subject oriented design
« Previous EntriesDrupalCamp Toronto 2008
Wednesday, May 21st, 2008Tom, Conchita and I at The User Advocate Group have been getting very intrigued by the possibilities we envision using the Drupal web application framework. We are happy to announce that The User Advocate Group is a Platinum Sponsor of DrupalCamp Toronto 2008 which takes place at the end of this week.
There will be many […]
Demand More
Saturday, March 29th, 2008What is a software application?
When we think of a software application, most of us will conjure up the image of some sort of user interface splashed across a computer screen. As far as most of us are concerned, whatever is on the screen is the software. Period.
Engineers will tend to look at it […]
Turning New Pages
Thursday, February 28th, 2008As a software artist who is focused on ‘bridging the gap between end users and engineers’ I have always found it necessary and worthwhile to explore the ‘materials’ that I work with. In doing so I can better control the emotional impact of an application on the user: the more I know about how the […]
The Occasional Frequent User
Thursday, November 8th, 2007Last weekend we set the clocks back for the winter. It’s always nice to have an ‘extra hour’ and to perhaps do something a little special: lay in bed, go for a leisurely breakfast, take a long walk in the park. It’s one of the perks of living on a tilted globe.
For me, […]
An Unframed Incidental Art Tour
Thursday, July 26th, 2007For a few weeks now my left brain has been absorbed in the details of implementing a client’s web site. Being wedded to a tight deadline and having already done all the loose, creative design stuff, I’m now focused almost exclusively on solving the challenges of writing computer code in what is still a new […]
Killer Signs of Ambiguity
Sunday, July 1st, 2007What is the meaning of this sign?
Let me ask you again. What was the meaning that you first perceived? Did that meaning change soon after?
The chances are that you first saw a visual message ‘STOP’ and then, upon reflection, decoded the sign to mean ‘GO’. Perhaps you might even see this image as an […]
Thanks a Lottery!
Saturday, June 16th, 2007The guy in the copy shop was gesticulating to one of his customers.
“I almost won 37 million this week!”
“What d’ya mean?”
“That guy who won the jackpot – he bought it at the same store I get my tickets!”
The customer chuckled and checked his copies – perhaps imagining, as I was, what it would be […]
Icon Wars : The Perpetual Search for Meaning
Saturday, June 9th, 2007It’s five days to the software release date. Do you know what your icons mean?
Icon design is like an endless skirmish amongst transient zealots. I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve been involved in a debate over the meaning of icons. OK, maybe a dollar.
You might wonder what is there to […]
The Magic of Community Experience
Wednesday, June 6th, 2007Does technology have to be highly advanced in order to feel like magic?
An example of a very simple technology that produced a very powerful ‘magical’ experience came to mind last week while I was participating in a podcast at the Mesh 2007 conference. Jeff Parks arranged the podcast and invited a number of experts […]
Google Street View – The Way Finding of the Future?
Saturday, June 2nd, 2007A few weeks ago I spent two and a half hours standing (literally) at the counter of the US Airway check-in counter trying to secure a ticket to San Francisco using a free travel voucher. (No, the online efforts just didn’t work for this one. Another story.)
For most of that time I watched the […]