Training

Repositioning User Experience as a Strategic Process (London, UK)

For managers or advocates charged with championing user-centred design processes, “Repositioning User Experience as a Strategic Process” is a 1-day workshop that shows delegates how to think strategically about user centred design. Unlike ‘tools and techniques’ training, this workshop shows that the ‘user experience’ is more than an isolated set of techniques and best practices.

Overview

While user experience managers have diverse backgrounds, many lack formal training in management or strategic planning. This workshop fills the void by exploring an important topic: how to better align usability goals within the context of an organisation’s business strategy.

Referencing work by business gurus like Drucker, Christensen, and Grove, the workshop shows how management science and business strategy is relevant to user experience practitioners. The workshop covers the operational, organisational, and strategic aspects that user experience groups can and should impact within product development companies. Each topic area is discussed in depth, including case studies as examples, and followed by a group exercise where participants have an opportunity to apply the concepts to a problem faced by their own company.

Delegates work on creating a presentation aimed at the senior management of their company. Delegates vote to identify the best of these presentations, which is then delivered to all attendees.

This seminar is aimed at

This course is for you if you are a manager or advocate charged with championing user-centred design processes. The workshop will also be of interest to product or engineering managers who have a solid understanding of best practices and want to promote user-centred design in their organisation. Attendees should have experience with, or knowledge of, usability testing, gathering UI requirements, and UI design related activities. Some experience with managing or leading teams responsible for user experience activities would be beneficial but is not required. Workshop examples will primarily draw from software development contexts, but the material covered is broadly applicable to user experience initiatives in any product development oriented business.

You will learn how to

• Understand the difference between operational, tactical, and strategic activities.
• Identify hidden benefits associated with user experience efforts within your own company and how to communicate those benefits more effectively.
• Understand how three key factors in organisations (resources, processes, and values) impact product designs.
• Gain hands on experience with techniques to help prioritise work and identify ways of more effectively engaging other organisations in your company for maximum impact and visibility.
• Learn about strategic inflection points and how user experience is in a unique position to help organisations survive these situations.
• Practice articulating the rationale for user experience as a must-have competence for every product development initiative using business terminology.

More information and booking form: Repositioning User Experience as a Strategic Process.

Posted in Calendar | London, UK | Training | Userfocus
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Post-graduate in User-Centered Design

I’m coordinating a post-graduate in User-Centered Design into Universidade Positivo in Curitiba - Brazil.
The course brings the experience of designers and engineers of CESAR, professionals/researchers from Curitiba and brings a professional discuss for the area of interaction design and user experience.The path chosen is the user-centered design, the same used by renowned companies such as IDEO, CESAR, Apple, Intel, IBM, Nokia, Adaptive Path and any others.
Classes will to start in March 2010 and will be fortnightly (Friday and Saturday).The course is intended for the training of professionals involved in the process of developing new services and technology products. The gap is to apply theory and practice in a balanced and focused on research, development, prototyping and testing with users.
Presentation of post-graduate: http://www.slideshare.net/efileno/psgraduao-design-centrado-no-usurio
More information: http://www.posup.com.br/curso.asp?id=258
Cheers!
Érico Fernandes Fileno, M.Sc.
Interaction Designer
http://ericofileno.wordpress.com
http://www.slideshare.net/efileno
@efileno

Posted in Announcements | Curitiba, Brazil | Training
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Advanced Prototyping with Axure (London, UK)

For experienced users of Axure RP Pro who want to develop advanced prototypes, “Advanced Prototyping with Axure” is a 1-day seminar that shows delegates how to prototype rich internet applications (RIAs) and use the advanced features of Axure RP Pro.

You will learn how to

• Produce sophisticated prototypes, including those suitable for Rich Internet Applications (RIA).
• Customise prototypes specifications.
• Set up reusable assets libraries.
• Use Axure RP pro in conjunction with other related software.
• Use Axure RP pro on collaborative projects.

More information and booking form: Advanced Prototyping with Axure.

Posted in Calendar | London, UK | Training | Userfocus
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Axure Essentials (London, UK)

For new users of Axure RP Pro who want to create interactive prototypes, “Axure Essentials” is a 1-day seminar that shows delegates how to build wireframes and generate HTML prototypes. This training is designed for those who have little or no knowledge of Axure RP Pro who want to take their first steps in creating prototypes (wireframes).

You will learn how to

• Critically appraise common approaches to prototyping within a User Centred Design (UCD) context.
• Critically appraise common prototyping tools and associated techniques.
• Produce straightforward Axure RP Pro prototypes (wireframes).
• Produce interactive HTML prototypes suitable for usability testing.
• Generate concise prototype specifications in Microsoft Word.

More information and booking form: Axure Essentials.

Posted in Calendar | London, UK | Training | Userfocus
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How to carry out a usability expert review (London, UK)

For people in design teams who need to spot usability problems in prototypes and finished products, “How to carry out a usability expert review” is a 1-day seminar that teaches delegates cost-effective methods to evaluate designs. Unlike courses in usability testing, this seminar teaches delegates how to find and fix usability problems without involving end users.

You will learn how to

• Appreciate the difference between a usability inspection and someone’s personal opinion.
• Learn and practice some quick techniques for carrying out usability reviews of prototypes and finished products.
• Find and fix usability bloopers before they become hard coded.
• Apply Jakob Nielsen’s “heuristic evaluation” technique to software, products and web sites.
• Uncover the elements of your design that lead new users to make errors, using the task-based “cognitive walkthrough” method.
• Learn to spot usability problems in prototypes and finished products.

More information and booking form: How to carry out a usability expert review.

Posted in Calendar | London, UK | Training | Userfocus
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A Practical Guide to Usability Testing (London, UK)

For people in design teams who want to gain confidence in usability testing, “A practical guide to usability testing” is a 1-day workshop that shows delegates how to obtain customer feedback on prototypes and finished products. Unlike lecture-based courses, delegates get practical, hands-on experience moderating and logging usability tests.

By attending this usability testing course you will learn how to

• Write a screener to recruit the right test participants.
• Write a usability test plan to get buy-in from management and the development team.
• Develop test tasks that are relevant to your customers and your business.
• Choose the right usability test method for your product and its lifecycle phase.
• Design usability tests that meet international standards in usability.
• Adapt our standard forms and templates for your own tests.
• Moderate usability tests.
• Collect and analyse behavioural data.
• Persuade managers and developers to take action based on your test results.

More information and booking form: A Practical Guide to Usability Testing.

Posted in Calendar | London, UK | Training | Userfocus
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Escape the lab (San Francisco, CA, USA)

Hands-on training in remote methods for qualitative user research, including remote usability testing, remote card sorting, and crafty different kinds of recruiting for remote studies. By Bolt | Peters User Experience.

For researchers, designers, and product managers who want to watch real people use technology from the comfort of their own desks.

Topics:

• Strengths and weaknesses of remote ux research
• Study design & scripting
• Participant recruiting options
• Moderating in the remote environment
• Tools for screen sharing, recording, and communication
• What can go wrong and what to do about it

See escapethelab.com for more information (space is limited).

Posted in Calendar | San Francisco (Bay area), CA, USA | Training
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UX Intensive (Washington, DC, USA)

UX Intensive is Adaptive Path’s four-day series for experienced professionals wanting to take their practice to the next level. They examine the key elements that contribute to a successful interactive experience:

• Design Strategy
• Design Research
• Interaction Design
• Information Architecture

Each day is led by Adaptive Path’s team of experts.

See adaptivepath.com for more information.

Posted in AP | Calendar | Training | Washington, DC, USA
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User Centred Design training (London, UK)

User centred design techniques help you understand your users better and design effective, efficient and satisfying products and systems. The benefits include:

- increased sales
- improved customer satisfaction
- better productivity
- increased sales conversion rates
- projects completed to time and budget
- no expensive last minute revisions.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
If you are involved in specifying how a system or product will look and function this course will make it easier for you to do your job effectively. Project managers, engineers, designers, developers and analysts from IT, commercial or marketing functions can all benefit from learning about the user centred design process.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?
This comprehensive course provides theory, case studies and examples as well as hands-on activities for you to practice your new skills. Topics include:

- Applying the User Centred Design approach to your business
- Business benefits of a User Centred Design approach
- Guidelines and Standards
- Knowing your target users and capturing their requirements
- Translating requirements to conceptual design and release criteria
- Prototyping techniques
- Measuring and testing usability

ACCREDITATION

This course is accredited by the Ergonomics Society at Level 2, ideal for continuous professional development. 

WHAT DID PREVIOUS PARTICIPANTS THINK?
“Leslie was extremely flexible (i.e. If more time was needed, more time was taken). Her presentation (slides and orally) was engaging and ensured that interest was kept. The pace of the course was excellent. Can I come again?”

“Leslie was friendly, knowledgeable and provided clear instructions. I am starting at the front end of a new project next week and will find this an excellent grounding to get the project going.”

“Enthusiastic and informative. A thorough approach to the requirements of the team in training.”

HOW TO BOOK
The course costs £675+VAT per person including lunch and a comprehensive course manual.

Please contact Leslie Fountain on 020 7240 3388 or email leslie@system-concepts.com to reserve your place.

Full details of all our usability training courses are on our website at www.system-concepts.com

Posted in Calendar | London, UK | Training
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UX Intensive (San Francisco, CA, USA)

UX Intensive is Adaptive Path’s four-day series for experienced professionals wanting to take their practice to the next level. They examine the key elements that contribute to a successful interactive experience:

• Design Strategy
• Design Research
• Interaction Design
• Information Architecture

Each day is led by Adaptive Path’s team of experts.

See adaptivepath.com for more information.

Posted in AP | Calendar | San Francisco (Bay area), CA, USA | Training
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