Emily Frye's Page

Our profession talks a lot about the mechanics of our job, concentrating on the processes, tools, and techniques that lead to concrete deliverables. What we miss is that 90% of our work is in building and maintaining relationships.   Only through trusting relationships with our clients, co-workers, managers and stakeholders are we able advocate for our customers, have a seat at the strategy table, participate in the key decision making processes, garner buy-in, and become empowered to do our…See More

What is pecha kucha? Short talks -- 10 minutes or less -- on the UX topic of your choice. That's right: YOU give the talks. Why would I want to give a short talk? The short talk format is a terrific way to practice public speaking in a fun, non-threatening environment. Most of us aren't naturals at speaking to groups -- we need practice, and plenty of it. What kind of topic can I present? Anything that's remotely related to UX is an acceptable topic. The nice thing about a ten minute talk…See More

Are you tasked with designing a UI for search? It's an art, but an understandable art. This IxDA event will be an interactive exploration of various aspects of search design, including how to:Interpret mental models that users bring to their searchesUnderstand different search tasks, particularly for intensive knowledge work or critical information needs Consider the strengths and weaknesses of different search designs, based on user mental models and tasksTranslate user goals into valuable…See More

Back by popular demand: UX show & tell The always-popular UX show & tell is back! Bring your websites, apps, wireframes, or even napkin doodles and get honest critique and feedback from your peers. Or bring a finished project to brag about. If you are a UX Team of One, this is your chance to brainstorm with 40 of your smartest colleagues. SCHEDULE6:30-7:00  Networking & welcome7:00-8:20  UX show & tell8:20-8:30  Wrap up & thanks8:30  Happy hour @…See More

Are you looking for a better way to inspire your project team or clients to think creatively? Have you ever been told to "think outside of the box" and wondered exactly how to do that? Do you need a faster way to generate new ideas and solve problems? Then come to the IxDA-DC Gamestorming event on Monday, October 10th! Gamestorming, a term coined by author and XPLANE founder David Gray, is a collection of techniques to engage groups in creative thinking. At this session you will learn the…See More

User Focus 2011UPA-DC's annual usability conference -- A one-day exchange of ideas and experiences that demonstrates the value of usability in successful design. LEARN about important trends, cutting-edge methods, and case studies in usability and user-centered design.NETWORK with folks who do what you do, and meet potential employers and employees.LEAVE motivated to create user experiences that drive results with a toolkit of techniques and…See More

Look out, August, we're bringing the heat!Jeff Gothelf (@jboogie) is coming to town to give us his LeanUX manifesto followed by 5-5-5 madness. The whole thing is happening at Sapient's new digs in Arlington. 5-5-5 MadnessWhat's 5-5-5, you ask? 5 talks for 5 minutes with only 5 slides. You bring the talks, the rest of us get to vote on which ones we want to see. Any topic that is remotely -- and I mean remotely -- related to IxD or UX is eligible. Start plotting your 5 minutes of fame…See More

Folks, If you haven't started attending Peter Corbett's DC Tech Events - you should start.  These are great places to learn from and meet with DC's technology innovators.  I'm a huge fan!   Hope to see you there. http://www.meetup.com/DC-Tech-Meetup/events/16764048/  See More

** You must register for this event ** IxDA-DC, UPA-DC, and Web Mavens have come together to let you meet others in similar careers through a structured speed networking forum.  Meet others with careers like yours!Do you want to network with other user experience and web professionals? Are you tired of going to networking events where you only meet other people who are in an entirely different career track? Early…See More

In this salon, we’ll discuss one of the most sticky issues our industry faces: delivering the design solutions we think are appropriate to clients and managers who disagree, don’t want to invest the appripriate level of resources, or simply don’t understand the difference between good enough design and great design. I don’t have the answers but I have a lot of questions, like:Why is it so hard to explain the value of design, and why do we have to spend so much time “educating” our clients and…See More

CRAIG MOD is a writer, designer, publisher and developer concerned with the future of books, publishing and storytelling. “Not to be overly hyperbolic, but I think we’re living in the most exciting time in history for publishing. Gutenberg shmutenberg — he didn’t have the internet, print on demand, Kindles or the iPad.”Craig is also co-author and designer of Art Space Tokyo, an intimate guide to the Tokyo art world. Since October 2010, he’s been in Palo Alto collaborating with the amazing folks…See More

For one night only, Jared Spool comes to Washington DC to present one of his most popular talks:Anatomy of a Design Decision.The best designs come from not one, but hundreds of well-made decisions. The worst designs arise out of hundreds of poorly-made decisions. All that stands between you and a great design is the quality of your decisions. Where do they come from?For the last five years, we’ve been studying how designers make their decisions. When do they use outside information, such as…See More

Join the UX Book Club in discussing Don Norman's book Emotional Design.  Find out more at the UX Book Club Wiki.Join our Google Group for updates and announcements.Special thanks to Threespot for providing the space for this meeting.See More