Live Web Site Evaluations: Message, Branding, and Usability October 16, 2007

ABSTRACT:
Why is Web site usability important? When have we adequately translated the brand image to a Web site? How clear is the marketing message? Let Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus help you count the ways in an informative and entertaining way. Come and experience live evaluations of a number of web sites that have been submitted by attendees. This session provides you with a rare opportunity to see it live, experience the interactions with the stakeholders and designers, and, time and bandwidth permitting, discuss YOUR site directly with Dave.

Call it extreme usability... call it what you will. This interactive session will reveal both areas of excellence and opportunities for improvement, and it will focus attendees on what's important for design or improvement of the web sites they are responsible for. Attendees will walk away with a clear understanding of what constitutes user experience issues and roadblocks. They will immediately learn about redesign options that may fix, improve, or enhance each web site experience.

Dave began conducting these sessions in 2005 and continues to do them several times each year. This session, as all previous ones, will cover a new set of web sites based on attendee submissions.

SUBMIT YOUR SITE FOR EVALUATION:

If you would like your company web site to be considered for this session, please state this in a separate email to [email protected].
Include the name and contact information for you or the appropriate person who will be able to interact with Dave during this session.

WHEN:
Tuesday October 16, 2007
6:00-8:30PM
(Food and networking at 6, presentation at 7:15)

WHERE:
Dematic's Schoolhouse Facility
423 Plymouth Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI

The Dematic Schoolhouse is located on the corner of Michigan Ave. and Plymouth Rd. in Grand Rapids. Entry to the Dematic Schoolhouse building is off Plymouth Road.

From the intersection of Michigan and Plymouth roads, go north on Plymouth (down the hill) and turn left into the first drive that you can, driving between two black iron gates. Drive straight ahead, turning left just before the fence and guardshack. Follow the road around the building you just passed and up the hill to the schoolhouse parking area.

COST:
$10 Students, $20 STC and UPA members, $30 all others
(includes food and beverage)

RSVP:
Email to [email protected].

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
The Michigan Usability Professionals' Association and
The West Michigan Shores Chapter of the Society for Technical Communications http:www.wms-stc.org/.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus has designed user interfaces for hand-helds, kiosks, Web sites, and production machines, and has conducted evaluations in the lab, on the Web, in the field, and in the homes of consumers. He currently lead's Compuware's Usability and Interaction Design group whose mission is to improve usability and standardize user interfaces across Compuware's products. Dave is a frequent conference presenter and user interface design instructor, and authored a chapter in Design by People for People. He is an active member of ACM SIG-CHI, HFES, STC, UPA and Uxnet. Mitropoulos-Rundus has a master's degree in human factors psychology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Dave began conducting these sessions in 2005 and continues to do them several times each year.

Official Website: http://www.miupa.org/