In today fast changing world of communication it is critical that the promotional products salesperson keep up. This powerpoint will cover my top 10 things to be aware of when using Facebook for business.
In this talk, you will learn about five sketching secrets of Leonardo Da Vinci, four rules for generating ideas, and four rules for refining ideas. I call these lessons from Leonardo. You might find a few stories about Leonardo Da Vinci that you did not know.
Listen to audio at:
https://soundcloud.com/officialsxsw/design-like-davinci-leonardos
Silver Linings, When Building a Team FailsDavid Farkas
My five-minute lightning talk presented at Pro/Design Conference January 30, 2015. Hosted by Nasdaq, this talk shares a story and lessons learned building a design team within a larger organization.
In today fast changing world of communication it is critical that the promotional products salesperson keep up. This powerpoint will cover my top 10 things to be aware of when using Facebook for business.
In this talk, you will learn about five sketching secrets of Leonardo Da Vinci, four rules for generating ideas, and four rules for refining ideas. I call these lessons from Leonardo. You might find a few stories about Leonardo Da Vinci that you did not know.
Listen to audio at:
https://soundcloud.com/officialsxsw/design-like-davinci-leonardos
Silver Linings, When Building a Team FailsDavid Farkas
My five-minute lightning talk presented at Pro/Design Conference January 30, 2015. Hosted by Nasdaq, this talk shares a story and lessons learned building a design team within a larger organization.
Giant 2015: CTRL Z, A Practitioner's Support GroupDavid Farkas
A discussion in how we can better ask and offer support within our teams when projects and situations occur that are unexpected or non-ideal. This presentation was paired with a live-demo and discussion.
Blended spaces, cross-channel ecosystems, and the myth that is serviceAndrea Resmini
Slide deck from paper presented at ServDes 2016, Copenhagen.
Full paper available in conference proceedings: http://www.ep.liu.se/ecp/article.asp?issue=125&article=050
Thirteen years ago Gayle Curtis likened a “Big Information Architect” to “an orchestra conductor or film director, conceiving a vision and moving the team forward.” In the meantime, different-sized IAs gave way to UX designers, but in some shops there is another central role: product manager.
What you may be surprised to learn is that a substantial part of a product manager’s job is…information architecture. Describing a landscape, ecosystem, or roadmap and communicating a set of goals and priorities requires the exact meaning-mapping skills that IA is all about.
This panel features three people trained in IA and UX who are now filling a product role, to discover whether this parallel between “big” IA and product holds in other contexts, to discuss potential career paths, and to take questions from an audience that might be intrigued by the relationship.
My plenary speech at the inaugural UX Live London conference on October 26, 2017.
Eric Reiss
CEO and Author
4.30pm-5.15pm
Innovation vs. Best Practice – Conflict or Opportunity?
“Best practice” implies doing things in the best possible manner, based on past experience. But we like to think of ourselves as innovators in a dynamic industry – we want to go where no one has gone before. Thus, “best practice” and “innovation” are like oil and water – they don’t easily mix.
How can we, as UX professionals, balance the need for consistency that “best practice” provides, with our on-going mission to improve the quality of our products? How can we create genuine improvements – and when have we been seduced by the evil twins, Fad and Fashion?
“Innovation vs. Best Practice” explores the elements that make up these two ends of the UX spectrum. We’ll take a closer look at the popular definitions of both innovation and best practice – and discover why these are frequently inadequate, misleading, or both. Why is a “standard” not always a “best practice”? And if “invention” can be spontaneous, why is “innovation” always planned?
We’ll also examine some of the worst reasons to innovate, which are also some of the most common, plus the Japanese concept of “chindogu” – “useless innovation.” Perhaps most important of all, we’ll see how User Driven Design helps us avoid harmful innovation in comparison to the more common User Centered Design methodology.
Organizational Parkour: the Negotiation Game for DesignersJoan Vermette
At IAS09, Matt Milan gave a provocative talk on what he called "Innovation Parkour." Parkour is a way of moving from place to place as efficiently as possible by jumping, vaulting, or climbing around obstacles. His talk was a plea for us to practice our craft so great design can become a reflex in the face of challenge, much as parkour artists view the environment not as a hindrance to their sport but an aid.
I believe the equivalent of the built environment in parkour is less the landscape of the design challenges we face than the structures, process, and culture of the organizations in which we do our work. Yes, design exercises make better designers - however, an IA/UXer who can solve wicked problems but who can't get her organization to implement her solutions needs also to be practicing complimentary disciplines: cultural diagnostics, relationship savvy, and communication and negotiation skills.
Enter Organizational Parkour, a game where IA/UXers can practice these complimentary skills. The game pits teams against each other to complete deliverables, by role-playing and negotiating based on the tenets of Principled Negotiation. Game players are guided on how to use negotiation skills to manage sticky client issues and see great work to completion.
Describing the elephant: Moving beyond professional silos when defining UXEric Reiss
Professional factions have made it impossible for the business community to make educated decisions – or even understand what UX is. Content strategists scream “Content is King”. The information architects yell “Structure the kingdom”. The SEO folks say “There is no data without metadata”.
And the business community is frustrated. Who should they hire?
The answer is simple: the agency that tells them: “No worries. We’ll get it done for you and you will love it.”
I’d like to see these professional barriers broken down. We ALL bring something valuable to the table – if we’re ever allowed to sit at that table. And I’d like to share a model for UX that respects our differences, but provides an easy-to-understand framework on which businesses can build their UX strategies.
Here are the slides from my closing plenary at WebExpo in Prague, Czech Republic on 22 September 2012. A few rants, a few truths, a few goofy opinions, but backed up with a little experience, too.
Giant 2015: CTRL Z, A Practitioner's Support GroupDavid Farkas
A discussion in how we can better ask and offer support within our teams when projects and situations occur that are unexpected or non-ideal. This presentation was paired with a live-demo and discussion.
Blended spaces, cross-channel ecosystems, and the myth that is serviceAndrea Resmini
Slide deck from paper presented at ServDes 2016, Copenhagen.
Full paper available in conference proceedings: http://www.ep.liu.se/ecp/article.asp?issue=125&article=050
Thirteen years ago Gayle Curtis likened a “Big Information Architect” to “an orchestra conductor or film director, conceiving a vision and moving the team forward.” In the meantime, different-sized IAs gave way to UX designers, but in some shops there is another central role: product manager.
What you may be surprised to learn is that a substantial part of a product manager’s job is…information architecture. Describing a landscape, ecosystem, or roadmap and communicating a set of goals and priorities requires the exact meaning-mapping skills that IA is all about.
This panel features three people trained in IA and UX who are now filling a product role, to discover whether this parallel between “big” IA and product holds in other contexts, to discuss potential career paths, and to take questions from an audience that might be intrigued by the relationship.
My plenary speech at the inaugural UX Live London conference on October 26, 2017.
Eric Reiss
CEO and Author
4.30pm-5.15pm
Innovation vs. Best Practice – Conflict or Opportunity?
“Best practice” implies doing things in the best possible manner, based on past experience. But we like to think of ourselves as innovators in a dynamic industry – we want to go where no one has gone before. Thus, “best practice” and “innovation” are like oil and water – they don’t easily mix.
How can we, as UX professionals, balance the need for consistency that “best practice” provides, with our on-going mission to improve the quality of our products? How can we create genuine improvements – and when have we been seduced by the evil twins, Fad and Fashion?
“Innovation vs. Best Practice” explores the elements that make up these two ends of the UX spectrum. We’ll take a closer look at the popular definitions of both innovation and best practice – and discover why these are frequently inadequate, misleading, or both. Why is a “standard” not always a “best practice”? And if “invention” can be spontaneous, why is “innovation” always planned?
We’ll also examine some of the worst reasons to innovate, which are also some of the most common, plus the Japanese concept of “chindogu” – “useless innovation.” Perhaps most important of all, we’ll see how User Driven Design helps us avoid harmful innovation in comparison to the more common User Centered Design methodology.
Organizational Parkour: the Negotiation Game for DesignersJoan Vermette
At IAS09, Matt Milan gave a provocative talk on what he called "Innovation Parkour." Parkour is a way of moving from place to place as efficiently as possible by jumping, vaulting, or climbing around obstacles. His talk was a plea for us to practice our craft so great design can become a reflex in the face of challenge, much as parkour artists view the environment not as a hindrance to their sport but an aid.
I believe the equivalent of the built environment in parkour is less the landscape of the design challenges we face than the structures, process, and culture of the organizations in which we do our work. Yes, design exercises make better designers - however, an IA/UXer who can solve wicked problems but who can't get her organization to implement her solutions needs also to be practicing complimentary disciplines: cultural diagnostics, relationship savvy, and communication and negotiation skills.
Enter Organizational Parkour, a game where IA/UXers can practice these complimentary skills. The game pits teams against each other to complete deliverables, by role-playing and negotiating based on the tenets of Principled Negotiation. Game players are guided on how to use negotiation skills to manage sticky client issues and see great work to completion.
Describing the elephant: Moving beyond professional silos when defining UXEric Reiss
Professional factions have made it impossible for the business community to make educated decisions – or even understand what UX is. Content strategists scream “Content is King”. The information architects yell “Structure the kingdom”. The SEO folks say “There is no data without metadata”.
And the business community is frustrated. Who should they hire?
The answer is simple: the agency that tells them: “No worries. We’ll get it done for you and you will love it.”
I’d like to see these professional barriers broken down. We ALL bring something valuable to the table – if we’re ever allowed to sit at that table. And I’d like to share a model for UX that respects our differences, but provides an easy-to-understand framework on which businesses can build their UX strategies.
Here are the slides from my closing plenary at WebExpo in Prague, Czech Republic on 22 September 2012. A few rants, a few truths, a few goofy opinions, but backed up with a little experience, too.
Digital Marketing Tips: Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Video - SEMdmv MeetupMark Alves
Tips on using Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Razoo, and reputation management for small business and associations. Presented by Mark Alves on November 12, 2013 at the #SEMdmv Meetup (SEM and SEO in DC, Maryland and Virginia)
Deciding what to build without killing each otherPhilip Likens
Deciding what to build is hard. Making the decision as a team is even tougher. Team members often have differing views on which portions of the prototype are most important and what functionality to include. Tensions from the decision-making process can drive teams apart. In our labs group we have adopted a framework for making prototyping and project decisions. This presentation outlines the framework we use in Sabre Labs, as well as some examples of times we’ve gotten it right, and other times we haven’t.
UX Field Research Basics talk, shared at Drupaldelphia, May 2019
For more information on Collaborative Improv check out https://collaborativeimprov.com
Collaborative Improv presentation shared at PixelUp conference, March 2019. Exploring collaboration and product design through the lens of improvisation.
For more info, check out https://collaborativeimprov.com
Half-day workshop on utilizing improvisation techniques for design studio, collaboration, and research. Broken down into three main segments: What is improv, improv's applications to work, and adapting and applying improv personally.
Improvised IA: Going Beyond the WhiteboardDavid Farkas
The need to adapt and be flexible within project schedules and meetings has never been greater, but this is a soft skill not easily taught or quickly learned. It starts with team collaboration and trust while ultimately leading to idea generation and problem solving. Yield to the highest offer. Always say YES. Alway raise the bar. These are three of the core components to improvisation in comedy. They are also three pillars to a good collaborative environment.
This hands on session will explore the fundamentals to improv as a means to strengthen teams across organizations. Participants will walk away with:
An understanding to the fundamentals to improv
An understanding of applications to the field of UX as both a team building tool and idea generation
Real world practice and sample exercises
We’re looking to get up and shake the cobwebs off our bodies. Through Bodystorming and other improv games participants will engage with the space around them and will learn the basics of improvisational comedy and how it can directly translate back to work in the office and with clients alike.
A guest lecture presentation on Interaction Design Best Practices given at Penn's campus in Philadelphia.
Includes heuristics from Jacob Nielsen, Abby Covert, Erik Dahl's UX Axioms.
Presented at the MidwestUX 2012 conference in Columbus, Ohio, my presentation highlighting parallels between mixology and the interaction design community and work.
Book Formatting: Quality Control Checks for DesignersConfidence Ago
This presentation was made to help designers who work in publishing houses or format books for printing ensure quality.
Quality control is vital to every industry. This is why every department in a company need create a method they use in ensuring quality. This, perhaps, will not only improve the quality of products and bring errors to the barest minimum, but take it to a near perfect finish.
It is beyond a moot point that a good book will somewhat be judged by its cover, but the content of the book remains king. No matter how beautiful the cover, if the quality of writing or presentation is off, that will be a reason for readers not to come back to the book or recommend it.
So, this presentation points designers to some important things that may be missed by an editor that they could eventually discover and call the attention of the editor.
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.
2. The F-Word... Fail
Failure as a part of the design process
David Farkas
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
3. I Failed
10:45AM - Last Day
Philadelphia
Design and Strategy
TammanTech
@dafark8
#FailBtrUX
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
5. Failure
intransitive verb
a: to fall short <failed in his duty>
b: to be or become absent or inadequate <the water supply failed>
c: to be unsuccessful; specifically :to be unsuccessful in achieving a
passing grade
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fail?show=0&t=1359568111
http://hans.gerwitz.com/2011/03/07/fail-stamp.html
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
6. Mistake
transitive verb
a : to blunder in the choice of <mistook her way in the dark>
b : to misunderstand the meaning or intention of
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistake?show=0&t=1360945111
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2vlvFk9lxI/Tz1N-wTEHoI/AAAAAAAAeYI/ZrR2uzz0iSc/s1600/dewey-defeats-truman.jpg
115
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
7. Redefined, Failure
a: a time of personal discomfort, or a time you feel you could have
done better
b: a bad day
c: an instance or event where things when differently then planned
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
14. Day to Day Failures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcutler/8297212605/sizes/o/in/photostream/
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
15. Many Ways To Fail
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cellardoorfilms/7620375382/sizes/m/in/photostream/ http://cbssanfran.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/fanscrushed.jpg?w=300
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
16. Failure Experience
“Experience is what you
get when you didn’t get
what you want”
- Randy Pausch
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
17. Experience (fail) has a Stigma
http://www.theleadtype.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Stooges-Nun.jpg
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
20. I Have Failed Experienced
✤ Presentations gone awry
✤ Timelines missed
✤ Failed meetings
✤ Arguments with clients
✤ Arguments with teammates
✤ Not meeting my own expectations
✤ Expecting the worst, not pushing myself
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
21. Leads to Success
“I have not failed 1,000
times. I have successfully
discovered 1,000 ways
NOT to make a
light bulb”
- Thomas Edison
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
24. Sharing is even better
http://www.flickr.com/photos/courosa/3708151311/sizes/z/in/photostream/
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
26. Learn from Others
Failure Experience Type:
Communication
Failure Experience: Large
client with rotating project
team
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dan4th/2402329882/sizes/l/in/photostream/
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
27. Learn from Others
Lessons: Document early and often
Teach: Exercises and samples of clear/unclear documentation
http://xkcd.com/1015/
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
28. Experience Humility
Failure Experience Type:
Personal
Failure Experience: Dropped
the ball on a presentation with
a major client
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
29. Experience Humility
Lessons: Assume nothing.
Teach: Take time to prepare and review
http://survivingtheworld.net/Lesson362.html
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
30. Build Trust
Failure Experience Type: Social
Failure Experience: Kickstarter
got grief for not showing failed
projects
I found one!
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
31. Build Trust
Lessons: Be honest about your motivations and intent.
Teach: Play ‘devil’s advocate’
http://garfieldminusgarfield.net/post/37933367386/g-g-the-book-g-g-on-facebook-g-g-on-twitter
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
32. Expose Process
Failure Experience Type:
Business
Failure Experience: Project
ended prematurely due to
misalignment of expectations
of process.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suburbanadventure/8240533220/sizes/h/in/
photostream/
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
33. Expose Process
Lessons: Don’t be sneaky and address concerns up front
Teach: Environment of trust
http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-12-22/
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
34. Consistency
Failure Experience Type:
Process
Failure Experience: No formal
process for the team or client to
follow leading to srcabmle
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HCatlRPRyCk/TbaBN8yAGQI/AAAAAAAAALg/
gHJx8ShWBOc/s1600/chutesladders.gif
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
35. Consistency
Lessons: Don’t skimp on process
Teach: Shadowing and learning from each other’s roles
http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=459
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
42. Value of Experience
Value of failing experiences
Value of sharing failures experiences
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
44. Learn to Fail Better
“...I am convinced that unless I talk openly about what I’ve
learned so far - unless I hold myself accountable in public -
then the lessons will not last. I will lose the only consolation
of my failure, which is the promise that I will not fail like
this again. That I might, one day, find a way to fail better. ”
- Jonah Lehrer
http://www.jonahlehrer.com/2013/02/my-apology/
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
45. Take It Home!
• Share experiences with clients
• Make it part of your presentations
• Document document document!
• Text
Open workshops and brainstorming
• Share discarded ideas
• Write about it
• Talk about it
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
47. So Remember
•Failure is a part of life
•Don’t call it failure
•We all do it
•Discuss Experiences
•Internally and with clients
•Fail often and fast
http://www.amazon.com/Everyone-Turtleback-Library-Binding-Edition/dp/0613685725
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
48. Resources
Mindfire: Big Ideas for Curious Minds, Scott Berkun
Success Through Failure: The Paradox of Design, Henry Petroski
Better By Mistake: The Unexpected Benefits of Being Wrong, Alina Tugend
We Learn Nothing, Time Kreider
Juice: The Creative Fuel That Drives World-Class Inventors, Evan I. Schwartz
Smart Ways to Talk About Failure,
http://philanthropy.com/blogs/the-giveaway/smart-ways-to-talk-about-failure/968
Various TEDtalks http://www.ted.com/talks/tags/failure
Kickstarter Responds to “Hidden Failed Project” Claims
http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/31/kickstarter-responds-to-hidden-failed-project-claims/
Jonah Lehrer, open letter apology http://www.jonahlehrer.com/2013/02/my-apology/
http://hadonejob.com
Exploring the Al-Chet Prayer http://www.aish.com/h/hh/yom-kippur/guide/Exploring_the_Al-Chet_Prayer.html
http://hadonejob.com/
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
49. In Closing
“An expert is a man who
has made all the
mistakes which can be
made, in a narrow field”
- Niels Bohr
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX
50. Thank You
@dafark8
#FailBtrUX
dfarkas@tammantech.com
dafark8@gmail.com
The F-Word, FAIL IASummit April 2013 David Farkas @dafark8 #FailBtrUX