Michigan UXPA

Tuesday August 18, 2009, 6-8:30PM (Food and networking at 6, Program at 7)

Southfield Public Library in Southfield, MI

Nick DeNardis, associate director of web communications at Wayne State University will discuss his approach for reviewing and creating usable web sites.

• A lot of people are involved with planning and constructing a single web site. How can you break through the administrative barrier and focus on your users?
• Become an authority as a web professional and fend off requests that don’t meet your users goals.
• Create a plan for testing and modifying the web site based on your users needs and how they actually use your site.
• I will focus on higher education where a lot of sites offer the same “product”. Identify strategies to stand out and care about your users.
• View your site from an outsiders perspective, does it pass the “ten second test”? Can you find the information you need?
• And last but not least, did you take enough time to care about users with special needs?

Nick is the Associate Director of Web Communications at Wayne State University. As host of the video blog, EDU Checkup, he reviews higher education websites from the point of view of a first time visitor, while critiquing the design, information architecture and code of the sites.

He is a staff writer at .eduGuru, a higher education marketing and web development blog. He takes an active role in the higher education web community by sharing his thoughts and real world analysis in the Wayne State Web Communications Blog.

Nick is also an officer for Refresh Detroit, a group of web professionals whose goal is to promote web standards, usability, and accessibility and to spread the knowledge of web design in the Detroit and Ann Arbor Michigan areas.

Location

Southfield Public Library, “The Meeting Room”

26300 Evergreen Rd
Southfield, MI 48076 (map)
Website

Elections are complete and the 2009-2010 officers of the Michigan UPA are

• President: John Rivard
• Vice-president: Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus
• Secretary: Jackie Park-Cross
• Treasurer: Mike Beasley
• Events: Deborah Edwards-Onoro

We also have interest and commitments from several enthusiastic volunteers, and they will be announced soon.

Thank you for your interest and participation in the Michigan UPA and we look forward to another year of excellent events covering the state of Michigan.

The summer is upon us, and that means chapter elections for the Michigan Usability Professionals’ Association! The 2008-2009 term was a great year for our chapter, with meetings across the state, and exciting events like World Usability Day and Internet User Experience 2009.

With the 2009-2010 term year upon us, the MIUPA needs your help! You now have the opportunity to get involved in shaping the direction of our chapter, to help organize interesting meetings, and to network with other professionals. We are looking for both people for formal officer positions and for volunteers. If you have any questions about the duties involved or what it is like to work with the MIUPA, please feel free to contact the current president, Mike Beasley, at president@miupa.org.

Board Members

MIUPA board members have the largest impact on the chapter’s growth in the next year. There are currently five officer positions that will determine the direction of MIUPA. You can make a difference!

To run for a position on the MIUPA board:

1. Ensure you are an active member of the Usability Professionals’ Association in good standing (renew or join at http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org)
2. Submit a brief bio and statement of intent (include who you are, your background, and how you will grow MIUPA) to president@miupa.org by Friday, May 29.

Volunteers

Member volunteers are critical to run MIUPA events and activities smoothly. When you volunteer, MIUPA works with you to leverage your expertise, or to help you build new skills!

To volunteer your talents with MIUPA:

1. Send an email to vicepresident@miupa.org stating your desire to volunteer along with any expertise or specific duties that you would prefer to handle.
2. You will be contacted directly by a UPA officer to work out your role.

Rules

• Entries for board positions must be received by Friday, May 29, 2009.
• UPA members in good standing are allowed to vote.
• Officers are determined by number of votes.
• Specific officer and volunteer positions are worked out by those elected.
• Have fun!

Expand your role as a UPA member by becoming an officer or volunteer with this award-winning chapter!  With your help, MIUPA can continue to provide training, networking and job awareness to our members and other participants, and to raise the bar for UPA chapters.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 6-8:30PM

Palermo Pizzeria and Restaurant in Canton, MI

Do you have a subject you’d like the Michigan UPA to cover in a meeting? Have a great idea that you’d like to see put into action? Your chance has arrived!

The Michigan Usability Professionals’ Association is hosting a meeting on Tuesday, May 12, to plan meetings for the next year. We will discuss what topics we will pursue, speakers to recruit, and possible venues. This is a great chance to get a program that interests you on the agenda, meet your MIUPA officers, and to get involved! This meeting is free and open to all who are interested, whether they are UPA members or not.

WHEN:

Tuesday May 12, 2009
6:00PM to 8:30PM

WHERE:

Palermo Pizzeria & Restaurant
44938 Ford Road
Canton, Michigan 48187
Map to location