Announcing Interactions Article: What Makes Things Cool?

I’m pleased to announce my article on “What Makes Things Cool?” has just been published in the November issue of Interactions. See the front cover of your copy of Interactions or buy a copy of the PDF here. Any time that a new platform emerges, it calls for new design...

The Limits of Iterative Development

One of the ongoing questions in Agile development is whether and how much up-front design needs to be done. Many practitioners have cited the need for some high-level design, but the most extreme of Agile purists say none at all. These folks sometimes cite evolution...

Simple Methods for Reliable User Involvement

Hugh will be presenting at the Agile conference again this year, talking about basic techniques for getting users involved in your Agile sprints. From the conference program: One of the difficult problems faced by an Agile team is that of getting reliable user input....

Boston MiniUPA Conference Redux – May, 2011

Well, first off, there is no way they can call this the “Mini Conference” anymore with 600 people in attendance this year. What fantastic numbers! Chris Hass, in his opening, even joked about a contest for new names—and I think he was only half joking. Even the new...

I’m in the user’s shoes, now what?

How finding an empathetically user-centered perspective on design builds innovation Many of us talk about being user-centered, and most of us want to be user-centered designers. But what does that really mean? And how do you take the understanding you gain from user...