Go to LinkedIn to join the group

Directions: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/RSC/bcc/directions.asp
Register: http://ixdadc.ning.com/events/understanding-social-media

Hope to see everyone there! We'll have nametags to facilitate introductions for new and returning folks!

Sponsored by ASIS/PVC

Don't Make Me Think!: The Discount Usability Testing Workshop (early registration deadline: October 17)

Site Search Analytics for a Better User Experience

Advance registration by 4 PM on Friday, October 24 is required.

Date and time
October 27, 2008
6:00-7:00 p.m. A light dinner will be provided at the event location.
7:00-9:00 p.m. Program (If you do not attend dinner, please arrive promptly at 7 as we must sign everyone in and escort them up to the presentation room.)

Cost
$10 members
$20 non-members

Contact the events coordinator (events@upa-dc-metro.org) for events-related issues.

Description
How can you include members of your team in participatory design sessions if they are not able to come in person? This presentation provides a method for including those team members in the participatory design sessions, enabling them to be full partners in the product development process. You will learn techniques for running sessions successfully and we will discuss challenges you may face preparing for and facilitating these sessions. You will also learn some coping methods for dealing with those challenges. Some of the techniques that will be discussed are also applicable for conducing successful remote interviews and remote usability studies.

Biography
Carol Smith has conducted participatory design sessions in government and corporate settings, the majority of which have involved remote participants. She has also conducted remote usability tests for a variety of clients in both government and corporate organizations. Carol has presented on accessibility and usability topics at the Usability Professionals' Association (UPA) International Conference and at regional UPA events. She is the UPA Director of Global Outreach for the Board of Directors and is a member of the international committee defining the Usability Body of Knowledge. Carol earned her Masters of Computer Science in Human-Computer Interaction from DePaul University in Chicago , IL . She is the Principal Consultant at Midwest Research (http://www.mw-research.com), a research and evaluation consultancy.

UPA DC Metro maintains a code of professional ethics to encourage the free expression of ideas and assure the security of our members and guests. We reserve the right to exclude or remove any individual and to limit meeting attendance if necessary.

Mexicali Blues
2933 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 812-9352

Location:
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center
4805 Edgemoor Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814

Description:
There are several conferences each spring of interest to usability
professionals, but deadlines and budgets may limit our ability to
attend. Featured below are the panelists, several local professionals,
who will be sharing ideas and insights from the conferences that they
attended in the first half of 2008. Join us for this interactive
discussion!

Information Architecture (IA) Summit - Lisa Goldberg

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Computer-Human Interaction
(CHI) Conference - Elizabeth Buie

Society for Technical Communication (STC) Annual Conference - Allen Rotz

Usability Professionals Association (UPA) Annual Conference - Melanie
Huston

University of Maryland HCIL Open House - Lisa Battle

IxDA Interaction 08 - James Melzer

Registration:
Not necessary for this free event.

Cost:
Free

Directions to the Program:
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center is located at 4805
Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814. The Center is in the two-story
County office building on the plaza level of the Metropolitan complex,
above a County parking garage.

By Car:
The entrance to the parking garage is marked with a large blue
Bethesda Center parking sign. Parking is available in the garage -
$.75 per hour short-term (3 hours or less), $.50 per hour for over 3
hours. If you are coming south on Old Georgetown Road (from the
Beltway use exit 36), turn right on Woodmont Avenue and the parking
entrance is almost immediately on your left (second driveway). If you
are coming south on Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike, turn right onto
Woodmont Avenue, go south for approximately one mile, cross Old
Georgetown Road, and the parking garage entrance is the second
driveway on your left. If you are coming north on Wisconsin or west on
Rt. 410, take Old Georgetown Road north, turn left at the second
traffic light (Woodmont Ave.) and the garage entrance will be on your
left (it's the second driveway). Take the elevators from the parking
garage to the plaza level (P). The building is located at the center
of the plaza. County and American flags and a sign bearing the County
seal mark the entrance to the building.

By Metro, Bus or on Foot:
The building is located across the street from the Bethesda Metro
station. From the Bethesda Metro Station, take the escalator from the
bus bay to the plaza level, turn left, walk past the clock tower and
across to the Metropolitan plaza using the pedestrian bridge. If you
are walking from any other location, the Center's street entrance is
at 4605 Edgemoor Lane (corner of Old Georgetown and Edgemoor) and is
marked with County and American flags. Take the elevator to level 2
for meeting rooms.

Directions to Dinner:
La Madeleine is located at:
7607 Old Georgetown Rd
Bethesda, MD 20814.
The restaurant is a short walk from the Bethesda Metro stop.

http://www.upa-dc-metro.org/events/2008/06-26-08.htm

You don't have to be registered at the conference to come. This a great opportunity to connect and network with local IxDA and IA folks, and UPA folks coming from all over the world.

When: Wednesday, June 18, 6:30 - 9:30pm (but feel free to stay late)
Where: Kosmo's Lounge, Baltimore Marriott Waterfront at 700 Aliceanna Street
Map: http://tinyurl.com/4h89g2

Please RSVP to Will Evans, who is reserving the space: will@semanticfoundry.com

When: TO BE DETERMINED
Where: Gifford's Ice Cream, Bethesda, MD (near Bethesda Metro)
Map: http://tinyurl.com/57bkl8