Designing Xero

Philip Fierlinger, Xero
Philip Fierlinger is the Lead Interaction Designer for Xero (xero.com), the online accounting software company that listed on the NZX earlier this year. He will describe the interaction design process used to create Xero, sharing his insights into the different design techniques used to build such a complex online application quickly yet effectively. He will also discuss how those techniques are evolving as the company and the software grows.

UPA 2008 Conference Brain Dump

Trent Mankelow, Optimal Usability
The recent UPA conference attracted around 800 of the brightest minds in our field to Austin, Texas for 5 days of workshops, tutorials and conference presentations. Trent was lucky enough to attend and will be giving a rambling download of what he learnt, including the conference highlights and what it was like to present a workshop.

Where & When

• When: 12-1.30pm, Tuesday 7 August 2007
• Where: Ground-floor conference room, Statistics House, The Boulevard, Harbour Quays. You need to sign in at reception, then head left through the library.
• RSVP by August 3 to dave [at] optimalusability.com
• Food: A light lunch will be catered - be sure to RSVP so we can order accordingly.

Directions

Access by road is from Aotea Quay at the traffic lights near the stadium. There is also a footpath beside the sheds and construction site on the harbour side of Aotea Quay, and a bridge walkway from the railway station and stadium. Get to the walkway from the north end of several rail platforms, and from the steps opposite East Day Spa on Thorndon Quay.Hope to see you there!

Feedback

We need your ideas. No, really! Please take a moment to help us out:

• What are your interests? e.g. Information Architecture, Usability, Accessibility, Etc. And what topics would you like to hear about?
• Can you present? Or do you know of interesting speakers who might be able to speak at a future meeting?
• Can you offer a venue where we can hold meetings?
• Have the sessions been too technical, or not technical enough?
• If you have (or have not made it to a session yet), what else can we do to make these sessions something that you would try and come to on a regular basis? E.g. Do we need to vary the times, topics, presenters etc more?

We will discuss the results of this feedback after the main presentations at the end of the meeting.