britten is proactive, collaborative, open-minded and principled. She is deeply committed to raising the trading balance of New Zealand through developing high value products and services, and has a personal dream that design has become an acknowledged element in connecting New Zealand's creative talent to business opportunities. Come on this voyage of discovery with a remarkable woman.
Website: Sales & Marketing Institute
June 8, 2005
Designers Speak - An Evening Salute to the Passion of Design
Joanne Oliver (Product Design) and Thomas Gerlach (Design Strategist) talk about their work.
Wednesday 8th June at 6pm for 6.30pm start
Coast Lounge Bar, "Black Bar"
Level 7, Hewlett Packard Building
Princes Wharf
Auckland
Website: DINZ
June 2, 2005
Designers Speak
Thursday 2 June 5.30 for 6
Victoria University of Wellington School of Design
Joanne Oliver, IDEO
STORIES FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PACIFIC
Designing in the USA
Joanne will discuss her passion for creating stimulating, humanizing experiences around the products she designs, where responsibility, mindfulness for the environment and de-mystifying the design process are at the heart of everything she does.
Thomas Gerlach, via 4 Design
CULT AND DESIGN
From eye candy and heart flutters, from musts and victims
Thomas will discuss how he positions himself as a designer, bridging the gap between brands, products and target groups. He will deliver examples that he has experienced as to how cult status develops, how he maintains contact to trends and the coherence between trends, slow-down and long life.
There is no charge for this event.
Info: Designers Institute of New Zealand 09 303 1356 or designer@dinz.org.nz
April 26, 2005
Auckland UPA - Design and Innovation
Pradeep Sharma from Unitec will talk about developing a systems view of innovation and the role of design.
Pradeep Sharma is senior lecturer at Unitec School of Design and Director of the Centre for Strategic Design. His interest areas are in product design and development and he lectures and consults on design, management and innovation.
Location: Bank of New Zealand, 3rd floor, 125 Queen Street $10 cash at the door.
Map showing location of building (but we are on the 3rd floor): http://www.wises.co.nz/map/?id=3805|1&svctype=1&zoomin=true&move=true
Time: 6 pm for drinks and nibbles, 6.30pm talk starts, finishes approx 8pm
Please RSVP to miriamwalker[at]acm[dot]org