The last two workshops I have attended on the UI11 Conference were both by Joshua Porter. The first one covers ‘social web applications’, the second “Is tagging right for your site?”. (more…)

Today, on the last day of the UI11 Conference, we have seen a terrific keynote by Barry Schwartz, Professor of Social Theory and Social Action and author of the book ‘The Paradox of Choice – Why Less Is More’. It is by far the most usable keynote in my experience. Here is a selection of my notes.

We have always assumed that more freedom means more welfare. And we consider the ability make our own choices a key factor of freedom. So, more choice means more welfare. Or at least, this is how we think the world works. The business world has been acting upon this for many years and the public sector has been into this as well. Just look at the choices in the supermarket (cookies, desserts, toothpaste etc.).

Choice is good. But the problem is that we think that is only good. There is more choice than we need. There are three effects of having too much choice: (more…)

Today’s full-day workshop at UI11 Conference is an in-depth course by Rolf Molich on all aspects regarding usability testing. Naturally I can’t give all Rolfs tips and tricks; it’s his course after all. But I will share some of the highlights. (more…)

The second UI11 Conference day featured five rounds of 90 minute talks. Here is my impression of the day. (more…)

So far, none of the talks I attended on AJAX and RIAs (Rich Internet Applications) ever got past “What is AJAX?” and showcasing one or two examples. Luckily, today’s full-day workshop on the first day of the UI11 Conference in Boston covered that within the hour and went ahead. (more…)

Tomorrow, the User Interface 11 Conference kicks off. I have already checked in and strolled through Boston, where I enjoyed my lunch in the one and only Cheers pub.

During the next days, I’ll do my best to share my experiences from the conference. I had already put together my personal conference program and I’m still planning to stick to it.

Continued:

• UI11 day 1: A dive into Rich Internet Applications (9 October)
• UI11 day 2: Featured talks (10 October)
• UI11 day 3: Advanced Methods for Usability Testing (11 October)
• UI11 day 4 - part 1: Why Less Is More (12 October)
• UI11 day 4 - part 2: Social Design (12 October)