DenisMSweeney.com Redesign is Live

Not about Michael Jackson's Alleged Death
I know, I know... Every blogger is legally obligated to write about the death of Michael Jackson, but I won't do it!! They can arrest me, or do whatever it is that the Patriot Act people do to bloggers who don't/won't walk the line!

DenisMSweeney.com Redesign is Live
I'm writing about the update to my Web Site. I had done some updates to the site, but a complete overhaul was overdue.

This time around, I chose to go with the old Usability adage "simpler is better", and I distilled it down to a profile section as the primary focus, and then a series of links to my social networking links across the "pipes" we call the Interweb(!)

I incorporated more images this time too.
The big news on the site posted today, is that I am now looking for UE/UCD/ Interaction Design opportunities in the SF Bay Area.

In Other Big News!
I am finishing up my project at Cisco and looking for the next thing.
If you know of any opportunities, please send them my way, or point them to my website: www.DenisMSweeney.com.

It's back to wireframing for me. Thanks for reading!
DMS

My Photograph Book Available on Amazon... and on Lulu.com

My Photograph Book is Available on Amazon.com.
I'm excited to be on Amazon, absolutely! They're listing it for $37.72.
I'm a little annoyed that Amazon adds almost $10 to the price of the book.

To get the lower price of $29.01, check out:
http://www.lulu.com/content/lulustudio-photo-book/sight-in-spite-of-reason/5411881

I'm an Author! w00t!

Favorite Firefox Add-ons and Extensions

These aren't in any particular order, but I wanted to share the main Firefox Add-ons that I use, and ask readers what they like/use.

Fast Dial- Visual bookmarks. This is my start page. It provides thumbnails of the sites that I visit most. You can vary the number it displays. I use 12, but the more you do, the smaller the thumbnail, and the less recognizable it is. I believe the default is 9 images. Great app.

Ghostery - Watches sites that are watching you. Ghostery alerts you when visit a site that has bugs on it (which can be hidden scripts that track your behavior)

Total Validator - Validates code from within the browser.

Greasemonkey - Allows you to customize sites using short javascript snippets. Better still, it allows you to use scripts others have written for specific sites. The script authors are usually not the site owners. So you might get additional functionality for CraigsList or Amazon, that the owner's didn't think of, or perhaps wouldn't be in their best interest, but might be very helpful to consumers.

Firebug - Integrates with Firefox to edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and Javascript live in any web page.

ColorZilla - Gives you hex colors via an eyedropper. Helps with matching colors easily.

You must be thinking "Whoa! 2 posts in one day, after a long drought!" Right? I know. I'm thinking the same thing. I'm back on this horse and plan to be a more-consistent poster. Whether I'll succeed, we'll see.

How is the Writing on Your Site?

I was just looking at a Steve Krug interview (Steve's book "Don't Make Me Think" is a must have. If you haven't read it, get it out of the library, or pick it up at the bookstore. He has a terrific no-nonsense approach to web design) and he mentioned a book called "Hot Text", about writing for the web. I plan to read the book as soon as I can get my hands on it! I did read reviews of the book and checked out the authors' site (www.webwritingthatworks.com). The similarities that I see already are a simple approach, and striving for clarity, and I can see why Steve is aligning with these authors (Jonathan and Lisa Price.) They share the common theme. And it works to eliminate extras, and streamline the message and give users the best possible chance to "get" what you're putting out there.

This book appeals to me as a UE designer because it has the common goal of putting the user first and good writing streamlines just as good design does. But it appeals to me on another level as well. My parents, before retirement were both writers; an English Professor and a Magazine/Newspaper Writer, so I was constantly reminded about the importance of good writing. And some of it actually sunk in. :)
I'm not, by any stretch of the imagination, trying to say that I am a good writer. What I am saying, is that I recognize good writing and I value it.
Check out the site and the book. They both have great tips and ideas of ways to improve your writing. Enjoy!

Spaceage Robot Skateboard Deck Design

create & buy custom products at Zazzle
Check out my new skateboard deck design on Zazzle!
I did this design for www.spaceagerobot.com and it's now available on a skateboard deck for less than $75.00!

Capture Fox

I have nothing to do with the site I'm discussing today, but I like to share cool applications when I see them.
I do a lot of Web Design and Interaction Design. There are many times where I am developing for a secure or closed system that isn't accessible from the "outside world". Typically I will take screen shots of every page and thread them together in PowerPoint presentation, or in an Acrobat PDF file, and get something that resembles the application I designed. There are times when that isn't enough. Interaction can often be missed in a static screen shot.

Today I found a free application that was developed for web-casters and people who do a lot of demos and instruction. It is called Capture Fox and it is a Firefox add-on written by Zafer Gürel, that captures your screen and records all the screen actions as an .AVI movie file.


Displaying a video shows the application working without forcing the user to navigate. I find that a video file puts you more in the "presenter" role and the viewer less in the "User" role. A movie is also historical. You can be more sure that it will not fail or crash (great for those early prototypes you want to show off!)

Installation and operation are really simple. I had the end-product I wanted within 20 minutes! Great product. And did I mention the price?! Free! --Check it out.

Wacky Bathroom Sign

bathroom sign
Originally uploaded by denis408

From a usability perspective, I was baffled to find these engraved signs in every restroom of a public building in the area.
Millions of questions suddenly rushed through my head...
— Is this "toilet seat standing" really a big problem?
— Was it really enough of a problem that signs were custom designed, created, and installed?
— Did a committee review this and say "Yes, this is the message that we want to publish?"
— Was it something cultural, or sexual that caused this "problem" in the first place?
— Perhaps it was an imagined problem? Maybe they'll come out with a list of other rules of potential problems like: "Don't touch your bum on the handles or fixtures" or "Because of the forces of gravity and for your own safety, please no stage-diving from the commode"
Please help me in coming up with other suggestions for possible signs for this organization to post! Lets help them out!