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Virtual Assistants (automation) and Etiquette

This NYT article discusses the “new” scourge of rude people interacting with their phones in public via voice thanks in large part to Siri, Apple’s new virtual assistant. This article reminded me of...

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ATM Accessibility (not)

I’m catching up on some older topics I never blogged about. This is one of my favorites. The Consumerist posted a video of a blind user interacting with an ATM. As they said, “Overall, it seems like...

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Bad Usability Causes Cranky Babies

I peripherally heard about another Tylenol recall and assumed the recall was prompted by tainted medicine or something.  Anne just sent me a link to the story and it is apparently usability related....

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Usability Follies in the News

It’s election season which means more opportunities to point, laugh, and cry at the state of voting usability.  The first is sent in by Kim W.  As part of an NPR story, the reporter dug up a sample...

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I just want some gas…

Reader Nicole sends in this image from the gas pump. Can you find the button? Similar Posts (auto-generated): Bad Design: Mouse mode and feedback Patient photos aid docs reading faceless CT scans –...

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Older adults and Windows 8

In an earlier post we discussed how illuminating simple user testing can be. The video below is computer blogger Chris Pirrilo who put his dad in front of the new Windows 8 Preview. The dad seems to be...

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Recent Research Potpourri

Just a small plug for some recent research from Anne and me. The topics are ones that we’ve discussed on the blog:  games and cognitive training and e-health tools.  First, Anne and colleagues...

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The Incredible Hulking Factor

As I was watching the pilot episode of the 70s TV series “The Incredible Hulk” (thank you, Netflix), I realized the entire premise of the show depended on a poor interface (and lack of workplace...

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Human Factors of the Dark Side

Similar Posts (auto-generated): The Cadillac of Human Factors Human Factors Potpourri (again) The Human Factors of Weapons The Human Factors “elevator speech”

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User Testing for Interplanetary Expeditions

I was listening  to the Big Picture Science podcast on my way to work this morning when I heard  a great example of how to test equipment prior to a mission. Hosts are Molly Bentley and Seth Shostak....

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App Usability Evaluations for the Mental Health Field

We’ve posted before on usability evaluations of iPads and apps for academics (e.g.,here, and here), but today I’d like to point to a blog dedicated to evaluating apps for mental health professionals....

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Goodbye Mouse?

Story in the Washington Post about the impending demise of the computer mouse in favor of touch screens: “Most children here have never seen a computer mouse,” said Hannah Tenpas, 24, a kindergarten...

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Principles of Animation in UI Design

Smashing Magazine posts a great article on some principles for including animation in mobile UIs.  I think the use of animation is under-estimated by some HF people because it’s hard to quanitfy the...

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Paper prototyping made easier

Paper prototyping is a common usability technique to quickly test out an interaction before expending too much effort on programming or designing.  The value in paper prototyping is that with...

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Begging robots, overly familiar websites, and the power of the unconscious?

Hello readers, and sorry for the unintentional hiatus on the blog. Anne and I have been recovering from the just-completed semester only to be thrown back into another busy semester.  As we adjust,...

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Usability of a Glass Dashboard?

I had heard that the Tesla Model S (the luxury electric car) had a giant touch screen as one of the main interfaces for secondary car functions and always wondered what that might be like from a human...

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Potpourri

Another edition of potpourri where I surface some of the more interesting HF/usability links that have crossed my path. The blog Touch Usability finds a great video of Bill Buxton discussing Designing...

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Potpourri–Lazy Summer Edition

It’s summer and we (along with some of you) are taking a break.  But here’s a list of interesting usability/HF-related things that have crossed my path: After much complaining, Ford is bringing back...

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Usability process not used for ACA website

A recently released report, done in March 2013, reveals the process of creating Healthcare.gov. Hindsight is always 20/20, but we’ve also worked hard to establish best practices for considering both...

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Worst Mobile Interface Ever

I was reading articles the other day and came across a site that, as many do, reformatted for my phone. Almost all reformatted-for-mobile sites are terrible, but this one is my favorite. You cannot...

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