A review of Ani Phyo new book – Return On Design

In Archive by Fredy Ore

There is a great review by James McNally of Ani Phyo’s new Return On Design book in Digital Web Magazine.

The book is one of the first I have come across which covers user-centered Information Design in a visual designers perspective, it is worthwhile checking out.

Here are some chapters and topics covered in the book, including most important process – developing and writing User Scenarios.
1. Determining What Your Web Site Needs
2. Developing and Writing User Scenarios
3. Designing User-Centered Content
4. Developing a Site Map and User Workflows
5. Creating a Navigation Scheme and Page Layouts
6. Testing a Functional Prototype
7. The Ongoing Process of User-Driven Enhancements

Analysing language using DNA techniques

In Archive by Fredy Ore

Here is an interesting article on the research by Geneticist Peter Forster of the University of Cambridge in Britain who used techniques usually reserved for DNA to support the idea that farmers carried Celtic into the British Isles, Ireland and France in a single wave 6,000 years ago.

This new method of analysing language, uses a way of dating the migration of people, their origin using a technique called mutational analysis. The scientific study looks at the idea of a “genetic clock”, where random mutations or changes in DNA over time can be observed.

IBM Developer Works asks users to test their new website

In Archive by Fredy Ore

IBM Developer Works are previewing their new prototype website and are asking users to look at their upcoming site and comment on their structure, navigation and experience.

They have listed an article on their main goals and also have commented on their infrastructure and dynamic content.

It’s worth checking out and comparing the current version with the new prototype design (beta) and also reading user comments.

Blog writing, privacy and community

In Archive by Fredy Ore

Adrian Miles has posted a great blog entry on the topic of Blog use in professional practice, by commenting on Privacy and community writing, and discussing whether Blog writing should be more about community. It is an interesting read.

His recent posts have also included this entry on Bloggin Media Studies, which discusses the use of Blog software as part of academic writing.

From a Computer-Centric to a User-Centric OSX Finder

In Archive by Fredy Ore

Here is the Apple keynote by Steve Jobs at the WWDC, Worldwide Developers Conference from the Moscone Center in San Francisco, US available in QuickTime.

With a few self promos at the beginning, Steve Jobs later comments on the transition from the Computer Centric and User Centric direction of the new Finder and Expose in the forthcoming Apple OS X 10.3 Panther Operating System, released in Australia in September.

Apple-OSX-Expose-Capture

Enter 64 Bit computing – the Intel P5, Apple G5 & Athlon 64

In Archive by Fredy Ore

With the release of the sexy New Apple G5 in America yesterday, it isn’t surprising that news begins to circle the Web on the launch of the next generation Intel and AMD processors.

Pete forwarded me this in depth article from Tom’s Hardware on the differences of the two processors, the current 3 year ending lifespan of the Intel Pentium 4 and the countdown to 64 Bit computing.

For all you tech-savvy folks out there demanding more details, here is an interesting article on discrepancies in benchmarks on the Apple G5.

Coincidently Apple the other day released a sneak preview of their next generation Operating System OS X 10.3 code-named Panther due for release in August. Yesterday also, Apple removed the Beta label of the Safari browser bumping it up to release 1.0. I have been testing for a few months with this browser and it appears this final release has fixed a bug which I came across in the beta version with nested Font sizes in EMS.

Adding accessiblity to Navigation with Access Keys

In Archive by Fredy Ore

There is a great article by Stuart Robertson in A List Apart this week on the use of Access Keys titled, Unlocking Hidden Navigation.

What are access-keys you ask?
Access Keys (an introduced W3C standard) allows for the navigation of online content without the use of a mouse by assigning a combination of keys (eg. alt+1) to nav items.

Adding access-keys to navigation also enables people with limited mobility to access navigation by using the keyboard, voice or via a screen reader.

There are also great discussions in the article forum thread.

National Driving Test results

In Archive by Fredy Ore

I’m not certain on how many people took part in last Wednesdays National Driving test, but I got asked today about my score… hehe I think I’m a good driver! :) Here it is:

Driving Intro:
Q1: A (correct), Q2: C (correct), Q3: C (correct), Q4: B (wrong – A), Q5: C (correct)
Safety Signs:
Q6: C (correct), Q7: A (correct), Q8: A (correct), Q9: B (wrong – A), Q10: A (wrong – B)
Giving Way:
Q11: A (wrong – C), Q12: C (correct), Q13: B (wrong – A), Q14: A (wrong – B), Q15: B (correct)
Safe Driving:
Q16: C (correct), Q17: A (correct), Q18: C (correct), Q19: A (correct), Q20: B (correct)
Traffic Signs:
Q21: C (wrong – B), Q22: B (correct), Q23: C (correct), Q24: C (correct), Q25: B (wrong – A), Q26: C (wrong B – this was the contraversial Shared Zone Q.)
Parking: (I gotta practice more on my parking hehe)
Q27: B (wrong – C), Q28: A (wrong -B), Q29: B (wrong – C), Q30: C (wrong A – controversial Postbox question with no Time restriction), Q31: C (wrong), Q32: B (correct), Q33: A (correct), Q34: A (wrong – C)
Sharing the Road:
Q35: B (wrong A), Q36: A (wrong – C), Q37: C (wrong B), Q38: A (give way to everyone in round-about), Q39: B (correct)
Equipment and Tactics:
Q40: A (correct), Q41: A (wrong – C Door Delivery Q.), Q42: B (correct), Q43: C (wrong – A), Q44: C (Correct), Q45: B (correct – this was the other controversial question about the high beams when overtaking. It was suggested this rule needed changing. Got it right!)
Speed and Reaction:
Q46: A (correct), Q47: A (correct, 1.5), Q48: B (wrong – C), Q49:A (wrong C – 36km/h), Q50: A (wrong – B)
Awareness:
Q51: C (correct, powersnooze), Q52: A (correct), Q53: A (correct), Q54: A (wrong B – What the hell’s a headcheck!), Q55: A (wrong – C)

The Image of Experience

In Archive by Fredy Ore

I came across this really great article by Judy McFarland titled, The image of experience which comments on the use of Text and Imagery in design. Here is an excerpt,

“When compared to words, the meaning behind pictures can be vague and fuzzy… they can represent different things to different people. The same is true of words. Words conjure up mental images and pictures conjure up mental words (thoughts). Each is unique to the life experiences of the participant.”

Reference: McFarland J. (2003) The image of experience [Online] Available: http://www.experiencethread.com/articles/intel_artcl.cfm

Designers and their communicative process

In Archive by Fredy Ore

Luke Wroblewski, guest writer this month in Signal Vs. Noise and author of the usability book Site-seeing: A Visual Approach to Web Usability posts a few links also on a similar topic on Designers and their communicative process…

1. How to (and not to) Work with a Designer – In an ideal world all clients would play by these “rules”.
2. 5 Ways to Get the Most from In-House Designers.
3. Better Graphic Design -Graphic artists vs. Graphic designers.
4. How Designers Work -Long and cognitive.

… in a blog post titled, Those Darn Designers. They are a great read.

Are designers born or made?

In Archive by Fredy Ore

Christina Wodtke has posted a great article in Elegant Hack titled, Are designers born or made? which discusses the topic of whether; application of process, combination of talent and training or creative and critical thinking influences a designer into creating great work.