the online home and (not very) alter(ed)-ego of Ann McMeekin, photographer, printmaker, knitter, shoe obsessive, petrolhead
and User Experience Architect.

Learning to Love (myself) again

Posted on: July 27th, 2010 | Filed under: is | No Comments »

I have a new mantra:

I am the best, healthiest, most beautiful me that my genetics and my effort allow. If you don’t like it, take a walk!

Many thanks to Maureen from Mount Kisco, NY for her words of wisdom.


The (Sketchy) Tools of our Trade

Posted on: April 30th, 2010 | Filed under: thoughts-on-UX | Tagged: | Comments Off

As a photographer, I’ve got used to hearing that “the best camera is the one you have with you” and up to a point, I agree. For most things, capturing the moment is what’s important, and the quality or fidelity of the resulting shot is secondary.

Similarly, as a UX professional, I can sketch with whatever stylus and surface happens to be available at the time because communicating the idea is often more important than the aesthetic quality or fidelity of the resulting sketch.

Lately though, I’ve been thinking a bit about how I can improve my sketching ability and make life a bit easier for myself while improving my sketch-based communication.

Now, it’s no secret to anyone who’s ever worked with me (even for a very short time) that I have something of a stationery fetish, so it’s not like I ever need an excuse to buy more/different/better supplies, but I’ve been experimenting with different pens, to see which ones work best, and in which situation.

Making a Point

Stabilo 88 Pens

For a while, I’ve been using a set of Stabilo 88 Pens that I got from Sainsbury’s and they’re fine up to a point, partly because of their fine point.

They’re great for taking notes, sketching in Moleskines and for adding fine detail to larger sketches, but they’re not so good when you’ve got a whopping great expanse of Goldline Marker pad and you’re trying to quickly get an idea across.

Enter the Sharpie

If getting engaged was the most exciting bit of my trip to San Francisco last summer, browsing the stationery section of WalMart is definitely up there in the top five.

Sharpies

I was persuaded that 24 colours of Sharpie were more than enough and returned to the UK with more colours than are available on this side of the pond, and I’m really glad that I did, because they’ve got me through a couple of fairly sketch intensive projects.

The downside to this is that I’ve discovered that I like to sketch in grey/pastels rather than black/brights and I’ve completely knackered the two grey pens and now can’t get hold of replacements.

Fiddlesticks.

The Sharpies also start off nicely sharp and then get blunt, meaning if you’re doing a set of sketch based paper prototypes, the last sketches are often less detailed and neat than the first ones.

So, they’re not perfect either.

Double the Fun

Most recently, I was in a craft shop and wandered across Copic Ciao Markers, which are double pointed and bought a few, in the colours I thought would be most appropriate for the work I’ve been doing recently: black, two greys, two blues, a green, a red and a yellow.

Copic Double-ended Markers

Unfortunately, I didn’t realise the tip I thought was Sharpie-like was actually more of a brush. It’s not a huge deal-breaker, but it’s just not quite what I was hoping for. They’re still nice pens though.

Three’s a crowd?

After a bit of a conversation with m’colleague Fred I was reminded of Letraset Tria markets, which have three nibs.

I’d seen them before but always written them off as too expensive, but that was before I found Cowling & Wilcox and their better than half price sale.

Needless to say, I fell in love at first sight.

Letraset Tria Pens. With three nibs.

After a bit of dithering, I bought the Product Design set, because I felt like it would give me the best range of colours for sketching in greyscale as well as a decent range of colours for adding meaning, where appropriate.

I haven’t had much of a change to use these in anger yet, but I’m hoping with the double whammy of being able to a) refill them and b) get new nibs for them, they’ll last me for years and be worth the investment.

I’ve shown you mine, now show me yours

Of course, tools are a very personal thing, and while I think this might be the thing that works for me, I’m always interested in how other people work.

What’s your “Go To” sketching kit?


Raymond Loewy on Good Design

Posted on: April 28th, 2010 | Filed under: thoughts-on-UX | Tagged: | Comments Off

Good design keeps the user happy, the manufacturer in the black and the aesthete unoffended.

- Raymond Loewy

via Design Quotes Display


Don’t listen to Le Corbusier—or Jakob Nielsen

Posted on: April 26th, 2010 | Filed under: shares, thoughts-on-UX | Tagged: | Comments Off

Le Corbusier thought sofas and armchairs were a terrible thing — the softer and cuddlier, the worse.

“What [modern man] wants is a monk’s cell, well lit and heated, with a corner from which he can look at the stars,” he wrote.

He designed what he called “machines for living,” buildings that served all of the functions that a human putatively required.

They were a beautifully austere, scientific vision.

They were hated, and abandoned.

People don’t want to live in scientific certainties.

Sofas are what people want.

And “machines for living” don’t honor the messiness that a human life represents.

Don’t listen to Le Corbusier—or Jakob Nielsen


So you need a typeface?, Abstract Art from Talks, Graphic Design Essentials

Posted on: April 22nd, 2010 | Filed under: shares, thoughts-on-UX | Tagged: | Comments Off

It seems I’m feeling very visual at the moment.

So you need a typeface?

So you need a typeface poster
Fabulous. Worth viewing full-size. Via Inspiration Lab

Abstract Comic and Appreciation

I’ve been in love with sketchnotes for ages, but I think the concept of creating abstract art based on talks is really interesting (though potentially less obviously useful).

The bare essentials for the graphic designer

The bare essentials for the graphic designer poster
Saw it, loved it, bought it.


Paul Graham on Simplicity

Posted on: April 22nd, 2010 | Filed under: thoughts-on-UX | Tagged: | Comments Off

When you’re forced to be simple, you’re forced to face the real problem. When you can’t deliver ornament, you have to deliver substance.


Paul Graham, Taste for Makers


New iPhone, Google Home Page A/B Testing and Time Management

Posted on: April 19th, 2010 | Filed under: shares, thoughts-on-UX | Tagged: | Comments Off

Gizmodo: This Is Apple’s Next iPhone

When I first saw the pictures of this on engadget I wasn’t sure whether or not it was a hoax. I’m now pretty sure it’s real, but not entirely sure it was an accidental loss. I’m also slightly regretting upgrading my iPhone 3G to a 3GS in February. Ah well.

Six Revisions: Will This Be The New Google Web Design?

via @iA

Step by step walk through of screenshots of what seems to be Google’s new home page design, apparently being A/B tested at the moment.

Managing UX Teams: me, make, meet: how to manage a ux manager’s calendar

A methodology for making sure you’re still able to do rather than just manage when you’re a UX manager.


My Dad

Posted on: April 2nd, 2010 | Filed under: remembers | Comments Off

62.365: Dad

Dad,

This year, more than ever, you’re closer to my mind.

I’m getting married, Dad. To a man I wish you’d been able to meet. I love him so much, and I know that he loves me to, and it’s wonderful, and for all that I’m looking forward to being his wife, it’s really hard for me to plan the wedding, because every time I think about it, I can’t help but feel that there’s something—someone—missing.

You’re still the first one I want to talk to when anything happens, good or bad, and so much has happened lately that I wish I could have talked to you about.

I can’t believe it’s been eight years.

I miss you so much.


@GoodSenator on UX and novelty

Posted on: March 24th, 2010 | Filed under: thoughts-on-UX | Tagged: | Comments Off

…just because, you, as a designer, seek novelty for it’s interest; remember users want to USE, not do, the UI

@GoodSenator (Robert Fein)


Mike Matas Photoblog

Posted on: March 23rd, 2010 | Filed under: loves, thoughts-on-UX | Tagged: | Comments Off

Via a tweet from @chrismessina, comes this fantastic teaser video for Mike Matas’ new photoblog design.

It’s an interesting thing for two reasons. Firstly, it’s the first photoblog design of this kind that I’ve seen (and there are some really lovely UX touches demonstrated in the video) and secondly, the site hasn’t gone live yet and only displays the video itself.

How very meta.