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Session abstract

HSBC is a global bank with over 100 million customers in 83 countries worldwide. As a global team dedicated to championing the needs of all of HSBC’s customers, HSBC User Centered Design (UCD) views the customer experience as one that has no borders. With user research and user interface design teams worldwide, UCD has the ability to meet the needs of an ever-changing world. UCD projects range from intranet designs and applications for internal staff to innovative engagements with ATMs and mobile banking. Join UCD as the team shares some of its memorable experiences setting the bar for the “World’s Local Bank.”

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer.

Our Sponsors

Location Sponsor: VFS
A huge thank you to VFS for hosting us for another year. VFS has been supported VanUE since our inception and we would like to thank them for their generosity!

RSVP

Positive RSVPs only please: rsvp@vanue.com

Session abstract

This new, high risk talk is a volitle combination of never before seen excerpts from the best selling book “The Myths of Innovation”, combined with the essence of Scott’s popular “How to find and manage ideas” course at the University of Washington. It will simultaneously demystifiy creative thinking, provide tips and tricks for finding ideas, provoke wild opinions and comical rants, and explore how to become more powerful at the creative aspects of your work and life. Format: Short interactive lecture, with extended Q&A (So bring your list of “things i always wanted to know about creative thinking but were too afraid or drunk to ask”).

About our speaker

Scott Berkun is the best selling author of the Art of project Management (O’Reilly 2005) and The Myths of Innovation (O’Reilly 2007). He is a full time author and public speaker, who writes about design, innovation and management at www.scottberkun.com.

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer.

Our Sponsors

Location Sponsor: VFS
A huge thank you to VFS for hosting us for another year. VFS has been supported VanUE since our inception and we would like to thank them for their generosity!

RSVP

Positive RSVPs only please: rsvp@vanue.com

Session abstract

Wikipedia, the encylopedia that anyone can edit, “can never work in theory, only in practice.” Accounting for one in every 200 page views on the Internet, it has become a part of our everyday lives. Wikipedia is changing the way we think about the economics of the web, the potential and the pitfalls of engaging the masses, and the role of professional information architects in a world in which content arrives from literally every direction.

In this session, we’ll explore the nuts-and-bolts of how the Wikipedia project works. Who writes Wikipedia, and why? How does the English Wikipedia maintain quality, consistent tagging, and coherent organization across over two million articles? What happens when contributors disagree? We will take a tour behind the scenes at Wikipedia to learn what happens when users are encouraged to - as they say on Wikipedia… “be bold.”

About our speaker

Su-Laine Yeo has worked in the software development industry since 1996 as an interaction designer, usability specialist, technical communicator, and software trainer. She is currently an Interaction Design Specialist at JustSystems, where she is responsible for analyzing user requirements and continually improving the usability of the XMetaL product family. Su-Laine has presented at the WritersUA and the Content Management Strategies conferences on DITA, an emerging XML standard. For about a year and a half, she has also been spending too much time on her hobby of writing for Wikipedia.

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer.

Our Sponsors

Location Sponsor: VFS
A huge thank you to VFS for hosting us for another year. VFS has been supported VanUE since our inception and we would like to thank them for their generosity!

Sponsor: Adaptive Path
Adaptive Path will be bringing their UX intensive to Vancouver in November. This intermediate-to-advanced workshop series examines the four key elements that contribute to a successful interactive experience: Design Strategy, Design Research, Interaction Design and Information Architecture. Workshops are led by Adaptive Path’s team of experts, including: Dan Saffer, Chiara Fox, Brandon Schauer and Todd Wilkens.

RSVP

Positive RSVPs only please: rsvp@vanue.com

Session abstract

Ever done a usability test, gone to the trouble of writing that killer report and seen the results go nowhere? Ever have to read someone else usability test report and think you’ve found the cure for insomnia? At Analytic Design Group we’ve experienced both frustrations and have come up with a better way, something we call Usability 2.0. This talk reviews how we’ve overhauled the process and come up with better ways to:

1. find participants
2. collect data
3. report our findings

Our clients have gone from reluctant readers of our reports to enthusiastic participants in the process. We’ve improved the client user experience and think that because of their far deeper engagement we’re producing much higher quality analysis and reporting that in turn results in a greater improvements to the end user’s customer experience as well.

About our speaker

Greg Bell
Greg Bell is a User Experience Designer who specializes in complex Interaction Design, Information Architecture and Usability Testing. Greg has passion and expertise for creating useful, engaging and usable interactive spaces that connect users and businesses.

Greg has had the privilege to work with small companies as well as multi-national brands such as Jenny Craig, AT&T and Electronic Arts. Whatever the size of the company, Greg loves to use his user research and problem solving skills to create better user experiences.

With a formal education in both Interaction Design and Graphic Design, Greg has a unique perspective on how both can shape the user experience. This allows him to help mold experiences through Information Architecture and Interaction Design deliverables as well as discussion and critique with Visual Designers.

Greg is a graduate of the Interactive Design faculty at Capilano College specializing in Information Architecture as well as the Design Essentials program at the Emily Carr Institue of Art + Design and the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer. Reception will be in place to assist all guests.

Our Sponsors

Location Sponsor: VFS
A huge thank you to VFS for hosting us for another year. VFS has been supported VanUE since our inception and we would like to thank them for their generosity!

Sponsor: Adaptive Path
Adaptive Path will be bringing their UX intensive to Vancouver in November. This intermediate-to-advanced workshop series examines the four key elements that contribute to a successful interactive experience: Design Strategy, Design Research, Interaction Design and Information Architecture. Workshops are led by Adaptive Path’s team of experts, including: Dan Saffer, Chiara Fox, Brandon Schauer and Todd Wilkens.

You must RSVP for this FREE event as it will fill up

Positive RSVPs only please: rsvp@vanue.com

Session abstract

As designers, we find ourselves in a position to inspire, celebrate and create value. The opportunities and challenges we face are new and exciting. The tools we have at our disposal are powerful and abundant. The communities we’ve forged and the ideas that flow openly are all indicators of a shift in our industry. We’ll discuss examples of all this and how we can continue to push forward.

About our speaker

Andrew Crow
Initially a print and web designer, he moved into information architecture and interaction design to promote holistic user experiences to corporate clients. Andrew has 12 years of design, technical and strategic experience.

Before joining Adaptive Path, Andrew managed the web and user experience team at Princess Cruises. This gave him the opportunity to lead the development of an entirely new online booking system, e-ticket solution and oversee online branding and marketing initiatives. Prior to that, he worked with element18 and Interfocus Advertising in Los Angeles.

Continually obsessed with the latest technologies in the mobile and gaming space, Andrew has been involved with advising on Palm and Windows Mobile applications, social networking and collaboration software. He is an advocate of ubiquitous computing, and approaches projects with a desire to ensure that the experience of the device fits into the overall product strategy.

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer. Reception will be in place to assist all guests.

Our Sponsors

Location Sponsor: VFS
A huge thank you to VFS for hosting us for another year. VFS has been supported VanUE since our inception and we would like to thank them for their generosity!

Event Sponsor: Adaptive Path
Adaptive Path will be bringing their UX intensive to Vancouver in November. This intermediate-to-advanced workshop series examines the four key elements that contribute to a successful interactive experience: Design Strategy, Design Research, Interaction Design and Information Architecture. Workshops are led by Adaptive Path’s team of experts, including: Dan Saffer, Chiara Fox, Brandon Schauer and Todd Wilkens.

This event is now FULL

To be added to the waitlist email us at: rsvp@vanue.com

Session abstract

Much of what we know about innovation is wrong — that’s the bet this talk takes, as it romps through the history of innovation in technology and design, dispelling the mythologies we’ve constructed about how we got here. This romp of a talk, loosely based on the upcoming O’Reilly book (May 2007), will help you to recognize the myths, understand why they’re popular (even if you don’t believe in them), and how to use the truth to help you innovate today!

About our speaker

Scott Berkun
Scott is an author, public speaker and consultant. He worked as a manager at Microsoft from 1994-2003, on projects including (v1-5) of Internet Explorer, Windows and MSN. He started his own consulting practice in 2003. Wrote the best seller “The art of project management” (O’Reilly 2005). And teaches a graduate course in creative thinking at the University of Washington. Visit Scott online at scottberkun.com.

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer. Reception will be in place to assist all guests.

Please arrive before 6pm since building doors lock at 6pm!

Presentation One: Training developers to make fact-based design decisions

Jerome Ryckborst | Gemcom Software International
Abstract: At Gemcom we are improving the usability of our large, legacy applications one step at a time by training our developers. We started educating them about usability theory and techniques, and how to apply those techniques to their projects. The result? We’ve started to change our corporate culture to embrace usability.

Presentation Two: IA Summit Review

Anthony Hempell | Blast Radius
Abstract: Anthony hasn’t quite figured out what he is going to talk about from the summit, but it will be good Find out more about some of the interesting sessions and talks from the recent IA Summit in Las Vegas.

Presentation Three: Redesigning TerasenGas.com

Kathleen Moynahan | Habanero Consulting Group
Abstract: To support the launch of the Customer Choice program, Terasen Gas needed a redesigned website. Kathleen will discuss how Habanero developed a new user experience for Terasen Gas customers by reviewing the project objectives, tools and tips, as well as lessons learned.

Presentation Four: Mobile Web: The expectation of experience

Greg Bell | Analytic Design Group
Abstract: Almost half of the global population in 2009 is expected to have mobile phones, of which 90% of them will have web browsers built right into them. The landscape for consumption of websites and media is changing at a rapid pace and as user experience professionals we need to provide appropriate advice to create engaging mobile experiences for our clients.

This talk explores how the user’s expectations of the mobile web is based directly on their desktop web usage. Examining the mobile strategy for two major web properties, key aspects of an effective mobile web strategy will be discussed.

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer. Reception will be in place to assist all guests.

Please arrive before 6pm since building doors lock at 6pm!

You must RSVP for this event!

Positive RSVPs only please: rsvp@vanue.com

Download Ben’s Presentation [PDF | 740 KB | 41 Pages]

Many organizations are adopting agile software development techniques when developing large-scale websites, web applications and desktop applications. How do you design an exceptional user experience in a project that follows an agile philosophy? How do traditional user-centered design activities, such as detailed up-front IA and UI discovery, fit into the agile development process?

In this session Ben Skelton, Director of User Experience for Habañero Consulting Group will propose one approach for incorporating User Experience design into large-scale agile projects. After the presentation we encourage everyone to join in a moderated discussion of techniques and tools that have worked for them, and those that haven’t.

About Our Speaker

As Habañero’s Director, User Experience, Ben Skelton manages both the User Experience practice and team and provides UE leadership for all projects. He has extensive knowledge and experience in corporate visioning and strategy, information and interaction design, user interface design, and usability engineering. An advocate of ‘unselfish’ design, Ben believes that good user interface design is not about the designer, but the person who ultimately interacts with the design: the user. Ben’s primary goal for all projects is to deliver real business value to clients and deepen their relationships with customers.

In addition to client work, Ben teaches a two-day seminar entitled “Designing a Better Web User Experience” for the Software Productivity Centre and has taught students from Accenture, Creo, IBM, ICBC, and Sierra Systems, among others. He is a co-founder of the Vancouver User Experience Group (VanUE) and has presented to numerous groups including the International Internet Marketing Association, COMDEX, and the Calgary Portal User’s Group.

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer. Reception will be in place to assist all guests.

Please arrive before 6pm since building doors lock at 6pm!

You must RSVP for this event!

Positive RSVPs only please: rsvp@vanue.com

How can you effectively conduct user studies of a software product when its users are located at a distance from you? How can you constructively evaluate low-fidelity prototypes with remote users? Paul D. Hibbitts will introduce you to some of the latest tools and share his insights during this practitioner-focused look at remote user-centered design.

About Our Speaker

Paul D. Hibbitts has specialized in user interface/interaction design for 12 years, producing design solutions for small screen devices, desktop applications, and the Web. He served as User Experience Design Manager at Infowave Wireless Messaging, and has developed and taught user interface design courses at several Canadian universities and colleges. Through his consulting company, Hibbitts Design, he provides custom design and training services for a wide range of clients.

Location: VFS (Vancouver Film School)

The VFS Digital Design campus is located at 420 Homer Street between Pender and W. Hastings. Enter through the side door on the east side of Homer Street. The event will take place in Theatre 1 accessible from the main foyer. Reception will be in place to assist all guests.

Please arrive before 6pm since building doors lock at 6pm!

You must RSVP for this event!

Positive RSVPs only please: rsvp@vanue.com