ASIS&T;
Since 1937, ASIS&T; has been the society for information professionals leading the search for new and better theories, techniques, and technologies to improve access to information.
Small Moments in Big Data
Information should inspire and challenge us, but most of all it should make us think.
I define Information Architecture as trying to better understand the connections within an environment. I want to make the argument that it's not really our data that's important, it's the people behind the data. Our job is to enable better connections and amplify the stories of individuals - not reduce them to fit the constraints of our technology.
I'll talk about how I believe that big data is just noise. Small connections or 'small moments' are what matters. These are stories that belong to individuals, like a customer receiving great customer service – the result of an interaction with an individual rather than a company.
The role of design is discovering and working with these 'small moments'. I'll talk about how we can do this using design research, discovery and synthesis. I'll consider the importance of slow thinking, and make the argument that collaborative learning is our most powerful tool for validating our thinking and ideas.
To be successful companies need to better understand the experiences of their customers. This is more than just designing great products or tools, it's about every moment and every touch point a customer has with their organisation. To do this we have to become better problem seekers before becoming better problem solvers.
In this talk the audience will learn about design research and creating better customer experiences through both product and service design. I'll show how simplicity isn't always the marker of 'good' design, especially when seen in the wider context of how individuals interact with a product or service.
It takes time to properly understand our most complex problems. Design is hard and this is why it matters.
Ben Holliday
Ben has worked as a designer in the web industry for almost a decade. He is currently User Experience designer at FreeAgent in Edinburgh having previously worked in senior design roles for projects with education, arts, and not-for-profit organisations such as the National Theatre, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts. Ben is passionate about exploring the process of design and incorporating design research. He believes that good design starts with finding the right problems and always starts with pen and paper.
