UXnet Local Ambassadors connect World Usability Day network
Sunday, December 10th, 2006 by Keith InstoneIn case you missed it, the second World Usability Day was held on November 14, 2006. The concept was based on Earth Day, with over 218 local events around the world all celebrating the user experience.
Behind the scenes, UXnet Local Ambassadors acted as regional liaisons, creating a network of support for the local events. “They really helped pull everything together,” said Rick Cecil, the Regional Liaison Chair. “In regions with a lot of events, people like Matteo Penzo and Karen Lindemann (Europe), Amit Deshpande (India) and Daniel Szuc (Asia) were critical in helping the organizers work together.”
The result was over 218 events in 40 countries. They were big and small, public and private. Some events took to the streets, looking for examples of good and bad design, such as a “Red Balloon Urban Safari” in Aukland, New Zealand, and a student walk through a mall in Curitiba, Brazil. Others highlighted innovative uses of technology, such as a job portal for illiterates in India and a design competition in North Carolina to create a product that would help children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) stay organized.
One of the added benefits was the networking within the community. As Justine Sanderson put it, “Here in New Zealand, we have a relatively small community, so it was great to see new people turning up.”
More information about World Usability Day and reports, pictures and video from the events are online at www.worldusabilityday.org
