UX & IA Design Thinking

I have been thinking about posting a Axure 9 UI review for a while now. In this video I explore some of the differences between the two versions of the Prototyping tool. Overall most of the core features are the same such as creating shapes, text blocks, and formatting. In Axure 9 they have allowed you to personalize the location and size of your tool panes. They have also changed around the interactions panel to be more streamline and not take up as much space. All of this takes a little bit of time to get use to but once you start working with it for some time it will become second nature. Check out the video below, I hope to create more videos around additional features within Axure 9.

You may say that Modal windows are what pop up were 10 years ago. Like them or hate them they have become an essential UI design element for almost any website or application. Recently I have started to see a transition of how these screens are being used. We first started seeing modals about 8 years ago when a developer named Lokesh Dhakar created a Javascript Library called “Light Box”. It was a very simple way of putting focus on one image at a time and graying out everything else. This became so popular that many people starting to throw anything and everything in these smaller focused screens. Some people call them Dialog boxes, others call them Modals but they really all mean the same thing. The main purpose is to present the user with additional information while putting the main parent page on hold until they are done. Of course with any UI design element they have been misused and abused in many different ways. I have seen some applications that have more than 3 levels of moda...

By nature most people are resistant to change. I have learned the hard way that just because something has been working great for the last 10 years does not mean it is always the best solution now. So much has change with technology not only within the last 3 years but over the last 6 months I have seen drastic evolutions of the art of possible. Users are demanding more and in faster timeframes. We as designers have to keep up with the latest trends, patterns, and interactions or you will be left in the dust. I recently had a design challenge that required the ability to display a horizontal sub navigation for mobile. Since we already had a main navigation being taken up by the parent hamburger menu I was in a bit of a jam on what to do. My first instinct was to group all of the navigation elements into some sort of drop down so that when users clicked on the drop down they see the navigation list options. This would have been fine but was more of an old school way of looking at ...

The tools we use to help define UI experiences is constantly changing. The fact is that Photoshop and Illustrator are no longer the preferred tools in an XD designers tool kit. We have transitioned to more flexible and robust applications that allow both low fidelity sketch like concepts to Pixel perfect high fidelity visual designs. Sketch does a really good job at providing both of these levels as well as the in between. In combination with Zeplin and Invision these three applications provide a pretty solid output for creating great experiences for both desktop and mobile applications. Zeplin has been a great tool to lessen the burden on our visual designers for creating redlines to our developers. It has some really neat features that would take weeks for to pull together in a style guide around spacing, colors, fonts etc. They are even experimenting with providing HTML and CSS outputs from the designs. When creating wireframes I tend to use both interactions that provide some le...

As time goes on we learn, grow and explore in new areas that make us happy and inspired. I am very lucky to have found that path. Since 2003 I focused on providing great experiences to my clients around a specific tool known as Microsoft SharePoint. I was so invested in this tool that I even wrote a book on how to stretch the limits on customizing it. Over the last couple of years SharePoint has changed to be more stand alone through Office 365. Within the last few years I have had the pleasure to not only wok for the best company Slalom Consulting but also work for some really amazing clients! My most recent projects have been outside of the world of SharePoint and in all honesty I could not be happier. It is sad to see it go but I think it is time to pass the torch to other great and amazing bloggers that will keep posting technical posts on how to configure and explore new ways of making SharePoint do what they need to present the right information to users at the right time. My p...

My SP24 Session has come and gone but can be viewed at any time on-demand either at the SP24 site HERE which allows you to add in comments and download the supporting PowerPoint presentation and SharePoint 2013 Axure base interactive wireframes. However you will need to register to sign in. Or you can view my session below from YouTube! My Session Intro: Full 1 hour Session: I hope you enjoy my session! If you do not want to register through the SP24 site I have uploaded the Presentation and the Axure file to my OneDrive account. Erik Swenson UX Solutions Principal Slalom Consulting Twitter: ErikJSwenson LinkedIn: Erik Swenson Session Hashtag: # SP24S005 Leave a comment on what you think about my presentation and any topics around User Experience!

This is very exciting! My Session on creating the ultimate user experience will be live in less than 24 hours! Please make sure to go http://www.sp24conf.com and register before all the slots are taken. I promise that my session will be fun, interactive, and you will absolutely learn some new skills, trips and tricks to create your own great experiences for your users. My Session Details below: SharePoint 2013 Creating the Ultimate User Experience April 17th 10AM EST Below is the session room that you will be able to view the session streaming the Google Hangout, chat, and ask questions. Also as part of my session this Ferrari will help guide us on the path to the ultimate user experience… So Buckle up, and hold on its going to be one hell of a ride! Session Tag: #SP24S005 Follow Me: @ErikJSwenson www.erikswenson.blogspot.com

Update: My session time just changed from 9am to 10am EST .  I guess there was a glitch in translating GMT to EST or other local time zones on the website. SharePoint 2013 Creating the Ultimate User Experience On April 17th 2014 @ 10am EST (2pm GMT) I will be presenting at the FREE SP24 SharePoint Conference . I hope to see you at my session!