• Add style to your drinks. http://t.co/rXV0nTuy #
• Enjoying an afternoon in the park. #
• The bottle of tonic water I just opened exploded in a cartoon-like fashion.

  The good news is, I no longer have to mop the kitchen floor. #

• It's at times like these that I'm glad my first job, bartender at Coyote Ugly, didn't work out. #
• RT @melissamoore Gingrich says he has no plans to withdraw. Unless a younger, prettier race comes along. #
• Just read that the rumored Back to the Future won't happen. Tempted to write it myself. #
• Songs in a BTTF musical: "Damn Libyans!" "Calvin Klein, I think I love you" "Stop kissing me, Mo… Miss!" & showstopper "Great Scott!" #
• The rumored Back to the Future musical isn't happening. Tempted to write it myself. #
• Just went back in time to edit a tweet about Back to the Future. And date my mom. #
• So, @TweetsMcG, after meeting me in "real life" Friday night: I am ruggedly handsome, right?

  No, wait… We both know the answer to that. #

• Is it wrong to pin photos of beautiful women to "Favorite places and spaces" on Pinterest? I'm thinking yes. #
• Just to let everyone know, I am the perfect accompaniment to pasta, veal or pork. #
• Link: Batman Mr Potato Head, Official Toy Tie-In For The Dark Knight Rises, Now Available http://t.co/v1fqXSyt #
• Link: Watch Patrick Stewart & Liam Neeson Preside Over Battle Of Star Trek v Star Wars Action Figures http://t.co/ITo7iLU6 #
• 40 days before I move back to the US. But before I do, I need to get the One Ring to the fires of Mount Doom… #
• In my opinion and experience, the Safety Dance isn't very safe. Not at all. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Donald Glover Pleads With You To Help Get Community Back On Air And Help Save The Bees http://t.co/PT6cOla9 #
• Raiding The Lost Ark , a documentary on you-know-what, has been released. http://t.co/URHg3FMK #
• Great article about a bunch of fans who watched all the Bond films, straight through, over 3 days. http://t.co/8zQXXrq6 #
• BTW, the best Bonds according to the marathon attendees: #1 Goldfinger, #2 Casino Royale, #3 Spy Who Loved Me #4 OHMSS #5 Goldeneye. I agree #
• If you're a cartoon fan, this may be the best new Superbowl commercial: http://t.co/ue0XTp2z #
• Excellent news: Andre Braugher will captain ABC's 'Last Resort' pilot http://t.co/7nr4fP9V Been a fan of Andre's work for two decades now. #
• Right now, I'm coolly detached. #
• Link: Mac OS X Bug Causing All Apps to Crash in 10.7.3; Here's the Somewhat Complicated Fix [Troubleshooting] http://t.co/STN57HHv #
• Link: The Two-Headed Beast of Successful Habit Change http://t.co/zPpuFACH #
• Mad Men Falling Man Street Posters Humorously Altered http://t.co/6p5aTuf5 #
• New at josephdickerson.com, First world problems: http://t.co/130iGFom #
• My answer to: What are best 10 books about user experience design? http://t.co/tQlJfBPA #ux #
• Now THIS is more like it, Sydney. Sunny, no clouds, beautiful blue sky. Enjoying it. And, unlike last weekend, I remembered sunscreen. #
• The paperback version of my book on #UX Experience Matters, is now available: http://t.co/yYphaduT #
• A reminder: the kindle edition of my #UX book Experience Matters is FREE for two more days! http://t.co/CHeRQa9R #
• Got the sudden urge to go antiquing. Then I remembered I was male and straight and it went away. #
• I agree with Tina Turner: all we want is life beyond Thunderdome. #
• Inside the First Screening of A Clockwork Orange http://t.co/8goMjGeG #
• Time for a true American icon to be invited to the Super Bowl halftime stage: Weird Al Yankovic http://t.co/CMYSIHw1 ME: HERE HERE! #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Designing for the Digital Age: How to Create Human-Centered Products and Services by Kim Goodwin is a favorite of mine, in the fact that it is just so comprehensive. It's THE book to me.

A Project Guide to UX Design: For user experience designers in the field or in the making is a great primer on UX and a good book around project planning.

The Persona Lifecycle: Keeping People in Mind Throughout Product Design (Interactive Technologies) is THE definitive reference to creating personas.

The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman is the seminal work on UX design and should be the first book in any library.

Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability is another "classic" in the domain.

About Face 3: The Essentials of Interaction Design is Alan Cooper's magnum opus on interaction design.

The Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web and Beyond by Jesse James Garrett because it's awesome.

Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design by Bill Buxton, because it's really good and practical.

Mental Models: Aligning Design Strategy with Human Behavior by Indi Young because it's a great foundational book about understanding how users think of certain domains.

Inspired: How To Create Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan, because desirability is something that is not covered by most books on UX.

See question on Quora

Have a "smart" FAQ. Make the primary section be the most frequently "asked" questions, based on analytics. Show only the top 10, with an options o view more. Have an obvious link to view all and an obvious text field to search all. Have a section at the bottom of the detailed answer page that asks "did this answer your question?" and an option to add an explicit question to the FAQ if it does not. If they enter an explicit question, try to search one more time against this text. If no results are retrieved then ask them if they want to be contacted if the answer to this question is ever added to the FAQ, and if so enter an e-mail address.

This design does several things: it "crowdsources" the most popular questions into a top 10. It allows for quick search and/or browsing activity. Finally, it engages the user by asking them to add their own question and allows you to capture an e-mail address that you can use to potentially respond at a later date.

When I went back to the US during Christmas (on a break from the project I’m working on overseas) I was greeted with a score of problems. My mail was piled high and deep on my desk. My computer needed multiple upgrades, as did the iPad I left. Music I bought needed to be transferred to the music library drive I kept in the states. Neglected backups needed to be done. Photo libraries needed to be synced. And so on.

I rolled up my sleeves to get started, and as I was working I realized the ludicrousness of the “problems” I had to solve. Oh no! I thought to myself, all of my files weren’t synced across my many computing devices! How could I work under such conditions?!

That I had closely followed the many stories of disaster and strife that had happened over the past year gave me much-needed context and perspective. What I was dealing with was the very definition of “first world problems”… problems that were in no way comparable to those that happened around the world. These problems were ongoing and, even as I type this now, these second- and third-world problems are causing misery and suffering to hundreds of thousands of people. Compared to the lives those people live, our “baseline” is extremely high. In fact, a great website has been created that catalog some of out first world problems, and you can visit it here.

I, and many of us, are extremely lucky to have the lives we enjoy. We have advantages, like running water and plumbing, that a significant percentage of the world don’t. I’ve often read conservative pundits talking about how the poor should not be called the “less fortunate” because with a strong work ethic anyone can succeed. To that I reply… umm, Horatio Alger is dead. And, yes, while the poorest of us in America have better lives than the poorest in scores of other countries do, it’s not all “choice” or a lack of a work ethic. Luck, location, timing, education, parents… all are factors that play a part. To think otherwise is to be dogmatic and wrong.

As I look at my job, and where I am at in my career, I have very little to complain about. I am well-regarding in my domain, am making a very good wage, and get to do what I love – design solutions that help people accomplish tasks and solve problems. Since solving problems is what I do, it definitely helps to have perspective about the severity of these problems. In most instances, they are problems we have created for ourselves, problems that our technological tools have made for us. Problems that should often be answered simply: don’t worry about it.

• Now this is the right way to get tips from geeks. http://t.co/XAgqO2kz #
• #FollowFriday @mfrost11, because everyone has secrets. He knows many of them. #
• #FollowFriday @TweetsMcG, because she's beautiful. #
• The great Peter Gabriel, singing a song written by Lou Reed. The power of your heart. http://t.co/mzexB4zp #
• I'm molting. #
• Link: iPad Video Editing Gets Serious With Avid Studio http://t.co/SWeq9qcH #
• Link: How To Pimp Your LinkedIn Profile http://t.co/STzTGnqw #
• Adam Lambert is the new lead singer of Queen http://t.co/nn1S9ga3 #
• New retro TARDIS playlet coming in November: http://t.co/ewxMTKGt #
• RIP Director Zalman King http://t.co/x9vBo2LP #
• RIP actor Ben Gazarra http://t.co/Vd4YEcBT #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• G.I. Joe: Retaliation Super Bowl Ad http://t.co/vNYXc2MA #
• Apple rolls out Mac OS X Lion, Snow Leopard updates http://t.co/Tj2Cyi1J #
• Still not too late to get my book on the cult TV show The Prisoner on kindle or iBooks for FREE! Only hours left! http://t.co/I2ysnGIJ #
• As much as I hate to be a corporate shill (ahem), I still have to share this video of dogs barking the Imperial March. http://t.co/NwGuP2e2 #
• Holy copyright, Batman! Custom car maker in trouble for making Batmobiles http://t.co/b2bP5j7E #
• Was gonna go to bed, but as I was flipping channels I saw 2001 was on Fox Classics. #makingcoffee #
• One thing people don't appreciate enough about 2001: the sound. The mixing and cutting are fantastic. #
• Link: When Alan Moore Helped Write A Series Of Watchmen Prequels http://t.co/b182GHgF #
• Link: LeVar Burton Snags @ReadingRainbow Twitter Handle To Push New Reading App http://t.co/jwFEzYrC #
• Get my new book on #ux design, Experience Matters, for the kindle for FREE (one week only) http://t.co/WyqnGbfZ #
• The biggest career mistakes millennials make http://t.co/HsqZWyyY #
• The wilderness survival skills everyone should know… http://t.co/WC2XCQv2 #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Captured Moments is an interactive book of my photography. It is available exclusively from the Apple iBooks store and is available for the low low cost of FREE. Please check it out, I hope you like it

• Came up with an outline for (what I think would be) a great #UX presentation… and I have nowhere to present it. #
• Imagine a better world in which this Breaking Bad RPG exists http://t.co/sN2ESLUu #
• "Dear business people, an iOS app actually takes a lot of work!" http://t.co/7PYxM07M #mobile #
• Ten Things To Think About When Designing Your iPad App http://t.co/H2bBGUPv #ux #
• 6 weeks, 2 days, 17 hours and 30 minutes until I get on a plane to head home. But who's counting? #
• Time is running out to get my book on the classic TV show The Prisoner for the Kindle or iBooks for FREE! One more day to go. Be seeing you. #
• A truly gray day. http://t.co/Cwr4BIMp #
• Just checked the Apple iBooks store… And saw some good news. Details tomorrow. #
• Wow, just checked Google+ and the only person there was the girl from The Blair Witch Project staring at me in a closeup. "I'm so sorry…" #
• Just read an article that stated Spielberg was the most overrated director of all time. I won't link to it because it's completely wrong. #
• Most overrated director? DePalma, Bay, Shyamalan – all qualify. Not Spielberg. Though Spielberg is far from perfect. #
• Oh, and I forgot the One True Candidate for the title of most overrated movie director ever: James Cameron. #
• Link: Avery Brooks Arrested For DUI http://t.co/ePiTBbim #
• Link: Why Android isn't gaining on Apple in the Enterprise http://t.co/jV7d2Duy #
• Great news! My book on #UX Experience Matters, is now available for the Kindle, and it's FREE for 1 week only! Plz RT! http://t.co/1YaOZM34 #
• A book of my photography, Captured Moments, is now available in the iBooks store, for the low low cost of free. Hope you like it. Please RT. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• FYI, my book on #UX Experience Matters, will be available 1st on Amazon & the Kindle rather than iBooks, due to Apple approval delays… #
• You know what would make me happy? If a middle-aged actor was paid to be in a TV ad that repeatedly referenced a film he did 20 years ago. #
• So, what's the deal with this crappy Super Bowl commercial? I mean, really! #nolaughsforyou http://t.co/EWxa15w7 #
• I think all future Presidential nominees should be selected by a jury of their peers. It would also cut out the middle man. #
• Link: How to organize your kitchen pantry http://t.co/wOZiEtVt #
• Link: Lord of The Rings LEGO sets turn Gollum into precious plastic [Lord Of The Rings] http://t.co/NTPLq1m1 #
• Will have a special announcement about my book on #UX tomorrow. Stay tuned… #

Powered by Twitter Tools

My book on user experience design. Experience Matters, is now available on the Kindle. A paperback version will be available for purchase within the week, and a more interactive version of the work will be available through the iBooks storefront shortly.

• Ah, now THAT was what I call a Monday. In all the usual meanings of the word. #
• Whew, had to fight two feral wolves on my walk home. My neighborhood is really going downhill. #
• Lots of new stuff coming to Universal Studios Orlando: http://t.co/7JMAOxTh #
• Oscar predictions: Best Pic: "The Artist", Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, Best Actress: Viola Davis, Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer #
• Oscar predictions, part 2: Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist. Book it, done. #
• Just discovered that there is a TV show called Hillbilly Handfishin'.
  .
  ..
  …
  I have no words. #
• Link: 5 Signs of a Great User Experience http://t.co/R3l6fbax #
• Link: The UX Research Plan That Stakeholders Love http://t.co/hMERzVT1 #
• Raj meets "Siri" from the latest Big Bang Theory #apple http://t.co/fIOe4l8z #
• More Hints that Apple is Working on an NFC Payment System on the Next iPhone http://t.co/o0rnZXI0 #
• The entire Arrested Development cast is back for the new series. #steveholt http://t.co/zGJIfRJO #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• The new Bobcat Goldthwait movie looks like a dark, dark comedy. My kinda movie. http://t.co/66jE1amb #
• Some Superhero "Re-Construction" Needed: http://t.co/srbtZGam #
• Watching the great documentary These Amazing Shadows. #
• Watching The Adventures of Tin Tin. Charming, but I can see where it would leave some people cold. #
• It's really weird to watch a CGI movie that is so obviously directed by Spielberg… his favorite type of "shots" are throughout the film. #
• The pirate ship battle in Tin Tin puts the entirety of Pirates of the Caribbean 4 to shame. #
• …And the chase scene (all in one shot) near the end of Tin Tin is absolutely remarkable. Worth the price of admission alone. #
• Link: Announcing UX Magazine's New Jobs Board http://t.co/Ud0hw4Zz #
• Link: How To Find That 1 Thing You Lost Online http://t.co/NQUOmkbG #
• I have a sunburn. Because I am stupid, and did not put on sunscreen yesterday. Sigh. #
• Don't forget, to celebrate the 44th anniversary of the series finale my book on The Prisoner TV show is free on iBooks and kindle! Plz RT! #
• R.I. P. veteran TV Director John Rich http://t.co/lXSVzv16 #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Visit The Village from The Prisoner on Google Maps http://t.co/B7xLeM4Y #
• Caught up on movies. Sherlock Holmes 2 was a mess, Bad Teacher was surprisingly entertaining, and The Artist was magical – an absolute joy. #
• The fact that The Artist is a virtual remake of my favorite musical of all time, Singin' in the Rain, influences my opinion somewhat. #
• Forgot to mention, but Kim Novak needs to shut up. Using music from Vertigo in The Artist is fine. I speak as an obsessive fan of Vertigo. #
• Does Toni Basil have a fan club? If not, she damn well should. #
• And now, for no good reason whatsoever, Stars on 45. http://t.co/AQ5fTNZf #
• Corporate America Is Killing Your Dreams http://t.co/VSnIkmwg #
• The Artist Wins Best Picture at Inaugural Aussie Film Awards http://t.co/D56IHvcb ME: And it'll win the Oscar, too. #
• Two years ago today the world met the iPad. And (hyperbole aside) it changed things. http://t.co/dzlFMS0w #
• Watching Melancholia. #
• The "magic cave" scene in Melancholia just gets to me, every time. #
• A Silent Blooper Reel For The Artist – http://t.co/vhGNfkZo #
• Having WAY too much fun watching music videos from Prince. #
• Link: Get ready for coworking 2.0 http://t.co/M7VY7J9v #
• Link: Update Your Resume and Get a (Better) Job This Weekend [Weekendhacker] http://t.co/RB0yVGJ6 #
• Having a lazy Sunday. #
• 15 Free Ebooks about User Experience and Interface Design http://t.co/hmCxpUdy #ux #
• A 7-inch long lizard snuck into my house yesterday, and has evaded my attempts at capture. I guess I have a new pet now. #
• A reminder, my book on the cult Tv show The Prisoner is FREE this week on iBooks and Amazon! http://t.co/d3SuCYch Please RT! #
• Apple is working through a HUGE backlog of ebook submissions right now, so no ETA on when my book on UX, Experience Matters, will be out. #
• Making homemade beef stew.

  Sometimes tweets are boring. Accept it. #

• Bidding on some more Six Million Dollar Man toys on eBay. Don't bid against me, people. #
• How to open a door with a credit card: http://t.co/5z7oSCt9 #
• Booze run! #
• One of the many things I love here, premixed gin and tonics. http://t.co/6xqtuk4k #
• Following @Televixen's example from yesterday, I am pool-side enjoying tasty beverages. #
• Read Alien, retold from the cat's perspective http://t.co/plRaXFIb #
• Why Every Entrepreneur Should Self-Publish a Book http://t.co/gjPwy3Br #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Customer Experience v User Experience http://t.co/tYs8ctrS #
• RT @wired: Top 10 things that @GeekDadNath saw at the London Toy Fair: http://t.co/KnGtRNsL #
• First SOPA and PIPA, now ACTA. Pretty soon I'm just going to distrust all acronyms. #exceptUNCLE #
• Ah, the weekend commences. One that will be very productive for yours truly, & will result in some goodies for all of you. Watch this space. #
• Just had some HOT wasabi coated green peas. As in "holy crap, I'm crying" hot. Wow. #
• ‘Room 237? Explores Fantastic Theories Behind Stanley Kubrick’s ‘The Shining’ [Sundance 2012] http://t.co/pwKdOiHw #
• Boxes And Arrows : The Case against Design Patterns http://t.co/xNz868J4 #UX #
• Remember Green Stamps? You can still get them, and redeem old ones: http://t.co/sEuVpJMf #
• Link: The top 25 cult film actors http://t.co/H4jb3fea #
• Link: What Apple Should Do With Its $100 Billion In Cash: Buy Hollywood http://t.co/VanMUbfe #
• A great article on the great Mary Tyler Moore (hat tip to @evanier) http://t.co/TXGPDI5I #
• To celebrate the 44th anniversary of the finale of The Prisoner, my book on the show is FREE FOR ALL on iBooks & the kindle! Please RT! #
• #followfriday @Carljoesbury, The Fan from Another Place. #twinpeaks #
• Watched the latest Big Bang Theory. One of the funniest ones in a long while. And the actress who played Siri was real purty. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Here’s an exhibit of sculptures made from LEGO bricks by artist Nathan Sawaya that is currently being shown in Town Hall, Sydney.

• Town Hall, Sydney http://t.co/WOhz7v6x #
• On my way home, to do the proper Australia Day BBQ. Alone. #sniff #
• The future of user interface design: understanding context & behavior http://t.co/1ecC2JRx #ux #
• Newt wants to build a moon base. Doesn't he realize the inevitable outcome, that nuclear waste will blow the moon out of its orbit? #
• Let the Australia Day grilling begin! #
• The Day Apple Left The Tech World’s Collective Mouth Agape http://t.co/2HPK4ZR8 ME: And Apple's growth is accelerating. #appleshareholder #
• Dieter Rams' 10 principles of good web design http://t.co/llbi8OAM #UX #
• I have no idea how it happened, but the book on #UX design i'm writing now features a tattooed Swedish girl who solves mysteries. #
• I've never won a game of Candyland. That fact pains me to this very day. #
• Link: Cabin fever? Organize your summer travel plans now http://t.co/n4NqQjDb #
• Link: iBooks Author owns your format, not your content http://t.co/fRvZPdWX #
• I may have drunk too much celebrating Australia Day yesterday. The train into work feels like a roller coaster. #
• Just read that Newt says a moon base is vitally important if we want to stop the rise of the planet of the apes. I agree. #
• Robert Hegyes, Juan Epstein of 'Welcome Back Kotter' dead at 60 http://t.co/GG6bMjv1 #
• The Art of the Brick Exhibit – sculptures made from LEGOs http://t.co/g7K2GLsD #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• R.I.P actor James Farentino http://t.co/euOeyXAe #
• I'd like to thank the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement, without whose assistance this tweet would not have been possible. #
• Apple execs are 'actively discussing' what to do with nearly $100B cash hoard http://t.co/yY9UrOzS ME: Buy Disney. Or California. #
• Link: The Disneyfication of Tech http://t.co/zBxFSMHK #
• Link: An Evening With Dr. Demento http://t.co/fMQtyRqI #
• The SOPA War: A Frantic Call, an Aborted Summit, and Dramatic New Details on How Hollywood Lost http://t.co/CeTqoplL #
• Get your stinking paws on these glorious Planet of the Apes posters! http://t.co/Ad5kCubj #
• R.I.P. Nicol Williamson http://t.co/vrModgfo #
• Here's the cover for my upcoming book on #UX http://t.co/8W08vTpK #
• At The Rocks in downtown Sydney enjoying Australia Day. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Decided that my #UX book Experience Matters will be an iBooks exclusive. And free. Why? Cause that's how I roll. More info coming soon. #
• Just passed 13,000 tweets. Which is an additional indicator that I'm still alive. #
• Saw Apple sales in Australia had explosive growth over the past 2 years. That this aligns with how long I've lived here: pure coincidence. #
• Mitt Romney just released his tax forms. Wondering what that "Install emotion chip" deduction on line 72a is about… #
• How Codecademy got so hot, so fast http://t.co/SFB1MstY #
• One eBook Platform to Rule Them All? – http://t.co/hUoq0iRG ME: "One doesn't just publish PDFs to Mordor!" #
• 10 Actors Who Hated Their Own Films: http//www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/113415 ME: love the Alec Guinness Star Wars stuff #
• RT @DigitalTrends: Tablet ownership nearly doubles in January http://t.co/igRVlJMN #
• How Return of the Jedi should have ended. http://t.co/1W7MD9gn #
• Ready for Australia Day… http://t.co/dUKoMAy6 #
• Link: The Habits That Crush Us http://t.co/A4duBkGy #
• Just read the Oscar nominations. Very happy to see The Tree of Life and Malick nominated. Doesn't have a chance of winning, but still… #
• Also happy to see Leo DiCaprio was not nominated for best actor for J. Edgar. He was really badly miscast and wasn't good. #
• Oscars, you nominated "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" for best picture? Really? I must assume you didn't actually see the movie, then. #
• Umm… not liking what Google is doing. At all. http://t.co/tk5MGNNS #
• Why Apple's Restrictive iBooks Author Rules May Not Be Legally Enforceable http://t.co/ZDTcKv9N #
• How to Create a Brand New Iconic Hero or Villain http://t.co/H43vwQ04 #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Rooting for Bud Light to win the big game this year. They're due. #
• I've answered almost 200 questions on Quora. Here's some of my top answers: http://t.co/GpaltQso #
• Playing with the iBooks Author app, I'm wondering how Apple will respond when someone submits a book of film criticism that has movie clips. #
• If Apple rejects a book like that (on movies, that has fair use clips) then they will be hammered in the tech press. #
• Heck, I'm tempted to use iBooks Author to do exactly that… A multimedia version of my book on The Prisoner would be really cool. #
• Link: Sherlock Holmes vs Sherlock http://t.co/4qDDoQ2G #
• I think it's time for me to face facts: I'll never be a supermodel. #
• Saw two MASH episodes I had never seen before. Something I considered impossible before now. #
• R.I.P. Dick Tufeld, the voice of Robot from Lost in Space http://t.co/hc3PP1Yh #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Walk them through a previous design project. Pull out all the design artifacts, from concept design to detailed specifications. Show them video from any usability tests that took place. Demonstrate the process that was followed to go from a high-level problem statement and concept(s) to a detailed and final solution. And don't try and do this all at once… take your time to tell the story about the design and the steps taken.

Then, throw them in the deep end – give them a small project to design, and leverage the same methodology you just detailed. Mentor, encourage, and be constructive when being critical. Let them learn by doing.

See question on Quora

Confidence is good. Arrogance is not. The key is to be confident but also open to other people's ideas and to the possibility that you may be mistaken and/or your design could be improved.

Let's use Sherlock Holmes as an example. Sherlock Holmes was the world's first consulting detective, and he was incredibly skilled in deduction and the history of crime. He was very confident in his abilities, and his repeated successes reinforced that confidence. He also was often arrogant, and this character flaw alienated many he worked with, even his "Boswell" Dr. Watson. His arrogance sometimes distracted from his ability to convince people, as it "turned off" the people he needed to believe him.

Now, obviously, we are not all at the super-expert level of a Sherlock Holmes or a Dr. House (his modern-day counterpart), but if we were it would probably be hard to NOT be arrogant… though, as I note below, such arrogance is self-defeating. He needed a partner to keep such arrogance in check – to keep him "grounded."

Confidence comes with experience, and experience is the best teacher. But the key is to know what you DON'T know, and to ask questions whenever they need to be asked.

Finally, I'm a very passionate advocate of "peer designing," where two designers work together on a problem. Not only does it double the brainpower that is being applied, but it also allows for easy peer reviews and design critique. Much like Holmes needed Watson, I think we work best when we work with a partner to keep us in check.

See question on Quora

• Using Axure RP to Combat Low Fidelity Impotence http://t.co/kWgOUGfe #UX #
• Almost at 13,000 tweets. I've wasted my life. #
• So, anyone has any recommendations on the film I watch (or rewatch) tonight? Moneyball? Blue Velvet? Network? They're all on my short list… #
• OK, based on an earlier recommendation from @mfrost11, I've made up my mind. I'm watching OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies… #
• If you're a fan of Connery Bond and you haven't seen OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies… well, do it. As soon as possible, #
• Started watching a Riddler episode of Batman. Always rooted for Frank Gorshin to win, because… Well, he's Frank Gorshin. #
• Link: Paying Attention: The Most Valuable Skill in UX Research http://t.co/V0JBSEyz #
• Any suggestions for me as to what to do on Australia Day? Have not been invited anywhere, and it will probably be my last one… #
• Why Apple's products are 'Designed in California' but 'Assembled in China' http://t.co/sK3WGvEH #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Pulling together some photos for a project while I watch Xanadu. #
• Finally watching Alcatraz, episode 1. Umm… yeah. Hoping it gets better. #
• OK, saw the first two eps of Alcatraz. I gave it a shot. It's… not good. The lead actress is… well, let's just say my chair has more range. #
• After Alcatraz, to cleanse my palate, I'm onto catching up with Boardwalk Empire… #
• Just finished up compiling an interactive book of my photography. WIll let everyone know when it's available in the iBookstore… #
• Wow, Boardwalk Empire season 2 is even better than the first season. I'm burning through the last 5 episodes in one sitting. #
• I should feel guilty that I'm smiling through the first 10 minutes of the Boardwalk Empire Season 2 finale. Of course, I don't. #
• Well, THAT season ending was unexpected. You don't see many shows do that. Curious to see how they continue in Season 3. #boardwalkempire #
• Pro Tip: When a show does an entire episode on a character's backstory just before a season finale, he/she's not gonna survive said finale. #
• A lazy Sunday morning. #
• Why the Emotional Criticism of iBooks Author Is Wrong http://t.co/ezmFqVzR #
• Coffee helps prevent diabetes, now scientists learn why http://t.co/WS7DSIhY #
• Started to write a screed against reboots and remakes, but then I realized – ironically – that I'd already written about the topic before. #
• My answer on @Quora to: What are the foundations that need to be laid out before designing the interface? http://t.co/5pg2P1GO #UX #
• In surprising news, Tim Tebow has announced he is running for the GOP Presidential nomination, as he has no other commitments right now. #
• Every time I use Skype, I'm tempted to open up Photoshop and redesign its UI. #
• Joe Paterno may not be dead. John Cleese is being called in for a consultation. #hespiningforthefjords #
• Could we please just erect a Thunderdome to determine the #GOP nominee? I'm being serious, here. #
• Considering growing a neck beard. #
• Drudge changed it's link to "Joe Paterno reportedly near Death." So, how near? 4th and inches? 3rd and 7? #
• Could CBS' Elementary Pilot Lead To Legal Issues Due To Similarities With BBC's Sherlock? http://t.co/Em78HtBa ME: The game's afoot. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

When it comes to tracking productivity in UX design, the focus should always be on the outcomes, quality and hitting key milestones, and not on day-to-day activity. Because there is no one "perfect" UX design process (just as there is no one perfect software development process) each project is going to have different timeliness and needs. One project may be heavy on detailed design documentation, and is easier to "track" than one that is focused on user research and foundational understanding.

But even with a project that is "documentation-heavy", you have to be careful not to fall into the "to do list trap" of just crossing off things. Here's why: You can get all your design work done in a timely matter, but if the design sucks, who benefits? Certainly not the user, and definitely not your company. Yes, you will "look good" in the short term, in that management sees you are "hitting your dates"… but you will be burned later if the design was rushed and ill-concieved. Trust me, I've been there.

How does an individual designer measure his own productivity? There are many different techniques I have seen and used, including the GTD methodology. But in the end, I think UX design isn't about "productivity" it's more about problem solving, and making a difference for users. So I look at satisfaction as a more important personal metric around my design work than the number of UI widgets I can crank out in a week.

As a design manager, how to track productivity? Well, in addition to the above, I make sure that the designers have time to refine, iterate, and fail. Yes, fail. We learn a lot by piloting early designs with users and finding out what doesn't work. Identify key milestones, let the designers follow the process that they are comfortable with, and focus on quality. Keeping in mind, of course, that deadlines are absolutely necessary as a motivator and a way to "focus the brain."

See question on Quora

I have used multiple techniques to do this, depending upon the amount of time available on the design project. At the very least, you need to have focus as to what you are designing, and know the target audience for what you are doing. Shakespeare wrote "the readiness is all" and before you are ready to dive into the UI "layer" you have to understand those two core things

There are best practices that can be borrowed and applied from other industries, and I've borrowed two key processes from journalism and film pre-production to define my "foundation"

The first is the Journalism 101 principle of Who What When Where and Why:

Who is this design for?
What will they be doing?
When will they use it (how often)?
Where will they use it?
Why would they use it (as oppossed to another process or application)?

This last question gets to the heart of the value proposition of what is being designed/developed. In my opinion, if you can answer all these questions to YOUR satisfaction, then you are ready to get to the next step in designing the interface.

So, how do you get the answers? Well, some of these answers can be provided by the business analysts you are working with, or the key stakeholders… But I've found that the best way to get the answers is to talk to the users themselves, to understand thier workflows, thier needs and frustrations… by doing it yourself the answers will be more "personal" to you and will remain "top of mind" as you do your design work.

The second process is storyboarding or user stories. I think you don't need both, as they both service the same need. You should do whatever you are most comfortable doing. if you're a person who sketches a lot, do storyboards. If you enjoy writing, then do user stories. The point of this is to define a "flow" of the tasks that the users do in and with what you are designing – always keep in mind this is NOT UI design, you are capturing and defining the user experience. You can share these artifacts with key stakeholders to review and get concensus and THEN, after all are agreed, start doing the interface design work.

There's more things that you can do (persona definition, ethnographic research, competitive analysis, focus groups) but I consider the above to be the bare minimum.

See question on Quora

• Just had the best iced coffee ever. It was like a caffeinated milkshake filled with love. #yum #
• Attended the Chinese New Year celebration with the lovely Angela Mastrillo (who needs to get on Twitter). #
• Link: Prepare to Ace Your Job Interview with This Interview One-Sheeter [Job Interview] http://t.co/6GOgdqi6 #
• Thunderstorms this morning, north of Sydney. Looks like a good day to stay inside and write. #
• My answer to: Why can't you sell an iBooks Author edited book by other means than Apple? http://t.co/atISwPGQ on @Quora #
• Happy 780th birthday Tom Baker! http://t.co/aZIhI16N #
• Catching up with the last two episodes of Sherlock… #
• A great interview with @MikeOkuda and his better half on the remastered Star Trek: TNG http://t.co/9tnYzjWF #
• I don't buy ALL my gadgets from #apple .. http://t.co/2o22800s #
• My God, "The Reichenbach Fall" is fantastic. #sherlock #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Apple created the iBookstore and the new iBook Author tool. As creator of said platform/application, they can put stuff in their EULA that says "you must never use this tool without wearing pants" if they want. It's their IP, they can do what they want. But just because they can set whatever terms they want doesn't mean they should set unreasonable ones. To many, the "if you want to profit from this work you need to cut us in on it and you can't go anywhere else" clause is unreasonable, like the aforementioned hypothetical "pants" restriction. Personally, I don't think it's unreasonable… I do however think it's self-defeating for Apple.

The "exclusivity" clause will make creative people think twice, and many will avoid the iBooks storefront/platform all together due to it. Who does that hurt? Certainly not the creative types because they have multiple tools they can use and multiple channels to promote and sell their content (look up "the Internet"). It will end up reducing the variety and choice in the iBookstore… making users less likely to think of iBooks as the "first choice" for ebook shopping. it hurts Apple more.

I have two books available for sale on both the Kindle and the iBooks store. I'm working on two more. One of them will be available anywhere, the other will only be on iBooks and be created using the iBooks Author tool. Why? Because I am selling the first book and giving away the second, so the restriction doesn't "hurt" me…. and I don't "need" the iBooks Author tool to create my work. Would it make my life easier if I can use iBooks Author to do ALL my ebooks? Sure. But it's not a deal breaker for me.

See question on Quora

• Working at Apple Is Brutally Insane and Awful http://t.co/DbX8f6eo #
• Who says I never tweet anything useful? Case in point, here's instructions on how to build your very own Tom Servo. http://t.co/35owwxeK #
• My first sushi since returning to Sydney: disappointing. #firstworldproblems #
• To combat my jet lag, I'm only listening to AC/DC, ABBA, and Olivia Newton John music. It's helping. #
• I have a lot in common with this gent, beyond just the name… http://t.co/c3knyCMU #
• My Twitter account is worth $83.7! Find your value at http://t.co/fxhVym9R #twalculate #
• The Assclownification Of The MPAA http://t.co/XVY75r3g #SOPA #
• Why the iPad Works For Productivity http://t.co/CZQ30pvN #
• Is there something missing in your life? An empty void that needs to be filled? I have the solution: http://t.co/eemo045O #
• One to beam up… #metwentyyearsago http://t.co/BIpoEQsz #
• Link: It Works For “You”: A User-Centric Guideline To Product Pages http://t.co/tBJiTHqC #
• Link: New High-Quality Free Fonts http://t.co/q4pd9MpQ #
• Reading the details of the #Apple education announcement, I think people don't yet get how huge it is. It's a game-changer in many ways. #
• Apple opening up iTunes U to any school, rich interactive textbooks that are $15 or less, easy-to-use ebook authoring tools… It's huge. #
• Finally, the #apple moves into education will spur even more iPad sales, which makes me happy. #appleshareholder #
• This is great: Journalism Warning Labels http://t.co/CDT0QZO5 #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• In protest of #SOPA I intending on drinking so much I black out. #
• New at Josephdickerson.com, Lessons in Service Design: How to avoid "Showrooming" http://t.co/jjO4vKiN #ux #
• Google has launched their #SOPA page: https://t.co/49VGI40N #
• Here's the complete Battlestar Galactica segments from Portlandia. Hysterical stuff. http://t.co/uu05TAyZ #
• Study shows that kids, unlike adults, think technology is fundamentally human http://t.co/vOk0TNnC #
• Creator Matthew Weiner Talks #MADMEN Season Five; Says Two-Hour Premiere Is a “Big MAD MEN Movie” http://t.co/x81GLuVU #
• Link: Learning to Sit Alone, in a Quiet Empty Room http://t.co/oCZUIgQw #
• Great news! You can now buy my books through the Apple iBooks store. Just search for my name… #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Retailers have noticed a disturbing trend of the past few months. Many of the people visiting their stores are browsing but not spending any money… At least, not at your store. They’re still spending their money… just online. These customers go to shops and then whip out thier smart phones to find cheaper prices for items they discover there. The nickname for this behavior is “showrooming,” where the store is a place for picking out items… just not for buying them.

This has become an especially painful phenomenon for booksellers, made worse when online retailer Amazon added a barcode scanner to thier mobile app last fall. This addition, combined with one-click checkout, zero sales tax and low shipping prices (or, in the case of Amazon Prime customers, free shipping), made it almost effortless for customers to save money and order items from Amazon and not the bookstore. A recent study stated that 4 out of 10 Amazon customers have browsed retailers to look at an item before buying it from Amazon. It’s not just books, either – Best Buy is seeing the same phenomenon for consumer electronics, and even the big box retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart are seeing customers comparison shop with thier mobile phones.

This is not just a problem for retailers – it’s also an problem websites have long faced, where the offerings or products sold there that can easily and quickly be compared with others at the click of the mouse. So, whether you sell a physical good or software, have a store or a storefront, here’s some ways you can avoid “showrooming” and keep

Technology doesn’t care. Don’t complain about “showrooming”, it is not going away. The technology will, if anything, be more and more ubiquitous in the years to come. Man up and realize that you can’t change this.

Empasize the “now” and “quick checkout”. No matter what your “storefront” is, emphasize the fact that you can get the item RIGHT NOW, and with no waiting. Make sure your “checkout” process is streamlined and quick (which means if you own a retail store you have enough staff on hand to ensure purchases are quick and with no waiting).

Reward loyalty, forever. The whole idea of a “loyalty program” is so simple we forget how effective it is: Reward repeat customers. Get a free coffee or donut with your nth purchase. Get free perks like no bag fees and free upgrades. Get faster “check-ins.” And so on. It costs a lot more to aquire a new customer than to retain an old one. Loyalty programs not only help retain customers, but also influence behavior in many individuals (paying more to retain earned “status,” for example). And once you set up a loyalty program, never take perks away… you’ll upset the most loyal customers by doing so.

Focus on what you are really “selling.” I did a large research project many years ago for a cellular phone company who was looking to roll out a new point of sale system in their stores. I went to several of these stores to study the inetractions customers had with people who came in the stores, and quickly found out that stores weren’t selling phones at all – they were customer support centers, and what they really needed was a better designed account lookup program and knowledge base. You may be trying to sell the wrong thing… Case in point: staff at Apple stores don’t really “sell” thier computers or ipods, they are trained to solve customer problems… and that often ends up in a sale.

• On this day in 1929 Popeye first appeared. Well, blow me down. #
• Still waiting…. impatiently… for Apple to approve my two books for thier iBooks storefront. It's been three weeks now… #
• Still waiting – impatiently – for Apple to approve my two books for their iBooks storefront. It's been three weeks now. #
• Watched the new Portlandia Battlestar Galactica episode. Fantastic. Just fantastic. #
• I nominate @Mfrost11 for a Shorty Award in #author because he tweets about wonderful things. Also co-created #twinpeaks http://t.co/8i79V1VD #
• I'm thinking about going to #upa2012 in June. It'll be the first design conference I've attended in 3 years. #ux #
• Star Trek Online Now Available Free To Play http://t.co/e4GDRYK1 #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• House kills #SOPA http://t.co/at5MPWLl #
• 'Immense Pressure' Leads to Cancellation of Steve Jobs Figurine http://t.co/9vK9jtx9 #
• Sherlock series 3 already confirmed http://t.co/BO7MyBnR #
• Get ready for these new User Interface innovations http://t.co/Tlqhh6m8 #ux #
• Watched the Jerry Weintraub biography His Way on the plane over. What a character… #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Just spent two hours talking to a work colleague – he just came from Sydney, I'm on my way… #
• Ah, Sydney. I missed you. #
• G'day! http://t.co/K7iVDpla #
• #SOPA shelved until "consensus" can be found. http://t.co/sQXoiVbv #
• Well Green Bay… You had a good year. Just not a good game today. #
• In a surprising last-minute move, Tim Tebow has just been nominated for best actor at the Golden Globes. #
• IDRIS! YES! #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Los Angeles, I AM IN YOU. #
• Hollywood and Vine is absolutely dead at 9AM on a Saturday – besides all the Japanese touring groups. #
• Lawmakers beginning to backpedal – hard – over supporting #SOPA http://t.co/000pGRDv #
• A TV-series prequel to Psycho? Really, Hollywood? Really? http://t.co/vDTWpurF #
• Heaven help me, I have the sudden urge to watch C.H.O.M.P.S. http://t.co/C6MbDUZ7 #
• After a wonderful lunch, I checked out Venice Beach for the first time. Apparently, according to many vendors there, I need medial marijuana #
• Now at the Grove, to have dinner before I get to the airport… #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Here’s a couple of videos I shot – the first is a look inside the Assembly Building:

The second is the recreation of how the launch of Apollo 8 went:

• Scrambling to pack and wrap things up before my travel back to Sydney… #
• Added some more scans of 1990s articles about #twinpeaks to flickr: http://t.co/9dHrqrsF #
• Video of the James Bond Directors panel from CES http://t.co/MSQYXRiG #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Link: How to Have the Best Year of Your Life (without Setting a Single Goal) http://t.co/VhUqqDou #
• 'Chinatown' Blu-ray will feature commentary by Robert Towne and David Fincher http://t.co/0jhk38rO ME: YES. #
• Just finished giving a 2 hour presentation on #UX I'm toast, lightly buttered. #
• Holy anniversary! 46 years ago today Batman premiered on TV! #
• Oh God, I almost started singing along to an Eagles song on the radio. #
• Coffee Is For Closers: 14 Of The Most Impressive Monologues In Movie History http://t.co/lRXStyJh ME: Missing Branaugh' speech from Henry V. #
• Google just broke it's search engine by adding social media to results. http://t.co/cOFcjAsS #
• Hanging out with Julio. We thought about going down by the schoolyard, but it's been done. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Back to work today. #
• Paying Attention: The Most Valuable Skill in UX Research http://t.co/j6BF0Snr #
• Star Trek Electronic Door Chime http://t.co/jkVEDoSh #
• Only 222 new emails in my work inbox… #
• Someone needs to ask the GOP candidates the most important question: Star Trek or Star Wars? #
• Gingrich and Santorum probably like Star Trek. Perry and Romney, likely Star Wars fans. Ron Paul: a Logan's Run buff. #
• From People, circa 1990: Who's Who in Twin Peaks http://t.co/q8I0ad7n #twinpeaks #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• The #bcs bowl system is screwed up, but I'm quite happy about how this championship game went. #rolltide #
• So, who's going to pull the masks off the LSU players, Scooby-style, to reveal that #Bama in reality only beat UAB? #bcs #
• The 13 Films Universal Are Restoring & Reissuing for their Centenary http://t.co/D9W2mdEP ME: Jaws! Definitely overdue for a HD restoration. #
• Amazing Archive of High-Res Photos from NASA’s Gemini Missions http://t.co/dRZqFGzI #
• This new #startrek acquisition makes me happier than I have any right to be. http://t.co/3nE12BMu #
• Lots of pic posted of my trip to Kennedy Space Center here: http://t.co/tfNW0s55 #nasa #nerd #
• RT @televisionary: This is truly the darkest timeline. RT @MarcBermanMrTV: Two more seasons for Rachael Ray http://t.co/UFhpDpPW #Community #
• Disney's marketing president departs – Was the John Carter "marketing" the reason? http://t.co/ZVZpDVJl #
• The ads for John Carter just don't work. I'm a fan of the books and I am just not interested in seeing it. The "buzz" is just… flat. #
• A better way to hype John Carter? "From the genius who created Tarzan, an adventure that will surprise you!" would have been a good start. #
• OK, enough John Carter bashing… and reading about the behind the scenes scrambling going on now I'm very glad I sold all my Disney stock. #
• Another articles on Disney's (now-ex) Marketing Chief. She majored in French Literature. #rollseyes http://t.co/NluEfKCH #
• In the future, all action films will star Jeremy Renner. #
• Twitter comedy is hard. I was gonna tweet about Van Halen's new music video.. but I got nothing. Sorry folks, I'll try harder next time! #

Powered by Twitter Tools

I’ve always wanted to visit Kennedy Space Center and I finally got around to crossing that particular item off my “bucket list” this past weekend. Even better, I was able to tour the Vehicle Assembly Building, where all the Saturn V rockets made for the Apollo program was constructed… and I got really close to the just-retired Endeavor space shuttle, being prepped for retirement. Here’s lots of pictures:

• Flying back to Atlanta this evening, so I have some time to kill today. No better place to do so than Orlando… #
• No matter where I go, I always end up at a Lego store. http://t.co/u3G0TwJ5 #
• Behold, my new alter ego: Baldy the space pirate! http://t.co/eFpbPC9E #
• Mad Men Will Be Back March 25 http://t.co/zeCheK5i #
• TARDIS Skins For Your iPad, Kindle, iPhone And More http://t.co/vE7rF0oJ #doctorwho #
• They have new Batman LEGO sets.

  Considering this and the upcoming Lord of the Rings LEGO sets, I may need to get a second job.
  #nerd #

• RT @tedlandau: Justified returns in one week. Woot! (WATCH THIS SHOW. Don't make me come to your house and change your channel…) #
• About to hop on the plane back to Atlanta. I'm all vacationed out. I'm almost ready to go back to… Work! #
• The iPhone: Five years later… http://t.co/WIV5LTO5 #apple #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• At Kennedy Space Center, getting my geek on. #
• Endeavor, being prepped for retirement. #nasa http://t.co/KEBRarq3 #
• Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. #nasa http://t.co/IgYK7ggO #
• In launch control of the Apollo program. Holy ground. http://t.co/tTreQ5Vd #
• I think it's important that everyone knows this: Disney once tried to revolutionize the sandwich. Behold: the HANDWICH! http://t.co/UKxknBcn #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• We've arrived in the land of the Sponge… http://t.co/26hE35rn #
• Legoland! http://t.co/yFU1tYvD #
• Happy belated birthday to David Bowie, who turned 65 on Friday… 65?! Wow. http://t.co/RDtjvupB #
• And to celebrate David's birthday, here's the Flight of the Conchords: http://t.co/fbN7NU2W #
• Skyfall Set Snoops Spy A James Bond Spoiler http://t.co/U9MblEkR #
• LEGO Ford. http://t.co/R3tbHYGG #
• The LEGO version of Kennedy Space Center is AMAZING. http://t.co/bnG6DJTt #
• My iPhone says I'm in the middle of Epcot – in the lagoon, in fact. Nowhere near it. http://t.co/2UiQAOJJ #
• Legoland was fun, but now… Football and tasty beverages. #
• Football Gods, hear my plea; have the Lions beat the Saints. #
• I'd pay good money to see a movie where vampires and werewolves spend a nice quiet evening playing bridge. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• Started my day by spilling my coffee all over my desk. With all the #twinpeaks tweeting I did yesterday, I suspect BOB… #
• I nominate @mfrost11 for a Shorty Award in #author because he is an author, though I don't think he's short. http://t.co/Nhqmjr8I #
• I nominate @CarriBugbee for a Shorty Award in #singer and #pr So there! http://t.co/Nhqmjr8I #
• I nominate @KaytSukel for a Shorty Award in #author to celebrate the release of #dirtyminds Join me in voting for her! http://t.co/Nhqmjr8I #
• An Optimistic History of the Next 40 Years http://t.co/IXXNywxj #
• A great article on the intellectual capital we all have: "No, you can't pick my brain. it costs too much." http://t.co/uFjHfout #
• Here's a great #twinpeaks drawing that was done for Entertaintainment Weekly, 1990: http://t.co/aWguQ7Gy #
• So tired of inaccurate reporting.

  It's not a Steve Jobs doll, it's an ACTION FIGURE! #

• Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler: where’s the scandal? http://t.co/MLmxPn9W #
• RT @blastr: Holy frak! Frank Frazetta's 1978 Battlestar Galactica TV ads http://t.co/7ysPJqqN #
• In the Delta sky club in Atlanta before my flight to Orlando. Gin has met tonic, so I am properly prepared for takeoff. #
• First #followfriday of 2012. Whew. Lots of pressure to do it right. And so many choices. Let's see… @mfrost11? Nah, it's been done. #
• Perhaps I should #FF someone new, someone deserving of such attention. I know! Everyone, follow @Carljoesbury. Follow like the wind! #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Just found my file of clippings from when Twin Peaks was on, and so I decided to share with the class:

• Benedict Cumberbatch to play Star Trek II villain http://t.co/O3mjsKtd #
• Just found my folder full of #twinpeaks clippings… http://t.co/x2XJaLcm #
• Happy 81st birthday to Robert Duvall! #
• TV Guide close up on #twinpeaks http://t.co/xc1VnoJ6 #
• Hey, @televixen, @mfrost11, & @Carljoesbury: I just uploaded lots of ads & clippings from #twinpeaks to flickr http://t.co/GFRS14Yv #
• …And finally, here's a site that has some more #twinpeaks ads and clippings… http://t.co/I4Q6jwn8 #
• In Atlanta Jan 19th? Then check out @alisan_atvur speaking about Service Design! http://t.co/Pj4fUjxM #UX #servicedesign #
• The Amazon Price Check App and the Battle over "Showrooming." http://t.co/oWBcc3Ph #
• High drama regarding vacation plans at home. Joy. #firstworldfproblems #
• Apple patent reveals plans for Thunderbolt support in iOS devices http://t.co/IOA7AEtI #
• The Ultimate Guide to Using iTunes Match http://t.co/SlnNz06P #apple #
• Stop Designing Pages And Start Designing Flows http://t.co/YyBtsMKh #UX #

Powered by Twitter Tools

Users are creatures of habit who don't like change. Resistance (to change) is something I've written and researched extensively with users – people don't like to change even if it's good for them, because they are comfortable with how things are. 

Apple wants to become part of user's lives, and the more they are the more likely that inertia will set in. The more integrated Apple products are in user's lives the harder it is to "break" from the "Apple way." They are "locked in."

In addition to a more integrated and usable experience, services like iCloud work best on – surprise! – Apple hardware. 

Being an Apple "fanboy" (and shareholder) I look at this positively, because both parties benefit – users get a better experience (most of the time) and Apple sells more stuff.

See question on Quora

• Fire Walk With Me getting an international blu-ray release in Feb. Will be picking it up when I return to Sydney… http://t.co/IGEsDLe8 #
• Time to once again hype my books – The Prisoner, Revisited is available in paperback or Kindle edition here: http://t.co/WyqnGbfZ #
• My collection of essays and bon mots is also available here: http://t.co/WyqnGbfZ. Eat your heart out, James Franco! #
• 20 Things You Can Do This Year To Improve Your User’s Experience http://t.co/D1BAFLsK #UX #
• The Best Time to Buy Anything in 2012 http://t.co/rDW4uitN #
• Just turned on my Australian iPhone for the first time in a month, to find 32 app updates are available. Jeez. #firstworldfproblems #
• Are you a fan of Stephen Moffat's Sherlock? Then you should probably be reading Dr. John Watson's blog… http://t.co/sVY14Q0F #
• Oh, and you may be interested in reading Sherlock's blog, as well, though it looks like it's rather thin in content: http://t.co/KTa1ZVl8 #
• The Las Vegas Hilton is no more. Well, it's still there, but it's no longer called the Hilton. Courtesy @evanier: http://t.co/hJbxPIlO #
• Geez, @WilliamShatner is EVERYWHERE. http://t.co/kXWqlP7z #
• Finally catching Portlandia. I resemble this show. #

Powered by Twitter Tools

• At the doctors office, getting my oil checked. #
• 13 Simpsons jokes that actually came true: http://t.co/ot240Nsg #
• Universal Studios Florida has closed the Jaws ride. Apparently, they finally got a bigger boat. http://t.co/Jypibp0M #
• So, anything going on in the world of politics today I should know about? #
• What will Christopher Lee do as Saruman in The Hobbit? Hear it from the man himself: http://t.co/wIrD7c7l #
• Watching the newest Sherlock. Brilliant, and a far better adaptation and interpretation than that big-screen… thing. #
• RT @ElderScrolls: One of the Dark Brotherhood's greatest assassins (warning: fair amount of profanity) http://t.co/skNurW9r! #
• 'Flamel Attacks!' and More Atari Game Box Parodies http://t.co/YlHXaYkT #
• Close Encounters of the First Kind. #lessambitiousmovies #
• Immigrant Kane. #lessambitiousmovies #
• Hummin' in the Rain. #lessambitiousmovies #
• Mission Difficult. #lessambitiousmovies #
• When you start to tweet, then don't, because you can't think of the proper punchline to your setup… time to step away from the computer. #
• Get my permanent crown tomorrow. No, no, the one for my teeth. The crown for my royal countenance is still being forged. #
• A great interview with Michael Giacchino about his fantastic Mission Impossible: Ghost Prototcol score: http://t.co/vqguiTCO #

Powered by Twitter Tools