MakingLifeEasy.Org & Red Balloons in the Streets of Wellington
One of the great initiatives of this year’s World Usability Day is the little big project called MakingLifeEasy.org
Here’s the idea:
Confusing cash machines, parking meters, unclear signs, frustrating websites - poor usability is everywhere and it gets in the way of life. Sometimes it is just annoying. At other times it stops us doing what we need to do. Sometimes it can even be dangerous.
On World Usability Day (and in the lead up), we will be going out on the streets of Wellington to document some of the worst offenders and the best examples of usability and user experience.
As we come across examples of good and bad design, we will tie our balloons to them, photograph them and post them to the Making Life Easy website to ensure that the statements continue to be made long after the balloons disappear.
World Usability Day and Making Life Easy are initiatives to let people know that they shouldn’t be putting up with average or bad design and poor usability. If they’ve ever asked themselves “Why doesn’t this work right? What am I supposed to do with this now?””, they should know that they are not alone. Come and join us in this initiative!
We’d LOVE you to get involved. Here’s how:
1. Join us! We’ll be heading out from Civic Square at 12.30pm on Tuesday 14th November for a lunchtime ‘urban safari’. You won’t miss us: we’ll be the ones with the red balloons. Contact sam@optimalusability.com to register your interest.
This is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness about usability in our everyday lives – AND a great team exercise for any development team – highlighting that poor design is all around us, but that good design principles are easy to apply… Check out Flow’s (the initiators of this project) experience…
2. Help get more people involved! If you have a blog, point them to the MakingLifeEasy.org website. If you have a Flickr account, come join our group and invite all your friends!
3. If you can’t join us on the day, feel free to share your examples of the best and the worst of usability where you live (or visit or holiday!). Add photos to the Flickr group or drop us an email and we’ll add your submission to the website and potentially to the Hall of Fame or Shame.
4. Cast your vote! Take a look at the MakingLifeEasy.org website and have your say in what *really* drives you crazy and what you really love.
