I was lucky enough to be in Alan Dix’ tutorials eight years ago.    I occasionally think about what I learnt, but not nearly enough.

I was in an agile training session yesterday, and I suddenly thought we plan and estimate, purely from a software angle.

Here are three related points:

  1. If someone does something, there has to be value in capturing how it is intrinsically done.  How, why, when, and suggestions for improving.

  2. I was recently asked to critique mobile smart phones for an eighty something person.  It raised some interesting points around how useful technology is for the older person.   Patronise them by creating a phone which is the equivalent of learning your “a b c”, or just give them the same as everyone else.  These seem to be the options :(

  3. The shocking performance of smartphone batteries impacts us all, but everybody just recharges their phones every day.

Here is one of the reviews for Human Computer Interaction  The review below states that HCI is for idiots.  This view is why we have the three points above.

Food for thought.

HCI is for idiots

By Mr. M. A. McKay-dirden - 25 Oct 2013

Amazon Verified Purchase

I got this book as a course requirement. I don’t see the value in HCI books because I think it is pretty much common sense. As long as people put some proper thought into their designs then they shouldn’t need a book like this to get by OK.