October 2017

Understanding The Scope of Lean UCD Methodology

from Using the User-Centered Design (UCD) and Human-Centered Design (HCD) Methodologies, this is an attempt to capture the meaning and to introduce the ‘Lean UCD’ framework.

As a consultant and architect, I’m privileged to be using both the User-Centered Design UCD) or Human-Centered Design (HCD) frameworks in complex projects, and it’s natural to have pondered over the difference between the two. These frameworks have helped me set aside deep-rooted biases and bring empathy into product designs which the end-users were delighted to use. I did write about the difference between Usability vs UX some time ago, though I always wanted to present a third approach to this methodology called Lead UCD that I predominantly use in the context of reactive product design strategy, in that, I’ve to strategize upon a user-friendly product within limited time and budget and with no prior knowledge of its background is critical. The challenge would be judging user behavior patterns purely based on cynical user data.

While bringing a user-centric focus on the problems individuals & teams often consider several frameworks to reach a consensus on the design in collaboration with cross-functional leads particularly in the guidance of a UCD expert. So what would be a better framework to follow – UCD, HCD or a Lean UCD? Read on.

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‘The Kite Runner’ Is An Adventure of Emotions!

“The Kite Runner’ portrays a present-day saga of friendship, redemption, and sacrifice against the backdrop of strife-torn Afghanistan.

I had come across some rave online reviews about the movie ‘The Kite Runner’ based on the namesake book authored by Khaled Hosseini, and when it finally released on Netflix I watched it this weekend. To put it mildly, I was blown away by the casting and characterization of the script! ‘The Kite Runner’ is a saga of brotherly relationship between juvenile buddies Hassan and Amir set in the glorious backdrop of the city of Kabul in the 70s, mired in catastrophic events that unravel the true characters of the young boys as they grapple with forces of time. It’s a beautifully crafted screenplay directed by Marc Foster which released in 2007 and nominated in several categories at the Golden Globes and the Oscars.

‘The Kite Runner’ paints a poignant portrait of Afghanistan in its esteemed history, characterizing the capital Kabul as I have never seen before on screen, and will probably won’t for a long time. It left me gasping in surprise and wishing to visit Kabul. In the midst of a nation moving towards destruction lies the innocence of 2 young boys, Amir, and Hassan the son of a servant, who would selflessly scale any height to fulfill the ambitions of his affluent bosom buddy. Until political disturbance ravages their beautiful hopes and separates them for eternity. The gruesome ‘Talibanisation’ of Afghanistan and its fall from grace is metaphorically visualized through Amir’s innate emotional battles which result in his quest to take up a perilous journey to his native land to redeem his past.

The movie is a bestowal of faith in human ethos and celebrates the virtues of emotional bonds that are unfortunately shattered in the suppression of freedom, in that, I found ‘The Kite Runner’ as a perfect narrative for today’s microcosm of human suffering through its message of faithfulness, love, and the price that we must pay to keep our dignity in strife. Also, against the grim betrayal of human values, ‘The Kite Runner’ succeeds in delivering the message of redemption in a heartless time that we find ourselves entangled today. It’s a must see!

Quotes – Don Norman on UX

It is not enough that we build products that function, that are understandable and usable, we also need to build products that bring joy and excitement, pleasure and fun, and, yes, beauty to people’s lives.

Don Norman

CN Tower in Toronto

Shockingly, Toronto Isn’t An Elegant City!

Shocking because I live in Toronto, also because ‘elegance’ has an undertone of a sense of quality and character which I believe Toronto possesses in heaps, nevertheless, it didn’t make it to that list. Instead, Montreal (ranked 31) and Vancouver (46th) were the only two cities chosen from our great nation.

The ranking was conducted by Zalando, a UK based fashion label based on 3 factors, namely, Fashion, Urban, and Accessibility, and the final list of the World’s Most Elegant Cities was published with a methodology on how the outcome was derived; Paris took the pole position and I certainly vouch for that. What surprised me was that despite having a definite character in the areas of fashion, urban planning, and accessibility factors our city failed to make it to the list. Perhaps the design thinkers and urban planners of our city could scope out the shortcomings and publish a sustainable argument about how Canada’s financial capital missed out on ‘elegance’ whereas Montreal and Vancouver scored above us; I’ve lived in both the cities and they are amazingly elegant in every respect. Though I believe Toronto with its parks, the trails, and the lush waterfront is full of style and culture as well. Speaking of accessibility and the urban architecture it’d be hard to ignore the design of some of the TTC stations and the iconic CN Tower.

Zalando thinks differently about Toronto vis-a-vis elegance than me, but I took to Twitter and marked our mayor John Tory on the outcome.

Source: The Most Elegant Cities In The World

Photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash

I took to Facebook soon after its launch in 2006. Back then, the enthusiasm was palpable in experimenting with a new online medium which redefined the concept of connecting with friends and family online. Though as I ventured into my future this opinion about Facebook changed and I started viewing it as a ‘Snob’s Lair’ where each person despite the struggles seemed content, for reasons best known to them. This plausible fakeness was instrumental in my detachment from this platform, I turned myself into an infrequent visitor.

My perception regarding the social networking site notwithstanding, I decided to challenge my intellectual status quo and see for myself how Facebook would treat me after my longish absence. I’d gathered the courage to shun my apparent misgivings about Facebook and picked up my phone. I tapped the first few posts on my timeline with a ‘Like’, a happy smile, and even congratulated an old friend who’d been promoted at her work in a lengthy comment. Ecstatically a few minutes later I received all the goodwill through some likes, smileys, and comments! My experiment proved successful. I cannot assure if I’ll be embracing Facebook full-time like before, but it’s then that I realized something that Mark Zuckerberg had been saying all along about “connecting people”. It’s about participating in other people’s happiness and sorrow and acknowledging the upheaval in their personal lives. Even if the interaction seems virtual on social networking the emotions exchanged are genuine and worth its weight in gold!