CHIFOO 2007 Program Series

Mind the Business: Promoting the Value of Your Work

Human-computer interaction (HCI) professionals and the companies that offer their services are increasingly being asked to quantify their value and their contribution to the bottom line. Despite all the buzz about ROI, when it comes down to it, many of us are still unsure how to make a solid sales pitch for our skills and expertise. This issue can be seen in multiple business contexts, and extends beyond HCI researchers and practitioners to anyone who is in the business of selling such services to clients and other stakeholders.

The 2007 CHIFOO Program Series addresses different aspects of promoting our value—whether to management, a client, or a potential employer—and how to have our work recognized and integrated into business practices. Local and national practitioners and researchers will present their tried-and-true methods for effectively selling the HCI discipline and user-centered solutions by discussing three integrated themes:

• How HCI impacts the business
• How a thoughtful HCI strategy can drive an effective business strategy
• How to strengthen your HCI argument with powerful communication techniques

LOCATION: Events are held in Building 38 of the Tektronix Beaverton campus unless otherwise noted (view map). Programs are free for CHIFOO members; general admission is $5 unless otherwise noted. Annual CHIFOO membership costs $20.

5:00 PM: CHIFOOd (dinner at New Seasons Market, Cedar Hills Crossing)
6:30 PM: Registration, networking, and announcements
7:00 PM: Program and Q&A

Wednesday, January 10
Understanding the business leaders' perspective

Tom Herceg, Tektronix, Inc.

Gain insight into why most designers and design managers, despite their best efforts and intentions to apply "B" school concepts to their work (e.g., ROI, quantifying value), are failing to get business leaders to better appreciate, value, and invest in design. If business leaders want innovative design so badly, why aren't they listening and behaving like they want it?

Wednesday, February 7
Making the business case for user-centered design strategically

David Siegel, Dray & Associates

Arguing for user-centered design (UCD) based on cost justification and return on investment (ROI) is often not persuasive, especially when we are talking to strategic-level decision makers. In fact, dependence on ROI arguments can lock us into a tactical role and work against our field's efforts to get involved earlier in the product planning process where we can have a more decisive impact. This talk will discuss the dynamics of persuasion and harder-to-quantify factors that can make the business case for UCD more compelling to strategic decision makers.

Wednesday, March 7
Designing persuasive documents
This program will be held at Pop Art in downtown Portland.

Carrie Gilbert, White Horse

Documents being shared within organizations and with clients must be clearly presented to communicate effectively, and effective communication is essential to successfully selling an idea or solution. Carrie will discuss document presentation within the model of high- and low-fidelity prototyping, using what our field already knows about product design to explore how the fidelity of every-day documents (from product specifications to wireframes to routine e-mails) may affect how effectively they promote acceptance and buy-in from their audience.

Wednesday, April 4
Ethnography-based work for business in emerging markets

Tony Salvador, Intel

Businesses are increasingly relying on ethnographic-based work to catalyze new technology markets within "emerging market" countries. This talk will draw on examples from Tony's experience in regions such as the Middle East, India, China, and South America to highlight how this research impacts the bottom line.

Wednesday, May 9
Cascade ACM SIGGRAPH and CHIFOO present: Visual Communication
This program will be held at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland. Please note the date for this event has changed.

In this co-sponsored event, local experts will discuss the role of visual communication when it comes to effectively selling your services to clients, team members, and potential employers.

Wednesday, June 6
Making the invisible visible: The problem with doing good work
This program will be held at the World Trade Center in downtown Portland.

Martha Cotton, Herbst LaZar Bell Inc

There is a frustrating phenomenon often associated with the kind of work user researchers do: When you do your job well, what you have illuminated about a user experience becomes so instantly accepted by the client or design team, that all the rigor and effort that went into getting there becomes invisible. This talk will examine this phenomenon and offer ways to reclaim some visibility, especially in ways that promote the value of your work in business contexts.

Wednesday, July 11
The shifting role of design

Luke Wroblewski, Yahoo!

In an increasing number of companies, the role of design is changing dramatically from mere styling to a core ingredient of product strategy and innovation. But what's behind this shift? Why are designers previously tasked only with "making things pretty" being invited to the corporate strategy table? This talk will examine the impact that recent technology and market changes have had on the role of design within modern companies.

Wednesday, August 1
CHIFOO social
This program will begin at 6pm at AMF Pro 300 Bowling Alley at 3031 SE Powell Blvd in Portland.

Join members of CHIFOO and the IxDA crowd for CHI-BOWL: an evening of networking, bowling, pizza, sodas, and beer! RSVP required.

Wednesday, September 5
Selling creative solutions to clients

Panel discussion

How do you convince a client that a comprehensive usability study is the best approach to diagnosing their product's problems? How can you approach your customer about optimizing processes in the face of long-standing political opposition? Whether you define your client as someone within or outside your organization, you likely run into challenges such as these in your day-to-day work. Panel members working in agencies and internal organizations will discuss best practices for selling ideas, solutions, and services to clients in various settings.

Wednesday, October 3
Repositioning user experience as a strategic process

Jon Innes, Augmentum
Liam Friedland, Informatica

User Experience (UX) is often relegated to a service role in companies, instead of being viewed as a strategic business process with direct impact on the company's bottom line. The speakers will describe proven tactics for repositioning UX as strategic process within a company.

Wednesday, November 7
Show the whole story, show how you think

Bill DeRouchey and Tom Lakovic, ZIBA Design

Does your book really tell a story, or does it just give away the ending? Most portfolios only show finished products and neglect how that result happened. We'll show how you can fill out the whole story and in the end show your prospective clients how you think, instead of just what you've done.