Keynote presentation for World Usability Day New England 2014

1. World Usability Day
Elizabeth Rosenzweig
Founder and Director

2. Today
 World Usability Day
 Human Error is a Misnomer
 Engagement
 Engagement: How To Get Involved

3. First An Exercise
 World Usability Day Geography
 What part of the world did you
grow up?

4. Attended a World Usability Day event in
EUROPE?

5. Attended a World Usability Day event in the
USA?

6. Attended a World Usability Day event in
Asia?

7. Attended a World Usability Day event in South
America?

8. Attended a World Usability Day event in
Australia/South Pacific?

9. Over the years

10. October 2004

11. What is World Usability Day
 It is about making our world work better.
 Reaching out to the common citizen and spreading
the message
 We don’t have to put up with products and services that
don’t work well!!!

12.  Devoted to creating global awareness around
people’s rights to having things that work.
 The activities are focused around the issues
of how Usability effects society.

13. Who said users don’t matter?
World Usability Day promotes the value of usability, user
centered design, and your right to have things that work better.
To find out more and see what’s happening in your city on
November 14th go to www.worldusabilityday.org.
Sponsors:
Human Error is a
Misnomer

15. 1. Create local showplaces that feature the best projects,
research and knowledge in creating better user experiences.
2. Publish news articles that raise awareness of average
citizens to demand more usable products, services and
technology.
3. Fost local grass-root projects that can make a visible impact
4. Broaden awareness of user experience as a field and its
value in improving our lives.
What we do

16. World Usability Day Boston
 Event Hosts:
 Museum of Science, Boston
 Boston UPA Planners:
 Chris Hass
 Susan Robison
 Chauncey Wilson
 Susan Rice
Museum of Science, Boston

17. Alarm Clock Alley Rally
 Exhibit/Activity Description:
 Usability volunteers interviewed
visitors about how long it would take
to set the time on six different alarm
clocks
 Visitors then were timed while they
set the alarms and interviewed
about the outcomes
 Visitors were encouraged to discern
what specific factors affected speed
and accuracy
• Hand’s On Usability Introduction
Stand-alone exhibits/activities for visitors
Created by UPA Boston
Six stations offered simultaneous exploration
Usable data collected during the day
Goals & Outcomes:
 Visitors rated this as highly enjoyable
 Visitors stated it was educational
 Kids and parents continued discussions
on related topics all day
 Actual data findings collected and
analyzed
 Results were surprising
 Visitor interest surprised Museum staff
 Museum stated “We need more of this-
permanently”

18. Doors to Usability
 Exhibit/Activity Description:
 Visitors saw photos of real-world
doors and used hand-held voting
equipment to vote on which way the
door would open
 Voting results were tabulated in real
time and shown to the group
 Usability volunteers then revealed
“the answer” and led discussions
about ergonomics, design, and
human perception cues
• Hand’s On Usability Introduction
Stand-alone exhibits/activity for visitors
By UPA Boston & Mitre Corporation
¼ scale doors created from digital
photos and foam core
Machine Dreams voting devices
Goals & Outcomes:
 Visitors rated this as highly enjoyable
 Visitors stated it was educational
 Kids did not try to “game” the system
but parents did
 Actual data findings collected and
analyzed
 Visitor interest surprised Museum staff
 Museum stated “We need more of this-
permanently”
 Machine Dreams thrilled to get
feedback, exposure and advice

19. Touchscreen Voting
 Exhibit/Activity Description:
 Visitors used full size prototype
touchscreen voting machines to cast
ballots in hypothetical elections
 MIT students and volunteers
collected data and interviewed
visitors
 Data used to inform Federal
recommendations for touchscreen
voting
• Real-World Usability Introduction
Stand-alone exhibits/activity for visitors
Created by MIT Media Lab
Research-based touchscreen voting devices
set up onsite
Visitors cast ballots and were interviewed
Goals & Outcomes:
 Older visitors especially enjoyed this
 Visitors stated it was educational
 Participants stated “I had no idea what
the fuss was about until I accidentally
voted for the wrong guy. NOW I know
what the fuss is about!”
 News teams covered this exhibit
extensively

21. 2007

22. Consumer
Patient Partient Family Family Caregiver Elderly Professional
Doctor Nurse/Caregiver
Business/Industry
Hospital
Nursing
Home/Rehab/Faclility
Insurance Companies EHR
Academia/Research
Medicine Medical Devices
Government Orgs
Medicare/Medicaid
NGO
Doctors without
Borders
World Usability Day Communities of Interest
Healthcare

24. 2008

25. 2008
40,000 people participated
worldwide
Thousands of volunteers

26. 2009

27. Online Global Projects
 WUD has established a richer community by bringing
working user research professionals together online as well
as in person, social media has helped.
• WUD’s 2008 Global Transport
Challenge was designed to
raise awareness and
involvement through social
networking and online
activities about how
transportation is used and
how it impacts the
environment.

28. Global Community
 Reach out to people in all countries
bring awareness everywhere
 Rwanda, South Korea, Dubai, Iceland, Peru,
Singapore, Canary Island, Iran, Poland,
Russia, India, Cypress, Chile, Peru

29. Global Awareness
 Use social media to keep up an ongoing dialog about the issues
and keep interest.
 Assign people to each network and keep a steady info stream
going throughout the year.
#WUD2014

31. World Usability Day 2014

33. North America

34. Middle East

35. Europe

37. At the end of the day?
 People should now realize technology does not have to
be as hard to use as it is
 People stop blaming themselves when things don’t work
 Message is out- people don’t have to buy technology
that is not easy to us
 Usability stories and events all bring the message
together

38. Engagement
 Why Engagement?
 How Deep Does it Go?

41. Engage
 I am engaged when I lose myself in an activity
 I am engaged when I can relate to something
 People I have something in common with
 Activities that take up all focus

42. What was the last really
engaging experience you had?

47.  5 senses are stimulated
 Heightened awareness
 Clarify of focus
What Makes Anything Engaging

49. Engagement and UX
The technology becomes a ubiquitous part of the environment
Doorknob- doesn’t need explanation

50. How to Stay Involved
 Organize an event or a meetup for your local
professional Chapter, company, and community
 Sponsor WUD 2015
 Share your experiences - take photos and videos in
your community. Upload these photos to:
www.flickr.com and tag them #WUD2014 and upload
your videos to: www.Youtube.com and tag them with
#WUD2014. Start uploading photos today!
 Join our online community, Submit your content, white
papers, or thoughts on the WUD website.
www.worldusabilityday.org

51.  Demand that things work. Be brave
 Don’t buy objects that are not usable. Don’t buy
them. Push back..
 Vote with your dollars.
 Technology should not make anyone feel stupid. Ever.
Usability Revolution