UPA North: Studying the users - Ethnography for design (Tues 29 March)
Location: Manchester
The main event tonight is a talk from Louise Ferguson, who is the Vice President of the UK chapter of the UPA and an expert in ethnography and how it can inform design.
As with our last event, we will also be indulging in the rather popular shameless self promotion session and having a drink after. Our venue for this event is Cafe Muse (pron. caf-eh mus-eh), which is part of Manchester Museum. Cafe Muse is laying on Tapas before the session, so get there at 6.30 and buy yourself a drink and a snack to start!
Studying the users: Ethnography for design. These days, it's not only psychologists that are contributing to the technology design process. Companies such as Intel and Microsoft have started hiring anthropologists and ethnographers.
But what exactly is ethnography? What can it offer the technology design community? And how do we do it? Louise Ferguson will talk about the contribution that ethnographic approaches can make to the design and evaluation of systems in their widest sense, and will discuss how to go about 'doing' ethnography, including the pitfalls to avoid.
In addition, the meeting will provide an opportunity to network, chat, have a drink and meet new people.
RSVP: To reserve your place, email: events@ukupa.org.uk with your name, stating whether you are a UPA member
Venue: Cafe Muse, Manchester Museum, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 7QQ
Date: Tues 29 March 2005
Start Time: 6.30pm for 7.00pm
End Time: Around 9.00pm and then drinks at Cafe Muse.
Cost: Free
How do I get there, where do I park?: http://museum.man.ac.uk/information/information.htm
About Louise Ferguson
Louise Ferguson is a user experience consultant with twenty years’ experience in systems development. She founded Digital Habitats Ltd. to bring the benefits of people-centred design and anthropological thinking to the development of technology-based services.
Louise holds a Master’s degree in Human-Centred Computer Systems. She is Vice President of the UK chapter of the Usability Professionals’ Association and co-director of the UPA’s international Voting and Usability Project. Louise co-authored Getting by, not getting on: Technology in UK workplaces (The Work Foundation, 2003), and contributed to Touching the State (Design Council 2004). Find out more on her blog: http://www.louiseferguson.com/cityofbits.htm