September 2004 Archive
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September 2004 Posts
Tonight's the first debate!
Don't forget to print out your Debate Bingo Card!
Hit Reload to get a new card.
Update: An even better Debate Bingo, this one with funny pictures and works for both Bush and Kerry fans!
Remember - there's another debate next Friday, and then the Saturday after that.
I'm currently in Sunnyvale, California. I'll be returning to the DC area in the morning. I'mdoing the sort of work that I enjoy the most: designing software.
When designing I like to focus on our users and what their goals are.
Finding the goals is easy: watch your users work and ask Why?
- Why did you go to that screen?
- Why did you click there?
- Why did you open that file?
Eventually you will narrow down some fundamental goals.
Forexample, before I post this blog entry, I will:
- Run a spell checker on the text
- Check the links to make sure they are valid
- Make sure the formatting is okay
That's three different tasks, with three different purposes.
Most software would then have these three features:
- Spell Checker
- Link Checker
- Preview (to check the formatting)
However, if you asked me "Why I did each of those things", you'd hear the same answer three times:"I want an error-freeblog post"(or, the ever-popular:"I don't want to look like an idiot," which isn't a goalon its own,but is important to keep in mind.)
To solve my goal, those three features could beoptimized down to a single click that did all three.
Once your users' goals are discovered, it becomes much easier for you to design the user experience of your products. And don't think this is just for software -this works foreverything fromadvertising design toselecting locations for a popular coffee shop.
Years ago my parents got me one of those pin things that you can make hand imprints on. Being the engineering types, my friends and I have always tried to figure out a practical-yet-cool use for it, possibly as some sort of 3D display.
Well today I stumbled across a Korean company that sells a clock that uses a pins-based display.
Lots more pictures of the Pin Clock.
After some web searching, I found a company in the US that sells the Pin Clock 1 for $70.
The Pin Clock 1 "produces a satisfying click sound with every number change - similar to the sound of "flipping" seen at old-fashioned train station arrival and departure boards." The Pin Clock 2 is silent, and the only place I could find to buy it requires a minimum of 500. Anybody wanna go in on 500? :)