Guest Lectures
We will have a series of recorded and live guest lectures this quarter, and each week, you will be required to review and comment on at least one of these lectures. The four (4) kinds of guest lectures that will take place this quarter are
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1_wILJCuFY&feature=youtu.be
Note: The first 30 seconds are cut; the recording starts in mid response to "Tell us about the work you do."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCgmFr9t60Y&feature=youtu.be
- Industry Insights (Recorded): Individuals from companies will discuss usability practices in their organizations
- Research Reflections (Recorded): Usability researchers from other universities will discuss their work in usability
- International Input (Recorded): Researchers from other nations will discuss usability research projects there
- Featured Lectures (Live):
- Eva Snee of Google talks about how Google approaches usability and design as well as provides suggestions on developing skills for usability-related jobs and working in the tech sector
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1_wILJCuFY&feature=youtu.be
Note: The first 30 seconds are cut; the recording starts in mid response to "Tell us about the work you do."
- Dr. Nadya Shalamova, Director of the User Experience program at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, discusses "dark UX/dark design" -- or creating deceptive designs used to trick individuals to certain behaviors when using technologies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCgmFr9t60Y&feature=youtu.be
Industry Insights
Module 1/Week 1 -- Industry Insights Talk
Interview with Joe Welinske of WritersUA/ Welinske & Associates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78c10I35QyI&t=2s
Joe Welinske specializes in helping your software development effort through crafted communication. The best user experience features quality words and images in the user interface. For over thirty years, Joe has been providing training, contracting, and consulting services for the tech industry.
As you review the interview, note
Interview with Joe Welinske of WritersUA/ Welinske & Associates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78c10I35QyI&t=2s
Joe Welinske specializes in helping your software development effort through crafted communication. The best user experience features quality words and images in the user interface. For over thirty years, Joe has been providing training, contracting, and consulting services for the tech industry.
- For more on Joe, see https://l0r.a8b.myftpupload.com/?page...
- For more on usability and user experience design conferences Joe coordinates, see https://welinske.com/contracting-
- For more on Writers UA/Welinske & Associates, see https://welinske.com/
As you review the interview, note
- Terms that are new/you've not heard before
- Processes with which you are unfamiliar
- Thoughts on Joe's perspectives on current and future trends
- Questions you might have for Joe on the ideas he presents
Research Reflections
Module 2/Week 2 -- Research Reflections Talk
Interview with Quan Zhou of Metro State University
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L23Y8ooX-a0&feature=youtu.be
Dr. Quan Zhou is a Professor and Chair of the Technical Communication and Interaction Design Program in the School of Communication, Writing, & the Arts (SCWA) at Metro State University (https://www.metrostate.edu/academics/...). Dr. Zhou has done extensive research in different areas of usability and user experience design during his career and is an expert in the area of design thinking in usability research.
Interview with Quan Zhou of Metro State University
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L23Y8ooX-a0&feature=youtu.be
Dr. Quan Zhou is a Professor and Chair of the Technical Communication and Interaction Design Program in the School of Communication, Writing, & the Arts (SCWA) at Metro State University (https://www.metrostate.edu/academics/...). Dr. Zhou has done extensive research in different areas of usability and user experience design during his career and is an expert in the area of design thinking in usability research.
- For more on Dr. Zhou, see https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhouqu/
- Terms that are new/you've not heard before
- Processes with which you are unfamiliar
- Thoughts on Dr. Zhou's perspectives on current and future trends
- Questions you might have for Dr. Zhou on the ideas he presents
International Input
Module 3/Week 3 -- International Input Talk
Interview with Maiken Blok-Wahlgreen of TimeLog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5A19tiMfo4&t=37s
Maiken Blok-Wahlgreen is a technical communicator with the Danish company TimeLog (see https://www.timelog.com/en/) where she regularly engages in usability-related research as part of TimeLog's product development and product updating processes.
Interview with Maiken Blok-Wahlgreen of TimeLog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5A19tiMfo4&t=37s
Maiken Blok-Wahlgreen is a technical communicator with the Danish company TimeLog (see https://www.timelog.com/en/) where she regularly engages in usability-related research as part of TimeLog's product development and product updating processes.
- For more on Maiken, see https://www.linkedin.com/in/maikenblok/
- The kinds of research methods used to examine a situation
- The reason such methods were used
- The business context affecting research
- Questions you might have for Maiken on the ideas she presents
Industry Insights
Module 4/Week 4 -- Industry Insights Talk
Interview with Dr. Joy Robinson of University of Alabama in Huntsville and Northrop Grumman (Audio Only)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_rMFwee9KI&t=2s
Dr. Joy Robinson is well known for her usability and user experience design research that focuses on connections between academic research and industry practice and she has extensive experience in both teaching usability in university settings and doing usability research in industry.
Interview with Dr. Joy Robinson of University of Alabama in Huntsville and Northrop Grumman (Audio Only)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_rMFwee9KI&t=2s
Dr. Joy Robinson is well known for her usability and user experience design research that focuses on connections between academic research and industry practice and she has extensive experience in both teaching usability in university settings and doing usability research in industry.
- For more information on Dr. Robinson, see https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyrobinson/ and http://joyrobinson.com/
- The objectives used to guide usability-related research
- The factors used to select methods used to assess usability for different products
- The distinctions between industry vs. academic research in usability
- Questions you might have for Dr. Robinson on the ideas she presents
Research Reflections
Module 5/Week 5 -- Research Reflections Talk
Interview with Dr. Katie Panciera of the Milwaukee School of Engineering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPUJq4w4xNU&t=10s
Dr. Katie Panciera is a former Senior User Experience Researcher at Google who now works as a faculty member in the User Experience program of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (https://www.msoe.edu/). in addition to her scholarly research in usability, Dr. Panciera also has an extensive background working in usability for different high tech companies.
Interview with Dr. Katie Panciera of the Milwaukee School of Engineering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPUJq4w4xNU&t=10s
Dr. Katie Panciera is a former Senior User Experience Researcher at Google who now works as a faculty member in the User Experience program of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (https://www.msoe.edu/). in addition to her scholarly research in usability, Dr. Panciera also has an extensive background working in usability for different high tech companies.
- For more on Dr. Panciera, see https://www.katiepanciera.com/
- The differences in how industry vs. academia approach usability and usability research
- The kinds of topics different organizations focus on when doing usability-related research
- The time at which usability-related research is done and what this factor means for applying results
Industry Insights
Module 6/Week 6 -- Industry Insights Talk
Interview with Timothy Esposito of Oracle
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7il5cT04WA&feature=youtu.be
Timothy Esposito is a Principal Technical Writer at Oracle with over 20 years of technical communication experience. At Oracle he works on logistics software and prepares online help, API documentation, and XML-based documents. Prior to joining Oracle, Tim developed and delivered training for enterprise resource planning software. Currently Tim is the Secretary for the Society for Technical Communication (STC) and is an STC Fellow.
Interview with Timothy Esposito of Oracle
www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7il5cT04WA&feature=youtu.be
Timothy Esposito is a Principal Technical Writer at Oracle with over 20 years of technical communication experience. At Oracle he works on logistics software and prepares online help, API documentation, and XML-based documents. Prior to joining Oracle, Tim developed and delivered training for enterprise resource planning software. Currently Tim is the Secretary for the Society for Technical Communication (STC) and is an STC Fellow.
- For more on Tim, see www.linkedin.com/in/timothyesposito/
- The approach to usability taken within an organization
- The importance of relationships and interaction in usability-related research
- The need to study users in the context where they use products and perform activities
Industry Insights
Module 7/Week 7 -- Industry Insights Talk
Interview with Jeff Garcia of GDIT (General Dynamics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bviUZi521lQ
Jeff Garcia is the Program Manager of GDIT’s Software Testing Center of Excellence, a group of professional Test Engineers specializing in providing comprehensive Quality Assurance and System Testing solutions to multiple projects across different federal agencies. He specializes in system development, project planning and execution, monitoring, technology consulting, and resource balancing, and much of the work he does centers on accessibility and accessibility-related design practices in product development. As you review this video, consider
Interview with Jeff Garcia of GDIT (General Dynamics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bviUZi521lQ
Jeff Garcia is the Program Manager of GDIT’s Software Testing Center of Excellence, a group of professional Test Engineers specializing in providing comprehensive Quality Assurance and System Testing solutions to multiple projects across different federal agencies. He specializes in system development, project planning and execution, monitoring, technology consulting, and resource balancing, and much of the work he does centers on accessibility and accessibility-related design practices in product development. As you review this video, consider
- The approaches organizations take to identifying and addressing client expectations relating to usability
- The role of accessibility in usability and design practices
- The importance of addressing the needs of different audiences in product development and design activities
Research Reflections
Module 8/Week 8 -- Research Reflections Talk
Interview with Dr. Keshab Acharya, University at Buffalo— The State University of New York
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66GferjkcoA&t=1s
Keshab Raj Acharya is a faculty at the University at Buffalo— The State University of New York where he teaches technical communication courses in the Department of Engineering Education. His research interests in technical and professional communication include inter/cross cultural and international technical communication, usability studies, rhetoric of health and medicine, and social justice and human rights. As you review this video, consider
Interview with Dr. Keshab Acharya, University at Buffalo— The State University of New York
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66GferjkcoA&t=1s
Keshab Raj Acharya is a faculty at the University at Buffalo— The State University of New York where he teaches technical communication courses in the Department of Engineering Education. His research interests in technical and professional communication include inter/cross cultural and international technical communication, usability studies, rhetoric of health and medicine, and social justice and human rights. As you review this video, consider
- How cultural and linguistic factors can affect usability expectations
- How experiences and contexts of use can vary across culture and affect usability needs
- How the the definition of culture one uses affects the research one does in this area
International Input
Module 8/Week 8 -- International Input Talk
Interview with Josep Pepe Ventura, Technical Writer and Translator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMuehHvkuu8
Pepe Ventura is a freelance translator and technical writer who has recently completed a major research project focused on assessing the usability of a mobile app used to trace COVID-19 in Spain. In this interview, he discusses this research and provides suggestions on how to do certain kinds of usability research. As you review this video, consider
Interview with Josep Pepe Ventura, Technical Writer and Translator
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMuehHvkuu8
Pepe Ventura is a freelance translator and technical writer who has recently completed a major research project focused on assessing the usability of a mobile app used to trace COVID-19 in Spain. In this interview, he discusses this research and provides suggestions on how to do certain kinds of usability research. As you review this video, consider
- How cultural perspectives on healthcare and information security affect the technologies groups use
- How access to different technologies and technological options can affect usability expectations in different cultures
- How access to users can affect the research one does on culture and usability expectations
Industry Insights
Module 9/Week 9 -- Industry Insights Talk
Interview with Tom Johnson of Amazon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3r1_38mpI0&feature=youtu.be
Tom Johnson is a senior technical writer in San Jose, California, where he works primarily as a developer of technical documentation for Amazon (in the Appstore group where he focuses on third-party development of apps on Amazon's devices like Fire TV). In this interview, Tom discusses how he works with individuals in other areas on usability-related projects for Amazon as well as how he uses his blog, I'd Rather Be Writing, as a tool for sharing ideas about usability, technical communication, and research with other members of the field.
Interview with Tom Johnson of Amazon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3r1_38mpI0&feature=youtu.be
Tom Johnson is a senior technical writer in San Jose, California, where he works primarily as a developer of technical documentation for Amazon (in the Appstore group where he focuses on third-party development of apps on Amazon's devices like Fire TV). In this interview, Tom discusses how he works with individuals in other areas on usability-related projects for Amazon as well as how he uses his blog, I'd Rather Be Writing, as a tool for sharing ideas about usability, technical communication, and research with other members of the field.
- For more about Tom, see his blog https://idratherbewriting.com/
- How usability can serve as a mechanism through which members of different professions interact
- How an understanding of audience and user is key to product development and design
- How tools such as blogs can be a valuable mechanism for sharing ideas with other members of a field
International Input
Module 9/Week 9 -- International Input Talk
Interview with Katrin Klein of Shore GmbH (Audio Only)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsTNh1QpNOM&feature=youtu.be
Katrin Klein is a Product Marketing Manager with Shore GmbH (Germany). She is responsible for increasing engagement with the Shore software by improving the user onboarding experience, providing relevant learning materials, and communicating with users through different channels. She recently completed a Master’s Degree in Technical Communication and Localization at the University of Strasbourg. In this interview, she discusses a usability research project she did as part of her studies and how she used this school-based research as a mechanism for sharing ideas with members of her organization.
Interview with Katrin Klein of Shore GmbH (Audio Only)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsTNh1QpNOM&feature=youtu.be
Katrin Klein is a Product Marketing Manager with Shore GmbH (Germany). She is responsible for increasing engagement with the Shore software by improving the user onboarding experience, providing relevant learning materials, and communicating with users through different channels. She recently completed a Master’s Degree in Technical Communication and Localization at the University of Strasbourg. In this interview, she discusses a usability research project she did as part of her studies and how she used this school-based research as a mechanism for sharing ideas with members of her organization.
- For more on Katrin, see https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrin-klein/
- What factors affected the topic and method Katrin selected for her usability-related research project
- What approach she used for sharing her research results in usability with others
- What considerations to keep in mind when undertaking independent usability-related research
Industry Insights-Research Reflections Crossover
Module 10/Week 10 -- Industry Insights-Research Reflections Crossover Talk
Interview with Dr. Sean Williams of University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXQGOk6lzW0&list=PLP95Mf8IyoZMGUm33tersmBJorwUyOPKZ&index=8
Sean Williams directs the Technical Communication and Information Design program at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (https://tcid.uccs.edu/). His research focuses on the intersection of user experience design and communication in technical startups, both of which have helped him as co-founder of four new ventures.
As you review this interview, consider
Interview with Dr. Sean Williams of University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXQGOk6lzW0&list=PLP95Mf8IyoZMGUm33tersmBJorwUyOPKZ&index=8
Sean Williams directs the Technical Communication and Information Design program at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (https://tcid.uccs.edu/). His research focuses on the intersection of user experience design and communication in technical startups, both of which have helped him as co-founder of four new ventures.
As you review this interview, consider
- How the startup/venture capitalist environment Dr. Williams describes represents a context that can affect future usability and user experience design practices
- What skills, abilities, and approaches seem essential to usability-related work in emerging industries and new marketplaces
- Which factors noted by Dr. Williams are also considered important aspects noted in the readings on the future of usability and user experience design
International Input-Research Reflections Crossover
Module 10/Week 10 -- International Input-Research Reflections Crossover Talk
Interview with Dr. Gustav Verhulsdonck of Central Michigan University
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDHgfkz5cgo&list=PLP95Mf8IyoZMGUm33tersmBJorwUyOPKZ&index=11&t=202s
Dr. Gustav Gustav Verhulsdonck is an assistant professor in Business Information Systems at Central Michigan University. His research interests are user experience design, mobility, intercultural communication, globalization, and artificial intelligence. He has worked as a technical writer for International Business Machines (IBM) and as a visiting researcher for the University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies. He also worked as a consultant for clients such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. His research has appeared in Computers and Composition, Communication Design Quarterly, Technical Communication Quarterly, and the Journal of Business and Technical communication.
As you review this interview, consider
Interview with Dr. Gustav Verhulsdonck of Central Michigan University
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDHgfkz5cgo&list=PLP95Mf8IyoZMGUm33tersmBJorwUyOPKZ&index=11&t=202s
Dr. Gustav Gustav Verhulsdonck is an assistant professor in Business Information Systems at Central Michigan University. His research interests are user experience design, mobility, intercultural communication, globalization, and artificial intelligence. He has worked as a technical writer for International Business Machines (IBM) and as a visiting researcher for the University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies. He also worked as a consultant for clients such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. His research has appeared in Computers and Composition, Communication Design Quarterly, Technical Communication Quarterly, and the Journal of Business and Technical communication.
- For more on Dr. Verhulsdonck, see https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustav-verhulsdonck-88886945/
As you review this interview, consider
- How business trends affect current and potentially future practices in usability-related fields
- How new and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, can affect what usability entails and what user experiences (and related designs) can be or could be
- How cultural factors and globalization/expanding global markets are a factor shaping usability-related practices today and will continue to do so in the future