Useful Stuff

These are some of my favorite tools and sources of information. While there are plenty of others, these are the ones I find myself returning to time and again.

News and tips:

Techcrunch – news about startups and technology
Webdesignerdepot – tips and techniques for web designers and developers
Ask a Manager – a blog with tips for managers and workers

Tools and reference materials:

w3Schools – is one of the best reference sites on the web for all things HTML, CSS, Javascript, and JQuery
Color Scheme Designer – a nice tool for picking complementary colors
TinyURL – for creating, well, tiny urls

Right Person, Right Place, Right Time

On paper, management is easy. My job is to put the right person, in the right place, at the right time. What’s so hard about that? It’s only when you attempt to put it in practice that you learn that Read More ...

Think: Design

I have used Design Thinking on many projects over the years, such as the IBM Mail Onboarding Manager (a.k.a. M.O.M. – best acronym ever!), and I am an unabashed fan. In addition, I’ve also trained teams in the use of Design Read More ...

Let’s Take this Puppy for a Spin!

There is nothing more telling than taking a design or piece of software out on the open road. I have never run a usability test and not walked away with a nice little nugget of information. Sometimes it’s radical (“Crikey, Read More ...

It Lives! MWAHAHA!

Prototypes are one of my favorite tools for collecting feedback. Playing with a prototype allows the users to really put themselves in the mindset of interacting with the designs. I’ve used both click-through and high fidelity prototypes to great effect. Read More ...

A Favorite

All designers have a favorite creation. One of my mine was the ability to show new invitations in users’ calendars. As a feature it was simple, elegant, and directly addressed a customer pain point. Early on in the redesign of Read More ...

You Can Lead a Horse to Water…

and sometimes he will drink! One of the greatest challenges a designer can face is introducing changes to an existing system. Altering features and streamlining an experience is frequently viewed as “rework” and not considered to be as compelling as Read More ...

My AHA! Moment

In the beginning, I was a technical writer. There were many things I liked about technical writing, and I look back fondly on those days. But I also remember very clearly the moment I decided to become a designer, and Read More ...

Test Drive: Building a Co-op Program

A good co-op program is the single most effective recruiting device a manager has in the toolbox. It is also the biggest benefit for a prospective employee. Having operated a co-op program for several years now, I have developed an Read More ...

Useful Stuff

These are some of my favorite tools and sources of information. While there are plenty of others, these are the ones I find myself returning to time and again. News and tips: Techcrunch – news about startups Read More ...

Lance

'Twas a Dark and Stormy Night...

Useful Stuff

Right Person, Right Place, Right Time

Think: Design

Let’s Take this Puppy for a Spin!

It Lives! MWAHAHA!

A Favorite

You Can Lead a Horse to Water…

My AHA! Moment

Test Drive: Building a Co-op Program

Useful Stuff