Summer is upon us… the time of year where beaches are packed, the kids are out of school and Hollywood cranks out blockbuster after blockbuster to entertain the masses. I can’t remember a summer that didn’t have at least one…
Battle Beyond the Stars is a Star Wars knock-off that’s hardly worth revisiting
by Joseph Dickerson • May 12, 2013
I was playing with a new outdoor projector setup and was looking through Netflix to test it out. What movie could I use to run it through its paces? What film had a great variety in shot selection that would…
#UX101: Stakeholders and you!
by Joseph Dickerson • May 10, 2013
In any design project, you are going to have one or more stakeholders. These are the people who sponsored the project, and/or are the product managers responsible for the product being design, and/or are VPs responsible for a particular division……
How would you structure learning user experience design?
by Joseph Dickerson • May 9, 2013
User Experience is a great discipline to get into, especially right now. Hundreds of companies around the world have started applying UX principles in their processes and products, and many more are starting to “get” that UX, properly applied, adds…
#UX101: The software development life-cycle
by Joseph Dickerson • April 30, 2013
Why a section on software development process in an introduction to user experience? Because you will need to know and integrate with such processes as part of your job as a UX professional, that’s why. You will need to know…
Outland is a western in space that surprises and entertains
by Joseph Dickerson • April 24, 2013
One of the things I dislike about recent movies has been the rise of the “High Concept” film, movies that with a simple one-sentence premise that appeal to the lowest common denominator. You get generic movies that doesn’t surprise or…
What’s inside your UX workshop tool box?
by Joseph Dickerson • April 22, 2013
What I try to have in my portable workshop "kit:" Sticky notes. Lots of sticky notes, all different colors and sizes. I always have more than I think we'll need… And sometimes we run out. Estimate how many you'll need,…
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century tried to be James Bond in space… and failed
by Joseph Dickerson • April 22, 2013
When I was a wee lad, I obsessively consumed any sci-fi movies and TV shows I could find and watch. The 70s and 80s was a great time for genre television, with lots of different shows: Wonder Woman, Six Million…
Photos: 2013 Vintage Computer Show and Apple “Pop-up” Museum
by Joseph Dickerson • April 20, 2013
When I first heard that there would be a vintage computer show in Atlanta on March 20th and 21st, I was excited. Then, I read that a traveling Apple “Pop-Up” Museum would also be there. Being an Apple fanboy, this…
The Space:1999 Eagle 1 Spaceship from Mattel may be the coolest toy ever
by Joseph Dickerson • April 19, 2013
I am a rabid toy collector, and I am particularly interested in science fiction toys of the 70s and 80s. I have a whole storage/display area behind my home office filled with Star Trek, Micronauts, G.I.Joes, and Star Wars collectibles.…
#UX101: On working with developers and project managers
by Joseph Dickerson • April 18, 2013
No man is an island – to be an effective UX professional you need to work and partner with people with different backgrounds, skills, and priorities. If you don’t build solid relationships with the many people responsible for executing the…
What makes a really good charity website?
by Joseph Dickerson • April 16, 2013
I think there are four things that make a good charity website: A clear mission statement. What does the charity do? What is the mission of the charity? A clear statement of the charity's goals right up front tells potential…