Author Archives: savolai

It would be wonderful if such stories were more prevalent and lauded in the overall industry: it’s about how we end up affecting concrete lives. Human-computer interaction as a research field is all about this; seeing the others’ perspective. More context (HN link) leshokunin Disclaimer: I was a PM on Angry Birds. […] vvoyerNice, what’s […]

In my work as designer and developer I keep coming back to this question: How do I present all that I do such that it might make sense to others… that they might understand; it’s all about the same thing! However different software development as a discipline might seem from design or from teaching or […]

When creating a digital service, there is often a rush. Often we also want user-friendly experiences where users can interact with your product without a second thought. You want to make sure that your customers can find your service, and that things go smoothly. But there may not be much time or resources available. So—often […]

Understanding the core concepts and their interrelationships is the foundation of any software system. Misunderstandings or misconceptions about these concepts can lead to system failure. To avoid such pitfalls, it’s crucial to communicate the conceptual system using a model. This model serves as a common language for professionals from different fields to discuss the core […]

2023-06: Updated to include concrete examples and to discuss AI/Large Language Models (LLMs). Developers and UX professionals often seem like beings from different planets. I’ve found that shared understanding about software project goals can sometimes be hard to achieve. Have you ever taken a moment to consider how software gets designed and developed? You might […]

I received my original education in the field of HCI (Human-Computer Interaction). In educational learning theories, some of the same fundamental principles are central. A product designer, like a teacher, cannot assume much about the recipient of the experience they create. A product proves to be good only when a real person has demonstrated through […]

Introduction During my working life I’ve taught some trainings and lectures on UX and courses on software development. Here’s some reflections on what I found central. Usability or User Experience (UX) education plays an indispensable role in bridging the gap between the theoretical principles of design and their practical applications. This post explores the essence […]

In any software project, we need to understand the people who will use the product. There are many different points of view onto what approach we should take. Spool: Vision, feedback, culture Some promote approaches to usability practice alternative to User Centered Design (UCD). Spool (2008, 2009) calls the attention of the usability community to the […]