Adaptive Path Blog

The schedule for UX Week 2008 (August 12-15, San Francisco) is complete, and we think it’s the best conference we’ve put together yet. I thought it would be helpful to relate what I call the narrative of UX Week, as each day is a particular chapter as we go from the aspects of UX practice today, to preparing ourselves for what will come.

On Day 1, we focus on the fundamentals of user experience kicking off with legendary Don Norman, and following that with presentations on the intense redesign of Microsoft Office, and workshops covering a range of essential UX techniques, from prototyping to storytelling to sketching.

On Day 2, we look at the next step in user experience, the emerging field of service design, which aims to address the design of experiences across multiple platforms and touchpoints. Carsharing company Zipcar’s CEO Scott Griffith will explain the wicked design challenges of providing their service, from online reservations to what happens if something goes wrong with the car. We’ll hear from representatives of TheDailyShow.com and Current TV, both pioneers in bridging the television experience to the Web. The workshops on this day will give you tools to succeed in this emerging world, looking towards the future with topics such as information visualization and designing gestural interfaces. We’ll end the day with an inspiring session from Milkshake Media on their work designing the brand experience for Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG foundation.

On Day 3, we immerse ourselves in real-world experiences. We begin with alternate reality game designer Jane McGonigal, who is taking gaming off the screen and onto the streets, and continue with sessions on the institutions that are leading the way with immersive experiences: museums. We then leave the hotel for a field trip to the Exploratorium, perhaps the nation’s premier hands-on science museum, where we’ll immerse ourselves in their lessons on designing complete experiences.

For our final day, Day 4, we look toward the future of user experience. We begin with Michael B. Johnson from Pixar, who will share how the famed studio pulls together its work to consistently create the best animated films on the market. We’ll then look towards designing for the post-PC world, designing for mobile, large-scale multitouch, gestural interfaces, physical computing, and even designing for robots. We will have an expo space for attendees to use Microsoft Surface, ThingM’s WineM, Johnny Lee’s Wiimote Hacks, and other new interaction paradigms. We’ll also look at work we’ve done at Adaptive Path on the future of the Web browser, and finish with design visionary and science-fiction author Bruce Sterling, who will send us out with his rousing message.

We can confidently say that no user experience event points the way forward like UX Week. You’ll walk away with techniques and ideas you can use immediately, and also with a mind for the future of our field.

We’ve extended our discounted registration through June 30. And use the promotional code BLOG and get an additional 10% off! Go to UXWeek.com for all the details on the program.

Adaptive Path loves Europe, and we’re pleased to announce we’ve just opened registration on UX Intensive Copenhagen. Taking place 13-16 October, we’ll be leading workshops addressing four fundamental elements of user experience: Design Strategy, Design Research, Information Architecture, and Interaction Design, lead by renowned leaders in those areas.

Our registration price is insanely low right now (US$1795, comapred to US$2595 full registration price), and you can use the promotional code BLOG and get an additional 10% off. And, hey, Europeans, take advantage of our weak American dollar!

Like many interaction designers, I’m increasingly dissastisfied with the static, page-based tools that are used to create and share wireframes (OmniGraffle or Visio, anyone?) There is simply no way that these applications can communicate the fluidity and richness of interactions that are now possible.

So when Alexa held a tutorial on prototyping with Flash, I jumped at the chance to attend. It’s been a long time since I’ve used Flash, and never in the context of prototyping. I was concerned that I didn’t have the chops to follow along, but Alexa made it easy. I learned a ton, and I’m eager to use my new knowledge on a project.

And now, you, too can jump into the world of Flash Prototyping. Alexa has published her tutorial on Boxes and Arrows, complete with detailed instructions, templates and tips.

And if you want to experience the in-person version, Alexa’s teaching her tutorial at UX Week 2008.

Long live the interactive prototype!

With the addition of three more speakers, we have finalized the UX Week 2008 schedule. We still don’t have all the bios, headshots, and session abstracts in, but we do know what is happening at every point throughout the schedule.

On Day 1, we’ve added Leah Buley, bringing her “Being A UX Team of One” talk, which was one of the highest-rated talks at this year’s IA Summit.

On Day 2, we’ve added Current TV. Current is the groundbreaking cable channel whose goal is no less than to democratize media. From inception, they’ve been a multi-channel media brand, with equal emphasis in online and offline. We’ll learn about the challenges for designing for a fractured media landscape, how to incorporate quality user-generated content, and maybe even a little about what it means to have Al Gore as your boss.

On Day 4, we’ve added keynote speaker Michael B. Johnson from computer animation pioneers Pixar. Michael works in the Moving Pictures Group, designing, developing and supporting the in-house pipeline for Story, Art and Editorial. Michael will share with us Pixar’s creative process, with stories from their actual work.

Sign up by Saturday, May 31, to be eligible for discounted registration. And use the promotional code BLOG to get an extra 10% off!

We wrote last week about LIVESTRONG Day. Adaptive Path has many LIVESTRONG supporters. Additionally, there will be a presentation at UX Week 2008 by the folks from Milkshake Media, who worked on the design of LIVESTRONG brand experience.

To celebrate LIVESTRONG, we’ve pledged to donate $100 for every 4-day UX Intensive-Minneapolis or UX Week 2008 registration we receive through today, Monday May 19th. And use the promotional code BLOG and get 10% off the registration price.

Microsoft catches a lot of flack for some of their user experience decisions, but one invention that received a lot of warm feelings from the community is the new Microsoft Office, featuring the Ribbon. Jensen Harris, who has been writing about the development of the new Office UI for years now, has just signed on to present his Story of the Ribbon at UX Week.

Don’t forget, if you register by Monday May 19th, $100 of your registration fee goes to support the LIVESTRONG Foundation.

Today is LIVESTRONG Day, the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s one-day initiative to raise awareness and funds for the cancer fight. This year more than 500 events will take place in communities across the country to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer.

Adaptive Path wants to support this cause by donating $100 from each UX Week and UX Intensive registration over the next 7 days. That’s right, if you register by next Monday the 19th then not only will you get an early bird discount, but you’ll also help to support those battling cancer.

We have a terrific line up of speakers this year for UX Week including…… Katherine Jones and Randall Macon presenting: Building Brands The Build Community: LIVESTRONG and Blanton Museum of Art!!!

So why wait? Register for UX Week and UX Intensive now, and use the promo code “blog” for an additional 10% off. Attend the premiere User Experience conferences in 2008 and support the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

In addition to the company’s efforts, Henning and I are cycling 100 miles in July and personally raising funds for the San Jose LIVESTRONG Challenge. If you’d like you can donate for he and I on our donation pages.

Are you a runner or a walker or a rider? Then you too can participate. In addition to the Foundation’s fund raising goals, there are goals to register people for the LIVESTRONG Challenge. If you register TODAY then you get 50% off your registration fee for the Challenge.

Just a quick note that after tomorrow, the registration prices for our UX Intensive  Minneapolis and UX Week 2008 events goes up. UX Intensive offers 4 days of intense training on core user experience practice. UX Week mixes inspiration with information, offering sessions on a variety of essential topics, half-day workshops on subjects like storytelling and sketching, and field trips to museums to learn how experiences work in other realms.

Use the promotional code BLOG and get an extra 10% off!

Join us to celebrate the release of our book, Subject To Change: Creating Great Products & Services for an Uncertain World: Adaptive Path on Design. The party will be here at our offices:


363 Brannan St., San Francisco, CA
May 13th from 6-9pm


We’ll start off with some mingling, then the four authors will give a short talk followed by a book signing and more mingling. Adaptive Snacks will be providing light appetizers. Please join us! RSVP Here.


A little bit about the book:
To achieve success in today’s ever-changing and unpredictable markets, competitive businesses need to rethink and reframe their strategies across the board. Instead of approaching new product development from the inside out, companies have to begin by looking at the process from the outside in, beginning with the customer experience.


It’s a new way of thinking-and working-that can transform companies struggling to adapt to today’s environment into innovative, agile, and commercially successful organizations. Read more


Don Norman said he liked it:
“Short, but powerful. Easy to read, yet profound.
I’ve been searching for just this book: the one perfect book that summarizes the essence of modern product design. This is it. The lessons are as powerful as they are simple: The product is NOT the goal. Successful products are systems. Focus on the experience. This requires empathy, agile product management, real understanding of the target audience. This book practices what it preaches. I will use it in my courses for MBA students. You should use it for, well, for everyone. Short, simple, persuasive, and powerful.”


Don Norman
Co-Founder Nielsen Norman group
Author of “Emotional Design” and “Design of Future Things”


Buy the book on Amazon.

The schedule for UX Week 2008 continues to form, and with every update, there are amazing new speakers.

We have added a number of main-stage speakers. There is design critic, science fiction author, and all-around mindblower Bruce Sterling, the information architect for TheDailyShow.com Audrey Chen, and human-robot interaction designer Aaron Powers. Peter Samis, curator at SFMOMA, will discuss the design of the whole visitor experience for their upcoming Frida Kahlo exhibition. And Katherine Jones and Randall Macon from Milkshake Media, will talk about their experience designing brands that build community, including Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG Foundation.

We’ve also added workshops. Adaptive Path founder and book author Indi Young will teach how to Unpack Stories to Serve People Better. CMU Design professor Mark Baskinger will follow up his excellent article in the latest Interactions magazine with a workshop on Drawing Ideas: Quick Sketching for Interaction Design.

The workshops are new to UX Week this year. On Day 1 and Day 2 we’re having seven of them run simultaneously — you’ll have to choose one each day. We are giving preferential choice based on when you register. The earlier you register, the better chance you’ll get your top choice! We will launch a workshop picker closer to the event.

Also, Sign up by April 30 and save $400 off the full registration price. Use the promotional code BLOG and receive an additional 10% off!

To give an additional taste of what’s to come, you should see Johnny C. Lee’s presentation from TED. It’s only 6 minutes long (we’ll have him on stage much longer.)

And here’s a recent talk by Bruce Sterling at an Interaction Design conference in Germany.