Blog frogs on the road
By Jon Kolko - February 9, 2010
While reflecting on the IxDA 2010 conference, I’m trying on various lenses of evaluation, and coming to a conclusion that the profession of Interaction Design is reaching an interesting and critical divide. The divide seems to break down around two forces of gravity, loosely identified as:
A. Design, as a discipline. A locus of study, similar to science or art in breadth and depth, and focused on criticism, behavioral change, craft, empathy, humanism, and reflection.
B. UX, as a form of applied design in the context of marketing, and focused on consumption, speed, innovation, and often, apparently, compromise.
Blog frogs on the road
By Various frogs - July 31, 2009
Last week at our Seattle studio, frog hosted the IDSA and IxDA event “Whole Product Design” where industrial designers and user interaction designers came together to explain the approach and collaborative process behind the products they designed. The event exposed the holistic design process (from form to function), and gave local designers the opportunity to show and talk about their work, as well as connect with other designers in the two disciplines.
Blog frogs on the road
By Various frogs - February 9, 2009
I’m reflecting on the IxDA 2009 conference on the plane from Vancouver back to Austin, and as I ponder, I find myself impressed with the variety of material that was presented, thrilled with the level of discourse, and deeply irritated with the contentious nature of ‘designing for behavior”.
Let me explain.
Blog frogs on the road
By Various frogs - December 23, 2008
Design seems to behave in a reactionary manner; a trend towards minimalism will find a reaction in emotive expression, while a push toward digital might be met with a return to analog. This makes sense, as design – as a human phenomenon – is as dialectic as politics or economics. I’m aware of trends that are happening right now, because I’m helping push those trends with my day to day work.
