Interaction Designers
Tallinn Summer School / IxDworks.com
What’s In It & Should I Do It?
What’s the job &
should I do it?
Interaction designers
shape digital things
for people’s use
http://interaction-design.org/
BretVictor - http://worrydream.com/ABriefRantOnTheFutureOfInteractionDesign/
Fits the problem
poorly
Fits the user
poorly
Fits the problem
(very) well
Fits the user
(very) well
A tool amplifies capabilities
Useful Usable Desirable
Doing things easily and with pleasure.
Useful Usable Desirable
Usability User Experience (UX)
Doing things easily and with pleasure.
Doing things easily and with pleasure.
Behavior
Designing behavior?
Vision
Reality
Reality
Problems?
Possibilities?
For whom?
Users (≠ segments)
For what purpose?
Needs, goals, abilities
What?
Idea, concept, prototype, product
How?
Modeling, designing > evaluating...
Scope?
Time, budget, team, effects...
Product’s
behavior
Modeling
Personas
Scenarios
Use Cases
Requirements
Design
Concept
Paper prototypes
Wireframes
Hi-fi prototypes
User-centered design
Evaluation
Task analysis
Feedback
Usability testing
Heuristics
Approaches
Examples
Modeling
Personas
Scenarios
Use Cases
Requirements
Design
Concept
Paper prototypes
Wireframes
Hi-fi prototypes
Evaluation
Task analysis
Feedback
Usability testing
Heuristics
Examples
Learning about
users, tasks and
product
Solving key problems
through design
Testing and
improving the
product
Approaches
We will work with some
of these approaches during our workshop
Designing behavior?Should I do it?
Think about...
Swimming or
diving?
Personal
attributes
Personal
interests
UI designer Start-up Corporation,
Research Group,
Consultancy...
Examples
Who’s with you?
Generalist Specialist
UI designer Start-up Corporation,
Research Group,
Consultancy...
Mindset Professiongrey area
Examples
Approaches Storytelling
Empathy
Other specialization?
Synthesizing
Behavior patterns Production
Academic research
Team workEnthusiasm
ModelingResearch
Communication
Evaluation
Management
Creative thinking
Consultancy
Mentoring
Approaches Storytelling
Empathy
Other specialization?
Synthesizing
Behavior patterns Production
Academic research
Team workEnthusiasm
ModelingResearch
Communication
Evaluation
Management
Creative thinking
Consultancy
Mentoring
E.g.
Personas
Scenarios
Users Stories
Mockups
Wireframes
Prototypes
...
Approaches Storytelling
ModelingResearch
Thank you
Resources
• Specialists vs Generalists – http://
www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2009/02/specialists-
versus-generalists-a-false-dichotomy.php
• Interaction designer – http://www.cooper.com/about/
interaction-designer/
• Essential skills for interaction designers http://
www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2010/12/essential-
and-desirable-skills-for-a-ux-designer.php

Interaction Design's Work