Meet PIG

I created the Project Inspo Generator to help you jumpstart your brainstorming.

What a little typography can do

I recently discovered the fun of google fonts. See how they take this boring site design: 

And gives it a modern, sleeker touch? I'm a fan.

You may be visual if...

You've printed a crib sheet for your date in the city.

The notes include: 

• ferry departures
• nearby restaurants
• the meeting place and  description of the tour

Proof students need to take over the world

I submit to you as ironclad proof this project: 

Oakland's homepage in wordcloud format

City of Oakland homepage wordcloud:

Word clouds are a visual way to see word frequency. Note the 3rd most important word, Click.

Of high importance:

• Click
• (City) Council
• Budget
• Illegal (Fireworks)
• Business
• Parking
• Night
• Public
• Information 
• Report

Notably small or absent:

• Citizen
• Services
• SeeClickFix

Does the word cloud tell us something the visual design does not? I'd say so. The Banner photo of Chinatown, Mayor Jean Quan, and the Maintenance Notification feature prominently.

Where men are men, women are moms.

One of these things is not like the other..

• A mom's invention helps kids.
• A man is expecting Quintuplets.
• A mom meets her baby.  

Pulled from story titles on Huffington Post

A quick citizen experience tour of Government websites

At a quick glance, which website would you rather use?

Ireland

 Australia

 The UK

New Zealand

Canada

United States

I know what technology wants.

It's the same thing we all want. Attention. Energy. Care.

Help, I'm sick! Go plug me in.

Seriously, Upworthy

Stop it.

My remote usability testing setup

After a recent grueling round of recruiting : ( then testing and sharing results, I was wiped out. Testing is intense, but recruiting and testing? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

I wanted to share my basic setup:

• Computer 1, on speaker: Webex as the host and recording tool, Silverback (backup recording) audio through google voice on speaker
• Computer 2, muted: Sococo (to communicate with coworkers), view observers live notes on ideaboardz,  Participant contact info (in case of issue), the Schedule 
• Printed: Script
• Often overlooked but important  Participant compensation/gifts, a practice run, Dialing and webbing in 15 minutes early, a deep breath, one medium sized beverage, a smile in your voice to put the customer at ease, and immediate feedback for front-line stakeholders who are thirsty for input they can put into their product.