November 2011
2 posts
6 tags
WatchEyes on the user experience (user-testing websites with real people)
Notes from a presentation by Optimal Usability at Write Limited in Wellington, New Zealand on 25 November 2011.
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October 2010
1 post
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September 2010
3 posts
4 tags
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WatchDigital Trends 2010
by Jorgen Dalena nd Kristian Palshaugen
Some of the information is a little out of date now, but a good list none-the-less.
The trends:
Social media fatigue
Real-time search and social search
The end of the Intranet…as we know it
Content leaves home
Augmented Reality (AR)
Service on demand
User-friendly collaboration tools
The new interface
iPhone killers
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Dilbert and social media
May 2010
5 posts
4 tags
WatchHighlights from Day One of the ALGIM Web Symposium 2010. Presentation to team members with an emphasis on Dave O’Brien’s card sorting presentation.
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“Within the next 10 years, the semantic web will take us from the age of...”
– Those who understand the semanitc web are split on its future
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“Wolowitz [about Sheldon]: How long’s he been stuck?
Leonard:...”
– The Einstein Approximation episode - The Big Bang Theory
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WatchRIP: A remix manifesto [trailer] is a documentary in which web activist Brett Gaylor and musician Greg Gillis, better known as Girl Talk, explore the issue of copyright and how culture builds upon culture in the information age.
http://www.ripremix.com
March 2010
11 posts
4 tags
Usability demo and discussion
Today I attended the fortnightly Wellington Usability Lunch. The theme was “Usability testing” and we viewed Steve Krug’s Usability Demo, which accompanies his latest book “Rocket Surgery Made Easy”.
The video is about 25 mins long and the ensuing discussion was mostly around what were the top three usability issues noted during the testing (there is a part in the...
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“How would you ever know what works well and what does not, if you don’t...”
– Dan Ariely, Professor of Behavioral Economics at Duke University. Author of Predictably Irrational.
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WatchAmazon Softball Club promo video 2010 filmed on 20 March 2010 at Onepoto Park, Titahi Bay against Porirua Club in the 2B Women’s 2nd Section final. Score was 11-8 win to Amazons.
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The BarCamp Virgin's Guide: Making the most of... →
Discusses the following:
What is BarCamp
Where do I find out about events like this?
How can I prepare?
Tackling your first presentation
But I’m not a spotlight kind of guy/gal…
What do I need to pack
What some BarCamp veterans say…
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Four Corners USA
Some of the places I want to visit, things I want to see, in the Four Corners / Southwest USA - in Wordle.
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WatchSocial media and digital media - are just part of how we communicate / by Catalyst90
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Amendment to the public finance act regulations -... →
Amendment to the Public Finance Act 1989 to allow the use of Web 2.0 tools and applications.
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WatchPresentation on Webstock, 11 March 2010.
Stumbling along the cow path - looking for a better way to doing things. Inspirational ideas from Webstock, 17-18 February 2010, Wellington, New Zealand / by Jo Orange
This slideshow is about some of the Webstock presenters and their ideas – it’s not a synopsis of each speaker. Here are some glimpses of what impressed and inspired me, what I thought were...
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WatchIntroduction to WCAG 2.0 / by Neil King, Vision Australia (August 2009)
“The W3C published the WCAG 2.0 specification in December 2008, but what does this mean for local governments and how do they work? This presentation provides a brief introduction to web accessibility and current the structure of the WCAG 2.0 specification. What is new in WCAG 2.0 and how it aims to support a variety...
February 2010
5 posts
4 tags
Whippet into shape - Inclusive design with Lisa...
Notes from the Webstock workshop “Inclusive design: Accessible user experiences on the web” run by Lisa Herrod, 17 February 2010.
The workshop was divided into two parts:
Role-based design: a new approach to inclusive design
Inclusive design research methods
Inclusive design - a brand new methodology. The workshop looked at the following inclusive design techniques:
heuristic and...
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Rocket Surgery Made Easy by Steve Krug: Usability... →
Demo usability test to go along with Steve Krug’s book “Rocket Surgery Made Easy”.
Watch online, or download the video (.mov, .wmv, .m4v files availalbe).
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The complete guide to Google Wave →
A comprehensive user guide to Google Wave, written by Gina Trapani with Adam Pash. This entire book is available to read for free online, with an electronic and upcoming print version available for purchase.
Note: this is an unofficial guide to Wave written by a community of contributors.
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January 2010
1 post
Watch10 Worst Practices for Intranets / by Sam Marshall
A look at common pitfalls in intranet design and operation, for both traditional and social-media driven approaches.
December 2009
14 posts
6 tags
Review of "Nook", the e-book reader from Barnes &... →
Unfortunately, “Nook” is not for sale outside the USA. And Kindle still isn’t available in New Zealand!
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Publications for the Web – PDF tool demo and...
Presentation by Naupama Rajagopal (Senior Software Developer) and Rebecca Robertson (Web Administrator) of the Department of Building and Housing on 15 December 2009.
The Department of Building and Housing (DBH) has the same issues as other government agencies in regards to publishing PDF information to the web such as how to convert the document to HTML and adhere to the New Zealand Government...
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WatchIntroduction to WCAG 2.0
by Paul Boag
An overview of the accessibility guidelines from WCAG 2.0. [Length 42:45]
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WatchAn introduction to web accessibility
by Paul Boag
In this presentation, Paul Boag explains the basics of web accessibility and dispels the myths surrounding the subject. [Length 27:08]
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The Web is Going Mobile (Is Your Organisation...
Notes from a presentation by Chris Loh and Shanan Holm of 3months, 8 December 2009.
Chris discussed the “walled garden” effect not allowing non-approved applications to feature on mobile phones. There has recently been a change to the “open allotment” idea of applications.
What is a Smartphone? Mobile phones have basic apps on them. Hand-held PDA’s have rich apps...
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Adopt an animal from the Wellington SPCA
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Wellington Usability Lunch - 9 Dec 2009
Discussion topic: the different methods of usability testing, and when and where to use each one for best effect.
The last Wellington Usability Lunch meeting for 2009 will be held on Wednesday 9 December 2009, 12 - 1pm at:
Provoke offices Level 22, State Insurance Building 1 Willis Street Wellington
As it is coming up to Christmas, this last lunch of the year will be a pot-luck lunch to share...
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Cloud Computing - Intergen Twilight Seminar,...
Microsoft’s Cloud Strategy / Presented by Scott Wylie, Microsoft’s Director Developer & Platform Group
Cloud computing means many things to many people – virtualisation, private/public clouds, Software-as-a-Service … it can be confusing!
What is Microsoft’s cloud strategy? Come and learn about the overarching principle of Software plus Services and the Microsoft cloud offerings, including...
7 tags
Government Technology Services (GTS)
Who we are, and what we can do for you
Notes from a presentation to the Government Web Community on 4th December 2009.
GTS Briefing by Tina Sutton, Director of Government Technology Services (GTS) DIA. In July 2009, the Government Technology Services group (GTS) moved from the State Services Commission to the Department of Internal Affairs. GTS provides many services to government agencies from...
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SEO Best Practice Techniques
Create quality content by using good keywords consistently within your content - spiders will be able to find the content and rank your website accordingly
Use Long Tail Keywords to give your website the edge in SEO 1
Design your website with creating a good user experience in mind. The flow on effect is that this generates links and your site will receive more traffic
Flash, Javascript and...
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Enhancing Online Collaboration
A discussion facilitated by Dr Stephen Thorpe [Word, 224.5kb] of Zenergy, 2nd December 2009 for the Government Web Community.
Although this talk was a little weak and was definitely seen from a facilitator’s viewpoint, the discussion held among the Government Web Community members during this session was interesting and thought provoking. This is a discussion that will continue in other...
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“Sheldon: It must be an emergency; everyone at the university knows that I eat my...”
– The Big Bang Theory - “The Monopolar Expedition” episode
November 2009
12 posts
3 tags
Usability on a shoestring
Notes from a presentation by Natasha Lampard, at “Engage your community” Conference at Massey University, Wellington on 12 November 2009.
Look at what options are available. Contextual inquiry is a user-centered design method that happens at the beginning of the life-cycle. Live the day in the life of the users.
Usability is about removing friction and making things easier, faster,...
“I had this guy leave me a voicemail at work, so I called him at home, and then...”
– The character “Mary” from the movie “He’s just not that in to you.”
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Social media for non-profits on a shoe-string...
Notes from a case study presented by Andrea Walker of Oxfam New Zealand, at “Engage your community” Conference at Massey University, Wellington on 12 November 2009.
30% of New Zealanders use social media on a weekly basis. Oxfam New Zealand use Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and Twitter to engage with people. Organisations should also consider using MyBlogLog - discover who’s visiting your site...
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Notes from the Wellington Usability Lunch meeting,...
Theme: Managing usability updates once build has started.
Always document any problems with usability and send this documentation upwards to managers, including the CEO. Videoing users as part of the usability testing is a good option, although this can go against the testing of the actual target audience.
The website “Whatusersdo” provides remote usability tests at £25 per user for...
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Wellington Usability Lunch - 25 Nov 2009
Theme: Managing usability updates once build has started.
Yes, it’s time for another Wellington Usability Lunch meeting - this Wednesday 25 November 2009. To be held from 12 - 1pm at the Provoke offices (Level 22, State Building, 1 Willis Street, Wellington).
Bring along your ideas, thoughts, experiences, questions, and of course your lunch.
Further information is available from the...
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Better communicating using the web:...
Notes from a case study by Ros Coote at “Engage your community” Conference at Massey University, Wellington on 12 November 2009.
CommunityCentral is an online space for people in community and voluntary organisatiions. It has over 600 members and over 900 monthly visitors.
CommunityCentral builds communities of like-minded communities on the internet. It takes on the values of our community...
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Second life: lessons from the virtual world
Notes from a presentation by Terry Neal @terryneal at “Engage your community” Conference at Massey University, Wellington on 12 November 2009.
Virtual Worlds - real connections. From Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 to Web 3D. MUVEs - Multi User Virtual Environments.
There are 579 Million users of virtual environments as at June 2009 - 57% are children. This is 37% more users worldwide than June 2008. Club...
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ACC Online – Internet Redesign
Notes from a presentation by Christine Murray, Manager, Website Services and Online for the Government Web Community, 19 November 2009.
Background http://www.acc.co.nz/ The Website Services and Online team at ACC has two separate streams – the content team and development team. These teams sit outside External Comms team. This unit considers writing web content to be a specialist skill, and as...