Usability research for newspapers and magazines?

Thursday I was invited by Annita Beysen at the first anniversary of U-sentric. The event included a presentation from well-known designer Justin Knecht from the Centre for Design Innovation . He did an inspiring presentation on usability research. Observing and involving users and becoming yourself a user is a different way of understanding the dynamics of consumer behaviour. Users will do things they will never tell you, therefore observing them provides new insights. Maybe it's time for the print industry to take a closer look at the print consumer experience with the use of usability That might learn us more about how to keep readers on board.

How a logo creates epileptic fits

The much criticised logo for the Olympics to be held in London in 2012 has caused some viewers suffer from an epileptic fit. A short animated sequence in a TV commercial contained rapid flashes of colour that have caused these fits. The London professor Graham Harding, who has developed a specific test on TV images, concluded that the material should not be used any longer because of the risks involved.

Design adds value

This was a full page of The New York Times some days ago, it demonstrates in a strong way the added value of design. The subject is alarming - the death toll in Iraq in one month. The design dramatises the figures in such a way that you can almost "feel" the symbols representing the killed soldiers and citizens. The page tells you so much more than a simple table with figures can. It painfully precise amplifies the magnitude of the problem.

Thinking about skiing

I just saw these nicely designed ads for a US ski resort. As the time for wintersports is approaching I'm already thinking of these red and black coloured slopes. The ads show me the perfect line. Enjoy the glühwein!