Richmond 2016

The natural search landscape has changed and it’s time to adapt. Established search engine optimization techniques are no longer, at least on their own, adequate for shaping how our products and services are presented via an increasingly diverse array of third-party search tools and experiences.

We’ll explore some major search trends, how to go about re-framing search, and what actions we can to take in order to be successful for the long-game.

Presented by James Steincamp

“We need your help, can you put these things into categories? We think our current list is too long.”

It’s probably a safe bet to say that every day a content pro or designer is asked to solve a problem like this. Actually, the drastic evolution of navigations models with fancy UI tricks is proof that many designers are being asked to solve this problem pretty regularly.

Yet, findability is still a problem. Maybe that’s because the usability and findability problems are actually understandability problems.

Imagine if information on a page could feel like a personalized conversation, removing the ambiguity that causes confusion.

You can do that, and content-first design is the way. In this talk, Alicia will share how designing the content first, and then creating the structure can help. A content-first approach can help you nail down the natural language, use cases, and contextual relevance before you address structure and design.

Presented by Alicia Lane

The need to adapt and be flexible within project schedules and meetings has never been greater, but this is a soft skill not easily taught or quickly learned. Work, tasks, and goals shift constantly. Flexibility is a requirement. This starts with team collaboration and informs problem solving. Yield to the highest offer. Always say YES. Alway raise the bar. These are three core components to improvisation in comedy. They are also three pillars to a good collaborative environment.

This session will explore the fundamentals to improv as a means to strengthen teams across organizations. Participants will walk away with:

• An understanding to the fundamentals to improv

• An understanding of applications to the field of IA as both a team building tool and for idea generation

• Real world practice and sample exercises with an understanding of how different techniques can be adapted for different phases of projects.

This session illustrates improv as a way of thinking in the design process. While improv games will be performed, they are presented as a mindset, not a literal how-to guide. Improv’s lessons can be valuable throughout our work phases. While nobody will leave an improv master, resources will be provided to changing the pace of the next working session you attend.

Presented by David Farkas

Building a better mousetrap does guarantee success anymore. Products and services are increasingly interconnected. Ecosystems are the new competitive advantage. The winners will be determined by how well their offerings fit with each other and how well they fit into people’s lives.

The use of systematic, visual representations exposes previously unseen opportunities for improvement and for growth across channels and touchpoints. Broadly, the term “mapping experiences” describes a range of such visualizations. You’ve probably already encountered one of the many approaches already in practice – customer journey mapping, service blueprints, experience maps, mental model diagrams, etc.  

For sure, IAs are well-suited for architecting such complex diagrams. Creating them requires empathy, organization, and visual storytelling skills.          

But our job as IAs goes beyond mapmaking. We have to also assume the role of facilitator and aspire to become grassroots strategic players. Engaging others in conversation and gaining strategic alignment are the ultimate goals. It’s not about the “map,” rather the activity of “mapping” that’s important.

Presented by Jim Kalbach

To make things even better, we will be providing great software and book giveaways and raffling off some terrific door prizes to those in attendance (you must be present to win). Take a look!

All attendees will receive:

• 3-months access to myBalsamiq
• 3-months full license for InVision
• 2-months full license for Proto.io
• 48-hour access to any seminar in the UIE library
• and...One free digital copy of the newest edition of the Polar Bear book, along with a 40% off coupon toward purchase of a physical copy

All Attendees will have a chance to win:

• One license to Axure RP Pro (worth $589)
• One perpetual license to JustInMind (worth $228/year)
• One full Rosenfeld Media digital library (a $350 value)
• One copy of Intertwingled, by Peter Morville
• One copy of How to Make Sense of Any Mess, by Abby Covert
• One copy of Understanding Context, by Andrew Hinton