Events

WEB CONTENT STRATEGY: Where UX, Marketing, and IT Meet

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 by Colleen Jones
August 6, 2009
6:30 pmto9:00 pm

Location: Georgia Tech Global Learning Center  -  Map
Cost: $15 for CHI*A or AIMA Members, $25 for Nonmembers

REGISTER NOW

In recent years, the people responsible for crafting our online experiences have – slowly but surely, and perhaps unwittingly – marginalized the process of creating and maintaining content customers actually care about. “Nobody really reads online.” “The design drives the experience.” “We can always fill in/fix the content later.”

Companies and agencies spend months and millions of dollars on how they’ll deliver content online, yet allocate very few resources toward creating and governing the content itself. Why? Distributed ownership, internal politics, scope creep, higher-than-anticipated costs … content is messy. To make matters worse, most of us don’t have the internal infrastructures necessary to support its ongoing care and feeding.

So. Who needs to “own” our content? How effective are web editorial standards and policies? What role does content strategy play in user experience design? When it comes to the CMS, will marketing and IT ever get along?

Kristina Halvorson, author of Content Strategy for the Web, will lead a conversation with representatives from marketing, user experience, and content management about the emerging discipline of web content strategy. We’ll discuss new opportunities for agencies and organizations to rethink the way they plan for and manage content.

MODERATOR: KRISTINA HALVORSON
Kristina Halvorson is widely recognized as one of the country’s leading web content strategists. For more than a decade, Kristina has led content projects for hundreds of websites across dozens of industries. She is a passionate advocate for web content strategy and speaks regularly on the topic to audiences around the country.

THE PANELISTS

USER EXPERIENCE: Karen McGrane, Bond Art + Science
Karen has been making the internet a better place since 1995. As a Senior Partner at Bond Art + Science, she provides user experience design, information architecture, and content strategy services to clients like Fast Company, The Atlantic, and Fiduciary Trust. Karen is an active participant in the User Experience community and a frequent speaker at conferences, including SIGCHI, the ASIST Information Architecture Summit, and From Business to Buttons. She has also contributed to several Forrester reports on developing personas.

MARKETING: John Muehlbauer, InterContinental Hotels Group
John currently leads a team focused on Product Strategy and Planning in IHG’s Distribution Marketing area. His areas of responsibility include: PMO, User Experience, Brand Experience, and International Experience across all marketing distribution channels. One of his current initiatives is to upgrade the hotel content, including writing and photography, at ~3200 newly repositioned Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels.

VISUAL DESIGN: Brian Ikeda, Philips Design
Brian Ikeda is a Senior Interactive Art Director at Philips Design. He leads a team of talented information architects and visual designers who support all areas of Royal Philips Electronics by creating a variety of interactive products including ecommerce sites, marketing sites, intranet solutions, internal blogs and healthcare applications.

CMS / IT: Ryan Esparza, Content Management Consultant
Ryan Esparza is an enterprise content management consultant with experience in the ecommerce and online media fields. He has overseen multiple CMS implementations for use as web content management tools. Previously Ryan served as an Online Applications Manager at The Home Depot, where he was responsible for homedepot.com’s web content management strategy.

Understanding Social Media, Accelerating Social Participation

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 by Olga Howard
June 10, 2009
6:00 pmto7:45 pm

Billions of people participate in online social activities. Some users participate as readers of discussion boards, searchers of blog posts, or viewers of photos. A fraction of users become contributors of user-generated content by writing consumer product reviews, uploading travel photos, or expressing political opinions. Some users move beyond their individual efforts to become collaborators, forming tightly connected groups with lively discussions whose outcome might be a Wikipedia article or a carefully edited YouTube video. A small fraction of users become leaders who participate in governance by setting and upholding policies, repairing vandalized materials, or mentoring novices.

It’s FREE!

See IxDA DC site for more information.

May LA-UX Meetup: Conference Redux Mania (Glendale, CA)

Sunday, May 24th, 2009 by Alexis Antonelli
May 27, 2009
6:45 pmto8:45 pm

Recaps from 3 conferences, 30 minutes each, followed by discussion and LA-UX 2nd birthday party with music and games.

  • CHI (Amy Li). Covers eyetracking, face tracking for user
    research, new mobile interaction, social networking, and what’s cooking
    at MIT Media Lab, Google Lab, IBM Lab, and Microsoft Lab. See www.chi2009.org
  • Web Application Summit (Susan Oslin)
  • IA Summit (Chris Chandler & Lynn Boyden)
     

Date and Time:
Tuesday, May 27, 2009 at 6:45 pm

Location:
Glendale Central Library
222 E. Harvard St.
Glendale, CA 91205

Parking:
Marketplace parking structure, 120 Maryland, Glendale, CA 91205. Parking details.Parking validation via stamp inside library (on your way in or out).

Room:
Meeting held in 2nd floor auditorium.

Sponsor: AT&T Interactive (thank you!)

Los Angeles UX Book Club Meeting (North Hollywood, CA)

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009 by Alexis Antonelli
May 20, 2009
7:00 pmto9:00 pm

Did you know that the last two meetings were wildly popular and successful? UX professionals all over the world are flocking to UX Book Club, and one of our members told me this was one of the most valuable UX events he’d ever attended in LA! Just consider the opportunity for knowledge and insight you’ll lose if you don’t join us. Want to come but worried you won’t finish the book? Email Sarah at (nightlight [at] gmail.com) and we’ll make a bet on it.

Seriously, the book is a really interesting page-turner, and this meeting is going to be lots of fun. You won’t want to miss it. (Plus, HUGE is hiring – might be a good opportunity for you job seekers to scout out their digs.)

The Book:
Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wellness, and Happiness.
Info about the book at Amazon.

Event Date and Time:
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
7:00 pm

Event Location:
HUGE
11135 Weddinton St.
North Hollywood, CA

RSVP:
Post to the Los Angeles UX Book Club Group on LinkedIn

LA UPA Chapter May Meetup (Santa Monica, CA)

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009 by Alexis Antonelli
May 21, 2009
6:30 pmto8:30 pm

This will be the third meeting of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Usability Professionals’ Association.

We have completed our informal phase, and will be moving into official UPA business. It is the expectation that all people participating in the planning portion of this event are UPA members, or will be willing to sign up as a UPA member at this event.

Our agenda will be as follows:

  • Voting on UPA activities moving into the summer
  • Creation of the official UPA Petition
  • Organize a Constituting Meeting (This requires all participants to be UPA members)

During our last meeting, participating members agreed upon the following Interim officers for the duration of our Petition:

President - Stephen Ruiz (Rapp)
Vice President - Patrick Neeman (Usability Counts)
Secretary - Jason Van Marie (Disney)
Treasurer - Anthony Mauzy (Sidian Agency)

We will be changed for the use of the library facility. As such, I am asking that meeting participants donate what they can to help cover the cost of the facility. The cost for booking the room is $90.00, including and $100.00 deposit.

Any money collected in excess of this will go to the group fund.

Thanks for your response. I look forward to seeing all of you at this event.

-Stephen Ruiz

Event Date and Time:
Thursday, May 21, 6:30 pm

Location:
Santa Monica Library - Main Branch
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Cost:
$5  (to cover room rental) Please pay ahead of time by clicking on the PayPal link on the Meetup page.

RSVP:
Join the LA - UPA Meetup and RSVP from there.

Back of the Envelope: Sustainable Restaurant Crawl (Pittsburgh, PA)

Thursday, January 8th, 2009 by Onny Chatterjee
January 22, 2009
6:30 pmto9:00 pm

The Pittsburgh Chapters of eDG, IDSA, AIGA and IxDA have organized a restaurant crawl with presentations and discussions focused on sustainable design. The event kicks off at 6:30 on Thursday, January 22 at Oh Yeah! Ice Cream and Coffee (232 S. Highland Ave., Pgh) and proceeds to Casbah and Abay. Tickets are $12 if you RSVP and $15 at the door, and include food and drinks at all three locations. See the flyer(.jpg) more information.

Office Ergonomics: Current Trends (Columbus, OH, USA)

Thursday, July 31st, 2008 by Bob Hale
August 5, 2008
11:00 amto1:30 pm

Get up to date on the latest ergonomic findings and trends with Cornell University’s Professor Alan Hedge. Professor Alan Hedge is an extensively published, internationally recognized expert in ergonomics. He has appeared on numerous television shows, including the Today Show, Weekend Today, the Early Show and NOVA, and has been featured in Time, Business Week, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. 

CEUs
Attendees are eligible for AIA and IDCEC (IIDA, ASID, IDC, IDEC) credits.  

LOCATION
Hilton Columbus at Easton Town Center
Regent Ballroom
3900 Chargrin Drive
Columbus, OH 43219
614-416-8417 

RSVP
RSVP3@bdeonline.biz
212-353-1383 

DATE
Tuesday, August 5, 2008  

TIME
11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Registration
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Presentation & Lunch 

Professor Alan Hedge will present the latest research on the ergonomic requirements for healthy computing, including:  
- Ergonomic requirements for the modern office
- Computer work and preventing musculoskeletal disorders
- Latest research on keyboards and mice
- Effects of input device design and positioning on posture
- Ergonomic chair design requirements and optimal seated posture
- Visual ergonomics and new screen technologies
- Research on benefits of working in dynamic neutral posture
- Latest evidence on economic benefits of ergonomic interventions  

Alan Hedge is a tenured Full Professor in the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University, where, since 1987, he has directed the Human Factors and Ergonomics teaching and research programs. He also has a joint appointment as a Research Professor in the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering at Syracuse University. He directs the Cornell Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory and co-directs the Cornell Design Concepts Laboratory. Prior to joining Cornell, for over 10 years Professor Hedge ran the Graduate Program in Applied Psychology and Ergonomics at Aston University, Birmingham, U.K., and from 1990 to 1993 he was an Honorary Research Fellow at the Institute of Occupational Health, University of Birmingham, U.K. Professor Hedge is a Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and was awarded the 2003 Alexander J. Williams Jr. Design Award by the Society.

UXIrregulars June (Toronto, ON, Canada)

Monday, June 9th, 2008 by Kaleem
June 10, 2008
6:30 pm

We’re meeting at our usual place (Duke of Devon patio) and time (second Tuesday of every month).

Current forecast is 26 C & mostly sunny - perfect for an evening on the patio for discussions about all things UX and beyond with friends & colleagues. Newcomers are always welcome so bring a friend.

The Duke is accessible underground via the PATH network from King, Union & St. Andrew TTC subway stations so on the off-chance it rains (Weather Network predicts a 30% chance) you don’t even have to step
outside!

If you’re on Upcoming, please indicate if you plan to attend so we have numbers for what will surely be a busy patio

Where
Duke of Devon (patio)
Toronto Dominion Centre, TD Tower
66 Wellington Street West (just West of Bay & Wellington)
Toronto, Ontario M5K 1H1
Google Maps
http://tinyurl.com/3ba24u
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=66+Wellington+Street+West,+Toronto,+ON

Upcoming.org
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/778494/

Todd Purgason of Juxt Interactive (Columbus, OH, USA)

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 by Bob Hale
June 19, 2008
6:30 pmto9:30 pm

Columbus Society of Communicating Arts is pleased to welcome Todd Purgason as their next guest speaker.

Social Hour: 6:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Presentation: 7:30 p.m.–9 p.m.
Location: Canzani Center, Columbus College of Art & Design

Members: $5.00 (Professional + Faculty)
Non-Members: $15.00
Student Members: FREE
Student Non-Members: $5.00

As co-owner and creative director of Juxt Interactive, Todd Purgason is known for his intense, Flash-based work for clients as diverse as Adobe, Target, Sony, and Fuse TV. The author of Flash deConstruction, he’s been on the cutting edge of website interactivity for more than a decade. But it’s about more than Flash to Purgason, who prefers the tangibility of presentation boards to screen captures when showing concepts. From client interactions to delivered project, he strives to deliver an integrated, finished experience.Since co-founding Juxt Interactive in Newport Beach, California, in 1998, Purgason has delivered fresh Web experiences consistently, from innovative Flash 1.0 sites to today’s attention-grabbing Facebook modules. Purgason came to interactive Web design from architecture, and it’s evident in the attention to detail and integration found throughout Juxt’s portfolio.

IxDA DC Kick-off Social ~ RSVP!

Monday, April 21st, 2008 by Olga Howard
April 28, 2008
5:30 pmto7:30 pm

IxDA D.C. is throwing a Face-2-Face Social so we can meet in person for drinks, socializing, and planning upcoming events based on user (you–the community) research. As such, we will be gathering both qualitative and quantitative data on the interests of the local IxDA & IA communities. We might even craft some personas (using pictures from later in the evening) to bring our archetypes to life.

So — come one, come all to this April IxDA D.C. social event. Bring your business card, or fill out a blank one there, and we will have a door prize raffle of something cool. You can RSVP to wkevans4@gmail.com

>> When: Monday, April 28th, 5:30 - 7:30pm (but feel free to stay late!)

>> Where: Cafe Citron, Dupont Circle, 1343 Connecticut Ave., Washington D.C.

>> Map: http://tinyurl.com/4guhzb

This a great opportunity to connect and network with local IxDA and IA folks - many of whom just returned from the IA Summit and are burning to share all the brilliant ideas and methods they learned.

The IxDA D.C. coordinators will be there and want you to contribute ideas as we plan upcoming events!

Please RSVP to Will Evans: wkevans4@gmail.com since we will be reserving the space.

/ IxDA D.C. Coordinators