TDAC

On Wednesday, May 13th at 7pm we’ll be having a TDAC meet-up along with a presentation about Communicating the Value of Usability to Decisionmakers.

Where: 115 E Broadway Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85701
When: Wednesday, May 13th from 7-10pm.  The presentation will start around 7:45pm and last about 30 minutes.  There will be time for questions and socializing/networking afterward.

Does your Web site meet user expectations? Do all members of your team share the same goals and strategies for building your Web presence? Are your decisionmakers aware of best practices for the Web?

If you’ve answered NO to any of the above, chances are that a decisionmaker on your team needs to understand the value of usable Web design. Lack of a user-centric Web strategy is a serious risk for any company seeking to make the Web profitable. This presentation will cover organizational problems that may be undermining Web site effectiveness. You’ll learn how to communicate the value of user-centric Web design to decisionmakers, so everyone wins.

This presentation will be led by Cia Romano, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the user experience company Interface Guru® (www.interfaceguru.com). She will present basic usability topics, bringing her expertise on projects ranging from Cosmopolitan magazine to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. More about Cia at http://interfaceguru.com/aboutus/ciaromano.php.

The presentation will address the following topics:

• In their own words: How users feel about poorly-designed Web sites
• The evolution of user expectations on the Web
• Communicating user-centric strategy to decisionmakers
• Common objections to user-centric design
• Blind spots for decisionmakers
• Saving face for decisionmakers
• Educating decisionmakers

Video highlights from user tests will be included in the presentation. We hope to see you there!

This event is free, though we ask that you please bring a snack or drink to share. We’ll have wine glasses and a cooler with ice on hand.

*About Interface Guru:*
Interface Guru provides usability and information design services to a national clientele, emphasizing profitability and brand experience in environments ranging from enterprise-level Web sites to software, intranets, and interactive museum kiosks. The company’s work includes projects for clients ranging from a major credit card corporation to a publisher of globally recognized media brands. Other projects include TV Guide Online, Crain Communications, Shedd Aquarium, IEEE, The Sharper Image, The Higher Learning Commission, Penton Media, The Chicago History Museum, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Magazine Publishers of America, American Society of Magazine Editors, Clickability Inc., Trex Company, The University of Arizona, and Go Daddy Software. Interface Guru has provided pro bono services to projects such as the Mars Phoenix 2007 Mission, Flandrau Planetarium, and the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, and is currently guiding online collaboration for several projects funded by the National Science Foundation.

*About Cia Romano:*
Cia Romano is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Tucson-based usability consulting company Interface Guru®. Cia has presented at highly rated conference sessions such as Internet World (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles), the Folio: Shows (New York, Chicago), the Visitor Studies Association (Ottawa), and COMDEX (Las Vegas). A hands-on user interface researcher, Cia developed the widely disseminated Usable Times 5™ criteria for ranking computer screen effectiveness.

*Contact info*
www.interfaceguru.com
info@interfaceguru.com
520.744.6911