Grace Lau is an information architect and user experience designer based in the Greater Los Angeles area. She’s the co-president of World IA Day and one of the program chairs of the 2021 IA Conference. In this conversation, we discuss those professional community events, and why you should participate.Listen to the showDownload episode 52Show notesGrace Lau@lauggh on TwitterGrace G. Lau on LinkedInMy Disney ExperienceUCLAASIS&TALASLAThe Los Angeles User Experience MeetupWorld IA DaySan Gabriel Valley UX MeetupThe Information Architecture ConferenceVitoDiscordSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Cheryl Platz is an accomplished interaction designer who has designed multimodal experiences for Amazon, Microsoft, the Walt Disney Company and more. The focus of our conversation is her new book on the subject, Design Beyond Devices.Show notesCheryl PlatzIdeaplatzCheryl on TwitterIdeaplatz on TwitterThe Bill and Melinda Gates FoundationKinectXboxDesign Beyond Devices: Creating Multimodal, Cross-Device Experiences by Cheryl PlatzNintendo DSWacom tabletsSiriCortanaAmazon EchoEcho ShowImprovisational theaterUnexpected ProductionsThe Gum WallInteraction 21 conferenceWizard of Oz researchHomePodApple MusicAmazon Fire TVStar TrekWalt Disney ImagineeringEpic SystemsDisclosure: I received Cheryl's book for free as a previous Rosenfeld Media/Two Waves author.Some show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

My guest today is Brian Breslin. Brian is a tech entrepreneur, educator, and community builder based in Miami. He’s the director of The Launch Pad, the entrepreneurship center at the University of Miami, and founder of Refresh Miami, a non-profit organization dedicated to growing South Florida’s tech and startup ecosystem. In this conversation, we focus on community-building, especially during this time when geographic boundaries are becoming blurred.Listen to the show Download episode 50 Show notesBrian Breslin@BrianBreslin on TwitterRefresh MiamiGoogle GroupsLISTSERVMeetupMailchimpConstant ContactMiami HeraldMagic LeapREEF TechnologyAirtableZapierTony HsiehWealthfront VenmoMetcalfe’s lawSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commissions for purchases made through these links.

Phillip Hunter, a strategy and innovation consultant specializing in conversational systems, shares his insights from his experience leading user experience for Amazon Alexa Skills. He discusses the structure of conversation and its emotional depth, highlighting how digital communication challenges interpersonal interactions. Phillip explains the technical complexities of designing effective conversational interfaces and the importance of quality audio in communication. He emphasizes the need for blending technology with human interaction to enhance user experience.

My guest today is Caroline Crampton. Caroline is a freelance writer and podcaster. Among other things, she edits The Listener, a daily newsletter that curates the best podcasts. In this conversation, we focus on Caroline’s curation workflow.Listen to the full conversation Download episode 48 Show notesCaroline CramptonThe Way to the Sea: The Forgotten Histories of the Thames Estuary by Caroline CramptonShedunnit (Caroline’s podcast)Hot Pod newsletterSerial podcastThe Listener newsletterThe BrowserLindelani MbathaListen NotesRSSNewsBlurApple PodcastsPocket CastsOvercastRadio AtlasGoogle KeepGoogle Pixel Google RecorderGoogle DriveThe Joe Rogan ExperienceSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commissions for purchases made through these links.

My guest today is Peter Morville. Peter is a pioneer in the discipline of information architecture. Among many other distinctions, he co-authored with Lou Rosenfeld Information Architecture for the World-Wide Web, the classic O’Reilly “polar bear” book on the subject. This is Peter’s second appearance on The Informed Life podcast. I asked him back because I wanted to learn more about his recent call for practitioners to emancipate information architecture.Listen to the full conversation Download episode 47 Show notesPeter Morville on TwitterSemantic StudiosIntertwingled.orgInformation Architecture: for the Web and Beyond, by Louis Rosenfeld, Peter Morville, and Jorge Arango The Informed Life episode 10: Peter Morville on Seductive InformationEmancipating Information Architecture by Peter MorvilleDon’t Think of an Elephant! by George LakoffSorting Things Out: Classification and its Consequences by Geoffrey C. Bowker and Susan Leigh StarPema ChödrönSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commissions for purchases made through these links.

My guest today is Dr. Jeff Johnson. Jeff has been applying his background in psychology towards designing better human-computer interfaces for over forty years. He teaches computer science at The University of San Francisco, and has written several influential books on UI design. Among these, he co-authored with Kate Finn Desiging User Interfaces for an Aging Population, which is the focus of this conversation.Listen to the full conversation Download episode 46 Show notesJeff JohnsonUI WizardsCognitive PsychologyCromemcoXeroxGUI Bloopers 2.0: Common User Interface Design Dont’s and Dos by Jeff JohnsonDesigning With the Mind in Mind: Simple Guide to Understanding User Interface Guidelines by Jeff JohnsonConceptual Models: Core to Good Design by Austin Henderson and Jeff Johnson (My notes on Conceptual Models)Designing User Interfaces for an Aging Population: Towards Universal Design by Jeff Johnson and Kate Finn Tesla Model S InteriorGoogle MapsSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

Design strategist and researcher Tanya Rabourn discusses the role of ethnographic research in understanding diverse cultures for effective design strategies. She shares her experiences in UX design and research worldwide, highlighting the importance of human-centered design. Tanya explores designing innovation centers for refugees, navigating language and cultural dynamics in research, and reflecting on costs and benefits in design projects.

My guest today is Alexis Lloyd. Alexis is VP of Product Design at Medium and co-founder of Ethical Futures Lab. Previously, she led design and innovation work at The New York Times, Axios, and Automattic. Alexis has been thinking about the future of media for a long time. In this conversation, we focus on the evolving ways we consume and produce media.Listen to the full conversation Download episode 44 Show notesAlexis Lloyd@alexislloyd on TwitterResearch & Development at The New York TimesAxiosJohn Maeda (MAEDASTUDIO)AutomatticMediumEthical Futures Lab The future of news is not an article by Alexis LloydTed NelsonProject XanaduQuotebacks Link to Text Fragment Chrome extensionThe Informed Life Episode 6: Beck Tench on TinderboxTinderboxZettelkastenRoam ResearchDEVONthinkBuilding a digital garden by Tom CitchlowPinterestAre.naDropbox PaperSome show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.

My guest today is Rob Haisfield. Rob is a behavioral product strategy and gamification consultant. He’s also an expert user of Roam, “a note-taking tool for networked thought.” In this conversation, we talk about Roam — what it is and how it can help you think more effectively.Listen to the full conversation Download episode 43 Show notesRob Haisfield@roberthaisfield on TwitterRob Haisfield on LinkedInInfluence Insights, Rob’s consulting companySpark WaveCenter for Advanced HindsightRoam ResearchOneNoteRob’s public repositorySpaced repetitionNudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard Thaler and Cass SunsteinDEVONthinkGuidedTrackRob Haisfield’s Tour of Roam Research (video)Some show notes may include Amazon affiliate links. I get a small commission for purchases made through these links.