This event is presented by IxDA Seattle and sponsored by Artefact.

Design research can be difficult, even for practiced professionals. Overcoming challenges of implementation, bias, and even institutional resistance to methods can take a toll on your effectiveness as a designer and researcher. So how does a pioneer of Interaction Design approach these problems, and what does her process look like? As one of the founders of the Interaction Design discipline, Brenda Laurel has a great understanding of the adversity that can come with researching and designing interactions. Luckily, she’s willing to share with us her expertise, perspectives, and holistic philosophical approach through an engaging dialogue.

Artefact will host the IxDA Seattle community on Thursday, August 9th for a lively interview with Interaction Design pioneer Brenda Laurel, conducted by local UX educator and entrepreneur Bram Wessel. Join us to influence your own design process and endeavor to challenge your assumptions by exploring the role of generative design research in interaction design.

Only 50 seats are available!

This event follows a Community Salon to generate input into the Interaction 19 Conference. If you’re participating in the Salon, you already have a ticket for this event.

THE SPEAKER

Brenda Laurel has worked in interactive media since 1976—in the computer game industry from Atari to Activision, and in research labs at Atari, Interval Research, and as a Distinguished Engineer at Sun Labs. At the Banff Centre, she co-designed and produced the ground-breaking VR piece, Placeholder. She researched gender and technology at Interval and co-founded Purple Moon—interactive media for girls—in 1996. She designed and chaired the Graduate Media Design Program at Art Center College of Design (2001-2006) and the Graduate Design Program at California College of the Arts (2006-2012). She received the Trailblazer award from Indiecade in 2015 and the Nextant Prize from the Virtual World Society in 2017. Her books include The Art of Human-Computer Interface Design (1990), Utopian Entrepreneur (2001), Design Research: Methods and Perspectives (2004), and Computers as Theatre, Second Edition (2014). Her recent papers include “What Is Virtual Reality?” (Medium) and “AR and VR: Cultivating the Garden” (MIT Press Journal Presence). In addition to serving on the international Board of Directors for the Interaction Design Association (IxDA), she is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Virtual World Society and the Communication Research Institute in Australia.

THE INTERVIEWER

Bram Wessel, Co-founder & Principal at Factor; Executive Producer - Interaction 19

Bram Wessel believes that technology should enable natural experiences for real people. Bram has designed experiences for high-impact brands such as Adobe, Amazon, Backcountry, Crate & Barrel, Disney, Intel, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Safeco, Starbucks, Volvo, UW Medicine, and many others.

A tireless advocate for the IA/UX discipline, Bram is a frequent speaker at conferences (most recently Interaction 18). Bram is committed to educating the next generation of practitioners through the UX Certificate Program at the School of Visual Concepts where he sits on the curriculum committee, and as a guest lecturer at the University of Washington. Bram is an advisor and past board member of IxDA Seattle, and Director of Development for the Information Architecture Institute (IAI).

SCHEDULE

6:30p | Doors open

6:30 - 7:00p | people arrive; food & drink & spontaneous conversation

7:00 - 8:00p | Brenda Laurel interview

8:00 - 8:30p | more food & drink & spontaneous conversation

8:30p | clean up!

FAQs

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

Contact us at events@ixdaseattle.org with any questions!

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

You can if you want. But you can also just check in with your name.

Is my registration fee or ticket transferrable?

Yes! Just let us know who you're transferring it to (and what their email address is) by emailing events@ixdaseattle.org