Ready Designs

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MIX11: Crafty UX – UX Lightening Series

Conferences

April 13th, 2011

Liveblog of “Crafty UX – UX Lightening Series”, an hour long session with four speakers presenting at “lightening” speed. Sarah Summers, Nathan Moody, Robert Tuttle, and Guido Rosso will each present a 10 minute talk about UX.

Session video now posted on Microsoft’s Channel 9:

 

As this is a liveblog, please remember to read from the bottom, up.

Thu, Apr 14, 3:27:10pm PDT

Sketchflow looks great, but it’s only available as a feature in Expression Blend Ultimate, which is way over my budget. :( #mix11 (Sketchflow Product Page)


Thu, Apr 14, 3:21:46pm PDT

Now she’s giving us a quick around-the-block look at Microsoft Expression Blend.

Microsoft Expression Blend Sketchflow


Thu, Apr 14, 3:18:40pm PDT

Keep your questions open-ended during user testing.


Thu, Apr 14, 3:18:23pm PDT

Pick the top 3 tasks users are going to want (or the 3 you want to test reaction to) and test those. Keeps it simple.


Thu, Apr 14, 3:16:53pm PDT

She recommends the book “Remote Research” by Nate Bolt


Thu, Apr 14, 3:16:07pm PDT

Best-case testing: Test onsite, try to find super-users, observe and record, and collect data.


Thu, Apr 14, 3:14:41pm PDT

Prototypes reveal customer intent/focus, show clear value to the stakeholders, and reduce confusion across the board.


Thu, Apr 14, 3:13:39pm PDT

Prototypes are also great for early user testing. #mix11


Thu, Apr 14, 3:13:08pm PDT

No demonstration is ever sufficient; only interaction will really convey the value.


Thu, Apr 14, 3:12:32pm PDT

Prototyping exposes problems early and reduces rework. It can be your spec doc and the story that sells the value.


Thu, Apr 14, 3:11:46pm PDT

Visually understanding what we’re working with helps us understand the whole of complex parts (like genetic sequencing).


Thu, Apr 14, 3:10:20pm PDT

Even if you just put up some sketches and blank sticky notes around the office, you can engage your office.

Covert Sticky Note Testing

Covert Office Testing


Thu, Apr 14, 3:08:22pm PDT

Prototyping informs and enables all the other steps that can improve the frustrating development process.

Sarah Summers: Prototyping Enables All Steps


Thu, Apr 14, 3:04:32pm PDT

Product development can be a frustrating process…


Thu, Apr 14, 3:02:56pm PDT

Next up:

“Get Real! Sketch, Prototype & Capture Great Ideas with Expression Blend & Sketchflow” by Sara Summers

MIX11: Get Real! Sketch, Prototype, and Capture Great Ideas

The intro: Julius Shulman is a photographer of much famous architecture (see “Visual Acoustics” video). #mix11


Thu, Apr 14, 2:04:10pm PDT

Grid Layout (IE10), the first implementation of a complex layout system. Currently in development and looking for feedback.

CSS3 Grid Layout Code


Thu, Apr 14, 2:00:31pm PDT

For more on CSS3 Flex Boxes: http://www.html5rocks.com/tutorials/flexbox/quick/

CSS3 Flexbox


Thu, Apr 14, 1:59:48pm PDT

Flex box will cause layout elements to fill available space. The spec is still… “flexible”.


Thu, Apr 14, 1:58:31pm PDT

display:table, display:table-cell with CSS3 help with layout design.


Thu, Apr 14, 1:56:14pm PDT

jQuery and CSS3 can be a great tag team for backward compatibility. JS can also trigger hardware acceleration. http://bit.ly/cnCYP2

Using jQuery to Make CSS3 Backwards Compatible


Thu, Apr 14, 1:53:48pm PDT

Neat example of a slot machine built entirely with CSS3 using gradients, transitions, and animations.

CSS3 Slot Machine Demo


Thu, Apr 14, 1:50:08pm PDT

If a browser doesn’t support transitions, users will still see the two states, just not the transitions.


Thu, Apr 14, 1:48:09pm PDT

IE10 will support transitions using the -ms- prefix.


Thu, Apr 14, 1:46:57pm PDT

Example of animation from the CSS3 talk: http://bit.ly/3lfjUA

Sample CSS3 Animation


Thu, Apr 14, 1:43:42pm PDT

HTML5 input type “email”; older browsers will just default to a plain text field.


Thu, Apr 14, 1:42:43pm PDT

Should always have both client and server-side validation.


Thu, Apr 14, 1:40:45pm PDT

Client-side form validation without JavaScript using the CSS3 UI Module: http://bit.ly/bHNs9T


Thu, Apr 14, 1:38:34pm PDT

CSS3 slide program: http://leaverou.me/ft2010


Thu, Apr 14, 1:37:26pm PDT

A CSS tab panel: http://bit.ly/dlGn24


Thu, Apr 14, 1:35:28pm PDT

CSS came along and simplified the JavaScript versions of dropdown menus.


Thu, Apr 14, 1:34:04pm PDT

“Ultimate Dropdown Menu” at http://www.udm4.com is accessible, but very complicated.


Thu, Apr 14, 1:31:55pm PDT

Attending @snookca‘s CSS3 session


Thu, Apr 14, 12:51:24pm PDT

Wonderful, invigorating lightning session on UX. All the presenters did a great job!


Thu, Apr 14, 12:48:36pm PDT

Summary: Identify, deconstruct, expand, randomize, evaluate. #mix11

Farming for Ideas Takeaway


Thu, Apr 14, 12:47:26pm PDT

Let the ideas bounce around each other in a random way.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:46:56pm PDT

The best ideas don’t come during the brainstorm, they come later after our subconscious has had a chance to process it.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:46:11pm PDT

Brainstorming: 1. Needs to be collaborative. 2. Don’t look for solutions, look for insights.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:45:14pm PDT

How? 1. Define the idea. 2. “Masticate” the information for full authenticity. 3. Expand our thinking.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:43:58pm PDT

As a designer, we want to create a closure for people, to pull it all together into a whole.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:43:13pm PDT

Gestalt: As humans we have the ability to perceive things relationally. Like how we process a symphony.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:42:33pm PDT

Between ridiculous and logical is intuitive.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:41:04pm PDT

“The adjacent possible” are the ideas that can come about from the “spare parts” of existing ideas.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:40:27pm PDT

Ideas generate other ideas. “The Adjacent Possible”


Thu, Apr 14, 12:39:48pm PDT

Idea: A new combination of old elements.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:39:34pm PDT

“Slow Hunch”: ideas are made up little bits coming together.

Unconscious Problem Solving


Thu, Apr 14, 12:39:00pm PDT

Next up:

“Farming for Ideas” by @ingebretsen

Robby Ingebretsen at MIX11


Thu, Apr 14, 12:36:42pm PDT

The future needs hybrids not be lone rangers, but to be experience architects, and companies should foster them.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:36:05pm PDT

It doesn’t *have* to be built on unicorns!

Scary Unicorn Dude


Thu, Apr 14, 12:35:43pm PDT

Flip the pyramid with an Experience Architect and collaborative fellowship.

LOTR: Design Team Corrected Pyramid


Thu, Apr 14, 12:35:01pm PDT

We have all these roles, but the Integrator solution is an inverted solution that causes strife crushes the integrator.

LOTR: Design Team Inverted Pyramid


Thu, Apr 14, 12:33:58pm PDT

Great design is a “fellowship of roles”. Loving the Lord of the Rings analogy here! I’ll post a pic later.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:33:08pm PDT

Great design involves solving the right problem both efficiently and with style.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:32:23pm PDT

Designers: Visceral first; Developers: Reflective first.

Spectrum of Great Design Requires Designers and Developers


Thu, Apr 14, 12:31:47pm PDT

Designers and developers are often like left vs. right brain, but both want the same thing: to ship a great product.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:31:10pm PDT

Interesting controversial statement for thought: “If you can’t build it, you have no business designing it.”


Thu, Apr 14, 12:30:00pm PDT

“When the game’s on the line, winners want the ball.” Hybrids in our field are fighting the existing status quo.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:28:36pm PDT

The research showed us we do not have “one brain”, we have two (left and right) which are at constant odds.

Sorry I Broke Your Brains


Thu, Apr 14, 12:26:59pm PDT

Early research in the 60’s showed the value of the right brain.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:24:53pm PDT

Next up:

“On Brains, Football and Hobbits” by Rick Barraza

On Brains, Football, and Hobbits


Thu, Apr 14, 12:24:20pm PDT

@arturot‘s talk combining neuroscience and UI design was great! #mix11 #lightningux


Thu, Apr 14, 12:23:45pm PDT

Our UIs can affect us on an emotional level; we can plan ways to reward ourselves for the things we want to encourage.

Revised Stock Research Program

Example Revised Stock Research Program


Thu, Apr 14, 12:21:57pm PDT

The brain learns patterns. Current trading software is training people in all the wrong things.

Mind Controled Rat Experiment

Arturo Toledo the Mouse


Thu, Apr 14, 12:19:56pm PDT

Interesting studies showing how we can manipulate ourselves to reduce our fear motivations.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:16:50pm PDT

Minesweeper is a great example for fear vs. pleasure motivation.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:15:05pm PDT

Alexander Elder did some research showing we are often driven by greed and fear.

Arturo Toledo


Thu, Apr 14, 12:14:34pm PDT

Next up:

“Extending the Human DNA with Design” by Arturo Toledo.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:12:45pm PDT

Credits for “What Software Design Can Learn from Magic”:
Magic and Software Credits


In The Prestige it is said, “The secret impresses no one; the trick you use it for is everything.” Likewise for us, “The technology you use impresses no one; the experience you create is everything.”

The Secret Impresses No One


Thu, Apr 14, 12:12:33pm PDT

Diversion and Distraction. The former is more subtle, the latter is more forceful (like popups).

Diversion and Distraction (The Red Dress)


Thu, Apr 14, 12:11:08pm PDT

Monotony and Confusion. The former applies to things like backups; the latter we should eliminate.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:10:08pm PDT

Manuever and Ruse place the person in the right position without revealing the true purpose.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:09:13pm PDT

Suggestion and Inducement are other key elements.

Suggestion and Inducement


Thu, Apr 14, 12:07:58pm PDT

Simulation and Dissimulation are key tools in misdirection; creating the point of focus.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:06:39pm PDT

Appeal to the instincts and not the mind, relaxing the spectators.

Appeal to the Instincts


Thu, Apr 14, 12:06:14pm PDT

Magicians also understand attention control.


Thu, Apr 14, 12:04:36pm PDT

“Showmanship for Magicians” book has 35 elements of showmanship.

Showmanship: Magicians Have It


Thu, Apr 14, 12:03:27pm PDT

First up:

“What Software Design Can Learn From Magic”

Magicians “get” design and showmanship.

What Software Can Learn from the World of Magic

Sean Gerety Holding Magic Cards


Thu, Apr 14, 12:02:28pm PDT

UX Lightning Talks about to begin. #mix11


Thu, Apr 14, 11:14:29am PDT

Fantastic session with Rey Bango. Great blend of broad and specific information, enthusiasm, and further reading.


Thu, Apr 14, 11:10:41am PDT

Recommended books on HTML5: Introducing HTML5 by Lawson & Sharp; HTML5 for Web Designers by Keith; CSS3 for Web Designers by Cederholm #mix11


Thu, Apr 14, 11:08:57am PDT

http://yepnopejs.com integrates with Modernizr to test for features and load the scripts needed on the fly. #html5

Yepnope.js


Thu, Apr 14, 11:08:08am PDT

Take Away: Use feature not browser detection; Use Modernizr; Opt for a polyfill or shim that mimics a standard API.

Filling the HTML5 Gap Take-Away


Thu, Apr 14, 11:01:36am PDT

HTML5 Graceful Video DegredationCan define the object tag or an iframe (Silverlight or Flash) as a fallback within the video tag for non-modern browsers. (Or if you don’t have the ability to encode your video in multiple codecs, the browser will fall back to the 3rd party.)

 


Thu, Apr 14, 11:00:28am PDT

Fortunately, multiple video codecs can be defined in as fallback options, solving the codec issue.

 


Thu, Apr 14, 10:59:30am PDT

HTML5 video tag is nice and clean, but the video codec debate rages on, leaving different browsers supporting different features.

HTML5 Video Codec Support Chart


Thu, Apr 14, 10:57:43am PDT

Third, load up a shim: start by loading up jQuery then load jquery.corner (or whatever feature is missing) to complete the picture.


Thu, Apr 14, 10:55:34am PDT

Next, load up a standard reset defining styles for the new HTML5 semantic tags, including defining the proper ones as Block.


Thu, Apr 14, 10:54:48am PDT

Solving the HTML5 semantic tag styling issue: load up the Modernizr library to load up the shim that creates the new elements.


Thu, Apr 14, 10:51:33am PDT

Sadly, older browsers don’t recognize the new HTML5 semantic tags. :( You can’t style a non-recognized element.


Thu, Apr 14, 10:50:02am PDT

HTML tags have no semantic meaning, hence the new HTML5 layout tags.


Thu, Apr 14, 10:49:04am PDT

Be sure you vet the code when relying on polyfills or shims; you may also need to maintain it yourself.


Thu, Apr 14, 10:47:22am PDT

Big list of polyfills: http://bit.lyb5HV1x (some good, not so good).

Polyfills vs Shims & Frequently Used Polyfills


Thu, Apr 14, 10:46:33am PDT

Polyfill: replicates a standards API. Shim: Provides own API.


Thu, Apr 14, 10:45:01am PDT

Awesome. We just got treated to the Hamster Dance in a demo.

Hamster Dance at MIX11


Thu, Apr 14, 10:43:15am PDT

Modernizr library is good for feature detection support, prevents insanely long code detection blocks.

Modernizr Demo at MIX11


Thu, Apr 14, 10:39:35am PDT

Detect for features, not the browsers themselves. Much more reliable, future-proof method.

Benefits of Feature Detection


Thu, Apr 14, 10:36:24am PDT

The issue isn’t just older browsers, but also browser fragmentation. Many obscure ones don’t fit in common user-agent-string.

Browser Fragmentation: Obscure Browsers


Thu, Apr 14, 10:34:21am PDT

This speaker is amazingly excited about HTML5/CSS3. Love it. #mix11


Thu, Apr 14, 10:32:34am PDT

Now at “Filling the HTML5 Gaps with Polyfills and Shims”. He plugged http://scriptjunkie.com right off.

Script Junkie


Thu, Apr 14, 9:57:27am PDT

Groups of 3 or more can work on specs at http://w3.org/2010/12/community


Thu, Apr 14, 9:52:49am PDT

Future specs they hope to develop further: Speech API, tracking API, WebPerformance.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:49:10am PDT

Audio/video capture HTML5 spec looks pretty exciting. I hope it becomes widely supported.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:43:30am PDT

Media Capture API Working Draft gives programmatic access to audio, video, and image capture abilities of the device.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:41:22am PDT

The File spec lets the browser read and understand files directly, instead of having to upload everything to the server for processing.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:37:18am PDT

File API spec in Working Draft stage provides an API for representing file objects in Web apps. List, read, etc.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:36:26am PDT

New HTML5 database spec looks interesting.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:32:15am PDT

W3C IndexedDB spec submitted by Microsoft and Mozilla to replace Web SQL Database & store large amounts indexed for fast search.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:22:19am PDT

Web sockets: enable bi-directional full-duplex communication.

Web Sockets Example


Thu, Apr 14, 9:21:22am PDT

HTML5 Labs: http://html5labs.interoperabilitybridges.com/

HTML5 Labs


Thu, Apr 14, 9:18:14am PDT

Microsoft invented and submitted to the W3C a CSS3 “Grid” spec to help with layout development.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:16:50am PDT

IE9 developer starting point: http://bit.ly/IE9Guide

IE9: More Than Just HTML5


Thu, Apr 14, 9:14:44am PDT

Microsoft believes the HTML5 spec is reaching “ready to go” Last Call status in May 2011.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:12:27am PDT

Timeline of a specification: 1st Published Working Graph > Working Draft > Last Call > Candidate Recommendation


Thu, Apr 14, 9:10:05am PDT

The various working groups produce 100+ specifications.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:09:00am PDT

Who’s working on HTML5? The main 3 are W3C, IETF, ECMA International.


Thu, Apr 14, 9:06:33am PDT

At “The Future of HTML5” by @gisardo. He’s starting with demos, but I don’t think a single person in the room is actually awake.


Wed, Apr 13, 6:06:06pm PDT

He’s found that by exposing himself to all these psychological insights, he’s now able to avert crises better.


Wed, Apr 13, 6:04:32pm PDT

Neat Web design poster (but it’s sold out) at http://awebsitenameddesire.com. Check out the animated deepzoom version here.

Poster: How a Website Is Made (Website Named Desire)


Wed, Apr 13, 6:02:37pm PDT

The “Lost Worlds’ Fairs” case study shows that gut feelings can lead to success.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:59:31pm PDT

Neat demo site for WOFF: http://lostworldsfairs.com/atlantis/

WOFF Demo - Lost Worlds Fairs: Atlantis


Wed, Apr 13, 5:57:26pm PDT

WOFF, “the future of typography for the Web”?


Wed, Apr 13, 5:55:48pm PDT

After a great case study, the biggest reason the project failed? He just goofed. Shouldn’t have started the project in the first place.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:48:03pm PDT

The Channel 9 logo? No deep meaning whatsoever. It’s because “people love robots”. :D

Channel 9 Logo


Wed, Apr 13, 5:45:12pm PDT

Because we’re flawed, we make mistakes all the time, often when we least expect it.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:37:58pm PDT

We tend to put data first, but reality shows that intuition should lead us, then we should go after the data.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:35:11pm PDT

“The first example of true AI has emulated the most imperfect part of us, according to us: intuition.”


Wed, Apr 13, 5:31:56pm PDT

Yay, Watson from Jeopardy is part of the session. :)

Watson Jeopardy


Wed, Apr 13, 5:31:27pm PDT

Intuition is very important to design because it draws on the right brain.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:30:59pm PDT

Intuition: I know the meaning, I act on it, but I don’t know how I know it. We can’t articulate it because the right brain isn’t verbal.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:28:02pm PDT

The alternative to data is intuition, so we tend to excuse a lack of data and rely on insufficient data anyway.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:25:57pm PDT

We have a propensity to favor data, even when it’s insufficient. It’s called the “McNamara Fallacy.”


Wed, Apr 13, 5:24:50pm PDT

We have to shut up our left brains in order to do certain things, such as drawing.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:23:51pm PDT

The left brain is completely inept without the right; the right is actually involved in some high cognitive functions.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:22:16pm PDT

The left brain is really “loud” compared to our right, because it’s helped us survive.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:17:10pm PDT

Turns out we were totally wrong about the left brain being dominant over — or at least more important than — the right.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:15:55pm PDT

Why can’t we draw? Our brains! We’re biased. We consider left hemisphere dominant over right. It’s all over our languages, with left being given the stronger, more positive associations.

Left Brain vs. Right Brain


Wed, Apr 13, 5:13:38pm PDT

We have to accept paradoxes in order to depict realism. “To draw a square cube, you have to draw unsquare squares.”


Wed, Apr 13, 5:11:29pm PDT

As we grow, we start building symbols in our minds. We go from scribbles, to symbols, to stories, to realism.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:09:05pm PDT

YAY! There will be puppies again this year; and this year there will be captions, too.

Cat and Dog Feel Sorry for People


Wed, Apr 13, 5:07:22pm PDT

We as people are flawed in 3 fundamental ways: how we perceive the world, how we build, and how we solve problems.


Wed, Apr 13, 5:04:58pm PDT

“Why do we suck at consistently building great software?” Usually, we blame Process, Product, or People.

Reasons We Fail


Wed, Apr 13, 5:02:48pm PDT

Starting “Back to Square One” by @rainypixels #sqr1 #mix11

Nishant Kothary


Wed, Apr 13, 4:13:39pm PDT

Prototyping motion can help sell a concept and also give a reference for timing and transitions later on.


Wed, Apr 13, 4:08:32pm PDT

Static comps aren’t enough when you’re trying to prototype motion.


Wed, Apr 13, 4:05:52pm PDT

Motion should not be an afterthought; it needs to be a part of the whole process.


Wed, Apr 13, 4:05:13pm PDT

Graphics and animations are key to alert users to “behind the scenes” events.


Wed, Apr 13, 4:03:06pm PDT

Next up: “Prototyping Interfaces with Motion Graphics”.


Wed, Apr 13, 4:02:18pm PDT

For more info: http://designmind.frogdesign.com


Wed, Apr 13, 4:01:36pm PDT

Relevance and appropriateness are key in UX design.


Wed, Apr 13, 4:00:10pm PDT

How you fail and recover from failure is at least as important as creating a “perfect” experience – because it never will be.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:58:15pm PDT

Interesting demo of a UX experiment of floor pads responding to touch to produce light and sound.

Phidgets Floor Sequencer Diagram

 


Wed, Apr 13, 3:53:32pm PDT

Background: Phidgets specializes in augmented reality. Today’s focus: life-sized step sequencer.

Phidgets Floor Sensor UI Experiment


Wed, Apr 13, 3:52:12pm PDT

Next up: “Phidgets & Real-Time Sensor Data Visualization”.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:51:34pm PDT

Conceptual design = deliverables by any means necessary. (Interpretive dance!)


Wed, Apr 13, 3:50:49pm PDT

Step 3: Hybridize and bastardize.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:49:36pm PDT

Step 2: Rip it off. Do what other industries are doing (like storyboards).


Wed, Apr 13, 3:48:44pm PDT

Step 1: Design without computers! Tools influence where you go and also slow you down.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:47:55pm PDT

Game design is another good example. Paintings (vs. fully rigged 3d models), storyboarding, design frames, physical 3d models.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:46:58pm PDT

Product design uses foam mockups, agile sketch development.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:45:57pm PDT

Start with loose concepts on pen and paper as in architecture.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:45:20pm PDT

“Chart the narrative arc of emotions of users” the way writers do.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:44:35pm PDT

Traditions and habits are either too deep, too polished, or just hard to present in a compelling way.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:43:27pm PDT

Conceptual design = speed over fidelity, making design principles visible, design leadership.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:42:45pm PDT

Next up, “Conceptual Design: Tactics & Techniques”


Wed, Apr 13, 3:40:42pm PDT

As a UX ninja, we should be there when we’re needed, but “we were never there”, we don’t show, our work shows.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:40:09pm PDT

Can’t make what we want; have to make what the *user* wants.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:39:02pm PDT

Technical errors should be re-written as user-friendly and clear, maybe even humorous.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:37:16pm PDT

Put a grid on it! Consistency of layout builds trust.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:36:39pm PDT

Southwest vs United for good comparative design, strong design.


Wed, Apr 13, 3:35:41pm PDT

“I made a spinning tiger progress bar!” Always make it time-based.

Spinning Tiger Progress Bar


Wed, Apr 13, 3:33:57pm PDT

Yikes, first speaker is ultra-nervous. This is why I don’t do conference talks. (Well, and I’ve never been asked; beside the point :P )


Wed, Apr 13, 3:32:45pm PDT

First mini-session, “10 Minute UX Ninja”. “A tradition of death to crappy UX.”


Wed, Apr 13, 3:29:43pm PDT

The room is really filling up. Wondering if there will be a seat left in the room when it starts. #mix11

MIX11 Lightning UX Session Packed AudienceMIX11 Lightning UX Session Packed Audience


Wed, Apr 13, 3:03:32pm PDT

His site: http://nigelparker.name


Wed, Apr 13, 3:03:04pm PDT

He recommends looking into custom video players that have already been developed.

After a quick search, here are three lists of HTML5 players I found online:


Wed, Apr 13, 3:00:58pm PDT

No native full screen support, so videofullscreen.js is one approach to use until HTML5 catches up. [Note: I can’t find what he was referring to.]


Wed, Apr 13, 2:59:34pm PDT

Native browser control looks and behaves differently depending on the browser; can create your own player controls for consistency with JS.

Custom Skinnable HTML5 Players


Wed, Apr 13, 2:58:00pm PDT

Working against video elements, some browsers won’t clip the video using just CSS. In other words, depending on your styling, you could end up with a square video over a trapezoidal dropshadow.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:56:40pm PDT

Using Canvas & CSS, you can cut up a video and display it across various parts of the site, for illusion of multiple videos in sync.

Drawing HTML5 Video with Canvas


Wed, Apr 13, 2:54:04pm PDT

Be sure to tweak the settings when you encode. For example, B-frames = the more you have, the smaller the file size.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:51:21pm PDT

There are encoding settings to reduce video corruption. For H.264, any machine able to decode in the Main profile can do High profile, so it’s best to just ignore “Main” altogether.

H.264 Encoding Profiles


Wed, Apr 13, 2:48:58pm PDT

IIS lets users scan ahead in HTML5 video whether the content has been downloaded or not.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:46:44pm PDT

In IIS, you need to add the mime type for mp4 for the video to display properly.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:45:19pm PDT

Demo for the HTML5 A/V talk: http://video.stickon.me

Demo: HTML5 Video


Sample HTML5 Video Markup


Wed, Apr 13, 2:44:38pm PDT

He suggests Azure web storage for hosting HTML5 videos.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:43:33pm PDT

He suggests archive.org and encoding.com for cloud video and audio encoding, respectively.

Online Video Encoding Website


Wed, Apr 13, 2:40:27pm PDT

You need more than one codec and container & more than one resolution to serve HTML5  audio and video across browsers.

Audio/Video Codec Browser Support Chart


Wed, Apr 13, 2:37:48pm PDT

HTML5 video spec has no fullscreen, no rights-management, no live or adaptive streaming within the HTML5 spec.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:36:58pm PDT

Next up: Using HTML5 video and audio elements #mix11


Wed, Apr 13, 2:26:35pm PDT

Media Queries “enthusiast site”: http://mediaqueri.es

Media Queri.es Enthusiast Website


Wed, Apr 13, 2:25:55pm PDT

He highly recommends the book, http://stunningcss3.com by Zoe M. Gillenwater.

Stunning CSS3 by Zoe Mickley Gillenwater


Wed, Apr 13, 2:24:41pm PDT

Search “Hardboiled CSS3 Media Queries” for some pre-built creative commons CSS3 media queries.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:23:09pm PDT

Remember to restyle the text properly when resizing for various device sizes.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:22:28pm PDT

Wouter van der Graff wrote “css3-mediaqueries-js” tool that handles some behind the scenes stuff for you.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:21:13pm PDT

CSS3 Media Queries in Action


Add to the previous: content=”width=device-width, maximum-scale=1.0″ prevents auto-scaling that breaks media size queries. #mix11 #css3


Wed, Apr 13, 2:19:49pm PDT

Device-width vs. browser width: “Devices lie!” Viewport meta tag helps with this. name=”viewport” content=”width=device-width”


Wed, Apr 13, 2:15:20pm PDT

Media queries are best placed at the bottom of the stylesheet due to the cascading nature of CSS.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:14:50pm PDT

Another example of #CSS3 media queries: http://stunningcss3.com/code/bakery/

Little Pea CSS3 Columns


Wed, Apr 13, 2:14:18pm PDT

F12 for IE9 opens up dev tools.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:11:43pm PDT

Media rules can be declared using import rules, link elements, or in the stylesheet (usually the latter is best).


Wed, Apr 13, 2:10:52pm PDT

3 basic parts make up a CSS3 media query: Media rule, media type, and media feature.

Anatomy of a CSS3 Media Query


Wed, Apr 13, 2:09:20pm PDT

“Responsive Design” is getting bigger because the Web has spread to so many formats and devices.


Wed, Apr 13, 2:08:00pm PDT

Another example of successful #CSS3 media queries reorganizing layout & content: http://sasquatchfestival.com/

Sasquatch Festival CSS3 Media Queries Columns Example


Wed, Apr 13, 2:06:31pm PDT

Example of #CSS3 media queries used for reorganizing columns at http://colly.com

CSS3 Media Queries Columns Example


Wed, Apr 13, 2:04:23pm PDT

Now attending @tommylee’s CSS3 Media Queries talk. #mix11


Wed, Apr 13, 12:26:12pm PDT

No clear winner between SVG and Canvas for interactive charts/graphs and 2d gaming.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:25:20pm PDT

Canvas: Screen capture, video manipulation, complex scenes, web ads. SVG: Static images, hi-fi documents

When to Use Canvas vs SVG


Wed, Apr 13, 12:21:28pm PDT

SVG remembers what was drawn last, unlike Canvas. Shape vs pixel based, CSS vs Script only.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:19:25pm PDT

Now discussing when to use Canvas vs. SVG — some vectors are easier to draw in one or the other. They can complement each other.

SVG vs Canvas: High Level Differences


Wed, Apr 13, 12:17:50pm PDT

Most monitors display at 60Hz or 16.7ms periods, so making a graphics timer faster than this results in choppy frames.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:16:04pm PDT

Also, avoid setting attributes unnecessarily and avoid multiple small DOM calls


Wed, Apr 13, 12:15:26pm PDT

More best practice: 1) Avoid setting a geometric clip, rotation, or skew when calling clearRect()


Wed, Apr 13, 12:14:08pm PDT

Don’t set dimensions every frame, instead use clearRect() to clear it.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:12:05pm PDT

Make fewer calls to video memory by committing once instead of after every change, & cache the ImageData.data in a JS object.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:10:57pm PDT

GPU processing power has been growing faster than CPU; most browsers don’t make use of it for hardware excelleration; IE9 does.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:09:15pm PDT

In IE9, HTML5 Canvas is only supported in Standards Mode.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:08:26pm PDT

Always use a doctype. (Does this really need to be said?)


Wed, Apr 13, 12:07:39pm PDT

HTML5 Canvas Best Practices: Do Canvas feature detection. Don’t do browser detection. Don’t use conditional elements.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:05:08pm PDT

If your browser doesn’t support Canvas, the Fallback content is displayed. The Fallback can also speak to Accessibility tools.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:03:40pm PDT

Fallback Content Focus (“Shadow DOM”), embeded Canvas content can be keyboard-focusable by accessibility tools.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:02:33pm PDT

Accessibility: Important as a global citizen, but may also be US law soon.


Wed, Apr 13, 12:01:11pm PDT

You can’t save the state of the canvas when using cross-domain stuff, for security reasons.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:58:16am PDT

Security Model: HTML5 Canvas has built-in security.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:57:07am PDT

For HTML5 Canvas interoperability tests: http://philip.html5.org/tests/canvas/suite/tests


Wed, Apr 13, 11:55:42am PDT

Interoperability: There’s a high level of support for HTML5 Canvas across all modern browsers, yay!

HTML5 Canvas Interoperability Chart


Wed, Apr 13, 11:54:21am PDT

All HTML5 Canvas attributes are global, affecting all operations drawn next, so you wrap functions in a save & restore.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:53:25am PDT

Webkit won’t erase what was previously drawn. source-in, source-out, destination-in, destination-atop, copy.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:51:14am PDT

Tip #2: FF, Opera, and IE implement the drawing model according to spec, but Safari and Chrome implement it slightly differently.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:48:39am PDT

You draw a source and a destination image, and can then use operations to control how they are displayed.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:46:35am PDT

Shadows, clipping, and composition are more expensive operations requiring additional intermediates.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:45:41am PDT

Each effect – shadows, transparencies, etc – are new Intermediates that are composited onto the canvas.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:43:17am PDT

Drawing model: specifies the order and steps a browser takes as it draws on the canvas.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:41:31am PDT

It seems weird to see IE pushing cutting edge stuff after so many years of IE6.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:40:08am PDT

Another good link for HTML5 demos: http://ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/


Wed, Apr 13, 11:37:49am PDT

Another neat HTML5 Canvas demo at http://kexparchive.org


Wed, Apr 13, 11:36:32am PDT

Neat demo of HTML5 Canvas and audio/video at http://www.beautyoftheweb.com/firework/index.html


Wed, Apr 13, 11:34:37am PDT

“Canvas is stupid”, it doesn’t remember what you last drew, so you have to draw over in order to erase.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:33:54am PDT

The entire HTML5 Canvas API fits on one slide. Nice.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:33:06am PDT

About to start learning to use HTML5 Canvas. What is canvas, when do you use it, and, of course, how do you use it?

What Is HTML5?


Wed, Apr 13, 11:06:23am PDT

Every attendee is getting a Kinect! How cool is that! Too bad 360 the one console I don’t own, lol. #mix11 #keynote


Wed, Apr 13, 11:05:16am PDT

Ahh, the awkward poses Kinect can get people into… (@lfoy & @scottgu)

Awkward Kinect Photo


Wed, Apr 13, 11:02:58am PDT

Wow, that getup can act as the eyes for the visually impaired, giving spoken directions based on markers.


Wed, Apr 13, 11:01:22am PDT

OMG, all I can think looking at that backpack laptop is “don’t cross the beams!!”

Kinect Backpack


Wed, Apr 13, 10:59:39am PDT

“Navigation for people with visual impairment” sounds great — and you can’t argue with that awesome hat.

Navigation for Visually Impaired with Kinect


Wed, Apr 13, 10:58:44am PDT

Preview at http://worldwidetelecsope.org and the Kinect Lounge here at #mix11


Wed, Apr 13, 10:56:29am PDT

Worldwide Telescope lets you navigate the universe with gestures. WANT.

Worldwide Telescope Kinect


Wed, Apr 13, 10:53:52am PDT

Haha, reclining with a gesture. I love it! XD


Wed, Apr 13, 10:53:05am PDT

A “Kinect Drivable Lounge Chair” demoing the Kinect for Windows SDK, driven my hand motions. Silly and cool!

Kinect Drivable Lounge Chair


Wed, Apr 13, 10:48:53am PDT

Kinect for Windows SDK starting out as non-commercial, but they promise a commercial license will be forthcoming.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:46:06am PDT

Kinect for Windows SDK available later this spring at research.microsoft.com/kinectsdk Can develop in VB, C# and C++


Wed, Apr 13, 10:45:05am PDT

Time for Xbox 360 Kinect, “the fastest selling electronics device ever”. Really?


Wed, Apr 13, 10:44:04am PDT

Silverlight 5 Beta now available for download.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:43:17am PDT

Impressive, smooth 3D in Silverlight 5.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:39:08am PDT

Silverlight 3D mapping is just making me think of Spore and The Sims.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:36:04am PDT

New http://blueangels.navy.mil site will be live later today.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:34:37am PDT

Blue Angel site also incorporates Silverlight to click through camera angles, delivered over IS Smooth Streaming.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:32:23am PDT

Blue Angel website’s mission is to inspire and educate people on the Navy and Marine Corps. Home page uses video, audio, & canvas tags.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:28:49am PDT

US Navy Blue Angles have a flashy intro video for their demo that looks more like a recruiting vid… At least it’s shiny.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:27:33am PDT

Media “Trickplay” lets you speed up video without distorting the voices.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:25:05am PDT

Gotta love accidental zooming into parts of the demo 3d man as he’s demonstrating how the API lets him “touch” him. XD


Wed, Apr 13, 10:22:28am PDT

Can build apps using Sliverlight & XMA at the same time.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:20:17am PDT

With Mango, apps can directly access content from the camera. Demoing from USAA (best bank ever!)


Wed, Apr 13, 10:16:10am PDT

Mike Roberts of Kik Interactive demoing a cross-platform chat app.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:15:18am PDT

IRC API live demo was funny. Someone from the audience tapped in.

MIX11 Live IRC Demo Audience Participation


Wed, Apr 13, 10:11:55am PDT

New local SQL database looks like it will save tons of code.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:07:32am PDT

Looks like they added some great performance increases in Mango, from memory management to garbage collection.


Wed, Apr 13, 10:02:28am PDT

Performance and memory profiler for Win Phone apps looks really good, nice charts and details.

Performance and Memory Usage Tool for Windows Phone


Wed, Apr 13, 9:56:57am PDT

Emulator also lets you simulate multiple locations at once in location based apps.


Wed, Apr 13, 9:54:42am PDT

Emulator lets devs easily test accelerometer. Yay!


Wed, Apr 13, 9:52:31am PDT

Scot Guthrie now on stage to talk more about dev tools.


Wed, Apr 13, 9:52:07am PDT

“Waiting on delivery of unicorn tears” to get the dev tools out, but they’re be available next month.


Wed, Apr 13, 9:38:08am PDT

Love that they’re so supportive of partnering with Skype.


Wed, Apr 13, 9:35:19am PDT

Impressive speed increase with rendering thanks to hardware acceleration.

Mango Speed Demo


Wed, Apr 13, 9:31:57am PDT

Background audio support for HTML5 audio in the Win Phone7.


Wed, Apr 13, 9:30:07am PDT

Mango will include support for IE9. The core is the same codebase as on the PC.


Wed, Apr 13, 9:24:29am PDT

Purchase / install process has been streamlined, especially for free apps.


Wed, Apr 13, 9:23:06am PDT

App search looks remarkably like iPhone’s, but it’s cool that the same search covers the app store as well. mix11 keynote


Wed, Apr 13, 9:17:06am PDT

Marco Argenti, Head of Developer Experience, now on stage. mix11 keynote


Wed, Apr 13, 9:15:56am PDT

IDC and Gardener suggested that by 2015 the Win Phone7 will be the 2nd largest platform. mix11 keynote


Wed, Apr 13, 9:14:19am PDT

Significant update, codename “Mango”, coming in the Fall. mix11


Wed, Apr 13, 9:12:40am PDT

A current goal of theirs is to get better at testing and communicating about updates. mix11 keynote


Wed, Apr 13, 9:09:03am PDT

Why are the Win Phone7 updates later than expected? The first ones broke the phone entirely. mix11


Wed, Apr 13, 9:07:40am PDT

(Despite testing before I got here, my blog’s liveblogging feature seems to have broken. Will fix after the keynote.)


Wed, Apr 13, 9:06:39am PDT

Brandon’s video: http://youtube.com/windowsphone


Wed, Apr 13, 9:05:07am PDT

Joe Delphiore introducing @brandonfoy who made the pre-show video.


Wed, Apr 13, 8:58:00am PDT

Enjoying the DJ doing the pre-show here at MIX11, though he has a bit more energy than I do at this point. ;)

MIX11 Keynote DJ


Fri, Apr 1, 3:12:35pm PDT

ThinkGeek Behind the Scenes Video

ThinkGeek posted a montage behind-the-scenes video of their April Fools shenanigans. They even got a write-up in Time (beware Time.com’s popups).


Fri, Apr 1, 2:31:40pm PDT

Electronic Frontier Foundation Fake Newsletter

The EFF is one of my favorite organizations, protecting digital rights many of us don’t even realize are being threatened. Today, they published a phoney version of their EFFector newsletter for April Fool’s day. Article titles are things like, “FBI Demands Back Door Into Your House” and “Earn a College Degree in Facebook Privacy Settings”.

“The Kitten Internet Protection Act of 2008 (KIPA) was passed… In the district court, EFF successfully argued that the law unduly restricted websites, and that supervision of online activities was best left to Ceiling Cat, not the government.”

EFFector: April Fool's Edition


Fri, Apr 1, 2:14:33pm PDT

WordPress.com Visitor Graph

See a spike in your WordPress.com hosted blog? Don’t fall for it!

Wordpress.com April Fool's Joke


Fri, Apr 1, 1:44:00pm PDT

Yelp: Nationwide Puppy Rentals

Get a new puppy delivered to your door every month — and the old one picked up — with Forever Young puppy rentals. Be sure to read the reviews.

“Forever Young cannot guarantee affection level of puppies, thus cannot guarantee nuzzles.”

Yelp National: Puppy Rentals


Fri, Apr 1, 1:36:11pm PDT

Kodak Relationshiffft

Last year, they introduced Aromaphotography; this year, it’s automatic ex-removal. “The three “f”’s in Relationshiffft stand for ‘Friends, Fans, and Followers’ – we take care of them all.” Using their “dodecahedron-surfaced (that’s 12) pixel technology”, every photo captures enough info to fill in the background perfectly after deleting that “no-longer-special person” — or put them back after the make-up!

Kodak Relationshiffft


Fri, Apr 1, 1:28:56pm PDT

Google Pig Latin Voice Search

Haven’t you always wanted to do Pig Latin voice searches? oogle-Gay oice-Vay in-ay action-ay:


Fri, Apr 1, 1:22:31pm PDT

Google Body: Cow

I just discovered Google’s amazing educational tool, Google Body, the other day. For today’s prank, they’ve turned it from human to… cow.

Google Body, Cow Edition


Fri, Apr 1, 1:15:28pm PDT

Google Helvetica

Google is really having fun with Comic Sans. Just type “Helvetica” into a Google search and watch what happens.

Google Helvetica Search Results


Fri, Apr 1, 1:10:53pm PDT

Google Adwords Goes Retro

They’re “bringing smart and sexy back” with retro upgrades for the Google Adwords advertising platform. “Punch the Monkey,” “LOLcat”, “Dancing .gif”, “Pop ups galore”, and more.

Google Adwords Retro Popups


Fri, Apr 1, 1:05:23pm PDT

Starbucks Mobile Pour

Starbucks is putting “two scooter baristas per every square mile” to deliver your coffee right to you with its new Mobile Pour app.

Starbucks Mobile Pour


Fri, Apr 1, 12:46:58pm PDT

3D Grooveshark

“A journey to the center of your face” old-school 3D styling on Grooveshark.

3D Grooveshark

 


Fri, Apr 1, 12:39:58pm PDT

Google Advertises for a Human Autocompleter

It’s not an algorithm that gives those autocomplete suggestions, or the spell-check either, for that matter! See their advertisement here. “I go through a keyboard about every eight days,” says Autocompleter Michael Taylor.

I think my favorite part is this comment:

Google Autocomplete YouTube Comment


Fri, Apr 1, 12:30:47pm PDT

Groupon Patents April Fool’s Day:

The daily coupon website is taking charge of April Fool’s. Be sure to check out their legal documents demanding a cease and desist of unauthorized use of its “Jocular System and Method” from this year’s violators.

Groupon Patents April Fool's Day 2011


Fri, Apr 1, 12:13:13pm PDT

Google Chrome: Comic Sans for Everyone!

Google decided to have a little fun with designers this year using our old nemesis: Comic Sans. The humble font was designed for comic book use, but has since made its way into everything from warning signs to hospital safety memos. My favorite thing about the spoof announcement? The line in bold is set to blink.

Google Chrome: Comic Sans for Everyone!


Fri, Apr 1, 12:06:55pm PDT

Mozilla Firefox “Do Not Fool”

Inspired by “Do Not Track”, “Do Not Fool” lets users be “curmudgeons” and opt out of being tricked.

Firefox Do Not Fool Enabled


Fri, Apr 1, 11:56:40am PDT

Gmail Motion

Free your body from the constraints of an old fashioned keyboard and mouse with Gmail Motion!


Fri, Apr 1, 1:29:54am PDT

Bonsai Kitty from ThinkGeek:

Bonsai Kitty Plush, by ThinkGeek


Fri, Apr 1, 1:18:01am PDT

ThinkGeek

Oh ThinkGeek, how I love thine April Fool’s jokes! This nerd’s haven of bacon, caffeine, and science has made it a tradition since 2001 to offer zany fake products on April Fool’s Day, many of which eventually become real items. This year is no different, so don’t forget to click the Order button on one of the fake products so you can vote for which crazy items you want to see made real.

A couple of my favorites:

Three ThinkGeek April Fool's Gags

Be sure to check out all 11 items as well as their hilarious descriptions and videos on ThinkGeek’s home page.


Fri, Apr 1, 12:37:42am PDT

YouTube: 1911

YouTube has gotten in on the April Fool’s fun, as well! They’ve taken some modern Internet Memes and changed them around just a bit.

Based on these videos:


Fri, Apr 1, 12:21:15am PDT

Woot.comWoot April Fool's Joke, 2011: Crapshoot Game

Flying Spaghetti Monster and Double Rainbow, a la Woot“Speed up our servers? We’d rather slow down our customers!”

Woot.com is apparently even more evil than I thought. This deal-a-day website has built a personality around a sardonic, detached humor, and in honor of the day they’ve taken things to the next level.

One of their recurring items, usually only seen during “Woot-offs”, is a “Bag of Crap”, a brown paper bag that can be purchased for a dollar which can contain anything from a chewed off pencil to a plasma TV. There is always a mad rush to get one of these coveted bags before they sell out, and it almost always results in at least one server crash.

Killed by a Zombie RatFor April Fool’s Day, Woot was not only offering a Bag of Crap, but a novel new way to get one: customers had to beat their side-scrolling “Crapshoot” game before they were allowed to order one. To get the level one bag, players only had to beat level one, but once all were sold out they had to get levels one and two… and you see where this is going, all the way up to level 10.

The real clincher is in the fact that the game is deliberately broken and frequently provides no-win situations that require the player to restart, all the way back at level one.


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