Date: May 2, 2012
Speaker: Jeanne Turner — Small Society
Julie is on an early morning training run. She has done some running over the last year, but this will be her first marathon. She doesn’t have a training partner, but a voice in her ear expertly nudges her on, while her mobile device records her pace, her route, and saves it to a training log in the cloud. A friend comments later on Facebook about her commitment, noting that he has trouble running so early in the morning.
Tryouts for the high school soccer team are in three months, but Steve is starting his training now. A device in the midsole of his shoe and in the soccer ball he uses measures direction and acceleration, and compares his data to his peers and to the pros. An app on his mobile device records his statistics, shows him where he is strong and where he is weak, and gives him a training program to elevate his game.
Analytics, the marriage of computer science and statistics, allows us to derive meaning from large sets of data. Historically it has been the domain of business strategy and marketing, used to zero in on patterns which enable strategists to forecast future market behavior and improve outcomes. New mobile technology allows users to collect their own data, connects them to the best science, and does so in a way that is personal, social, and highly targeted. The Nike+ Sensor records running performance, the Adidas miCoach Speed Cell measures multi-directional motion for sports training, the Withings scale and blood pressure monitor helps people monitor their health, and UP by Jawbone measures activity level, sleep cycles, and eating patterns.
How has user-centered design shaped the direction of these new technologies? In this presentation, Jeanne will explore the ways that people have integrated these devices into their lives and discuss whether the technology has followed through on the promise to improve health, performance, and lifestyle.
About the Speaker
Jeanne Turner is a passionate and versatile interaction designer who is dedicated to creating delightful experiences through greater understanding of user needs, goals, and motivations. After earning a BA in Computer Science with a focus on Human-Computer Interaction, she’s spent the past 7 years using her skills to build both mobile applications and web environments for clients including Ecotrust, Vanderbilt Owen School of Management, Tektronix, Harvard Business School, Starbucks, and Amazon. Jeanne is also an invaluable part of the Portland interaction design community, serving as the leader and co-leader of the local chapter of IxDA since May of 2008.