L'architetto dell'informazione

Information Architect and Social Media Strategist, Experienced Test Manager, un edile dell'Informazione imprestato all'informatica o viceversa, scegliete voi!

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Web and Internet of Things

Internet is not the web! Internet is a worldwide network of computer while the World Wide Web or WWW is an internet service; this interconnection of computer networks has become an integral, seamless, and in an almost invisible in our daily lives

The World Wide Web

The Web was initially implemented by Tim Berners-Lee while he was a researcher at CERN, based on the  ideas of Berners-Lee and his colleague, Robert Cailliau; today the standards on which it is based, in constant evolution, are maintained by W3C.

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 is the web "original" what most people know, became standard in 1990, has included in it all the characteristics that have enabled websites to go beyond the limits of being only static pages.

Web 3.0

Web 3.0 is the era of the Semantic Web: NOW!  Web 3.0 o that knows what we seek and what we would see when we do a search on google a web that enhances and speeds up our lives.

About this issue there are different points of view and different problems, not everyone is convinced of being on the threshold of Web 3.0: Semantic, artificial intelligence are elements that combine together can create the Web 3.0, there are many ongoing projects that use, or attempt to use all three of these elements, but the road seems to be still long and winding.

Internet of Things

Although we are still trying to define Web 3.0, we are already moving simultaneously towards the Internet of Things.

The Internet of Things will probably be the next era: smart devices that not only use the Internet, but also speak to each other to perform tasks without the need of man: connections always available, sentient interfaces, smart-phone more intelligent that will be able to undestand where we are and will be able to give us the information we needed; there are already a lot of connected systems that work automatically without human intervention, but developments in this field are leading to new solutions even more advanced.

The goal of those who work with the user experience is to go further, think about the present with an eye to the future, we have to adapt to change and to think that we are developing not only  applications or software, but we are creating real life experiences.

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User Experience in engagement process

Our selection process has to be careful from the beginning to the UX because this attention increase the probability that employees develop empathy for the needs and motivation of users.

The focus is the users and to do this, we must be able to pass on our knowledge and our vision regarding the user experience from the moment in which new recruits join the company: it is necessary that all new people understand from the beginning  the values of UX .

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Leadership in User Experience

Leaders of the user experience face daily challenges due to the difficulty of the scope, a leader of the UX has to strike a balance between strategy and tactics,

In many companies where the UX was not present, start a process of evangelization can be a very difficult challange: evangelize a company mean start a training program that impacts various sectors , various elements and especially different figures, from management positions to descend.

 You need to understand the strategic role of the user experience within the business process of production and binding UX to corporate objectives in the long and medium term.

It's not easy! Create a UXTeam and give it a central role in the asset company, can be very very hard but can be the key to the success.

read all the article 

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Prototype and his importance

A good user experience not born without a correct process, It’s not a fluke!  

Good UX born after countless efforts, spending hours at the table design, paper drawing , until the final conceptualisation of the idea.

The prototypes are important because they help us to make it clear to users how to develop a product and application, but beware becasue the prototype is not the final product!

Prototype is a simulation of what will be the final product! It 'like a mockup, but is interactive and allows us to simulate some real use cases.

There are many techniques that you can use to create working prototypes, currently I’m following a project and I rely on paper, pencils, colored pens and post, in addition to the ruler. Obviously it is up to the designer to decide what type of tools to use to create the prototype, I initially start from the paper to create the conceptual map and the decision flow.

Once you do this, you can use different tools to make dynamic prototypes, including Adobe Fireworks or Justinmind prototyper that allows us to have a good interactivity.

In the end, my advice is: prototyped before creating.

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Content Audit

What is Content Audit? Content Audit  is an independent assessment aimed to obtaining evidence regarding a particular object of investigation; if you're working on any type of project re-design that involves a large amount of content, such as those a website, portal or one corporate intranet, one of the first tasks that you will absolutely play, is the content verification.

The content audit is an audit activities of all website’s contents: there are three types of control that you can make!

a)  complete inventory of the contents: a complete list of all items related to the content on the site b) a partial inventory of the contents: a partial list of the contents, or a subset of all content, c) a content example: an analysis based on a more superficial sample content

What for ?

The main purpose of the content audit is to provide an analysis of the contents of the site to be analyzed and considered in the process of r-design: if you are thinking of changing the information architecture of the site, you will definitely know the contents useful.

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THE PROCESS OF CHOICE

A potential customer is visiting your site, compares prices of your products and services to find the best solution! Very well You're think, site has been built right in so that its buying process as easy as possible!

But you have designed your site because its process of choice is simple in the same way? 

The UX designers have become very good at designing around what will be the actions of the client: their goal is to think of a particular "use case" and outline an use experience that allows the user to accomplish his task in the best way. But there is a step first of this, and it is an important step

Users before performing any action, following a process of choice!

We have to design thinking to the process of choice, but how we can understand how  people determine or assess the value of an object? How do you understand the value of things?

We need to optimize the cognitive effort for the user to make sure that there are no obstacles in the decision process; This is our goal and we are well aware that achieve it can have serious implications in the design of our product.

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Intuitive UX

Our ancestors were able to watch a stick and to understand how to use it: as a bat, as a weapon, They didn't need to read an instruction manual to know how use it.

This is an example of intuitive product!

The term "intuitive", as well as usable, it has become widely used in this period, in the field of interface design and user experience research: this term is too used and ofter repeated in every situation of daylife and work, but this abuse is not correct  and we risk to forget is real meaning.

If we want to define our UX intuitive meaning that user don't need to use instruction manual to use our software or application: users do not go crazy when they take up a corkscrew to open a bottle of their favorite wine.

How can we achieve this goal ? 

Add features based on previous experiences

remove the barriers

read my article on http://www.iwebdesigner.it/architettura-dellinformazione/ux-intuitiva-34528.html

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WHEN AND WHY WEAR A DEVICE WEARABLE

Which was until now the added value of mobility? To allow users to enjoy contents, without the need to be sitting on a desk.

Now thanks to wearable technology we have the chance to allow content without a classic device.

The term Wearable or wearable is a little misleading, actually what we mean by this term? Elegant watches, shirts, jackets, intelligent glasses, bracelets sports, footwear, pretty much by this term we can point to all the devices that we have with us and who are able to perform actions and calculations not exactly trivial.

But let us make some order among all these technologies: there are different kinds of wearable objects:

sports bracelets

Smartwatches

Smartglasses

the real difference is that each of these device have difference functions according to their target audience.

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WEB DESIGN AND PROJECTS

Meet, plans, creates a prototype, get feedback from customers and then realizes.

These are the steps that, more or less, we have in mind when we think of the web development process

Planning can scare, but  at the end It is not so complexas you think. it is more complex  the management of planning. Get the information from the customer, share them with the development group and divide up the tasks: who will do what and how.

Prototype

The prototype is not the wireframe on paper, the prototype is operational and therefore clickable, describes the information architecture of a website, as well as its functionality (at least those elementary) and aspects side user experience.

Visual design

The visual design is important, too much for some, for others too little, for me it is helpful if integrated with the right information architecture: a beautiful site that makes you say "uahhooo" is great, but if he does not have the information I need is how to offer me a stuffed pizza and then make me eat a daisy rubbery

Production

production is the moment when everything you have planned in the design phase takes shape, it is the time when everything is done and created.

Feedback

Users provide feedback on what they see, based on what they expected was realized and something might have gone wrong and misunderstood

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GOAL AND DESIGN

We are all consumers, we now consider some prosumer, producers and consumers at the same time, articles and products, in both cases, we use technology to achieve our goals. What it means to achieve goals ?

The Goal may be different: for example one goal might be to sell a product, but how I can sell a product ? 

I need design! 

Design of products describing the quality of its aesthetics, emotions, pleasure and usability of the product; these are all qualities that make the user experience fulfilling and users satisfied.

So why should we invest in design?

Because if your product doesn't meet your client satisfaction they will abandon them at the first available opportunity.

The design helps to improve the quality of the experience and to achieve 'sales target.

http://www.iwebdesigner.it/architettura-dellinformazione/obiettivi-design-34271.html

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Interface Design

The content organization allows us to make our users adept at finding the information in the shortest possible time and with satisfaction,

Perfect, but from the standpoint of visual as we can get a good result? With the design of interfaces will answer!

The interface design allows us to establish a hierarchy of visual elements in the page, this hierarchy means that users will find in the immediate response to their initial application and remain satisfied.

In the design of interfaces we must define a visual hierarchy: the user who finds immediate response to the three fundamental questions not leave the site!

And these are the questions

where are you? what do I find? where can I go?

A visual hierarchy allows us to organize our content in a particular order and consistent, imagine putting a case your content. 

Whatever technique you choose to follow you must be sure that in a few seconds for users to know answer the three basic questions, otherwise abandon your pages and bounce away.

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The Most Common Errors in UX Project

Working in the field of UX is not trivial, we can even say that it is a daily challenge that must be faced with courage and a lot of patience;

Some mistakes lie in wait and they have the potential to seriously endangered the success of the project; here's a list of the most common problem that you can find.

Read it may help you in the future.

Little communication: do not be stingy in communicating information

Too much communication: is not exaggerated to communicate every detail

Documentation: Documented, but remember that the documentation is only a means to reach a goal

Same process: there is no single process for all customers, be aware adapt

Be Agile !

http://www.iwebdesigner.it/architettura-dellinformazione/gli-errori-comuni-sui-progetti-ux-33958.html

[newyorker]

A cartoon by Shannon Wheeler. Take a look at more cartoons from the magazine this week.

[newyorker]

Read about this week’s cover, “Fall Library,” by Tom Gauld. 

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Design and performance

To create a fantastic product you must first create a fantastic team that carries out a prototype of the new application

Experts UX, Web Designer, Information Architects come together and realize a fantastic interactive wireframe following all the best practices of the case, everything is ready! Although usability testers love this new page and are very excited to test this new creation.

At the end of the new concept is approved and with our highest approval charge you online, we look forward to the results and ... disaster! What we see does not reflect what we expected: our conversion rate has fallen hopelessly.

We have forgotten the performance

Design and performance are two qualities of a site that often if not harmonized with each other with a little care can do to blows!

Read my best practice on http://www.iwebdesigner.it/architettura-dellinformazione/design-e-performance-33774.html

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User Experience and Usability

What is usability?

The usability is the core of the user experience! This is the only pure truth, usability is the main gear for a proper user experience, without this our products, our software are abandoned and forgotten in a dark corner of the pantry.

The user experience is made up of different disciplines that bind to each other as the visual design, human computer interaction, information architecture and interaction design,

Usability is the foundation on which is based the user experience, without good usability of our users will not be satisfied without satisfaction will not use our product / software leading us to failure.

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UX Design and Automotive

The UX is not only related to the web our attention must be paid to all fields of human interaction as we have often mentioned and explained.

Today I want to talk about UX and Automotive! in Automotive there are a lot of  examples of design for the users in order to improve their everyday use of our beloved cars. 

An example is many:Automatic tailgate

If you are thinking to last model of Ford the  Kuga you are right! This feature  is brilliant. For me then that when I leave the house I have a thousand things in his hands, between bags, packed lunches, helmets and especially cases of wine, the possibility of open the tailgate of the car with my foot (and key doors in the pocket) is amazing. Obviously I do not have this type of machine, but if Ford want give me a gift after this article I'm ready to try them all functionality