[stcusesig_l] ideas for WUD - World Usability Day

Fri Aug 22 11:17:05 MDT 2008

Does everyone get a pocket of money to spend while they walk the mall! :-)

On Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 10:02 AM, Alan Wyman <alan.wyman at comcast.net> wrote:
> The mall wayfinding sounds like a terrific idea! I am involved in the
> student STC chapter at the University of Minnesota. I will propose doing a
> mall walk at the Mall of America. Any tips would be appreciated.
> Alan Wyman
> alan.wyman at comcast.net
>
>
> On Aug 22, 2008, at 10:53 AM, Chauncey Wilson wrote:
>
> Thanks for the kind words.  Actually, my wife is the brilliant one.  I'm
> pretty well read though :-).
>
> I like the transportation concept.  It might also be interesting to do some
> observational studies on use of cell phones.  I sat an a long intersection
> last week and counted the number of people on their cellphones, about 30
> cars passed by and of those 30, 9 people were clearly using hand cell phones
> and not hands-free (so the estimate is probably low).  That made me very
> nervous. It was rush hour and people were probably calling home.
>
> I did a wayfinding walk in Boston at the first WUD and we had a great time
> examining landmarks, how buildings can support wayfinding, good and bad
> signs, and wayfindinging inside a mall.  About 6 of us went and we made
> notes and took pictures. If anyone wants to try that, I can pass on a few
> tips.
>
> Thanks,
> Chauncey
>
> On Fri, Aug 22, 2008 at 11:42 AM, Mary Deaton <mmdeaton at mmdeaton.com> wrote:
>>
>> Chauncey, You're brilliant. I know STC has participated as an
>> organization in WUD in the past. Was it UUX who made this happen? This
>> would be somewhat ironic, since I just sent email to the local UPA
>> chapter saying I could not coordinate the WUD activity this year
>> because I was too busy managing this group!
>>
>> I love the first two ideas. Number one would be easy for any SIG
>> member to do or for any individual person to do. We could set up a
>> Flickr or Facebook to which people could post the picture with
>> specific information. Or perhaps UUX could set up a page on our Web
>> site.
>>
>> The walks would be excellent for a local STC or UUX chapter to do on
>> WUD itself, and blog as they go and take cell phone pictures. I
>> suspect they would not need to cover more than a few square blocks to
>> get lots of info, especially if they scouted them out in advance.
>>
>> Any SIG members who want to volunteer to coordinate WUD activities,
>> please contact me via email and I will organize a call or chat or
>> something.
>>
>> Mary
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 5:03 AM, Chauncey Wilson
>> <chauncey.wilson at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > This would be an excellent topic for brainstorming.  Here are some
>> > thoughts:
>> >
>> > 1.  A photo gallery of good and bad signage.
>> > 2.  Wayfinding walks where a small team explores a city and examines
>> > issues
>> > around wayfinding
>> > 3.  Create a  bibliography of interesting issues related to
>> > transportation.
>> > 4.  Read together the book "Traffic" which dispells some myths about
>> > driving
>> > and traffic patterns.
>> > 5.  Examine what persuasive principles might work best to encouage
>> > public
>> > transporation.
>> > 6.  Explore the user experience of your area's bus or train system from
>> > the
>> > Web site with information to the experience of riding in rush hour.
>> > 7.  Have a colleague who has to get around in a wheelchair narrate what
>> > is
>> > it like for him/her to get around the city.
>> >
>> > Chauncey
>> >
>> > On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 3:05 AM, Karen Mardahl <k.mardahl at gmail.com>
>> > wrote:
>> >>
>> >> World Usability Day is coming up (Nov. 13), and I'd like to hear what
>> >> plans are simmering out there on the back burners of your minds. This
>> >> year's theme is transport.
>> >>
>> >> I live in Denmark, more specifically in Copenhagen, where we have lots
>> >> of public transport - trains, buses, and light-rail. The train station
>> >> near my office is a place frequented by blind people going to and from
>> >> the school for the blind just a stop ahead on the train line. I notice
>> >> how they navigate using the raised pieces of metal that form a trail
>> >> inside the station down to the tracks. I think about the turmoil in
>> >> rush hour and wonder how that is perceived by people with canes,
>> >> wheelchairs, or guide animals. I'd like to do some sort of project for
>> >> WUD. SIGCHI.dk held an all day mini-conference 2 years ago, but they
>> >> are doing nothing this year. Another group, webgrrls.dk, is interested
>> >> in "doing something". I threw the idea out in that group last week. I
>> >> am too fried with deadlines these days to think creatively right now.
>> >> I cannot figure out whether it is enough to have an event on the day,
>> >> or whether the day should be preceded by... something. Perhaps
>> >> something as simple as announcements in the news media? I also think
>> >> we should contact the bodies that run these services: www.dsb.dk
>> >> (trains), www.movia.dk (buses), and www.m.dk (metro). They may provide
>> >> access in ways that "ordinary" people can't, e.g. doing a survey or
>> >> some similar larger project. Even though we got involved with them, I
>> >> don't think commercialism would spoil a collaboration. We could also
>> >> test the tourist angle. Danish is the national language, so signage
>> >> and announcements are in Danish, of course, except for travels toward
>> >> the airport. How do non-Danish speakers feel about the transport
>> >> system. For example, is much of it intuitive? Personally, I'd like an
>> >> accessibility angle, too, because of my involvement in the
>> >> AccessAbility SIG (co-manager).
>> >>
>> >> I thought I would take the opportunity to just ask this group for
>> >> ideas and inspiration. Perhaps others would enjoy a brainstorming
>> >> session on this topic, too?
>> >>
>> >> Read more about WUD at their site: http://www.worldusabilityday.org/
>> >>
>> >> Thanks!
>> >>
>> >> regards, Karen Mardahl
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >
>> >
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>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Mary Deaton
>> Deaton Interactive Design
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-- 
Mary Deaton
Deaton Interactive Design