Reverse Entropy

Links - Social Bookmarking

>> del.icio.us - http://del.icio.us/
This social bookmarking site is becoming something of a web phenomenon. In addition to letting you preserve your bookmarks in an online repository and share them with others, del.icio.us also lets you feed your bookmarks as RSS. It's also fascinating and informative to watch the "most active" and "most popular" lists as others post.

>> Spurl.net - http://www.spurl.net/
Spurl is del.icio.us with a more refined UI and marketing. In fact, in addition to the same types of features that del.icio.us offers, Spurl allows you to share your spurl'ed sites with your del.icio.us account.

Google Desktop Search

Google has released its desktop search product. I've been testing this application, and here are a few observations so far.

Installation and Setup
The installation process couldn't be smoother. The download is about 400k, and after answering a few questions, the application installs and begins to index files on your computer immediately. The indexing process didn't seem to significantly effect the performance of my computer.

Features
The Google Desktop Search application allows searches against all types of documents, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and text documents. The application will also search Outlook and Outlook Express mailboxes, and AOL Instant Messenger logs. Maybe the best feature of all is the ability to search your history of web pages visited.

Here's how the Google Desktop Search works. After installation, an icon to access the Google Desktop Search appears in the Windows taskbar. Clicking this icon brings up a "personal" Google web page that allows you to search items on your machine, along with all of the standard Google search options (images, Froogle, etc.). Even better, an option to search desktop items also appears anytime you visit the standard Google home page.

When performing a Google search, the results page will now include listings from the items that have been indexed on your machine. Clicking on the summary results listing from your machine allows you to select links that further segment your results into relevant files, chats, emails, or web history.

Of course, from a business standpoint, displaying your personal results alongside "regular" results, makes all the sense, as Google would be positioned to place relevant ads beside your results in a manner similar to the method used in Gmail.

Usability
Google mastered the art of simplicity in presentation a long time ago, and these principles are carried forward to the desktop search product. The concept of allowing your personal search results to appear alongside regulr "public" Google listings simplifies the tool to the point that it will very quickly become second nature for most people. No launching of separate search applications, no new process to learn, just a great enhancement to a product that many people already use on a regular basis.

Privacy Concerns
Of course, the natural question to ask at this point is "What about privacy?" Given Google's recent history battling privacy concerns over Gmail, it should come as no surprise they're making an extensive privacy policy and privacy FAQ available. In short, the privacy policy states that Google will not share any persoanlly ideantfiable information without your permission, but that non-personal information will be shared.

Despite this, I'm guessing that it's only a matter of time before we hear the first case of someone exploiting the desktop search for some malicious purpose.

Suggested Improvements
While the Google Desktop Search application has many nice features, there's always room for improvement. The addition of several other file types, such as .pdf, audio files, and support for other chat programs would be useful.

Another useful enhancement would be to allow a search of keywords associated with pictures stored in Picasa (which Google now owns). Most people don't take the time to change the file names of their digital photos, so combining the Google search with Picasa keywords would improve both products.

Software Review: MindManager X5

MindManager is one of those software tools that comes along every once in a while that makes you wonder how you've been surviving without it. On their website, MindJet generically describes the MindManager family of products as "Software for Visualizing and Managing Information." To be fair, though, it may be difficult to come up with a one sentence description of what MindManager is, simply because it does so many things.

For starters, MindManager is a terrific tool for capturing brainstorming sessions, either with a team or by yourself. As a brainstorming tool, MindManager allows to quickly and efficiently capture information in a the popular mind mapping format, which was popularized by Tony Buzan in the 1960's.

If you're unfamiliar with how a mind map works, each map starts with a central thought that could be anything: a project, process, product idea, meeting agenda...literally anything. As you brainstorm, branches or nodes are added from the central topic. Each of these branches can, in turn, have sub- branches, those branches can have further sub-branches, and so on. MindManager takes this concept a step further, by allowing you to add various enhancements to your maps through hyperlinks, notes, map markers, colors, arrows, and other enhancements.

MindManager's intuitive interface makes capturing information and organizing thoughts a snap. To start building a map, you simply start typing. After typing a topic, pressing adds another branch to the current branch; hitting adds a new branch at the same level. Mouse functions for these actions are also available, but within a couple of minutes of practicing the keyboard shortcuts, you won't need them. This is another part of the genius of the MindManager application (and a standard for any application, for that matter). By making the interface commands second nature, you'll find you self focused on capuring the information that you want, and not thinking about how to use the program.

Mindjet has also significantly enhanced the product by adding in features such as integration with Word (convert maps directly to an outline), Outlook, and Project. In addition, maps can be converted to PDF, HTML, and XML formats. MindManager also contains smart map parts, which allow the use of the product to display search engine results, RSS feeds, and other XML formatted data.

MindManager also ships with a number of business and project map templates that are essentially "starter" maps that help to prompt you through an information gathering session, such as building a resume, performing a competitive audit, planning a web site, or writing a performance evaluations.

I find myself using MindManager for a variety of daily tasks, including planning information arhitectures for websites, taking notes and "next actions" in meetings, and outlining books that I'm reading. I'll post more about how I'm using this tools in specific contexts soon.

User Experience Job Posting

A company that I am working with has an opening for a User Experience Architect. If you're interested in applying, please post your contact info in comments. I'm also interested in any critiques about the job description.

User Experience Architect
General Summary
Produce exceptional user experiences on Cross Country Healthcare’s web sites and web based applications by designing, developing, and coordinating the information architecture, usability & product quality testing, and project planning for these products. Insure that principles of user-centered design are incorporated into all company web sites and web based products. Produce, manage and communicate ROI and related metrics through the use of web analytic toolsets.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

1. Meet with project stakeholders to gather requirements
2. Use information gathered from client meetings, primary and secondary research, competitive analyses and best practices in user experience design to develop mental models, site maps, wire frames, story boards and other visuals which represent the layout, flow and organization of complex web sites and web based applications.
3. Work closely throughout the project/product life cycle with business stakeholders, development staff, and creative resources to translate user experience and usability requirements into optimized designs based on the practical needs of the end user.
4. Develop in depth knowledge of, and apply user centered design principles, including information architecture, usability, and web analytics.
5. Gather and develop functional specifications for projects through contextual, task, and competitive analysis.
6. Develop information architecture plans based on the functional requirements for the project.
7. Provide project planning documentation (i.e., functional requirements, information/interaction architecture, site maps, information design, and project plans) to the design and development teams for project execution.
8. Develop and execute a methodology for creating low and high fidelity prototypes for use in validating functional specifications through usability testing.
9. Develop and execute usability testing methodologies and provide recommendations in the form of additional or revised functional specifications and design changes.
10. Implement user interface guidelines and standards for web sites and web based products.
11. Develop in depth knowledge of and implement and manage reliable, useful, and cost effective web analytic tools. Provide reports or access to the products of these analytical tools to consumers (i.e., usability, CIS, marketing, advertising) of this data.
12. Maintain current working knowledge of research, theories, methodologies, and best practices in human-computer interaction, usability, and user experience. Continually seek to leverage this knowledge to provide unique value throughout the design and development lifecycle.
13. Other duties as assigned, with or without accommodation.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

1. BS/BA and 2+ years experience in Web Design, Human Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Interaction Design, or related field (or Bachelor's degree plus equivalent experience).
2. Deep knowledge of user centered interface design principles, information design, web design, and web usability best practices.
3. Knowledge of and hands-on experience with user interface evaluation techniques, including usability testing.
4. Knowledge of and hands-on experience with web analytics toolsets, including Web Trends, Site Catalyst or a similar web analytics software.
5. Knowledge of general business strategy and specific knowledge of web strategy including the ability to apply that knowledge to meet customer needs.
6. Seasoned project management skills including managing multiple projects, working with compressed deadlines, influencing others, managing through conflict and issue resolution.
7. Solid working knowledge of Microsoft Project, Visio, and Office.
8. Understanding of HTML, Java Script, Flash and CSS.
9. Experience with Web Application design.
10. Detailed knowledge of cross-browser issues.
11. Demonstrated organizational skills.
12. Strong analytical skills.
13. Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills for effective communication to clients and project team members; including prior experience writing white papers, proposals, research reports, articles and case studies.