There’s no question of the value and benefits for development teams adopting Agile principles and practices. It’s almost a must-have for web, mobile and desktop app shops in today’s rapidly changing culture of technology. A challenge some teams face is how to stay focused on the user experience in Agile environments. How do UX methods fit into rapid iteration cycles and sprints? What does the team structure look like in order to incorporate design and user research? How can UX designers add the most value to Agile teams? How does a designer’s workflow change inside an Agile environment?
For our February meeting, we’ll be welcoming a panel of three UX veterans in a discussion about Agile UX best practices and lessons learned from the trenches. Bring your devs, your project managers, your co-designers, your bosses, and especially your questions for a jam packed evening of tips and practical advice that you won’t want to miss.
What: Agile UX Panel Discussion, Admission is Free
When: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 Doors Open at 5:30pm
Where: TechSmith Corporation, Galaga Conference Room at (2365 Woodlake Drive, Okemos, MI 48864)
Special Guests:
Joe Johnston, Senior UX Specialist, Universal Mind
Joe has over ten years of experience in Web/RIA applications with extensive knowledge of mobile and cross-platform technologies and frameworks. Joe’s skill set focuses on user experience and the creation of rapid prototypes to help clients quickly test ideas and proofs of concept. He’s completed a wide variety of projects that include experience design, senior level development, and client interaction. An accomplished author and speaker, Joe is a subject matter expert on UX design and Agile development principles.
Melissa Bugai, Studio Manager, Visualhero
Melissa has been working in software development since 2004. Originally she wrote code, but realized it was not the best fit for her and instead found herself deeply enjoying software testing. Presently she’s intensely interested in human-computer interaction and user experience driven creation. Melissa’s love for exploratory testing and human-centered design has brought her to where she is now, working in a design studio and doing contract testing.
Samuel Bowles, Software Craftsman, Mutually Human Software
Samuel is a user-experience, interaction, and visual designer skilled in front-end development (HTML, CSS, and Javascript). He’s a web and application designer with a focus on strategic planning and product development, and is particularly interested in design as it relates to usability, information architecture and human-computer interaction. Samuel is also Software Craftsman and Partner at Spend Wisely, LLC.
Agenda
5:30pm – 6:00pm Meet & Mingle
6:00pm – 7:00pm Agile UX Panel Discussion
7:00pm – 7:30pm Q&A and Wrap-Up
We would like to give special thanks to our sponsor, TechSmith Corporation, for hosting this event:
Admission to this event is free and you don’t need to be an IxDA member to attend. Just come out, have fun and get involved. See you on February 21!
