All fingers and thumbs, an observation

User testing is always illuminating. The mirrored glass, the dimmed lights, and the unreal relay of sound from one room to the next. These things become familiar. But the users, no matter how carefully screened and segmented, are all different. They make every session both humbling and surprising. Last week I dropped in on a … Continue reading All fingers and thumbs, an observation →

Enter your 16-digit card number folllowed by Arghhh

So I got home late last night and opened a letter containing a replacement bank card. To activate it I had to call one of those automated phone lines. It taught me something interesting. Though standing in the living room just a few feet from a landline phone, I reached for the phone that is … Continue reading Enter your 16-digit card number folllowed by Arghhh →

Dementia and Dopplr – how designing for extreme users benefits us all

To the RCA for Innovation Night, tied in with the college's summer show. The evening included awards for students in the Helen Hamlyn Centre, which uses people-centred design to support independent living and working for ageing and diverse populations. Focusing on the needs of people often ignored by mainstream business and design is obviously a … Continue reading Dementia and Dopplr – how designing for extreme users benefits us all →