DESCRIPTION

User Experience design is a hybrid discipline, combing empirical research and testing methods from the hard and social sciences with creative ideation and problem-solving methods from art and design. Leveraging the strengths of all these disciplines has contributed to the rapid expansion of the UX field.

This symposium will focus on the science side of UX, in particular the roles of methodologies borrowed from anthropology, ethnography, sociology, psychology, physiology, physics, and the empirical method. We will also look at how UX design is begin implemented in scientific applications to improve the usability of complex systems and ultimately increase the quality and quantity of scientific knowledge.

Refreshments and food will be served before and after the talks.

PROGRAM

6:30pm - Arrival and Mixer

7:00pm - Introductory Talks

Jon Fox, UX and Creative Director at Idean and Co-Founder of NELAUX
John Mulchaey, Director of the Carnegie Observatories
Julian Scaff, Design Director at Interactivism

8:00pm - Keynote Presentations

Machine Learning and Implications for Design by Erik Dreyer

Machine learning is enabling new user interface modes through voice and image recognition, the hyper-personalization of both physical and digital products, and the automation of decision-making. This talk will provide an introduction to how machine learning works - for the non-mathematician - and a brief overview of its implications for design.

Erik Dreyer is a Machine Learning Engineer and founder of Gradient Intelligence, a Pasadena-based machine learning consulting and development firm. An alumnus of Caltech, Erik is an experienced researcher, problem solver, system designer, and leader, with a diverse background in private and social enterprise.

How to Win Users and Influence Stakeholders (With Science) by Dr. Alexandra Holloway and Krys Blackwood

The Deep Space Network operators are about to undergo massive change in a worldwide cost-saving effort: It will double workload and operational complexity. To prepare, Krys and Alexandra were asked to design new displays that will help operators of the Deep Space Network continue their trend of unsurpassed data return. Following the user-centered design process, they began with lots of ethnographically-inspired user research, and uncovered plenty of paths their design work could take. But with each step down any path, they had to validate their designs and findings with the operators and show stakeholders why they weren't done yet. In this talk, Krys and Alexandra demonstrate how they used scientific methods to convince stakeholders that the problems their user research uncovered were real problems, and how scientific rigor was absolutely necessary in mock-ups they showed to their expert users.

Alexandra Holloway, Ph. D. designs and writes software for space missions in the Human Interfaces Group, specializing in ethnographic design research into operability. Alexandra's work with operators of the Deep Space Network led to the design of micro-displays as data-driven mental model realignment tools. In her other work as a member of the Data Management team on Mars Science Laboratory, Alexandra authors instructions called sequences to keep the rover’s hard drives empty enough to do more science. Previously to being a designer at JPL, Alexandra taught human-computer interaction at Mills College and computer organization (architecture) at University of California, Santa Cruz.

Krys Blackwood has been designing interfaces for 22 years. Most of her career was spent in Silicon Valley, designing e-commerce experiences for companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500 corporations. She is both a researcher and a designer and specializes in helping companies adopt a user centered approach. She’s now designing the future of mission operations with the Human Centered Design team for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA.

9:00pm - Post-Talks Social Mixer

9:30pm - Close

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This event is organized by NELAUX, a group dedicated to establishing a community of UX Designers, Entrepreneurs and Engineers to develop and promote innovation in Pasadena, Downtown LA, Glendale, Burbank and surrounding areas.

The Carnegie Science Observatories is one of the top astronomical research institutions in the world and is the place where the universe was discovered by giants such as Edwin Hubbell and Albert Einstein. Heartfelt thanks to Carnegie for generously hosting and supporting this event.

Idean is a global design firm that combines their Scandinavian design heritage with Silicon Valley tech expertise in the areas of user research, digital design, and front-end development. Special thanks to Idean for their generous support.

This event is part of Connect17, organized by Innovate Pasadena.