by Karen | Mar 15, 2002 | Articles
Why it matters: Complementary members bring divergent ideas Conflicting pairings can derail teamwork You want to spark creativity, not ignite a conflagration A team can only be as good as the combined skills of its members. So what qualities combine to create a...
by Luke | Mar 1, 2002 | Articles
Why it matters: So your audience will want to read your documents. A well-written document is a pleasure to read. A badly written document will drive readers away. So your stakeholders can understand your project. They need to know what’s going on and you want...
by Karen | Feb 14, 2002 | Articles
Points to consider : Field data collection is becoming more common in many industries Field data can be used for design, innovation, marketing, and product placement Many field methods rely on set questions and do not collect design data Design data comes from careful...
by Derek Hoiem | Jan 18, 2002 | Articles
Social Scientists Can Bring More Than Expertise in Studying People Why it matters: The role of user researcher has existed informally for years The field is growing as more companies are focusing on user-centered designs User researchers bring unique value beyond...
by Hugh | Jan 4, 2002 | Articles
Why it matters: When management doesn’t think there’s time for contextual design When your co-workers are afraid it will add more work When you know that customer data will make your design better Sometimes life is beautiful. Managers smile on your...
by Karen | Nov 30, 2001 | Articles
Points to consider: There are only so many ways to do work, and they’re revealed within a few interviews Frequency data doesn’t show what matters in the work practice Contextual data uncovers tacit details about work practice, including underlying goals...
by Hugh | Oct 26, 2001 | Articles
Why it matters: You don’t want to do extra work that doesn’t support the project’s goals You do want to focus your effort where it can make a difference You don’t want less time to mean less quality A question I used to hear all the time was:...
by Derek Hoiem | Oct 12, 2001 | Articles
Why it matters: You need to design what customers think is great, not what you think is great By understanding the needs of your customers, you won’t waste time re-designing Spend more time creating designs instead of arguing about them Differentiate your...
by Karen | Sep 28, 2001 | Articles
Inventing the future: Understand how people really work, and you’ll figure out what invention could help them Nobody wants an invention that doesn’t meet a need Customers can’t tell you what to make, since they don’t know the details of what...
by Shelley | Sep 14, 2001 | Articles
Here are some tips on how to think like a marketer Why it matters: Define your audience so you’ll know who to show your work to, how, when and why Target your message so you share the right level of information Know how to be inclusive, not defensive Think like...
