Our HAVA UI for the Nokia Internet Tablet at CTIA
by James Marzano on Apr.02, 2008, under Design, Mobile UX
Our UI design for Monsoon Multimedia’s HAVA for the Nokia Internet Tablet was covered in the press this week at CTIA. The HAVA Player lets you take your TV anywhere and access either your DVR, Cable, or Satellite boxes (Standard NTSC or HD channels) connected to a HAVA at home, via the Nokia Internet Tablet, as long as it is connected via WiFi or now WiMax via Sprint.
Since screen real estate is limited, the UI is divided into modes each giving the user access to a different set of virtual remote buttons. There’s a channel flipping mode, a PVR mode, a set-top box mode and a favorites mode which gives the user 1-click access to their favorite channels. The quality of the HAVA streaming video is quite amazing on the Nokia tablet and I love watching my TiVo shows while traveling, at the airport, a hotel, or drinking a latte. 
Press coverage: Engadget, G4TV, Internet Tablet Talk, Tablet Blog
iPhone Owners Using the Internet 50x More Than Other Mobiles
by James Marzano on Feb.18, 2008, under Mobile UX, Usability, User Experience
I still run into a few people that don’t think the iPhone is all that great of a user experience. Well, it looks like the hard data is telling a different story. It appears that iPhone owners are using the Internet many times more than their non-iPhone counterparts. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Google revealed that there are 50 times more searches originating from the iPhone than any other mobile handset. This finding has also been reported by O2 who found that 60% of U.K. iPhone users are sending or receiving more than 25 MB of data a month.
From a user experience perspective, this is quite amazing. For years, many companies in the mobile arena have been building mobile hardware and mobile UI’s that they’ve deemed usable and now Apple comes along and is getting 50X the usage. Incredible! There was obviously room for improvement. I can see why Google originally thought the high iPhone usage was a mistake…
“We thought it was a mistake and made our engineers check the logs again,” Vic Gundotra, head of Google’s mobile operations told the Financial Times.
For US carriers, increasing the average revenue per user (ARPU) has been the new financial target as voice revenues are steady or decreasing. They need to find ways to make their mobile data services more attractive. Besides the obtuse pay-as-you-go vs. all-you-can-eat data pricing models, mobile users have had to deal with the walled-garden decks, poor hard-key usability, unclear soft-key button labels and maze-like navigational paths. It’s no wonder that users have stayed away from the mobile web. Personally, I’d rather use my laptop.
“The world is changing. Users want an internet without fences. They know how to type in
Google.com if they want to get to it. Two years ago the operators were still playing the role of
gatekeepers but that is no longer the role for them,” Mr Gundotra said.
It looks like ux does matter when it comes to mobile data services. Let’s see which approach everyone takes moving forward. I hope the sequel is not going to be an “Attack of the iPhone Clones”.
A List of Top 100 Human-Centered Interaction and Design Blogs
by James Marzano on Jan.24, 2008, under IA, Usability
Jessica Hupp published a great list in the Webword Newsletter of 100 blogs that focus primarily on Human-Centered Interaction (HCI) and Design. The list which we’ve posted below contains some of our favorites which includes: Boxes and Arrows, UX Magazine, This is Broken, and Functioning Form. These blogs are relevant, informing, engaging, challenging, and inspiring. Take a look and keep informed.
The Top 10
These blogs are the best of the best when it comes to user-centered discussions.
- Signal vs. Noise: Written by 37signals, the makers of simple, elegant tools like Ta-da List and Basecamp, this blog discusses up-to-the-minute information on design, experience, simplicity, and more.
- 456 Berea Street: Visit this very popular blog for insight into the world of web standards, accessibility, and usability.
- ./with Imagination: As a leader in user interface engineering, Dustin Diaz has a lot of knowledge to offer in this arena.
- Functioning Form: Luke Wroblewski’s Functioning Form offers extensive information on user interface design.
- This is Broken: This is Broken features a round-up and commentary on user experiences, good and bad.
- Adaptive Path: Adaptive Path strives to create experiences that “improve people’s lives,” and they love to share what they’ve learned with others.
- Boxes and Arrows: The subject matter focuses on interaction design and other closely related topics, but this blog sets an example because it’s a peer-written journal composed of mainly user-generated content.
- A List Apart: A List Apart’s insightful articles cover important issues in design and development with an emphasis on web standards.
- UX Matters: This web magazine delivers top-notch content about strategies for improving user experience.
- UX Magazine: For this magazine, “user experience is everything.” Check it out for a round-up of all that’s important to enhancing user experience.
Accessibility
When designing your site, you can’t forget about people with disabilities. Find out more about how you can make your web development open to everyone by reading these blogs.
- 200ok: This blog by Ben Buchanan discusses web development, paying special attention to accessibility and web standards.
- Accessify: Check out Ian Lloyd’s Accessify to learn how you can make what you develop more accessible.
- Curb Cut: Visit the Curb Cut blog for loads of resources and discussions about accessibility.
- Unintentionally Blank: Phil Nash writes about web standards, particularly focusing on accessibility and usability.
- Clagnut: Check out Clagnut for Richard Rutter’s insight on design and accessibility.
- MCU: Jim Byrne, author of 60 Hot to touch Accessible Web Design tips, offers insight into the world of accessibility, disabilities, and web design.
- Anitra Pavka: This blog provides news, commentary, and articles on topics concerning web accessibility.
- Rosie Sherry: Rosie Sherry discusses testing and tools that revolve around accessibility and web standards.
- Wise Guys Only: Tim Roberts discusses the tricky combination of Ajax and accessibility.
- Accessities: Accessities proves that websites can be both accessible and attractive.
- Segala: Segala evangelizes accessibility and trust in web design.
Human Computer Interaction
Web pages don’t just load themselves — people find them and open them. These blogs discuss the intersection of humans and computers in design.
- Interaction Design: Visit Interaction Design for an introduction to human computer interaction, interaction design, information architecture, and more.
- Population of One: Sylvie Noel discusses her work on human computer interactions.
- Human-Computer Interaction Design: Read David Roedl’s blog for information on human-computer interaction with a focus on topics like sustainable interaction design, experience-focused HCI research, and more.
- Ergonomenon: Ergonomenon discusses the intersection of ergonomics and human-computer interaction.
- Information Architects: Information Architects takes a look at interfaces that people like to use.
- User Designer: Mike Bennett writes about human-computer interaction and interaction design, focusing on research and resources for user implementation.
- Gotomobile: Gotomobile discusses people-friendly interface design and standards in user-centered design principles.
- Another HCI Blog: Read about Beck Tench’s thoughts on her HCI work at Another HCI Blog.
- YuBlog: The YuBlog helps readers learn how to improve user experience by considering human factors.
Web Standards
Web standards ensure that it’s easy for a wide variety of people to be served with quality web pages. Check out these blogs to find out more about web standards and how you can implement them in your own design.
- Standard Web Standards: Regnard Kreisler C. Raquedan covers the essentials of web standards and usability.
- Indelv: Check out this portal for web standards that includes reviews, news, tools, and more.
- Standards Schmandards: Peter Krantz shares solutions, tools, and code for designing within web standards.
- Muffin Research: Muffin Research focuses on web development with special attention devoted to web standards.
- Zeldman: Jeffrey Zeldman, author of Designing With Web Standards, discusses the importance and implementation of web standards.
- The Web Standards Project: The Web Standards Project evangelizes standards that make development easier and websites more accessible.
- Meyer Web: Eric Meyer discusses the importance of web standards and good design.
- Ordered List: Steve at Ordered List covers the imporance of web standards in information architecture, web design, and more.
- Max Design: Max Design focuses on web standards, usability, CSS, and accessibility.
- Andy Budd: Andy Budd’s blog is about web design, particularly web standards, user centered design and information architecture.
- Duoh: Verlee, CEO of Duoh, promotes the benefits of web standards.
- Just Add Water: On Just Add Water, you’ll find a wealth of information on web standards, usability, and accessibility.
- Monday By Noon: Jonathan Christopher discusses the latest in web standards and how they affect the Internet.
User Experience and Interaction
In user-centered development, it’s all about how people experience what you’ve designed. Get more on this subject with these blogs.
- Flamelab: Read this blog to find out about user experience, the aesthetics of interaction, and more.
- Interaction Design Online: Lindsay Lauters discusses topics concerning user-centered design, accessibility, and more.
- Usability Forum: Visit this blog for a group discussion on the usability of everyday things and the frustration that ensues when functionality isn’t considered.
- [BEEP]: Find out what Peter Boersma has to say about user experience design in Web 2.0 and information architecture.
- Mike Industries: Mike Industries covers commentary on user interfaces and web design.
- Warpspire: Kyle Neath’s Warpsire blog is about web design, and it’s full of resources for interface architecture and usability.
- Experience Planner: Scott Weisbrod discusses the many factors that go into creating a positive customer experience.
- Good Experience: Good Experience encourages readers to focus on customer experience.
- Customer Experience Crossroads: Visit Susan Abbott’s blog to find out how to create a “branded customer experience.”
- Church of the Customer: Jackie and Ben evangelize positive customer experiences.
- Keith Instone: Keith Instone keeps readers up to date on the latest in making websites usable.
- Advanced Common Sense: Steve Krug helps readers improve the interfaces and usability of their websites.
- Total Experience: Bob and Paula discuss design and experience as it affects our lives.
- GUUUI: GUUUI is a resource for interaction designers, with posts about tools, tests, and handy tricks.
- Software As She’s Developed: Michael Mahemoff, author of Ajax Design Patters, discusses the intersection of usability and Ajax.
- WebWord: John Rhodes educates readers on topics in usability and human factors in design.
- Logic+Emotion: David Armano writes about experience design and the intersection it makes with business.
- D. Keith Robinson: Find out what web experience expert David Keith Robinson has to say about design, web standards, content, and more.
- Design By Fire: Andrei Michael Heraslmchuk, owner of Design By Fire, was one of the first official interface designers for Adobe Systems. Check out his blog for insight on web standards, design, and user interfaces.
- Challis Hodge’s UXblog: Challis Hodge discusses user experience and provides loads of resources for further UX education.
- Compete on Usability: Joshua Ledwell encourages readers to concentrate on user experience.
- Experientia: Experientia offers a look into user experience, design and innovation that puts people first.
- The Product Usability Weblog: This blog discusses news, research, and current events related to consumer product usability.
- Usernomics: Read Usernomics to find out more about user interface design, human factors, and ergonomics.
- ExperienceCurve: Karl Long discusses the intersection of social media, marketing, and customer experience.
- Vanderwal: Thomas Vanderwal covers the topics of information architecture, interaction design, and more.
- Louis Rosenfeld: Lou Rosenfeld, author of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, discusses current issues and thoughts in the fields of user experience and information architecture.
- iaslash: iaslash covers topics related to user interface design, usability, and other concerns surrounding access and use of information.
- Etre: Etre discusses usability, accessibility and findability in this interesting blog.
User-Centered Design
Design is more than just aesthetics. Read these blogs to find out how to make your development attractive and functional.
- PinPoint Performance Solutions Blog: On this blog, you’ll find commentary on user-centered design, testing, and performance improvement.
- Usability Blog: Read this blog for Paul Sherman’s take on usability, user-centered design, and user experience.
- Presentation Zen: Presentation Zen focuses on presentation design, both in person and otherwise.
- User Interface Engineering: UIE delivers the latest in interesting usability design news.
- iQ: iQ takes a look at what works and what doesn’t, and offers advice on how you can design a good user experience.
- Design Thinking Digest: Chris Bernard discusses design thinking that revolves around user experiences.
- Bokardo: Joshua Porter offers his take on web design with people in mind.
- Cre8pc: Cre8pc focuses on holistic usability, accessibility and “people on purpose” web design.
- Dexo Design: Russell Wilson, an expert in the field of interface design, offers his take on issues and current events in user-centered design.
- Interesource: This blog discusses designing the web for people.
- Engage!: Dave Malouf reminds readers that “the core purpose of design is to engage” and solve problems.
- Information Aesthetics: Information Aesthetics celebrates data visualization and visual communication.
- Small Surfaces: Small Surfaces discusses interaction design, user interface, and other design topics related to mobile technology usability.
- Alertbox: Jakob Nielsen, the “king of usability,” offers insight into ways to make the Internet easier to use.
- Design & Emotion: Brush up on the latest in user design with Marco van Hout.
- Laws of Simplicity: John Maeda discusses how the laws of simplicity affect design, business, technology and life.
- Eyetools Eyetracking Research: Learn about design and content optimization that revolves around where users’ eyes rest.
User-Centered Writing and Content
Web 2.0 has brought on all sorts of social media and crowdsourcing content. Find out how you can successfully harness this phenomenon to become more user-centric.
- Viaspire: Discover content strategies, information architecture, and other user-centered topics at Viaspire.
- What’s Next Interactive: Find out about functionality and interactive content from Kathryn Campbell.
- User Effect: This blog discusses how the user-driven Web 2.0 movement makes usability and user-centered design essential.
- Futurelab: Futurelab covers the why and how of customer-centric marketing and strategy.
- Consumer Generated Media: Pete Blackshaw discusses the future of consumer generated media.
- InfoDesign: InfoDesign writes about the importance of “relevant, clear, and memorable information.”
- UXB: Shane Morris, a user experience evangelist for Microsoft, covers interaction, usability, user-centered design and more.
- Work Play Experience: Adam Lawrence tells readers how the showbiz approach can help strengthen experience design.
- Subtraction: Read what this design director for the New York Times has to say.
- A Brief Message: A Brief Message discusses (briefly) real-world design.
- Nooface: Nooface explores design and content for interfaces beyond the PC.
Being Passionate about Design – the Individual and Corporate Culture
by James Marzano on Dec.30, 2007, under Usability, User Experience
John Rhodes has an interesting article published on his blog about individuals being passionate, dedicated, and focused on design and UX…
It is hard to develop something amazing if you don’t care about it, when there’s no interest or passion…If you talk to people who do great work, they will tell you that there is dedication based on the inner need to craft something wonderful. It isn’t money or external rewards that drive the best people…it takes special people doing special work to make usability a reality. If you’re doing UX work, you need to actually care about the work you’re doing, and the people that will feel the pain if the design isn’t right.
I know from experience that this also applies to corporations as much as individuals. Individuals can lack passion about design because the organization itself is not focused on building great UX. Is it the company that’s not passionate about design or is it the individual?
Organizations like individuals can either care about the work they are producing or be focused on a myriad of other issues like time to market or ROI. With the later, I see individuals in organizations just doing what it takes to make the buck and get by or just doing what they’re told to do to meet the next deadline. It’s hard to motivate people in organizations to be passionate about their products if the organization hasn’t built a culture that rewards employees building great user experiences.
It’s the holiday season, and most companies are doing their year end bonuses now but I wonder how many of these bonuses are based on usability UX metrics? When organizations are passionate, dedicated, and focused on delivering great design and usability, everyone benefits.
