Need a fresh point of view?

Our practice leaders are popular featured lecturers at universities and industry events. We bring a strong voice and informed opinion based on client success around the world.

Contact us about your next event:

Insight & Ideas_In Here and Out There

Our observations of the world around us

• Through the looking glass of Twistori by Justine Carleton on May 07, 2008

  People embrace emotion. We like to feel them, express them, cause them, watch them.

  In the past people expressed their emotions in diaries, letters, and photo albums; today, people increasingly express themselves online in blogs and on sites like Twitter, Flickr, Facebook, and MySpace. The web is giving us, as designers and researchers, the chance to “peek” into other people’s emotional expressions, like peeking into a diary or photo album.
  
  Most of our meaningful experiences are surrounded by an intense emotion. And, as evidenced by Twistori, even our day to day interactions are connected to an emotion. Twistori takes real time Twitter entries and filters them honing in on words people use to express themselves like: love, hate, think, believe, feel, wish. Like the irresistible urge to glance at a car wreck on the side of the road, Twistori lets us “watch” emotional situations unfold.

  

  If emotions are core to our being, it is no wonder that the new goal for design is to make a meaningful, emotional connection between and the product or service and the human being at the other end.
  
  Designers need to grab a hold of the human psyche and not let go. It’s our job as designers and researchers to understand how and why people respond emotionally (as well as physically and mentally) to products and services. If we can understand the why and how, we can begin to design for emotions as well as purpose, function, and form. Although it’s easy for people to feel emotions, it’s not always easy for us to express emotions and then “assign” them to a particular interaction with a product or service. The web is providing new and unique ways to accomplish this goal.
  
  Diaries, photo journals, participatory design, good conversation, and the web can all be powerful tools to understand how products or services can affect emotions, giving designers the knowledge to better connect with the human psyche.
  
  Lextant President Chris Rockwell did a great presentation on design for user emotion at the recent International Home + Housewares Show. The presentation was titled “Research That Inspires Breakthrough Products: Moving From Experience to Aspiration,” and you can listen to or download the 30-minute presentation here. 

  Permalink
• Reflections: The 2008 IDSA Mideast Conference by Dan Rockwell on April 17, 2008

  The 2008 IDSA Mideast Conference has come and gone, and we’ve tallied up a few impressions from the Lextant team on how it all went.

  • Wyatt noted the amazing turnout for the event, and said he felt there was a good presence of design research—and that it was nice to see so many sponsors kick in their support.  He enjoyed meeting Frank Tyneski, the new director of IDSA. 

  • Justine said she has never seen so many design-passionate people descend on Columbus. 

  • Max and Leah were both big winners, walking away with a copies of the Solid Works 3D modeling package from one of the raffles. 

  • Drew told me about Lee Byron’s portfolio review, which showed off some awesome data visualization technique’s. 

  • Our Wiffiti TEXT/SMS screen setup for the opening reception was a hit, racking up some 160+ messages from all attending. 

  All in all, it was a great event.

  View photos of the event on Flickr. 

  Permalink
• Is the tablet PC really what the doctor ordered? by Colette Vardeman on April 09, 2008

  One of the things that’s always bugged me about medical visits — doctor, dentist, you name it — has been the paperwork. In an era of digital everything, why must all our records and insurance info and background and prescriptions be in handwritten hardcopy? No one likes to deal with it: patients, admins, no one. (Well, maybe HIPAA regulators.)

  So I was surprised and delighted during a recent visit to my doctor. For the first time ever, I was presented with a tablet PC to fill out my paperwork. I was able to quickly describe my history and symptoms, review some related medical information, and even print a healthy recipe. Finally, I thought.

  Then I noticed an older lady who was clearly unfamiliar with this “new” technology.

  But before she could even think about using tablet she had to figure out how to carry it. In one hand she carried her purse and assorted medications. Her other hand was wrapped around the grip of her cane. A pleading and flustered look prompted the receptionist to help her to a seat.

  Seeing technology used in new ways, and by people of all ages, is an education and an inspiration. I wondered how this lady felt about this new tool. Did she miss the familiar paper forms? Did she struggle to find the stylus like others I had observed? Was the text on the screen legible? Did she understand how to navigate it? Could she comfortably balance the device in the lap of her small frame and interact with it to provide the information necessary to manage her health care? Had anyone given her instructions? Or a choice?

  As I was summoned for my appointment I was reminded that observing people in their environment defines a user experience framework made up of cognitive, emotional, and physical interactions that can only be observed in person. These observations are the foundation of a designer’s frame of reference and are the springboard for innovation.
  

  Permalink
< 2 OF 3 >