Insights

There was a lot of talk about the Internet of Things this year at SXSW Interactive 2015. And yes, there were a lot of cool Internet-things.

Recent workplace deaths involving robotic arms are a new variant of the dangers that come with using powerful tools.

An Electrolux from the '50s inspires a head-to-head comparison with a Dyson Animal. Let's just say there are some trade-offs.

International travel offers time to knit...so why not knit an experiment in uncertainty?

Progress is being made in our quest to design a fully adjustable hand cycle that can accommodate children with physical disabilities as they grow.

When it comes to innovation, it truly takes all types. Do you know if your team has all the perspectives it needs?

We did a thought experiment and traveled 50 years into the future to glimpse the future of healthcare and of the patient's user experience.

Our industrial design for the AmpStrip, a 24/7 heart rate and activity monitor, recently won a Gold Spark Award.

The worlds of physical and digital product design are on a collision course. Interaction designers should take note.

Is the IoT feeling overwhelmingly complex? Here's seven rules to extract simplicity from complex IoT product design projects.

Connected devices too often rely on a "master operator" framework that ignores the wonderfully messy realities of family life.

An energizing day at a Microsoft Accelerator Day for entrepreneurs provides a good reminder that above all, know thy customer.

Delve just published its first ebook on this interesting point in time when technology and society are entering new territory.

What's behind the lack of useful thumb-reach and hand-grip data for designers of handheld devices, and how can designers gather their own?

Designing and delivering successful connected products requires a whole new set of skills. Do you know your team's blind spots?

We noticed more discussion in general this year of user interface (UI) design, often in the context of smart devices. We anticipate UI becoming a stronger focus in upcoming HFES conferences as it continues to become clear that ineffective UIs represent the highest risk to safety and efficacy.

Want a Sansa or an iPod? Sometimes getting to market first is better than making a better product.

Instead of running away from uncertainty, maybe it's healthy to embrace it as fodder for innovation.

Enjoy this visual explanation of graphic recording and facilitation, which is a great approach to helping a meeting come alive.

A lesson in visualizing the target and aiming in squash is also a good reminder of how to design products.

The urge to merge technologies can lead to really cool stuff ... and really stupid stuff, too.

Somewhere between a quick brainstorming session and rounds of frustrating debate, there's typically a sweet spot for naming a product.

LED technology opens up a world of possibilities and some new considerations for product design.

Many SxSW Interactive talks pondered the future of connected devices. What we can address now and how we may bridge the user-experience gap for the future?

Drinking from the fire hose is an understatement.

Believe it or not, the color and brand of smartphone or laptop someone uses is not an indicator of their worth.

The more real something looks and feels, the more likely it is that you’ll receive actionable feedback to validate your design or inform your next iteration.

In the world of sales, nothing is better than picking up a phone or meeting someone in person.

A lunchtime decision to brave the midwinter cold led to a lunch that I unsuspectedly evaluated as a new experience.

UX design is maturing and none too soon for the technology challenges and opportunities we face.