I don’t use Twitter all that much. However, since I am at the Business of Software conference, I decided to participate. The hashtag is #BoS2009. At first it was interesting, although alot of the content was mundane. It was just repeating what the person said. I downloaded TweetDeck to try it in a different context.…
For the last few weeks I have been using Balsamiq. So far, I am pretty happy and learning more about it each day. Today, I saw a new tool that is taking the same general approach. It’s called Mockingbird. I want to give the tool the benefit of the doubt. Right now, it only has…
At Adchemy, we have a spot open for a UX Designer. The team is 3 people right now and we are kicking ass. I haven’t been this excited about design in a long time. (And I am usually pretty pumped about it). Here are the values of the company and how they are used in…
In Theory, there is no difference between Theory and Practice. In Practice, there is. So, coming into my new job, I had a list of things I thought I should do first. Although I completely stand by my list, one always has to be flexible when practice meets theory. In the first couple of weeks,…
One of my favorite lunches has been at Bon Sante in Burlingame, CA. I called them Baby Sandwiches. Not because they were small. Quite the contrary, they are the size of a small baby! And they tasted so good. The chef put love into every bite. At my new job, there is a place that even…
For most of 2009, I have been using Windows 7. Suddenly, this week, I was thrust back in time to using Windows XP. It has been quite a shock. Here are some of the things I picked up on: Fonts. The ways fonts are handled in XP is alot different. Everything feels sharper and blurrier…
The decisions you make in the beginning of a product determine a large portion of the headaches you will feel for the next several years. The first month can make a huge difference. (Think butterfly effect) Here are my key tasks to do to when you look at the UX of a new product. Understand the scope…
As I begin to ponder starting with a new company, I have been dreaming about the UX mainstays I have built into my philosophy over the years. I imagine having each principle printed on a single page. Here are a few in no particular order: (I’ll post more over time) Modal dialogs on top of…
Of course, the minute I get my phone, Verizon announces that they are getting the Palm Pre , Android phones as well as Windows Mobile 6.5 versions of the HTC Touch. Just my luck! I have 30 days if I want to return this one, but I think I am going to keep it, even…
I joined Marketo in December 2006 as the first non-founder and began a wonderful journey that has lasted 3 years. I learned a tremendous amount from the people here on a cornucopia of topics and I will miss them. I have accepted a new position at another company (I’ll post that later). Some UX…
Great experiment showing that you can encourage better behavior by making the experience more fun. (under 2 minutes) What else can be made fun that is good for you?
Problem: Forever, the content business model has been to control access and force payment in advance. Then digital transfer (and the internet) arrived. Anything that could be digitized could be shared for free, blowing away the access controls and the pre-payments. Blowing away the business model. The problem in the 21st century is not how…
PRDs (Product Requirement Documents) and MRDs (Marketing Requirement Documents) come in many flavors. My question today is, “What kind of requirements doc is the most conducive to creating great UX and great products?” Let’s assume for a minute that you have a Product Manager that knows their stuff backwards and forwards. The goal is to get that…
I am spoiled. I live in an age of cut and paste, email and attach. The fax machine, when I have to use it is a ridiculous anachronism. I just had to use it. To dial 9, or not? Do I dial 1 before the area code? What is this complicated UI? It happens to be an…