BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ensemble Independent//vPim 0.360//EN CALSCALE:Gregorian X-WR-CALNAME:Boxes and Arrows Events Calendar tagged "interface" BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20060823 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20060824 SUMMARY:Vertical Search Trends LOCATION:Mountain View, California, USA DESCRIPTION:Vertical Search Trends \nWhat is it vertical search? It is sear ch focused on a specific vertical. Vertical search engines mine data for on e specific niche of the market place — for example, travel, jobs, hotels, music, movies, and even health care. As web sites and data proliferate, th e task of locating specific information gets tougher. Vertical search engin es provide an efficient way to get to that information. \n \nVerticals are very different from domain specific portals which are usually product place ment vehicles for vendors. VSEs are more granular. They organize all niche- specific information and present it in a manner that is simple to use and e asy to consume. Vertical search engines can also offer advertisers a more f ocused ad platform. Advertisers are able to target their messages more prec isely to their audience versus a broad message with regular search engines. \n \nCome hear from the next generation of search pioneers and how they p lan to exploit this opportunity! \n \n*Speakers* \nSuranga Chandratillake, founder and chief technology officer of blinkx, has more than seven years o f frontline experience as a technology innovator. As blinkx’s CTO, Surang a has developed the world’s most comprehensive video search engine and wo rld firsts including Smart Folders, integrated Web and desktop search, and desktop search for Mac. \n \nGautam Godhwani, President, Simply Hired, is a leading entrepreneur in the software and internet industry. Having founded three ventures in the last eight years, Gautam is well experienced in star ting startups and finding great people to help grow them. Gautam is current ly CEO and co-founder of Simply Hired, a search engine for jobs. \n \nAugus t 23, 2006 from 6 - 9:30 p.m. \n6 p.m. - Reception; 7 p.m. - Presentation \ n \nOnline registration for members $5 and non-members $15. On-site registr ation for members $10 and non-members $20. END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20071105 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20071109 SUMMARY:UI12 - User Interface 12 Conference LOCATION:Boston, Massachusetts, USA DESCRIPTION:Register for all 4 days by October 23rd with the promotion code BOXES to receive $30 off each day and a limited-edition UI12 iPod video ht tp://www.uiconf.com \n \nBOXES promo code cannot be combined with any other special offer or promotional code, and is only valid for 4 day registratio ns. \n \nFor the User Interface 12 Conference \n( http://www.uiconf.com ) , Jared M. Spool and his team of usability researchers have asked the most forward thinking minds in the world of usability to present on today's most pressing design topics. \n \nFor 4 full days, you'll learn in-depth tech niques from these top experts, and come away with the knowledge and confide nce necessary to tackle your biggest design challenges. \n \nNow in its tw elfth year, the UI12 Conference examines the most critical web design and u sability issues facing designers, information architects, and usability pro fessionals. Topics include: Agile Development, Task-based Information Archi tecture, Usability Testing, Visual Design, Building Innovative Designs, Com municating with Comics, Interaction Design, and Designing with CSS. \n \nO n Monday, November 5th, you'll have the chance to attend one of four full-d ay seminars from Larry Constantine, Gerry McGovern, Rolf Molich, or Luke Wr oblewski. \n \nOn Tuesday, November 6th, you'll have the chance to attend several of the informative and entertaining 90-minute Featured Talks from e ach of our conference speakers, as well as the UI12 Conference Keynote pres entation from Jared M. Spool. \n \nOn Wednesday, November 7th, you'll have the chance to attend one of four full-day seminars from Scott Berkun, Kevi n Cheng, Kim Goodwin, or Cameron Moll. \n \nWe'll cap off the week on Thur sday, November 8th, with our Showcase Seminar Day, where you can choose bet ween UIE's most popular seminars. END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20071114 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20071115 SUMMARY:Building Robust Personas in 30 Days or Less LOCATION:Virtual DESCRIPTION:Sign up today at http://tinyurl.com/yruel4 and use the promo co de "BOXES" to receive $30 off. \n \nIn this presentation, Jared M. Spool wi ll walk through an easy-to-accomplish 30 day plan for developing your own p ersona-based scenarios. He'll tackle each of the four development stages: g athering the field research, analyzing the data, building the personas and their scenarios, and integrating the results into the development process. \n \nGathering the Field Research: Jared will show you how to decide how m any folks to visit, who they should be, and how to prepare for meeting them . He'll talk about the best ways to collect information and how to best inv olve other team members. \n \nAnalyzing the Data: Jared will demonstrate se veral techniques from the analysis toolkit, including pair-wise comparisons , KJ Analyses, and weighted charts. He'll show you quick and easy methods f or sorting, organizing, and identifying the trends and insights you discove red in your study. \n \nBuilding the Personas and Their Scenarios: Jared w ill show you how robust personas utilize the elements uncovered in the rese arch and analysis, making their creation easily flow from your pen (or keyb oard). Jared will walk through several effective techniques for readying yo ur insights about your users and their needs. \n \nIntegrating Personas int o the Development Process: The best teams have a ready-made plan as to how they'll infuse their newly created personas and scenarios directly into the existing development process. Jared will share techniques you can use imm ediately to introduce the personas, walk through the scenarios, and ensure they become fixture of your development process. \n \nAs with all of the UI E Virtual Seminars, you'll get a complete handout with plenty of examples a nd an opportunity to ask Jared those burning questions about how to do this well in your environment. \n \nSign up today at http://tinyurl.com/yruel4 and use the promo code "BOXES" to receive $30 off. END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20071114 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20071115 SUMMARY:IxDA SF: In The Moment LOCATION:San Francisco, California, USA DESCRIPTION:Yahoo! Brickhouse \n500 3rd St \nSan Francisco, California 9410 7 \n \n6:00 – Social Hour \n7:00 – Presentation \nFREE \n \nIxDA SF returns with its third event in our design tools series. This month we present Nat e Bolt, CEO of Bolt | Peters, as he presents UX research about life. \n \nN ot all UX research is about the interface. It’s about the habits, moods, lo cation, and motivations of the people using your interface. Unfortunately, that junk is unpredictable and difficult to measure, but can make or break the accuracy of your research. Here are three examples of how we’ve structu red research to uncover where peoples’ real lives meet technology: \n \n(I) Web Apps. Live intercepts and remote research. Get on the user’s time, ins tead of forcing participants to follow your time as a researcher. \n \n(II) Video Games. Simulated native environment testing and six-on-one moderatio n with TeamSpeak. Sounds crazy, and it is. We’ll show a short documentary o n what all that means and how much better it is than standard video game re search. \n \n(III) Cars. Getting into people’s cars to film them while they drive, smoke a cigarette, flip open their laptop, check traffic, and then play an iPod. Also, how to double-check safety and liability waivers. \n \n All three examples preserve the authenticity of users’ moods and behaviors by maintaining a native environment, allowing us to understand relevant bac kground information about a user, and using a relaxed, non-sterile environm ent to conduct the research-preferably, the comfort of their own homes (or cars). Users also have a much bigger role in choosing their tasks and struc turing the interview than the researchers. We’ll talk about splitting our s cripts into passionate themes and backup questions, watch actual video and audio from recent research and explain what we found. \n \n-- \n \nHave a g reat idea for a future event? Interested in sponsorship? Get in touch! sf-l ocal at ixda.org \n \nPresented by IxDA San Francisco and Yahoo! END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20080610 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20080614 SUMMARY:Voices That Matter: Web Design Conference LOCATION:Nashville, Tennessee, USA DESCRIPTION:You've read their books. Now you're ready for more. Come and jo in the conversation at the Voices that Matter: Web Design Conference coming to the Loews Vanderbilt in Nashville this June! You’ll learn from and ming le with the industry’s most respected authors and meet peers from all over the globe who are passionate about Web design! \n \nhttp://www.voicesthatma tter.com/webdesign2008 \n \nCircle these dates on your calendar—June 10-13, 2008—and reserve your seat early to join us for the most well-rounded Web design event you’ll find anywhere! Get your difficult questions answered an d gain insights from the industry’s brightest thinkers and practitioners du ring four days of entertaining, informative, and inspiring sessions. You’ll engage in thought-provoking discussions and participate in interactive net working activities to enhance your subject matter expertise and hone your p rofessional skills. \n \nTwo tracks (one creative and inspirational, one strategic and practical) mean there's always a session for you: whether yo u're looking for the up-in-the-clouds ideas that'll transform your work whe n the conference is over or the down-to-earth techniques that'll make your job easier every day. \n \nDon’t miss it! Save June 10 – 13 for the Voices that Matter: Web Design! Guarantee yourself a seat where you’ll come face- to-face with world class authors including: \n• Dan Brown \n• Curt Cloninger \n• Zoe Gillenwater \n• Robert Hoekman , Jr. \n• Jeremy Keith \n• Steve Krug \n• Penny McIntire \n• Sandra Niehaus \n• Joshua Porter \n• Garr Reynolds \n• Nathan Shedroff \n• Aarron Walter \n • Charles Wyke-Smith \n• And many others! \n \nTo request more information, visit the online brochure at http://www.voicesthatmatter. com/webdesign2008, call 617-848-7026, or email Barbara.Gavin@PearsonEd.com. END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR