Five Components

Twitter and the First Amendment

Apparently, 2011 is the year when Twitter, Facebook, and smartphone videos are graduating from Social Networking toys to evolutionary, revolutionary Sociology tools. Can they be controlled by governments or big business? It's been argued that any such controls might run afoul of Amendment No. 1 from our Bill of Rights ... how amazing for a clever hack that originated in a daylong brainstorming session. Freedom of Speech, Assembly, and the Press What is a tweet? 140 characters - one or…

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Vintage Technology

Here's one of those videos making the rounds via eMail. I found this in my inbox at work, from an observant friend who apparently likes the same web sites I do (although I had originally this as a great example of minimalist site design). httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdSHeKfZG7c It's interesting to note how the magical becomes the mundane. I did find it interesting that certain "timeless" concepts (a deck of cards? a marbles game?) have more resonance than these artifacts of a bygone…

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Learning About Data Visualization

Even though there is an art to visualization design, it stands to reason that this is a skill that can be taught / learned. I remember going to campus visits with my daughter, and hearing about a textbook considered to be a timeless classic - teaching students how to draw. What a concept - I guess I had always imagined an innate, magic ability (that I, of course, never had). Then again, musicians start learning to read and write music…

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Art and Science of Data Visualization (Part 2)

Just a little more theory and background on Data Visualization, to eat up the rest of your weekend. Unlike the McCandless video, this video will take some time investment - but well worth it, if you want to charge your batteries on this topic. (via Flowing Data) From earlier this year, Martin Wattenberg gives a talk on data and visualization. Some interesting points: Data visualizations work well with large data sets Interesting insight comes from borrowing ideas from different knowledge…

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Art and Science of Data Visualization

"Data Visualization" has been an extremely active and popular topic for a few years - we can use Google's Timeline search feature to see the growth in interest since 1980: That local high in July of this year was due in no small part to David McCandless' Information is Beautiful talk at TED this past summer. It appeared in my RSS stream here, here, and here, so I got the hint, spent 18 minutes watching it, and got suitably jazzed…

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Gartner Symposium 2010

Last week, I was able to attend this annual Gartner event - something akin to SAPPHIRE, the SAP uber-users group meeting, without the vendor specific rah-rah. An interesting event - 7400 attendees, over four days. A typical conference - multiple sessions along major tracks, and I bounced between sessions dealing with these issues: Master Data - Continuing to look for the latest information - this is still a fast growing software market, and ideas around things like "data governance" (people…

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Designing for Devices

My last entry on design for a bit - just some thoughts on the added complexity when designing applications for multiple client devices. Fast Changing Device Landscape The "last mile" of user/computer interaction has seen a number of exciting innovations over the past year or so. Phones are getting physically smaller, yet have bulked up their connectedness and capabilities - and the shrinking screen, now touch-sensitive, has blown up into the ubiquitous iPad and a host of next-gen touchscreens. Yes,…

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Interface Design Skills for Coders (and vice-versa)

Like a technical peanut butter cup - two great skill sets that go great together. What really happens when artists and coders mash things up? Intuitive Interactions: Are application developers adept at effective design? I think, as a group, no - witness all of the effort put forth to wrap "user friendly screens" in front of ERPs major and minor. Visual Basic, PowerBuilder, SQLWindows, and their ilk spawned legions of wanna-be UI designers, presented with a multitude of gadgets, and…

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Design Thinking and Process – Practical Examples (2 of 2)

So, design thinking can have a positive impact on how you do what you do, and it may very well be hidden inside, waiting to get out. Ok, you are intrigued, you might even believe you can release the designer in you. Where to next? How to get started? Practical Expressions of "Good Design" Like most tech folks, you will need something a bit more concrete that just seeing something effective on the screen; some guiding principles and "rules of…

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Design Thinking and Process – Is It In You? (1 of 2)

Continuing a bit on my recent Design meme; I talk about the current relevance of design thinking, and the impact it can have on change management - but if it feels a bit foreign, how can you tell if you have it in you? Do You Think Visually? Interesting how Design always seems to have a strong visual component, even though functional design (like my data warehouse or the structure of my house) is not directly visible. Still, I thought…

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