Articles Category
Lengthier posts about a specific topic that may be of interest to a variety of readers.
May 22 | The tenant in room 106
Whenever I’ve traveled and stayed at hostels I’ve usually stayed for one or two days at the longest, though oftentimes at some of the better places I’ve wanted to stay for longer.
May 21 | How (not) to introduce radical user interface changes
Why is it that any radical change to a feature invites immediate repulsion and “bring it back” stampedes? Is the option to “bring back the old version” the only solution designers have to appease everyone, or should one barrel forward with a design change with the confidence that eventually everyone will jump on board?
Flickr’s new changes create a bit of antagonism.
The obvious problem is that the most vocal people online are those who have something to gripe about, and any significant user interface change introduces an initial sense of panic if things aren’t “where they used to be”.
Nov 17 | A worrying trend in behavior change in Human Computer Interaction
Research in HCI must move away from technology as a solution to behavior change towards a model that enables users to be active agents in the feedback mechanisms embedded in ambient, ubiquitous and gamified interfaces.
Recent research in the field of human computer interaction has led many to pose the following question:
How might we be able to design computer and technology-based systems in order to change behavior?
In part, these appear to be motivated by individuals whose approach to HCI is driven by the desire for computers to do good for the world (e.g.
Nov 10 | On Stanford’s New Logo Typeface
The astute among you may have noticed in the last week that Stanford changed its logo typeface away from Sabon Monotype to what it now calls something that should be treated “as artwork, not as typography”.
Oct 15 | The other shattered record
When Felix Baumgartner landed back on Earth yesterday after his 24-mile jump from the Zenith capsule, he managed to break three world records: the highest jump from a platform, the longest free fall without a drogue parachute and the highest vertical velocity.
Oct 4 | Product Diaries: Pay to promote?
One of the more acute results of spending some time in a product-oriented or product management role like the one I spent at Google this past summer is that you suddenly become aware of a lot of the consequences and thought processes that go into rolling out a new feature.
Sep 23 | Topaz Labs vs. Nik Software
Since I just found out about Google’s acquisition of Nik Software I figured I’d write a quick comparison of the that and the tool I have been using up to now, Topaz Labs.
Sep 8 | Why you want a circular polarizing filter
Recently I’ve had two opportunities to compare photographs with a circular polarizing filter (C-PL) and without, and they are by far the most indispensable tool in a nature and outdoor photographer’s toolbox.
Jul 12 | The view from the top
Sometimes the most amazing experiences are the most coincidental, and the most unplanned.
Apr 2 | Why the Kindle is the traveler’s best friend
Sometimes the best technology is the one most suited for the job it was designed for.