You’ve Got A Lot To Say. People Deserve to Hear It.
You don’t need to picture people in their underwear to get up on stage and share what you know. You do, however, need to have a compelling idea along with a well-written abstract and a well-structured, well-prepared presentation in order to give the talk you–and your audience–deserve.
That’s not all–show up with 5 minutes of a presentation and learn from seasoned professionals who have seen their fair share of stages. We’ll provide you with a safe, welcoming environment and help you by providing valuable and actionable feedback that will help you level-up your presentation game.
Start here, and evolve your own patterns and techniques that work best for you.
You’ve worked hard on the information architecture models you’ve created but haven’t been able to sell them to the client, or your co-workers. Maybe the conversation around the IA has broken down into an unhealthy debate over semantics. In another scenario, you are tasked with creating a controlled vocabulary for a large organization that has a silo mentality and a lot of legacy content. Where to begin?
These scenarios will sound familiar to most user experience professionals. In this deck, I share my techniques for getting an organization that may have different ideas about how to organize and name content to agree upon a controlled vocabulary.
I also share specific tools in the form of diagrams, beyond the ubiquitous sitemap and wireframe, which communicate complex ideas. And techniques for practicing information architecture with clients collaboratively.
Libraries are continually developing new programs and services to meet the needs of their community. But designing for the future can be challenging. How do you identify where to make changes? How do you make changes without taking on too much risk? How do you measure and evaluate the success of new library programs and services?
This workshop is an interactive experience, guiding teams through a process to find solutions for real library challenges and problems. Participants work in teams and be guided through activities to identify innovative solutions, set goals, and manage risk. Activities will help participants develop design thinking skills and a growth mindset.
Participants walk away with basic principles of innovative design processes. Participants gain confidence and feel empowered to think about innovation and innovative ideas in their libraries. As a result, they will become better risk takers and be able to develop better solutions.
Workshop facilitated by Crystal Schimpf
Eastern Shore Regional Library
For inquiries & bookings, email info@kixal.com
You’ve worked hard on the information architecture models you’ve created but haven’t been able to sell them to the client, or your co-workers. Maybe the conversation around the IA has broken down into an unhealthy debate over semantics. In another scenario, you are tasked with creating a controlled vocabulary for a large organization that has a silo mentality and a lot of legacy content. Where to begin?
These scenarios will sound familiar to most user experience professionals. In this deck, I share my techniques for getting an organization that may have different ideas about how to organize and name content to agree upon a controlled vocabulary.
I also share specific tools in the form of diagrams, beyond the ubiquitous sitemap and wireframe, which communicate complex ideas. And techniques for practicing information architecture with clients collaboratively.
Libraries are continually developing new programs and services to meet the needs of their community. But designing for the future can be challenging. How do you identify where to make changes? How do you make changes without taking on too much risk? How do you measure and evaluate the success of new library programs and services?
This workshop is an interactive experience, guiding teams through a process to find solutions for real library challenges and problems. Participants work in teams and be guided through activities to identify innovative solutions, set goals, and manage risk. Activities will help participants develop design thinking skills and a growth mindset.
Participants walk away with basic principles of innovative design processes. Participants gain confidence and feel empowered to think about innovation and innovative ideas in their libraries. As a result, they will become better risk takers and be able to develop better solutions.
Workshop facilitated by Crystal Schimpf
Eastern Shore Regional Library
For inquiries & bookings, email info@kixal.com
Discussing Design: The Art of Critique - Web 2.0 Expo NY 2011Aaron Irizarry
In this presentation we’ll discuss the importance of critique and a language for discussing design. It can be easy to complain about the way things are and theorize on the way things should be. Progress comes from understanding why something is the way it is and then examining how it meets or does not meet it’s desired goals. This is critique. Critique is not about describing how bad something is, or proposing the ultimate solution. Critique is a dialogue, a conversation that takes place to better understand how we got to where we are, how close we are to getting where we want to go and what we have left to do to get there.
The contents of this presentation will focus on:
understanding critique
best practices for incorporating critiques into a design practice
identifying common challenges to critique and ways to improve our ability to deliver, collect and receive critique
Workshop Description: Want to write a blog or talk but not sure how to get started? One of the most common reasons for not getting started is feeling like you don't have any good ideas or something valuable to say. So, come ideate with us!
Want to come up with new ways to tackle team challenges but not sure how to shape the conversation? Learn how to run a brainstorm!
Learn and practice 3-4 types of brainstorming methods (some you can do on your own, others with a team), what preparation work goes into leading a team ideation, how to be inclusive of all voices including remote teammates during a brainstorm and what helps us get into our creative headspaces.
Speaker Camp Atlanta Workshop - June 28, 2014Russ U
You’ve Got A Lot To Say.
People Deserve to Hear It.
You don’t need to picture people in their underwear to get up on stage and share what you know. You do, however, need to have a compelling idea along with a well-written abstract and a well-structured, well-prepared presentation in order to give the talk you–and your audience–deserve.
Show up with 5 minutes of a presentation and learn from seasoned professionals who have seen their fair share of stages. We’ll provide you with a safe, welcoming environment and help you by providing valuable and actionable feedback that will help you level-up your presentation game.
We can help with that. Come learn with us!
Dr. Wafa Hozien shares a powerpoint on Academic Writing. This powerpoint is bound to delve into the reasons why we do not write and then how to remedy that great fear of writing. This presentation is based on Robert Boice book Professors as Writers.
The Accidental Writer: Great Web Copy for EveryoneMelanie Seibert
Great copy is critical to the effectiveness of nearly every website. Yet often, a business owner, designer, or developer, perhaps pressured by budget and time limitations, will write the copy him- or herself. This session will tell you when that's a good idea, and when it's not. For those times when it's okay to be the "accidental writer," you'll learn quick tips for crafting effective web copy. For those times when you really need to bring in a pro, you'll learn how to work with a web writer to get the best copy for your website, as quickly and cheaply as possible.
Introduction to Information ArchitectureAbby Covert
The first class of a 15 week course taught at Parsons, the New School for Design. Covers Information Architecture intents and beliefs as well as a comparison to the related studies of interaction design, content strategy and user research. Lastly, speaking to the role of User Experience in all of these roles.
Collaborative Information Architecture (ias17)Abby Covert
You’ve worked hard on the information architecture models you’ve created but haven’t been able to sell them to the client, or your co-workers. Maybe the conversation around the IA has broken down into an unhealthy debate over semantics. In another scenario, you are tasked with creating a controlled vocabulary for a large organization that has a silo mentality and a lot of legacy content. Where to begin?
These scenarios will sound familiar to most IA professionals.
In this workshop, Abby will share her techniques for getting an organization that may have different ideas about how to organize and name content to agree upon a controlled vocabulary.
Abby will share specific tools in the form of diagrams, beyond the ubiquitous sitemap and wireframe, which communicate complex ideas. And she’ll share techniques for practicing information architecture with clients collaboratively.
I want to focus on the soft skills that make someone good at IA. So the lessons here are really about leveling up in skill set. Including:
- Conflict Resolution in IA
- Selling IA to others in your organization
- Improving stakeholder interviews
- Facilitating Low Fidelity Conversation about language
- Visualizing language with simple pictures to get clarity
The fifth class of a 15 week course in Information Architecture taught at Parsons, the New School for Design. Topics include: Putting the Why before the what and the what before the how. The relationship of goals, requirements and features. How to deal with needed research and data as a requirement.
In this scrum gathering talk I introduced some common issues in distributed teams. I used an exercise to generate working agreements for distributed teams call the negation exercise. Additionally, there are a few tool discussion slides and a great communication kata to help get your teams to a better state of flow.
Campus Connect YourNextLeap - Modern College, Pune (B.Sc.)YourNextLeap .com
How can www.YourNextLeap.com help B.Sc. students increase their employment chances by giving access of better jobs and make more informed career choices?
For even more great information on Presenting at Conferences:
Conference Proposals That Don't Suck (A List Apart): http://alistapart.com/article/conference-proposals-that-dont-suck
Great Talks Start with Great Proposals (IA Summit Webinar): https://vimeo.com/75783835
Speaker Camp helps you get ready to present at conferences. Spend your Saturday with us and get prepared to get on stage and show your smarts!
You don’t need to picture people in their underwear to get up on stage and share what you know. You do, however, need to have a compelling idea along with a well-written abstract and a well-structured, well-prepared presentation in order to give the talk you–and your audience–deserve.
Great Talks Start with Great Proposals: An IA Summit Virtual WebinarRuss U
The IA Summit and User Interface Engineering (UIE) are teaming up to present a free webinar about creating great presentation proposals.
Learn how to organize proposals in the way the most successful conference creators like to see. Our experts will discuss how to generate presentation ideas, choose a topic, and write a compelling abstract. They’ll also have tips specific to submitting a session proposal for the 2014 IA Summit.
First-hand insight from experienced speakers
UIE’s Adam Churchill will be our webinar host. He’ll be joined by two people with deep experience in both public speaking and organizing events:
Samantha Starmer
Samantha Starmer is Vice President of Customer Experience for Razorfish’s national Commerce and Content practice. Prior to Razorfish, Samantha was Director of Customer Experience at REI, a leading national outdoor retail co-op.
Samantha has led both workshops and presentations at the IA Summit, including full-day workshops on design for cross-channel experiences in 2011 and 2012. She is the coauthor of the forthcoming “Speaker Camp.”
Russ Unger
Russ is the Experience Design Director for GE Capital Americas. He’s also the coauthor of “A Project Guide to UX Design”, “Designing the Conversation”, and the upcoming “Speaker Camp”.
Russ’s name has been on a great many IA Summit programs, including the popular career workshop he has led for the last several years.
Presented by User Interface Engineering
User Interface Engineering is a leading research, training, and consulting firm specializing in web site and product usability. With in-depth research findings based on user observation, UIE empowers development teams to create usable web sites that increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. UIE was founded 25 years ago by Jared M. Spool and has developed into the largest organization of its kind in the world.
Discussing Design: The Art of Critique - Web 2.0 Expo NY 2011Aaron Irizarry
In this presentation we’ll discuss the importance of critique and a language for discussing design. It can be easy to complain about the way things are and theorize on the way things should be. Progress comes from understanding why something is the way it is and then examining how it meets or does not meet it’s desired goals. This is critique. Critique is not about describing how bad something is, or proposing the ultimate solution. Critique is a dialogue, a conversation that takes place to better understand how we got to where we are, how close we are to getting where we want to go and what we have left to do to get there.
The contents of this presentation will focus on:
understanding critique
best practices for incorporating critiques into a design practice
identifying common challenges to critique and ways to improve our ability to deliver, collect and receive critique
Workshop Description: Want to write a blog or talk but not sure how to get started? One of the most common reasons for not getting started is feeling like you don't have any good ideas or something valuable to say. So, come ideate with us!
Want to come up with new ways to tackle team challenges but not sure how to shape the conversation? Learn how to run a brainstorm!
Learn and practice 3-4 types of brainstorming methods (some you can do on your own, others with a team), what preparation work goes into leading a team ideation, how to be inclusive of all voices including remote teammates during a brainstorm and what helps us get into our creative headspaces.
Speaker Camp Atlanta Workshop - June 28, 2014Russ U
You’ve Got A Lot To Say.
People Deserve to Hear It.
You don’t need to picture people in their underwear to get up on stage and share what you know. You do, however, need to have a compelling idea along with a well-written abstract and a well-structured, well-prepared presentation in order to give the talk you–and your audience–deserve.
Show up with 5 minutes of a presentation and learn from seasoned professionals who have seen their fair share of stages. We’ll provide you with a safe, welcoming environment and help you by providing valuable and actionable feedback that will help you level-up your presentation game.
We can help with that. Come learn with us!
Dr. Wafa Hozien shares a powerpoint on Academic Writing. This powerpoint is bound to delve into the reasons why we do not write and then how to remedy that great fear of writing. This presentation is based on Robert Boice book Professors as Writers.
The Accidental Writer: Great Web Copy for EveryoneMelanie Seibert
Great copy is critical to the effectiveness of nearly every website. Yet often, a business owner, designer, or developer, perhaps pressured by budget and time limitations, will write the copy him- or herself. This session will tell you when that's a good idea, and when it's not. For those times when it's okay to be the "accidental writer," you'll learn quick tips for crafting effective web copy. For those times when you really need to bring in a pro, you'll learn how to work with a web writer to get the best copy for your website, as quickly and cheaply as possible.
Introduction to Information ArchitectureAbby Covert
The first class of a 15 week course taught at Parsons, the New School for Design. Covers Information Architecture intents and beliefs as well as a comparison to the related studies of interaction design, content strategy and user research. Lastly, speaking to the role of User Experience in all of these roles.
Collaborative Information Architecture (ias17)Abby Covert
You’ve worked hard on the information architecture models you’ve created but haven’t been able to sell them to the client, or your co-workers. Maybe the conversation around the IA has broken down into an unhealthy debate over semantics. In another scenario, you are tasked with creating a controlled vocabulary for a large organization that has a silo mentality and a lot of legacy content. Where to begin?
These scenarios will sound familiar to most IA professionals.
In this workshop, Abby will share her techniques for getting an organization that may have different ideas about how to organize and name content to agree upon a controlled vocabulary.
Abby will share specific tools in the form of diagrams, beyond the ubiquitous sitemap and wireframe, which communicate complex ideas. And she’ll share techniques for practicing information architecture with clients collaboratively.
I want to focus on the soft skills that make someone good at IA. So the lessons here are really about leveling up in skill set. Including:
- Conflict Resolution in IA
- Selling IA to others in your organization
- Improving stakeholder interviews
- Facilitating Low Fidelity Conversation about language
- Visualizing language with simple pictures to get clarity
The fifth class of a 15 week course in Information Architecture taught at Parsons, the New School for Design. Topics include: Putting the Why before the what and the what before the how. The relationship of goals, requirements and features. How to deal with needed research and data as a requirement.
In this scrum gathering talk I introduced some common issues in distributed teams. I used an exercise to generate working agreements for distributed teams call the negation exercise. Additionally, there are a few tool discussion slides and a great communication kata to help get your teams to a better state of flow.
Campus Connect YourNextLeap - Modern College, Pune (B.Sc.)YourNextLeap .com
How can www.YourNextLeap.com help B.Sc. students increase their employment chances by giving access of better jobs and make more informed career choices?
For even more great information on Presenting at Conferences:
Conference Proposals That Don't Suck (A List Apart): http://alistapart.com/article/conference-proposals-that-dont-suck
Great Talks Start with Great Proposals (IA Summit Webinar): https://vimeo.com/75783835
Speaker Camp helps you get ready to present at conferences. Spend your Saturday with us and get prepared to get on stage and show your smarts!
You don’t need to picture people in their underwear to get up on stage and share what you know. You do, however, need to have a compelling idea along with a well-written abstract and a well-structured, well-prepared presentation in order to give the talk you–and your audience–deserve.
Great Talks Start with Great Proposals: An IA Summit Virtual WebinarRuss U
The IA Summit and User Interface Engineering (UIE) are teaming up to present a free webinar about creating great presentation proposals.
Learn how to organize proposals in the way the most successful conference creators like to see. Our experts will discuss how to generate presentation ideas, choose a topic, and write a compelling abstract. They’ll also have tips specific to submitting a session proposal for the 2014 IA Summit.
First-hand insight from experienced speakers
UIE’s Adam Churchill will be our webinar host. He’ll be joined by two people with deep experience in both public speaking and organizing events:
Samantha Starmer
Samantha Starmer is Vice President of Customer Experience for Razorfish’s national Commerce and Content practice. Prior to Razorfish, Samantha was Director of Customer Experience at REI, a leading national outdoor retail co-op.
Samantha has led both workshops and presentations at the IA Summit, including full-day workshops on design for cross-channel experiences in 2011 and 2012. She is the coauthor of the forthcoming “Speaker Camp.”
Russ Unger
Russ is the Experience Design Director for GE Capital Americas. He’s also the coauthor of “A Project Guide to UX Design”, “Designing the Conversation”, and the upcoming “Speaker Camp”.
Russ’s name has been on a great many IA Summit programs, including the popular career workshop he has led for the last several years.
Presented by User Interface Engineering
User Interface Engineering is a leading research, training, and consulting firm specializing in web site and product usability. With in-depth research findings based on user observation, UIE empowers development teams to create usable web sites that increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. UIE was founded 25 years ago by Jared M. Spool and has developed into the largest organization of its kind in the world.
Designing for Customer needs: A UX PerspectiveRichard O'Brien
A brief 20 min talk I gave to the Head Start meetup (@HeadStartAus), introducing some Lean techniques to help them consider the customer throughout the product & biz development process.
Design Thinking to Co-Design Solutions: Presented at ACMP 2018Enterprise Knowledge
This presentation from EK's Rebecca Wyatt and Claire Brawdy details how the Design Thinking process can be applied to facilitate sessions and engage end users in the design process. Originally presented at the ACMP Change Management 2018 Conference in Las Vegas.
Information and reminders for attending and non-attending A+ Facilitators. The "meta-workshop" day of development on creating and faciliating A+ workshops also modeled an A+ workshop.
In this hands-on, interactive session, Len will share some basic principles of the design studio method, share how you can use the design studio method to rapidly generate ideas for your own digital products, and then facilitate a mini design studio challenge that is sure to leave you with practical skills to apply to your work and bonded with meetup attendees.
Hiring & Onboarding in Turbulent Times FTW - Interaction23.pdfRuss U
Hiring and onboarding new employees to your team is all too often treated as an afterthought, or best case, as an at-the-moment-thought. Employees deserve a well-thought-out experience that includes them from the very beginning–from the creation of the position description—to that time after they’ve become integrated into our teams and organizations.
We can trace some of these imperfect scenarios all the way back to the creation of our performance profiles or position descriptions, and how they were created. When we understand the entire journey from candidate to employee, we see the value of treating onboarding as an ending of a particular process instead of a solitary event in time.
SXSW 2022 - Hiring & Getting Hired in Turbulent Times WorkshopRuss U
Hiring and onboarding new employees to your team is all too often treated as an afterthought, or best case, as an at-the-moment-thought. As candidates, the process can appear opaque, random, and daunting as you try to prepare for any number of questions, including those that spring up completely out of the blue.
It currently seems nearly impossible to hire AND impossible to even know how to get hired. We’ll explore activities to help you gain insights to improve your hiring processes and successes while also showing candidates what happens on the other side — so you can be better prepared to hire that new candidate, or be the one who lands the perfect gig.
3 Cs of Design - Charters, Critique, and Culture - Amuse ConferenceRuss U
I’ve worked for a lot of idiot managers in my career. And then, one day, after I had become a design manager myself, it finally dawned on me: Now I’m the idiot! I had a lot of ideas about what a good manager is, how one acts, and the exact positioning of where the spotlight should land on the hero, which was absolutely supposed to be me. Thanks, ego.
Heroically speaking, I failed on many, many levels. I didn’t understand how to understand a team, and help turn their perceptions and expectations into something shared and agreed upon. I didn’t understand how to foster critique; I only knew that I was in charge of design and that I had the final say. Most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire” and this process worked well when I was a designer and was trying to master the art of the task flow, site map, wireframe, prototype, personas, and so on. In leadership positions, the option to go back to the drawing board or to iterate hasn't always been readily available--nor as painless to my pride and potentially my pocketbook.
The passing of time, the second and third chances that I’ve been given, and the sound advice that I didn’t want to listen to in the past have opened me up to a much different perspective. Oh, I’ve still got plenty to learn, and I’m excited to share some of what I’ve learned about charters, critique, and culture of design organizations.
Guerrilla Design & Research Methods - Amuse ConferenceRuss U
This hands-on session will cover a number of low cost, yet powerful research methods to help you make better data-driven design decisions. You’ll work through a mini-project using these several techniques that will help you understand your user, begin to understand high-level requirements, start low-fidelity prototyping, and testing with users.
TOPICS COVERED:
A number of inexpensive, quick, but highly effective research and design methods when time and/or budget are limited
Valuable 'how-tos' to execute the research
What to do with the guerrilla research and design you do—how to proceed
QUESTIONS ANSWERED:
How do I get my boss or client to buy into doing research for my project?
What is guerrilla research and how is it different than traditional research?
What are some guerrilla research methods and what kind of results can I expect?
How do I pick the right method(s)?
What are the downsides/shortcomings of guerrilla research methods compared to other research methods?
You have attended workshops, you have seen them masterfully commanded by other people, and you really want to get a handle on doing this workshop thing yourself. This workshop is the workshop that will help you create and facilitate a workshop of your very own, in whatever workshop fashion you decide upon.
We will help you identify the path unlocking the workshop achievement in whatever platform you choose. You will learn how to plan your agenda, structure your workshop, and identify the tools that are needed to help you along the way. Preparation is only a small portion of The Workshop Workshop; you will also gain from the wisdom of the CrankyTalk Workshops to help you feel more comfortable with your material–and yourself–in front of a group of people who are relying upon you to be their guide.
There will be activities where you will experience the true nature of “trial by fire” or “getting your feet wet” (whichever metaphor you prefer). That is correct: You will be leading your very own workshop within The Workshop Workshop, and presenting your findings and results back to the rest of the workshop attendees.
Bring your most comfortable pair of shoes, your favorite writing utensil, and all the gumption you can muster.
3 Cs of Design: Charters, Critique, & CultureRuss U
I’ve worked for a lot of idiot managers in my career. And then, one day, after I had become a design manager myself, it finally dawned on me: Now I’m the idiot! I had a lot of ideas about what a good manager is, how one acts, and the exact positioning of where the spotlight should land on the hero, which was absolutely supposed to be me. Thanks, ego.
Heroically speaking, I failed on many, many levels. I didn’t understand how to understand a team, and help turn their perceptions and expectations into something shared and agreed upon. I didn’t understand how to foster critique; I only knew that I was in charge of design and that I had the final say. Most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire” and this process worked well when I was a designer and was trying to master the art of the task flow, site map, wireframe, prototype, personas, and so on. In leadership positions, the option to go back to the drawing board or to iterate hasn't always been readily available--nor as painless to my pride and potentially my pocketbook.
The passing of time, the second and third chances that I’ve been given, and the sound advice that I didn’t want to listen to in the past have opened me up to a much different perspective. Oh, I’ve still got plenty to learn, and I’m excited to share some of what I’ve learned about charters, critique, and culture of design organizations.
Design Culture Basics - Creating Your Team Charter - Interaction South Americ...Russ U
Getting a design team "on the same page" is the oft-stated goal of managers who care about how team unity affects the quality of the work. However, miscommunication is a given, and eventually every manager uncovers a series of disconnects between what was said and what was understood.
Consider, then, the benefits of creating a Team Charter: a kind of persona for your team that will help every member identify and agree upon a shared identity, purpose, and vision for the future.
Through a series of team activities, learn how to uncover the perceptions your team already has of themselves as a unit, as well as their thoughts about how they are perceived by others in the organization and craft a team charter of your own. With this key information, you can shape the team’s purpose and craft a plan to generate the proper perception of your team by others in a living document that keeps everyone on the same page.
The 3 Cs of Design - Charters, Critique, and Culture - Interaction South Amer...Russ U
I’ve worked for a lot of idiot managers in my career. And then, one day, after I had become a design manager myself, it finally dawned on me: Now I’m the idiot! I had a lot of ideas about what a good manager is, how one acts, and the exact positioning of where the spotlight should land on the hero, which was absolutely supposed to be me. Thanks, ego.
Heroically speaking, I failed on many, many levels. I didn’t understand how to understand a team, and help turn their perceptions and expectations into something shared and agreed upon. I didn’t understand how to foster critique; I only knew that I was in charge of design and that I had the final say. Most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire” and this process worked well when I was a designer and was trying to master the art of the task flow, site map, wireframe, prototype, personas, and so on. In leadership positions, the option to go back to the drawing board or to iterate hasn't always been readily available--nor as painless to my pride and potentially my pocketbook.
The passing of time, the second and third chances that I’ve been given, and the sound advice that I didn’t want to listen to in the past have opened me up to a much different perspective. Oh, I’ve still got plenty to learn, and I’m excited to share some of what I’ve learned about charters, critique, and culture of design organizations.
We’ve all worked at places where there’s never enough time to make sure that things are operationally done the “right way”—bills need to get paid, client or product/project work needs to get done and takes priority, and hey, everyone deserves to have a life, too. There is light at the end of this tunnel! Several companies, including Atari, Ford, Microsoft and Google, have pulled off some great things by taking advantage of skunkworks teams and projects. I’ve been fortunate enough to see some successes with those teams and projects, as well, and will share them so you can see how to apply the approach(es) to your own practice.
Way back in the 1940s, Kelly Johnson and his team of mighty skunks used their Skunkworks process to design—and build—a prototype jet fighter in 143 days. Kelly established 14 Rules and Practices for Skunkworks projects in order to help articulate the most effective way for his team to be successful in the projects that they worked on. Not only can we learn from Kelly’s rules and adapt them to our current methods of working, we can also create our own skunkworks teams and projects to ensure that the Cobbler’s kids—the operational areas of our design practices—get some shoes put on their feet. And the results might just smell pretty good, if you’re patient enough.
The 3 Cs of Design: Charters, Critique, and CultureRuss U
I’ve worked for a lot of idiot managers in my career. And then, one day, after I had become a design manager myself, it finally dawned on me: Now I’m the idiot! I had a lot of ideas about what a good manager is, how one acts, and the exact positioning of where the spotlight should land on the hero, which was absolutely supposed to be me. Thanks, ego.
Heroically speaking, I failed on many, many levels. I didn’t understand how to understand a team, and help turn their perceptions and expectations into something shared and agreed upon. I didn’t understand how to foster critique; I only knew that I was in charge of design and that I had the final say. Most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire” and this process worked well when I was a designer and was trying to master the art of the task flow, site map, wireframe, prototype, personas, and so on. In leadership positions, the option to go back to the drawing board or to iterate hasn't always been readily available--nor as painless to my pride and potentially my pocketbook.
The passing of time, the second and third chances that I’ve been given, and the sound advice that I didn’t want to listen to in the past have opened me up to a much different perspective. Oh, I’ve still got plenty to learn, and I’m excited to share some of what I’ve learned about charters, critique, and culture of design organizations.
The Career Workshop will help attendees prepare for a job search. Attendees will share experiences and challenges that they have encountered, and will be provided with insights and guidance to help them navigate the often-challenging job-seeker landscape.
The workshop is divided into information-sharing sessions and activity-based sessions that help attendees get a combination of classroom-style learning mixed with hands-on interaction. In addition to discussions of cover letters, resumes, and portfolios, we will brainstorm approaches to common interview questions, including the behavioral-based questions that are being used by many companies today. We will also learn how to research and negotiate salaries for full-time and contract employees.
We’ve all worked at places where there’s never enough time to make sure that things are operationally done the “right way”—bills need to get paid, billable work needs to get done and takes priority, and hey, everyone deserves to have a life, too. Companies like Atari, Ford, Microsoft and Google, have accomplished great things by utilizing skunk works approaches. I’ve been fortunate enough to see some successes with skunk works, as well, and will share them so you can see how to apply the approach(es) to your own practice.
Way back in the 1940s, Kelly Johnson and his team of mighty skunks used their Skunk Works process to design—and build—a prototype jet fighter in 143 days. Kelly established 14 Rules and Practices for Skunk Works projects in order to help articulate the most effective way for his team to be successful in the projects that they worked on. We can also use skunk works to ensure that the Cobbler’s kids—operational areas of design—get shoes put on their feet.
When you can make just about anything, how do you know which option is the best one for modeling your ideas when it’s time to get started? Fifty years before ‘prototyping’ became a familiar concept, Jim Henson was mastering its foundational elements—using his muppets, of course. Henson also faced the same challenge that contemporary User Experience professionals know well: the paradox of prototyping choice; in tools and in process. Henson had notebooks full of ideas in various stages of development, and when he was ready to see which of his ideas were worth refining, he turned to sketching, storyboarding, patterns, iteration, and live testing to deterring his next steps.
Jim Henson was a UXer at his core. He cared about an authentic experience for his audience, and ensured that his team produced great work without spending any more time than was necessary to validate ideas. This early UXer can teach us a lot about how to apply those principles to the work we do today, with or without the help of Muppets.
Jim Henson started working as a puppeteer in 1954, a fair 40-50 years before many of us even considered User Experience as a career. He did, however, take it upon himself to apply many of the core principles that UX Designers are falling love with today (or are at least using as part of our everyday lives). Hang out for a quick dive into the life of Jim Henson, with a view into his work from the perspective of how it pertains to what it is we’re doing today, that promises to even leave Waldorf and Statler happy.
And yes, there will be muppets.
UX Lisbon - Things I've Learned (and Am Still Learning) from Leading (UX Desi...Russ U
I’ve worked for a lot of idiot managers in my career. And then, one day, after I had become a manager, it dawned on me: Now I’m the idiot! You see, most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire.” This process worked well when I was a designer and was trying to master the art of the task flow, site map, wireframe, prototype, persona, and so on. In leadership positions, the option to go back to the drawing board or to iterate hasn’t always been readily available—nor as painless to my pride and potentially my pocketbook.
Many of these lessons haven’t been easy for me to learn. It’s been tough to simultaneously remove obstacles without becoming one, or learning how to say “no” (and the flavors of yes and no!) when I’ve also wanted people to be satisfied with me and the work I’m doing. However, these lessons have all helped me become better at managing to some degree, while instilling a strong sense of empathy for those people who either report to me, or bless their souls, manage me in one way or another.
If you’re interested in learning from some of the hard lessons I’ve learned, or in just laughing at my folly, there will be plenty of material to provide you with either opportunity.
Meta Meta Meta
You have attended workshops, you have seen them masterfully commanded by other people, and you really want to get a handle on doing this workshop thing yourself. This workshop is the workshop that will help you create and facilitate a workshop of your very own, in whatever workshop fashion you decide upon.
Mushroom Mushroom
Russ Unger will help you identify the path unlocking the workshop achievement in whatever platform you choose. You will learn how to plan your agenda, structure your workshop, and identify the tools that are needed to help you along the way. Preparation is only a small portion of The Workshop Workshop; you will also gain from the wisdom of the CrankyTalk Workshops to help you feel more comfortable with your material–and yourself–in front of a group of people who are relying upon you to be their guide.
Snake
There will be activities where you will experience the true nature of “trial by fire” or “getting your feet wet” (whichever metaphor you prefer). That is correct: You will be leading your very own workshop within The Workshop Workshop, and presenting your findings and results back to the rest of the workshop attendees.
Bring your most comfortable pair of shoes, your favorite writing utensil, and all the gumption you can muster.
(The Top 2-3) Things I've Learned (& Am Still Learning) From Leading (UX Desi...Russ U
I've worked for a lot of idiot managers in my career. And then, one day, after I had become a manager, it dawned on me: Now I'm the idiot! Most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire” and this process worked well when I was a designer and was trying to master the art of the site map, wireframe, personas, and so on. In leadership, the option to start over or iterate hasn't always been readily available--nor as painless to my pride and my pocketbook.
Many of these lessons haven’t been easy for me to learn. It’s been tough to simultaneously remove obstacles without becoming one, or learning how to say “no” (and the flavors of yes and no!) when I've also wanted people to be satisfied with me and the work I'm doing. However, these lessons have all helped me become better at managing to some degree, while instilling a strong sense of empathy for those people who either report to me, or bless their souls, manage me in one way or another.
Things I've Learned (& Am Still Learning) from Leading (UX Designers)Russ U
I've worked for a lot of idiot managers in my career. And then, one day, after I had become a manager, it dawned on me: Now I'm the idiot! Most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire” and this process worked well when I was a designer and was trying to master the art of the site map, wireframe, personas, and so on. In leadership, the option to start over or iterate hasn't always been readily available--nor as painless to my pride and my pocketbook.
Many of these lessons haven’t been easy for me to learn. It’s been tough to simultaneously remove obstacles without becoming one, or learning how to say “no” (and the flavors of yes and no!) when I've also wanted people to be satisfied with me and the work I'm doing. However, these lessons have all helped me become better at managing to some degree, while instilling a strong sense of empathy for those people who either report to me, or bless their souls, manage me in one way or another.
From Muppets to Mastery – Core UX Principles from Mr. Jim HensonRuss U
Jim Henson started working as a puppeteer in 1954, a fair 40-50 years before many of us even considered User Experience as a career. He did, however, take it upon himself to apply many of the core principles that UX Designers are falling love with today (or are at least using as part of our everyday lives). Hang out for a quick dive into the life of Jim Henson, with a view into his work from the perspective of how it pertains to what it is we’re doing today, that promises to even leave Waldorf and Statler happy.
And yes, there will be muppets.
Live with 6-8-5: Rapid Sketching for Better Design - Big Design ConferenceRuss U
The 6-8-5 Method can be used in a number of ways to help with ideation and brainstorming, but also for fine tuning your designs and ideas. This session will focus on generating ideas in the form of rapid sketches around a set of requirements, then validating and fine-tuning them through structured pitching and critiquing. You don't need to be an artist or a designer, and you won’t need a laptop—just bring your favorite pencil and get ready to sketch!
Transforming Brand Perception and Boosting Profitabilityaaryangarg12
In today's digital era, the dynamics of brand perception, consumer behavior, and profitability have been profoundly reshaped by the synergy of branding, social media, and website design. This research paper investigates the transformative power of these elements in influencing how individuals perceive brands and products and how this transformation can be harnessed to drive sales and profitability for businesses.
Through an exploration of brand psychology and consumer behavior, this study sheds light on the intricate ways in which effective branding strategies, strategic social media engagement, and user-centric website design contribute to altering consumers' perceptions. We delve into the principles that underlie successful brand transformations, examining how visual identity, messaging, and storytelling can captivate and resonate with target audiences.
Methodologically, this research employs a comprehensive approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses. Real-world case studies illustrate the impact of branding, social media campaigns, and website redesigns on consumer perception, sales figures, and profitability. We assess the various metrics, including brand awareness, customer engagement, conversion rates, and revenue growth, to measure the effectiveness of these strategies.
The results underscore the pivotal role of cohesive branding, social media influence, and website usability in shaping positive brand perceptions, influencing consumer decisions, and ultimately bolstering sales and profitability. This paper provides actionable insights and strategic recommendations for businesses seeking to leverage branding, social media, and website design as potent tools to enhance their market position and financial success.
Dive into the innovative world of smart garages with our insightful presentation, "Exploring the Future of Smart Garages." This comprehensive guide covers the latest advancements in garage technology, including automated systems, smart security features, energy efficiency solutions, and seamless integration with smart home ecosystems. Learn how these technologies are transforming traditional garages into high-tech, efficient spaces that enhance convenience, safety, and sustainability.
Ideal for homeowners, tech enthusiasts, and industry professionals, this presentation provides valuable insights into the trends, benefits, and future developments in smart garage technology. Stay ahead of the curve with our expert analysis and practical tips on implementing smart garage solutions.
Can AI do good? at 'offtheCanvas' India HCI preludeAlan Dix
Invited talk at 'offtheCanvas' IndiaHCI prelude, 29th June 2024.
https://www.alandix.com/academic/talks/offtheCanvas-IndiaHCI2024/
The world is being changed fundamentally by AI and we are constantly faced with newspaper headlines about its harmful effects. However, there is also the potential to both ameliorate theses harms and use the new abilities of AI to transform society for the good. Can you make the difference?
8. • Provides the foundational grounding for your presentation
• Establishes the framework and criteria for later winnowing of
examples or sub-points.
• Ensures you focus on the key learning or value you want the
audience to get out of your talk
• Helps position your presentation within the larger eventcontext
Why you need a Big Idea™
10. • Ideas sound different on paper or
shared with someone else than in
the quiet of your own head
• Helps determine which ideas have
the most traction
• Spark new ways of thinking that can
drive even better ideas
Brainstorming Your Big Idea
11. Think About...
“Jeffrey Zeldman, An Event Apart
A genuine idea. A fresh take on a serious problem,
especially if that problem is currently vexing some of the
best minds in the business.
12. Know your audience; make the material relevant to the people you
are presenting to, even if you have given the presentation before.
• Match language from the conference or event
• Adapt level of depth to expected level of audience
• Scope your idea to your time limit
Idea: Check.
But Wait--You’re Not Done Yet
13. Your Turn!
Quantity vs. Quality
• 3 minutes: Things you want to talk about
• 3 minutes: Things you are an expert at
• 3 minutes: Things you want someone else to talk about
14.
15. Your Turn!
Group Share
• Put your “Things You Want Someone Else to Talk About” on the
whiteboard
• Take one idea that you didn’t write and that you are passionate
about
• Cover it with your hands
• Utter “Preciousssssss”
16. Partner Up
Activity
• If you have multiple ideas, try to get to a single topic
• Relate the idea to something in the industry
• Example:
18. The Composition of a Proposal
The Parts That Make it Whole Are:
• The Title
• Get ‘em Engaged and Interested
• The Write-Up
• Tell ‘em What You’re Going to Tell ‘em
• Support It with Your Story
• Your Bio
• Tell ‘em Why You’re the One to Tell ‘em
19. The Title
Evolution of the Title of Your Presentation
• First: What Do You Think Your Talk Will Be About? What’s the
Idea?
• Last: When You Have a Write-Up, Revisit the Title
• Final: Review It with Friends, Peers, Conference Organizers
• FinalFinal_v2: You May Change It Again (and Again), After You’ve
Presented It
20. The Title
What Makes a Good Title?
• Interesting: Is Your Title Good Enough to Make Someone Want
to Read the Entire Abstract?
• Targeted: Does Your Title Let People Know Who the Content is
For?
• Clear: Does Your Title Clearly Articulate the Content of Your Talk?
21. My Title
I'm a Good Designer and Suddenly I'm Leading People.
Now What?
• Evokes Interest; Frightening Position, Possibly Not Uncommon?
• Audience is Targeted; Designers Who Are Now Managers/
Leaders with Little Direction?
• Not Very Clear; Could Cover a Wide Variety of Topics?
22. “
The Title
Hugh Forrest, SXSW
A good title will spark my interest as a reviewer and make me want
to read the entire abstract.
23. The Title
“Jeffrey Zeldman, An Event Apart
A clear title tells you that you actually have a well-structured
presentation in mind--a presentation that makes a real and
important point (or two).
24. “
The Title
Andy Budd, UX London, dConstruct
I really hate titles that are clever but leave you having no idea what
the session is actually going to be about.
25. My (Updated) Title
Things I’ve Learned (and Am Still Learning!)
from Managing UX Designers
• Evokes Interest; What Has He Learned?
• Audience is Targeted; Presentation Should Help Someone
Managing UX Designers
• Very Clear; Tells You What the Presentation is About and What
You Can Expect to Learn
26. My (Updated) Title
Things I’ve Learned (and Am Still Learning!)
from Managing (UX Designers)
I will probably change this at least
one more time.
At least.
See what I
did there?
27. The Write-up
Evolution of the Write-up
• First: Write Hard & Fast; Get Ideas Out
• Put It Down: Walk Away; Come Back Later
• Revise: Review It with Friends, Peers, Conference Organizers
• FinalFinal_v2: You May Change It Again (and Again), After You’ve
Presented It; Some Conferences Require More or Less Than
You’ve Written
28. The Write-up: Structure
The Three “Tell ‘em”s
• Tell ‘em What You’re Going to
Tell Them
• Tell ‘em
• Tell ‘em What You Told Them
29. The Write-up: Structure
Simple Structure
• Tell Them What You’re Going to Tell Them
• Be clear, concise, brief, and provide details
• Do this in a small-to-medium-sized paragraph
• Tell Them Why You’re Telling Them
• What’s your take on this? What is the story that got you to this
point? Your rationale?
• Do this in a small-to-medium-sized paragraph
30. “
The Write-up
Russ Unger, Hi-I’m Right Here!
I think a lot of people get shot down because they write in the
[conference submission] form.
31. The Write-up
Evolution of the Write-up
• First: Write Hard & Fast; Get Ideas Out
• Put It Down: Walk Away; Come Back Later
• Revise: Review It with Friends, Peers, Conference Organizers
• FinalFinal_v2: You May Change It Again (and Again), After You’ve
Presented It; Some Conferences Require More or Less Than
You’ve Written
32. The Write-up
My First Draft
Finding top talent in the UX field has been a challenge for quite some time now. It doesn't help
matters when we hear that there are several times more jobs than there are UXers to fill the roles,
which ultimately puts the power into the hands of people looking for jobs, and they can now afford to
be choosy about who and where the work. This means that there is less tolerance for hiring a UXer
to be the UX bandaid and then have them report into marketing or some other. Sooner or later,
someone is going to need to lead and manage the UX talent pool, and that someone will need to be
someone who has been in the trenches themselves.
Through the course of my career, I've had the opportunity to lead and manage teams, and I've not
always been the best at it. I'm still learning, and I'll be the first to admit that. In many cases, my
experience has been like most of my career: trial by fire. The good news is that I've been doing what I
think you're supposed to do: get better through iteration, research, and adjustment. Much of what
I've learned applies to managing UX Designers, but also applies to managing just about anyone, and
I'll be sharing those with you. F+
33. The Write-up
Evolution of the Write-up
• First: Write Hard & Fast; Get Ideas Out
• Put It Down: Walk Away; Come Back Later
• Revise: Review It with Friends, Peers, Conference Organizers
• FinalFinal_v2: You May Change It Again (and Again), After You’ve
Presented It; Some Conferences Require More or Less Than
You’ve Written
34. The Write-up
My Second Draft
I've had the opportunity to lead and manage teams multiple times in my career, and while I may not
have always been the best a it, I have picked up and learned a few things along way that I try to put
into practice today. Many of these lessons haven't been easy to learn, and sometimes they weren't
that easy to endure, however, they've all helped me become much better at what I do, and they allow
me to have empathy for those people who either report to me or manage me in one way or another.
If you're interested in learning from some of the hard lessons I've learned, or in just laughing along at
my folly, I'll have plenty of material to provide you with that opportunity.
Most of my career has been an exercise in trial-by-fire. This process may work well when you're a
designer and you're trying to master the art of the task flow, site map, wireframe, prototype,
personas, and so on, but with leadership, the option to go back to the drawing board isn't quite as
readily available--nor as painless to your pride, and potentially your pocketbook. I'm going to share
some of things I've learned in my efforts to become a better manager of designers, and in the world
of business in general.C+
35. The Write-up
Evolution of the Write-up
• First: Write Hard & Fast; Get Ideas Out
• Put It Down: Walk Away; Come Back Later
• Revise: Review It with Friends, Peers, Conference Organizers
• FinalFinal_v2: You May Change It Again (and Again), After You’ve
Presented It; Some Conferences Require More or Less Than
You’ve Written
38. The Write-up
My Third, Mostly-Final Draft
Most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire.” This process worked well when I was a
designer and was trying to master the art of the task flow, site map, wireframe, prototype, personas,
and so on. In leadership positions, the option to go back to the drawing board or to iterate hasn't
always been readily available--nor as painless to my pride and potentially my pocketbook.
Many of these lessons haven’t been easy for me to learn. It’s been tough to simultaneously remove
obstacles without becoming one, or learning how to say “no” (and the flavors of yes and no!) when
I've also wanted people to be satisfied with me and the work I'm doing. However, these lessons have
all helped me become better at managing to some degree, while instilling a strong sense of empathy
for those people who either report to me, or bless their souls, manage me in one way or another.
If you’re interested in learning from some of the hard lessons I’ve learned, or in just laughing at my
folly, I’ll have plenty of material to provide you with either opportunity.
B+
39. The Write-up
Evolution of the Write-up
• First: Write Hard & Fast; Get Ideas Out
• Put It Down: Walk Away; Come Back Later
• Revise: Review It with Friends, Peers, Conference Organizers
• FinalFinal_v2: You May Change It Again (and Again), After You’ve
Presented It; Some Conferences Require More or Less Than
You’ve Written
40. The Write-up
Things I’ve Learned (and Am Still Learning!)
from Managing (UX Designers)
Most of my career has been an exercise in “trial by fire.” This process worked
well when I was a designer and was trying to master the art of the task flow,
site map, wireframe, prototype, personas, and so on. In leadership positions,
the option to go back to the drawing board or to iterate hasn't always been
readily available--nor as painless to my pride and potentially my pocketbook.
Many of these lessons haven’t been easy for me to learn. It’s been tough to
simultaneously remove obstacles without becoming one, or learning how to
say “no” (and the flavors of yes and no!) when I've also wanted people to be
satisfied with me and the work I'm doing. However, these lessons have all
helped me become better at managing to some degree, while instilling a
strong sense of empathy for those people who either report to me, or bless
their souls, manage me in one way or another.
If you’re interested in learning from some of the hard lessons I’ve learned, or
in just laughing at my folly, there will be plenty of material to provide you with
either opportunity.
This is where I’m telling them
what I’m going to tell them
about, and who should come to
the presentation.
This is where I’m supporting the
presentation with the reasons
why this talk makes sense,
coming from me.
This is a little bit of wit.
41. “
The Write-up
Hugh Forrest, SXSW
As detailed a plan as possible on what the presentation will be.
Don’t assume that the person reviewing the proposal understands
what you are talking about if you only explain it in one sentence.
42. “
The Write-up
Brad Smith, WebVisions
Great ones have a catchy / intriguing title, convey 1-3 big ideas, and
communicate what an attendee will take away. About 2 short
paragraphs and maybe some bullet points.
43. “
The Write-up
Barak Danin, UX Israel
The value that someone would get from attending the talk. Quite
directly: In what way would someone be more knowledgeable
and / or what new tools or skills would a person have after this
presentation?
44. “
The Write-up
Clark Sell, That Conference
A couple of well-thought concise paragraphs. I don’t want a book,
but rather something that will draw the attendee to come and
interact with you.
45. “
The Write-up
Andy Budd, UX London, dConstruct
You need to paint a picture in the mind of the audience, allowing
them to imagine what the talk is going to be about, why they
should care, and what they’re going to get out of the experience.
“
There are no hard and fast rules.
47. The Write-up
Things I’ve Learned (and Am Still Learning!)
from Managing (UX Designers)
I've worked for a lot idiot managers in my career. And then, one day, after I
had become a manager, it dawned on me: I am now the idiot! Most of my
career has been an exercise in “trial by fire.” This process worked well when I
was a designer and was trying to master the art of the task flow, site map,
wireframe, prototype, personas, and so on. In leadership positions, the option
to go back to the drawing board or to iterate hasn't always been readily
available--nor as painless to my pride and potentially my pocketbook.
Many of these lessons haven’t been easy for me to learn. It’s been tough to
simultaneously remove obstacles without becoming one, or learning how to
say “no” (and the flavors of yes and no!) when I've also wanted people to be
satisfied with me and the work I'm doing. However, these lessons have all
helped me become better at managing to some degree, while instilling a
strong sense of empathy for those people who either report to me, or bless
their souls, manage me in one way or another.
If you’re interested in learning from some of the hard lessons I’ve learned, or
in just laughing at my folly, there will be plenty of material to provide you with
either opportunity.
This is where I’m telling them
what I’m going to tell them
about, and who should come to
the presentation.
This is where I’m supporting the
presentation with the reasons
why this talk makes sense,
coming from me.
This is a little bit of wit.
Got feedback; made
another change
50. Your Bio
NO ONE Likes Writing Them. Or Reviewing Yours for You.
• The 3 Types of Bios You Need
• For Your Website / LinkedIn (Long)
• For Your Conference Submission (Medium)
• For the Person Introducing You (Short)
52. The Bio
The Medium Bio - Conference Submissions
Pro Tip:
Get a Professional (or Just Nice)
Headshot
53. The Bio
The Short Bio - Conference Introductions
Russ Unger is an Experience Design Director for GE Capital
Americas and has co-authored books on UX Design and
facilitation. Today he’ll be presenting on Lessons Learned from
Managing UX Designers. Please help me welcome Russ Unger!
54. Your Bio
What Makes a Good Bio?
• Brief & Succinct: Keep It to 1-2 Brief Paragraphs; 3-4 Sentences
• 3rd Person: Howard Jones is from High Wycombe, UK.
• Where You Work: Howard Jones is a singer/songwriter for
Elektra Records.
• Big Achievements First: Howard Jones had 5 Number 1 Hits in
the US.
• Something Witty (If You Desire & It Works): Howard is one of
5 people who still own a keytar, and can still rock it.
55. Your Bio
How to Write Your Bios
• Review Your Resume / LinkedIn Profile
• Find Your Biggest Achievements in Your Career
• Find Your Biggest Achievements in Your Life
• Prioritize Your Achievements
• Biggest / Best First
• Only Relevant Achievements (Unless They’re Witty & They Work)
56. Your Bio
Bio Tips
• Grammar is Your Friend
• Spelling & Punctuation Count
• Keep It Brief
• Short 1-2 Paragraphs; 3-4 Sentences
• Only Relevant Achievements (Unless They’re Witty & They Work)
• Use Common Language
• Easy to Read Bio = Easy to Listen To Presenter
57. The Bio
“Jeffrey Zeldman, An Event Apart
Shorter is better. A good bio can be anywhere from 50 to 200
words, depending on the format of the conference website and
the level and number of your accomplishments.
58. The Bio
“Bruno Figueiredo, UX Lisbon
The best ones not only state a bit of the presenter experience, but
offer also a glimpse into them as persons. I love the ones that end
with something like: “has an unhealthy obession with robots and
loves to eat blueberry pancakes at midnight.”
59. The Bio
“Brad Smith, WebVisions
A bio is NOT a CV. You want people to want to get to know you, to
see that you’re “real” and that you’re not selling something.
60. Composition of a Bio
Sample Write-up
Russ Unger
Russ Unger is an Experience Design Director for GE
Capital Americas where he leads teams and projects in
design and research . He is co-author of the book “A
Project Guide to UX Design”, “Designing the
Conversation”, and the forthcoming “Speaker Camp”
for Peachpit Press (Voices That Matter). Russ is also
working on a book on guerrilla design and research
methods that is due out well, sometime.
Russ is co-founder of ChicagoCamps, which hosts low-
cost, high-value technology events in the Chicago area,
and he is also on the Advisory Board for the
Department of Web Design and Development at
Harrington College of Design. Russ has 2 daughters
who both draw better than he does and are currently
beginning to surpass his limited abilities in coding.
Specific job title and employer.
Big achievements, a little bit of
wit.
Secondary achievements.
A little personal, with a light
touch of wit.
62. Composition of a Bio
Sample Write-up
Russ Unger
Russ Unger is an Experience Design Director for GE
Capital Americas where he leads teams and projects in
design and research . He is co-author of the book “A
Project Guide to UX Design”, “Designing the
Conversation”, and the forthcoming “Speaker Camp”
for Peachpit Press (Voices That Matter). Russ is also
working on a book on guerrilla design and research
methods that is due out well, sometime.
Russ is co-founder of ChicagoCamps, which hosts low-
cost, high-value technology events in the Chicago area,
and he is also on the Advisory Board for the
Department of Web Design and Development at
Harrington College of Design. Russ has 2 daughters
who both draw better than he does and are currently
beginning to surpass his limited abilities in coding.
Specific job title and employer.
Big achievements, a little bit of
wit.
Secondary achievements.
A little personal, with a light
touch of wit.
67. Reviewing Proposals
What We Are Critiquing
• The Title
• Does it Pique Your Interest?
• Is It Targeted? To Whom?
• Does It Describe the Talk?
• The Write-Up
• Is It Interesting?
• Is It Clear What Will Be Included?
• Does It Sync to the Title?
68. Reviewing Proposals
What We Are Critiquing
• The Bio
• Brief, Yet Complete?
• Employer & Job Title Listed?
• Highlights Relevant to the Topic?
• General
• Uses Common Language?
• Typos / Grammar Issues?
• Too Much / Too Lengthy?
69. Reviewing Proposals
Focus On:
+ ∆Positives Deltas
• This was great use of...
• This showed me you know...
• You met the goal by...
• This was strong because...
• This could be improved by
better connecting to...
• This could benefit from...
• The abstract could use
more...
70. Reviewing Proposals
Remember:
• Review the Content Only
• This is NOT About the Person Who Submitted it!
• Avoid Using “You did <this>” Sentences
• Use a Filter
• Think Before You Write
• Review as You’d Like to Be Reviewed
• Be Constructive
• Provide Direction Wherever You Can
80. 1. Start With You
• What is the ONE thing?
• Think about the story
• What is your style?
• Are you scared?
81. What is the ONE Thing?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14617207@N00/4872111479
82. What is the ONE Thing?
• Why are you speaking?
• What is your point?
• What is the ONE thing you want your audience to
remember?
83. Think About the Story
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sugarpond/3016905349
84. Think About the Story
• Beginning, middle and end
• (Make sure there is an end)
• All should point to your ONE thing
• How would you tell to your grandmother? To a child?
88. Are You Scared?
• The more nervous you are, the more structure you need
• Unless you are a very skilled improvisor. In which case,
you probably wouldn’t be in this workshop
• It’s okay to be scared! Own it.
92. Scout the Space
• Ideal is to get on stage in advance
• Note placement of lights, screens, any podium
• Find out how full the room might be
• Size and ‘feel’ of room should impact your structure
94. Know Your Audience
• Level of expertise
• What are they expecting?
• What do they want from you?
• Mood?
Voluntary or hostage?
Interested or bored?
Friendly or combative?
95. Build to Your Time Limit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/3297205226
96. Build to Your Time Limit
• Focus topic on time limit
• Adjust scope and detail to time limit
• The less time to prepare, the more structure you need
• Again - know your style (rambler? fast talker?)
• Experience will improve your gut sense
98. Understand Expectations
• Do they expect results? or is the journey more relevant?
• Technical or creative?
• Overview or in depth?
• Teaching or sharing?
99. 3. Build the Bones
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianturton/9555513
100. 3. Build the Bones
• Free your mind
• Remember the story
• Just jump in
• Make it FUN!
102. Free Your Mind
• Don’t constrain too early
• Use your creative juice makers
• Let it percolate
• Be willing to throw out initial ideas
• (Which means you need twice the planning time you
initially expect)
104. Just Jump In
• Don’t be afraid to scribble
• Paper prototype, but only if it works for you
• Get into the tool as soon as you have the guts (of the
structure, as well as your nerve)
109. Remember the Story
• Ah, there is a point to all of this
• Keep the narrative - linear or not - as your north star
• Throw out anything extraneous to the story
• No matter how cool you think it is
112. Make it FUN!
• You should enjoy creating the story
• You should enjoy building the structure
• You will feel a quiet ‘ping’ when it starts to come together
113. 4. Leave Time to Adjust
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintjcl/4001170877
114. 4. Leave Time to Adjust
• Lift your head out of the trees
• Remember the ONE thing
• Practice time is critical
• Use this formula: 5/10/5/3
115. Lift Your Head Out of the Trees
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mountjoy/5194910368
116. Lift Your Head Out of the Trees
• Check the whole arc regularly
• Don’t get too hung up on the exact words or pictures
• The whole is greater than the sum of the parts
117.
118. Remember the ONE Thing
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14617207@N00/4872111479
119. Remember the ONE Thing
• When you think you are done, go back to the beginning
• Is the ONE thing clear?
• Is your narrative intact?
• Does it flow? Can you easily remember your points?
120. Dress Rehearsal is Critical
http://www.flickr.com/photos/evilpeacock/2194032579
121. Dress Rehearsal is Critical
• Rehearse more than you want to
• Rehearse out loud
• Rehearse in presentation mode
• Rehearse with a timer
• Rehearse standing up
• Then CUT - if you have built the structure right you should
have too much vs. too little
124. Use This Formula
• Take the time allotted
• Multiply by 5 = minimum thinking/planning time
• Multiply by 10 = minimum building (in tool) time
• Multiply by 5 = minimum dress rehearsal time
• Multiply by 3 = minimum tweaking time
• e.g. 20 minutes presentation =
100 minutes thinking
200 minutes building
100 minutes rehearsing
60 minutes tweaking
(and untold weeks stressing)
126. Structuring Your Presentation
3. Build the bones
• Free your mind
• Remember the story
• Just jump in
• Make it FUN!!
1. Start with you
• What is the ONE thing?
• What is the story?
• What is your style?
• Are you scared?
2. Learn the environment
• Scout the space
• Know your audience
• Build to your time limit
• Understand expectations
4. Leave time to adjust
• Lift your head out of the trees
• Remember the ONE thing
• Dress rehearsal is critical
• Use this formula
140. “Chris Fahey
You aren’t going to sleep the night before, so get plenty of sleep
during the week leading up to the night before.
141. • Easy on the caffeine
• Light meals / snacks
• Find your happy place
Light & Easy
142. “Jesse James Garrett
Have something small to eat, not a full [meal] or anything heavy. If
you’re going to have coffee, do it well before you have to be on
stage.
144. “Alex Dittmer
I always go pee when they call “five minutes to places”. I’m not sure
how I started that habit, but it seems to relax me.
145. “C.E. Lane
It seems like there’s some sort of inverse formula stating the harder
you are about to rock, the more silent you will become beforehand.
Before the biggest solo show I ever played, I fell asleep under a
card table.
148. “Eytan Mirsky
I try to do some [content] I am most comfortable with in the
beginning because I know that if/when those go well, I will become
more relaxed.
149. “David Armano
Try to focus your presentations on something you feel passionate
about. That’s one of the reasons my stage fright is pretty minimal.
153. “
1. Stand Tall
2. Keep your head and eyes UP
3. Smile
4. Never retreat
5. Move with purpose, energy & enthusiasm
5 Tips for a Good Stage Presence
154. • Love it
• Or Leave it
• A story: How I Sucked.
Enthusiasm! YEAH!
158. Perception of Spoken Message in Regards to Communicating Feeling & Attitudes
0
15
30
45
60
Words (7%) Voice (38%) Non-verbals (55%)
5%
95%
Who uses the
“Disabled” toilet
Source: Monarth & Kase, “ﬔe Confident Speaker”
Source: ﬔe Internet
People Like Stats
162. “Erik Soens
A simple retort such as “Whew... that got away from me, let me
reiterate” works just fine.
163. “Eytan Mirsky
Most times people are not as aware of any mistakes as you might
think. They are not focusing on things the way you, as the
performer, are.
169. • Preparation and Rehearsal are your best friends
• Pre-Gaming rituals help you find your “A” game
• Be aware of your stage presence
• Find ways to engage your audience
• S L O W D O W N
• Don’t forget to think about Q & A
• Be nice, be appreciative, stay classy
Presentation Tips & Techniques
174. Thank You!
Thank the Audience
Title of the Presentation
Your Name / Twitter / Etc.
Name of the Event
Hashtag
Promotional Stuff About You (Employer, Affiliations, etc.)
176. Trial By Fire
We Have Four Rooms and Ten Mentors
• 5 Minute Presentations
• Given by You!
• 5 Minute Critiques
• Led by Mentors
• Recordings Will Be Shared in a Few Days
• Email Link Sent Directly to You
• Afternoon Snack Starts at ~3:00pm
• But Only After You’ve Presented!
182. Our Mentors
Andy Crestodina Andy Hullinger Brad Nunnally Clark Sell Dennis Kardys
Laura Creekmore Tim Frick Tonia BartzDennis Schleicher Gabby Hon