New beTech User Experience Group
Though user experience (UX) design isn’t necessarily bleeding edge technology, its a crucial factor of any technology’s success, particularly large complex information systems like the web. Considerations like information architecture, usability, accessibility, and aesthetics, applied in the right way, make a user interface really sing. So, it’s only natural that beTech should toss UX into its mix while trying to stir up tech enthusiasm at UVa. Right?
Let me know you think so by joining me (and hopefully many others) in the Byrd room of the Harrison/Small building at noon Thursday January 18th for the first beTech User Experience Group meeting.
The beTech UX Group aims to bring together UVa website and software producers to pursue knowledge of UX design best-practices through special beTech events and initiatives. UVa webmasters, web designers, software designers, programmers, media producers of all types, and communicators will all hopefully find something useful in the focused community and opportunities this group has to offer.
Some of the pursuits and issues we’ll address include:
- User Interface Design
- Information Architecture
- Usability Engineering
- Interaction Design
- Web Accessibility
- Human Computer Interaction
- Information Visualization
- Graphic Design
- Multimedia Production (A/V, Flash, Animation, Games)
- Writing and Editing
A few timely initiatives ripe for the beTech UX Group to start, if we’re so inclined, include:
- Creating a first-class central web/software usability testing lab available to the entire UVa community
- Creating and stewarding a website that showcases the best of user interface design at UVa
- Recruiting and regularly engaging representatives of UVa website user groups (students, faculty, staff, alums, etc.) to provide them a persistent voice in our website design processes
Needless to say, a lot of what we’ll chew on will be in regards to user testing and ways of gaining insight into user needs. But fear not starvation of your creative soul; we’ll seek plenty of juicy design and communication nourishment as well. Ugliness and miscommunication, after all, are user experiences we want to avoid creating.
So come on out on the 18th, and bring a lunch (รก la beHungry.) Currently, we don’t have a presenter lined up. But in the interest of getting this group rolling, our first meeting can simply be a time for casual camaraderie. And it might be set against a backdrop slideshow featuring user interface design patterns, just to inspire a little focused conversation. Of course, if we can snag a presenter, the format is certainly open to change. If you are interested in presenting or have a good presentation/workshop idea, please email me at jml4n@virginia.edu, IM me at (AIM) runamonk7, or give me a call at 924-7099.
beTech User Experience Group Meeting
- Thursday, January 18
- 12:00pm-1:30pm
- Harrison/Small Byrd Room
