datapanik - elegant tools that do useful things for real people
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datapanik - elegant tools that do useful things for real people
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USER CENTRED DESIGN DESIGN PHILOSOPHY SERVICES SAMPLES ARTICLES and RESOURCES FREE IDEAS |
B I O Adam Smith Vancouver, Canada P R E F A C E My main desire at the moment is to build elegant software and systems for real people. It’s my belief that we need to be enabling people to do more with less effort rather than what we have now, where people are required to learn new skills and master complex and confusing new tools on a regular basis just to keep up. I’d like to build things that reduce the complexity of people’s lives instead of increasing it. I’ve designed application software, new media software (CD-ROMs and other disk-based interactives), and Web pages. I am interested in a number of areas of interface design, particularly software and information appliances (ubiquitous computing, embedded devices, etc). In short, my interest lies in designing useful systems, wherever they may be implemented. I’ve also come to realise that one of my more useful skills is in problem solving. I know that everyone claims to require or have this skill, but it has been brought to my attention that I have an unusual ability to examine a problem and find appropriate and resourceful solutions to it. My personal style is informal, friendly, and cooperative, but with an underlying structure and professionalism. This allows me to balance the need to establish a good rapport with end users, techies, and other stakeholders, while maintaining clear paper trails and documentation. Adam Smith’s user-centred design approach is the result of copious studying of formal HCI, cognitive psych, and software design research combined with direct observation techniques and an uncanny intuition about how “real people” use software. He has also been described as having “hypertrophied organisational skills” and is well versed in rapid development methodologies. Adam’s recent work involves designing user interfaces for a leading developer of software for television broadcasters and video editors. Prior to that he organised and ran the usability test of a configuration interface for a major American technology company. He also recently worked with an Internet startup who were attempting to build an Internet application for finding and tracking information. Before that, Adam was a partner in datapanik software systems. datapanik specialised in new media and application development for Tacca Musique (Montreal), High Performance Sports Specialists (Toronto), and National Research Bureau (Chicago, IL). He has also led interface design teams developing application interfaces for IBM (Boston, MA), and acted as a usability consultant on web sites for IBM (White Plains, NY) and Sony America (Pitman, NJ. His first position on arriving in Toronto was interface designer/art director/project manager for internationally recognised Mackerel Interactive Multimedia, where he designed and directed projects for Toyota USA and USF+G. He has 12 years of experience with the Internet (his first email address used a "bang path"). Adam developed the curriculum for two courses in User Interface Design as part of the New Media Design Programme at Centennial College’s Bell Centre for Creative Communications, and taught those classes for almost two years. He was invited to return to the College to develop and teach the same subject part time for their continuing education programme. This course is now a very popular part of the web development certificate programme. The course focuses on the basics of UI design, human factors, and usability, with examples drawn from Web design, but is also applicable to other types of new media, software, and design in general. He has been regular columnist on new media and music, appeared on television as a commentator on new media technologies, and is a member of the ACM’s Special Interest Group on Human Computer Interaction. Because of his no-nonsense approach, good communications skills, and insight into how people and computers work together, he is regularly asked to speak about usability, user-centred design, and understanding the needs of end users. Adam has gathered a broad knowledge base through self-education, including cognitive psychology, human factors, development methods, visual design, usability testing, user-centred design, information use, and other technology-based interests. He continues to read, learn, and find practical uses for his expanding knowledge. Prior to moving to Toronto, Adam worked for 7 years as a graphic designer and prepress production artist in Vancouver, Canada. He worked alongside Kosta Tsetsekas at Signals Design Group and with Sousae and Associates where he was involved in the design and production of award-winning corporate identities, annual reports, marketing materials, billboards, and posters. Prior to Vancouver, Adam was a seven foot chicken, an eight foot shoe, rented televisions in a hospital, ran a record store, was a late night FM disk jockey, and spent a brief time on a free-range chicken ranch. You don't want to know about the things he did as a child. S E L E C T E D W O R K E X P E R I E N C E Inscriber Technology Corp 2001 to present
Devlin Applied Design 2001
Steelbridge/openCOLA 1999-2000
Datapanik Software Systems 1997-2000
Centennial College 1998-current
Mackerel Interactive Multimedia 1995-1997
Datapanik Media 1990-2001
Sousae and Associates Advertising and Marketing
Signals Design Group 1992-1995
S E L E C T E D P O R T F O L I O Curriculum Development Software and User Interface Design, Project Management Software and User Interface Design, Project Management Software and User Interface Design, Project Management User Interface Design User Interface and Usability Consultant User Interface and Usability Consultant Monthly Columnist Art Direction, Interface Design, Project Management Project Management, Art Direction, User Interface Design Other clients and projects include MPR Teltech, BC Central Credit Union, Canada Post, the International HIV Conference, CGA Canada Research Foundation, Zulu Records. S K I L L S As an independent freelancer, a partner in a small business, and a full time staff person within small- and medium-sized companies, I have had the opportunity to learn and practice a broad range of skills. Here are some of my demonstrated abilities:
R E F E R E N C E S openCOLA [previously Steelbridge] NRB Shopping Centre Directory on CD-ROM User Interface Instruction: New Media Design Programme More references are available upon request. |
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