The South Jersey Human Factors & Ergonomics Society is sponsoring a contest in Egg Harbor Township High School for students in grades 11 and 12.  The contest was organized to familiarize students with the professional fields of Human Factors and Ergonomics, and show how these jobs improve everyone’s daily life.  Winners will be announced on World Usability Day, Nov 8th.

The student contest is known as “Take a Red Balloon for a Walk” contest, after its originator in London, England, a usability professional.  The contest involves students identifying items, products, technology, or other things that they find in their community or school that are (1) extremely easy to use or (2) extremely unusable.  Students take photos of the objects, products, or technology, then write an essay about their experience (up to 5 pages).  They describe why that product or item is usable or not usable. Objects may include confusing machines, difficult to use appliances, poorly designed controls, unclear signs, confusing labeling, or frustrating websites.

Judging and Prizes.  Entries are due by Wednesday, October 31^st, and will be judged by a panel of local experts working the fields of Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Usability.  1^st and 2^nd place prizes will be awarded in each participating grade.  Winners will have their submissions included in a South Jersey World Usability Day Gallery.

BACKGROUND:

 

Poor usability is everywhere and it can get in the way of life. Sometimes items are just annoying. At other times poor usability stops us from doing what we need to do.  It can even be dangerous. A usability professional from a London-based company conceived of the Take a Red Balloon for a walk, as an initiative to help encourage people see things that make their life needlessly difficult and to recognize things that help make our lives easier.  Governor Corzine of New Jersey recognized the value of the second World Usability Day in 2006, by proclaiming November 16, 2006 as the first New Jersey usability day!  http://www.usabilitynj.org/meeting_details/nov2006_proclamation.html.  

This initiative allows students to go through a research exercise to describe things that make their life needlessly difficult and to recognize things that help make our lives easier.  Students can participate in our local Red Balloon event by identifying items, products, technology, or other thing you find in your community or school that are extremely usable or extremely unusable. 

CONTEST RULES

Activity Description:

• Go on a “Usability Walk” in your school, home, or out in the community.
• Identify items that are either (1) easy to use or (2) difficult to use, or nonusable.
• Photograph the items.  Pick one photo to be included in the essay.
• Photos cannot include images of students.
• Write a paper (5 pages or less) that focuses on describing why the item is usable or not usable.
• Suggestions for the essay content:   Why was this object picked over other items, Come up with ways you might make the item more usable, What are the benefits of making the object easier to use, or less confusing?
• Papers will be judged for research concepts, creativity, organization of the paper, and writing skills.

 Submission:

• Submissions must be made by Wednesday, October 31^st, 2007

Teachers, Administrators.  The goals and outcomes of this activity include:

• Introduction to and practice conducting field research.
• Knowledge sharing and writing skills.
• Fostering public awareness of user centered design and usability research.
• Exposure to the career fields of Human Factors and Ergonomics.

Contact the organizer

Ferne Friedman-Berg
Email: ferne.friedman-berg@faa.gov
Phone: +1 609-485-7460

Egg Harbor Township, NJ

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World Usability Day 2007

"Making Life Easy!" World Usability Day was founded to ensure that the services and products important to life are easier to access and simpler to use. World Usability Day was founded in 2005 as an initiative of the Usability Professionals' Association (UPA).

To find out more: - Goto the World Usability Day website

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