Category Archives: Book Club

Rethinking UX, June UX Book Club

Book Club

rethinking_uxFor the June installment of the UX Melbourne book club, we will be tackling Smashing Magazine’s ebook “Rethinking UX.” For eight years, Smashing Magazine has been a leader in interesting and useful perspectives on web design and development.

“Rethinking UX” is the newest UX-centred Smashing Magazine ebook. It is a collection of articles from six professionals.

It explores two main themes. Firstly it challenges tried and tested research techniques and provides practical insights about new ways for UXers to approach our work. Secondly, it explores the impact that new technology (such as Leap Motion and Google Glass) has for both designers and users.

The ebook can be purchased from Smashing Magazine’s online store.

Alternatively, all six of the articles are available online. Here are the links:

  1. Thirteen Tenets Of User Experience
  2. Improving Your Website Usability Tests
  3. Designing For The Multifaceted User
  4. 50 Design Problems In 50 Days: Real Empathy For Innovation (Part 1)
  5. Beyond The Button: Embracing The Gesture-Driven Interface
  6. What Leap Motion And Google Glass Mean For Future User Experience

Do I have to read the book?

All welcome, even if you haven’t read the book. However, we do ask that you have a quick read through the last article, What Leap Motion And Google Glass Mean For Future User Experience, so you can participate more actively in the discussion and get more out of the evening.

When is it?

Tuesday 17 June
6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

Where is it?

New Gold Mountain
Level 2, 21 Liverpool St
Melbourne VIC 3000

 

How much does it cost?

Nothing, it’s absolutely free. (Just turn up and buy something from the bar to thank them for their support of UX Melbourne.)

Responsive Web Design, UX Book Club April

Book Club

Next up at UX Book Club we’re reading Ethan Marcotte’s, Responsive Web Design.

Are you designing digital products for different devices, screen-sizes, contexts, and who knows what else (internet-enabled toilets)? You probably are.

You can buy the book from A Book Apart. Use the code WI20FH for a 10% discount.

I don’t code. Is this book for me?

We think it is. We couldn’t find a book on responsive design that doesn’t include CSS examples. If CSS isn’t  your thing, focus on Chapter 5 and skim through the other chapters.

So you’re telling me to only read one chapter? Yep! And pay particular attention to this paragraph on page 118:

“Recently, the responsive projects I’ve worked on have had a lot of success combining design and development into one hybrid phase, bringing the two teams into one highly collaborative group … during this collaboration the developers act as designers, too; they’re just designing in a different medium.”

  • Is this the way you and your team are delivering responsive designs?
  • Has responsive design turned your design approach upside down?
  • Or is it really just the same old design considerations with a few new buzzwords?

We’d love to hear about your response to Responsive Web Design.

Do I have to read the book?

All welcome, even if you haven’t read the book.

When is it?

Tuesday 29 April
6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

Where is it?

Governor’s Lounge
The Royal Melbourne Hotel
629 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

(Turn left and follow the signs before the main entrance).

How much does it cost?

Nothing, it’s absolutely free. (Just turn up and buy something from the bar to thank them for their support of UX Melbourne.)

February Book Club

Book Club, , , ,

book, stephen wendelOur first book for 2014 will be Designing for Behavior Change by Stephen Wendel.

A new wave of products is helping people change their behavior and daily routines, whether it’s exercising more (Jawbone Up), taking control of their finances (HelloWallet), or organizing their email (Mailbox). This practical guide shows you how to design these types of products for users seeking to take action and achieve specific goals.

Stephen Wendel, HelloWallet’s head researcher, takes you step-by-step through the process of applying behavioral economics and psychology to the practical problems of product design and development. Using a combination of lean and agile development methods, you’ll learn a simple iterative approach for identifying target users and behaviors, building the product, and gauging its effectiveness. Discover how to create easy-to-use products to help people make positive changes.

  • Learn the three main strategies to help people change behavior
  • Identify your target audience and the behaviors they seek to change
  • Extract user stories and identify obstacles to behavior change
  • Develop effective interface designs that are enjoyable to use
  • Measure your product’s impact and learn ways to improve it
  • Use practical examples from products like Nest, Fitbit, and Opower

O’Reilly Media is also offering 40-50% discount to UX Melbourne with the code DSUG.

When is it?

Tuesday 18 February
6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

Where is it?

Governor’s Lounge
The Royal Melbourne Hotel
629 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

(Turn left and follow the signs before the main entrance).

Do I have to read the book?

All welcome, even if you haven’t read the book.

We’re looking forward to a great year for UX Melbourne and looking for a new bunch of keen folk to join the UX Melbourne organising team. Do you enjoy book club, movie nights and guest speakers? Do you have ideas for great UX focussed events? Think about how you’d like to help, we’ll be announcing a planning workshop soon.

November Book Club

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For our last book for 2013 we will be getting into the nitty gritty of life by reading Design is a Job by Mike Monteiro.

Co-founder of Mule Design and raconteur Mike Monteiro wants to help you do your job better. From contracts to selling design, from working with clients to working with each other, this brief book is packed with knowledge you can’t afford not to know.

A Book Apart is also offering 10% discount to UX Melbourne with the code UXMBC1013.

When is it?

Tuesday 19 November
6.00pm for a 6.30pm start

Where is it?

Governor’s Lounge
The Royal Melbourne Hotel
629 Bourke Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

(Turn left and follow the signs before the main entrance).

Do I have to read the book?

All welcome, even if you haven’t read the book.

Thanks to everyone who has come to UX Book Club this year. It’s been full of interesting people, stimulating conversations and great connections…not to mention thought provoking books.

We hope you’ve enjoyed your time with us, and if you haven’t made it along yet, our first book club for 2014 will be Tuesday 18 February, so put it in your diary!