Strategery

Module Tabs

Aaron Strom — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Throughout my years as a UX resource I have relied heavily on a very common UI design pattern, Module Tabs. Found this article on best practices to consider and real-world examples. Most are common sense but you would be amazed how many are not followed.

" A module tab is a User Interface (UI) design patternwhere content is separated into different panes, and each pane isviewable one at a time. The user requests content to be displayed byclicking (or in some instances hovering over) the content’scorresponding tab control.

Module tabs are seeing an increase of use as websites and webapplications push for optimizing web page screen areas withoutsacrificing the amount of information presented at once. For example,in weblogs, they are used in secondary content sections (such as thesidebar) to present relevant and interesting information such as alisting of blog posts which users can interact with to get to web pagesquicker. This inevitably allows for an unobtrusive and compact mannerof presenting content."

Don't Reinvent the Wheel

Aaron Strom — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:56:00 GMT

As much as we, as UX professionals, always want to come up with a new and cutting-edge interaction, there is much to be said for following current design patterns. Users are trained in a particular interaction, and often it has been tested and proven to be a positive solution. Here is a list of sites devoted to sharing information and exploring concepts pertaining to UI design patterns.

40+ Helpful Resources on User Interface Design Patterns

7 Rich & Creative User Interfaces and How to Create Your Own

Aaron Strom — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:44:00 GMT

Great resource for new UI elements such as Modal windos, live search and hover effects.

"There are plenty of perfectly acceptable and functional websites outthere that don’t use dynamic content. But what if you want to give yoursite that little something extra that makes your visitors say “Wow”?What then?"

Read More

New Netbook

Aaron Strom — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:26:00 GMT

I want this...

"Looks like the netbook is no longer the immature, dim-witted cousin of the grown-up laptop: Sharp's new Mebius netbook is so shiny and clever it outclasses many "superior" machines. It's got a multi-touch LCD where its tiny, inefficient "netbook class" trackpad should be.

The rest of the Mebius NJ70A is recognizably a netbook: It runs an Intel N270 Atom CPU, has a 10.1-inch main display, Mobile Intel 945GSE Express chipset for video handling, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi b&g, a memory-card reader slot, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive. It runs Windows Vista Home Basic, is just 1.46kg in weight and its battery is stated to last three hours.

But the trackpad is the true winner in this design. it's a 4-inch LED-backlit LCD with 854 x 480 pixels, so it's actually a bit like having an iPhone where a normal trackpad should be. Only better, since that device has just 3.5 inches of 480 x 320 pixels on its screen. The pad is both touch-sensitive, and stylus-sensitive, so as well as using it as a mere pointer-control device you can prod at it to operate the buttons of a virtual calculator, for example. Or write on it, and have your handwriting automatically recognized, draw on it for artistic purposes, or use it to annotate word-processed files in good old-fashioned "traditional" editing notes-style. In fact, it's hard to come up with suggestions for how this tech could be utilized, since so many that leap to mind"

iPhone Mockup

Aaron Strom — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:04:00 GMT

Cool tool to make either illustrated or pencil iPhone screen mockups or wireframes.

http://iphonemockup.lkmc.ch/

UI Designer for Ford

Aaron Strom — Mon, 19 May 2008 16:48:00 GMT

Recently, the IxDA list has been discussing a couple of commercials that Ford is running. One of them is focused on UI Design. Check it out...

Watch Commercial

Flash Navigation

Aaron Strom — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:58:00 GMT

I'm not normally one for Flash interfaces with "different" navigation techniques, but I thought this was impressive, smooth and relatively usable:

http://www.whitevoid.com/application.html

To the Extreme

Aaron Strom — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:17:00 GMT

One of my first posts discussed how anything to the extreme is not a good thing. I came across a comment today that really drove me crazy and reminded me of this past post.

"I can only say that getting a Mac Book will make you a better designer - and a better person."

I want to know how the type of computer I use will make me a better person. Wow, some people need to get a clue.

So True...

Aaron Strom — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:32:00 GMT

Another Great Collaboration Tool

Aaron Strom — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:27:00 GMT

Dispite it's sometimes sluggish performance, here is another great distance whiteboarding tool.

http://www.twiddla.com/

Sometimes Technology is Painful

Aaron Strom — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 03:22:00 GMT

Wow...

Padded lampposts are being trialled in a London street to protect inattentive pedestrians.

A pilot scheme has been launched in Brick Lane after it was found to have the highest number of 'walking and texting' injuries in the country.

A study carried out by 118 118 found one in ten people has hurt themselves while focused on their mobile phone screen.

Obsolete Skills

Aaron Strom — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 03:23:00 GMT

If you want to see how far we have come in technology, and in society, check out this site. Brings a nostalgic tear to the eye.

http://obsoleteskills.com/Skills/Skills

If only all companies....

Aaron Strom — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 03:04:00 GMT

Google's VP of search products and user experience shares the rules that gives the search company its innovative edge.

http://www.fastcompany.com/fast50_08/google_marissa-mayers-9-principles-of-innovation.html

Remote Whiteboard Sessions

Aaron Strom — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 02:22:00 GMT

Many times it is impossible to interact face to face with clients or peers. However, whiteboard and collaboration sessions are an essential step to the User Experience design process. Here are some suggestions to overcome the distance, without sacrificing the collaboration.

http://www.conceptshare.com/howitworks/

http://us.ajax13.com/en/ajaxsketch/ free, browser based so multi-platform.

http://www.cumulatelabs.com/cumulatedraw/ free for individual use, browser based so multi-platform.

http://www.gliffy.com/ free, browser based so multi-platform.

http://flowchart.com/ free, browser based so multi-platform, rather geared to specific diagram types, so may fettered.

http://www.skrbl.com/ $10/month, browser based so multi-platform, describes itself as an online whiteboard.

http://thinkature.com/ free, browser based so multi-platform, describes itself as an online whiteboard.

Who needs the Gym

Aaron Strom — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:11:00 GMT

Dream Job

Aaron Strom — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 04:55:00 GMT

I think it is absolutely amazing that Interaction Designer is mentioned in the same article as "Brewmaster" and "Roller Coaster Engineer". I may try to go from one dream job to another...

http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/2008/01/ten-jobs.html

Best Careers

Aaron Strom — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 07:16:00 GMT

This was posted on the IxDA list this week.

http://www.usnews.com/features/business/best-careers/best-careers-2008.html

I think its great that this career is finally being recognized and getting some attention.

Laws of Simplicity

Aaron Strom — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 06:53:00 GMT

Taken from John Meada's book, entitled "Laws of Simplicity"

REDUCE - The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction
ORGANIZE - Organization makes a system of many appear fewer
TIME - Savings in time feels like simplicity
LEARN - Knowledge makes everything simpler
DIFFERENCES - Simplicity and complexity need each other
CONTEXT - What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral
EMOTION - More emotions are better than less
TRUST - In simplicity we trust
FAILURE - Some things can never be made simple
THE ONE - Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful

Patient-centered Design

Aaron Strom — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:43:00 GMT

This is a great interview about how the Mayo Clinic approaches patient care. Being VERY close to someone who works at "The Mayo", as its referred to, I get to hear about it first hand. Its fascinating. I think its great to see this culture and approach in what has been mostly known as an inpersonal industry.

Read Article

Make the Logo Bigger

Aaron Strom — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 07:35:00 GMT

Song we have heard from clients way to many times....

Make the Logo Bigger Song