Theory | UX Central

User Research – The moderators survival guide

By Rob Cowie 8 April 2014Testing, Theory

This is a sample chapter from Donna Tedesco and Fiona Tranquada’s new book, The Moderator’s Survival Guide: Handling Common, Tricky, and Sticky Situations in User Research. Once you’ve understood your…

Don’t rely on colour to convey a message

By Rob Cowie 8 April 2014Design, Theory

In general - but particularly in the design world - colour is a powerful tool. It conveys moods and emotions, adds presence to designs, and builds brand identities. All too…

Better Communication about UX Design

By Rob Cowie 8 April 2014Strategy, Theory

I’ve recently found myself becoming increasingly frustrated by some of the language that the UX community uses in talking about design and in writing articles about design. As a community,…

How ease-of-use is reshaping the IT industry

By Rob Cowie 7 April 2014Linkedin, Strategy, Theory

The trend towards managing outcomes rather than inputs is one of the most important of the last 10 years. The interface is increasingly becoming the product when it comes to…

Telling Stories: Mapping the Patient Experience at John Muir Health

By Rob Cowie 5 April 2014Strategy, Theory

When John Muir Health asked us to help them construct their patient journeys, it became evident that we would have to leverage the simplicity and universal accessibility of storytelling. With…

Building a solid foundation for efficient design

By Rob Cowie 5 April 2014Design, Strategy, Theory

There is more pressure than ever to quickly deliver smart solutions for increasingly sophisticated users, clients, and devices. In an attempt to stay on top of it all, designers are…

Proactive Experiences & the future of UX

By Rob Cowie 5 April 2014Strategy, Theory

My sympathies go out to the thousands of passengers who had their flights cancelled because of this past winter’s polar vortex. For most of them, the disruptions subjected them to…

The UX Team Starting Lineup

By Rob Cowie 5 April 2014Strategy, Theory

I love basketball, and often see parallels between the action on the court and the world of experience design. My last article gleaned leadership tactics from arguably the greatest sports…

Easy Checks – A first review of Web Accessibility

By Rob Cowie 5 April 2014Testing, Theory

W3C has an in-progress draft page that helps you assess the accessibility of a web page. Following some simple steps, you can get an idea whether or not accessibility is…

Graphic Recording & Graphic Facilitation

By Rob Cowie 1 April 2014Testing, Theory

Over the course of my career I’ve been fortunate to be able to explore other roles beyond the hazy boundaries of “user experience design”: project management, illustration, strategy, whiteboard animation,…