Becoming The User: Adventures in Money and Blood

Presented by Andy Maloney

Date: Tuesday October 18, 2011
Time: doors open at 6:00 pm; talk begins at 6:30 pm
Place: TheCodeFactory, 246 Queen St., Ottawa

Abstract:
“You are not the user” is often presented as a [sometimes not-so-gentle] reminder to designers that usually you are not the one who is going to be using the results of your design. This implies that you need to somehow put yourself into their position to see things from their perspective. If you are dropped into a situation where you have to design and implement software for an expert in a field you know nothing about, how do you do it? How do you go from knowing nothing to becoming a subject matter expert?

In this talk we’ll explore how you might “become the user” to help guide your design decisions and how the in-depth knowledge of another domain can be combined with your expertise to lead to innovation. Andy will draw on his experiences designing and implementing a derivatives-trading system for market-makers and creating a bloodstain pattern analysis tool for crime scene investigators to jump-start a discussion.

This talk is aimed at anyone interested in user-centered design and anyone faced with the “oh no!” moment when you realize you don’t know anything about the field you’re about to work in. Please come prepared with questions and experiences to share!

Speaker Bio:
Andy Maloney has been a software guy since the dawn of the home computer age and likes learning new things. He completed a degree in Computing and Information Science, which turned out to be a Good Thing because it’s only useful when combined with other fields which means there’s a lot of opportunity to learn new stuff. He has worked on hard-core software engineering of banking software, designed and implemented a derivatives trading system in Europe, worked on game engine software for independent game developers, and created a bloodstain pattern analysis tool for crime scene investigators. He also likes coffee.

When and Where:
This event will take place on Tuesday, October 18, 6:00 pm at TheCodeFactory, located at 246 Queen Street, between Bank and Kent, (on the second floor) above the Green Papaya Restaurant.

Note: There is no cost for attending this event and prior registration is not required. The doors open at 6:00 pm and the talk begins at 6:30 pm. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. An informal social gathering will follow at a nearby pub.

CapCHI (www.capchi.org) is a social and professional society of people who work as user interface designers, researchers, educators, software developers, web designers, graphic designers and human factors engineers in and around Canada’s National Capital Region. Founded in 1991, CapCHI’s goal is to bring together local professionals interested in how humans and computers interact, in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.