Conference Proposals Deadline Extended for UPA International Conference

> The 2008 Usability Professionals' Association International Conference
> is celebrating the diversity of communities that contribute to the
> usability field. In order to encourage participation from a multitude
> of disciplines and perspectives, we are pleased to announce that UPA
> is extending the deadline for conference proposal submissions to
> October 15, 2007.
>
> The 2008 Conference theme, "The Many Faces of User Experience: Usability
> through Holistic Practice" addresses the need for a wider view on
> usability. Marketing specialists, industrial designers, graphic designers,
> computer scientists, business analysts, psychologists, information
> architects, technical writers and others bring valuable perspectives to
> usability and user experience.
>
> UPA 2008 will be held June 16 – 20, 2008 at the Baltimore Marriott
> Waterfront in
> Baltimore's beautiful Inner Harbor district. Among the broad range of offerings
> this year, UPA will again be offering the very popular Experienced Practitioners
> track, as well as introducing a new track, Managing User Experience. This year
> only, a special track in e-Government Usability will also be offered.
>
> We invite you to share your ideas and experiences with fellow
> practitioners at the annual UPA international conference by submitting
> proposals for presentations, panels, papers, tutorials, and workshops.
>
> To submit a proposal on line, please see the full Call for
> Participation: http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/conference/2008/call-for-participation.htm
>
> To learn more about the 2008 UPA International Conference, please see:
> http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org/conference/2008/index.htm
>
> For questions about the 2008 UPA International Conference, please
> contact Eva Gaumond at publicity2008@usabilityprofessionals.org
>
> We look forward to hearing your ideas!
>
>
> For more information about UPA, contact:
> email: office@upassoc.org
> web: http://www.usabilityprofessionals.org

World Usability Day for Michigan

The MSU and the Michigan UPA are gearing up for another great World Usability Dan event here in Michigan. The date is Thursday, November 8, 2007 from 9:00 am - 5:30 pm in East Lansing, MI

Follow this link for World Usability Day for Michigan event details

announcement of an upcoming Usability Professionals Association meeting

Continuing our series of Usability and Human Factors in things other than software and web sites, we offer an interesting and engaging evening on the campus of Michigan State University this month. Come to network with your peers, learn, participate, and even contribute your own research ideas!

-DaveMR, Michigan UPA Events Coordinator

Title
Optimizing the User Experience for Package Design
Presenter
Laura Bix, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Michigan State University School of Packaging

Abstract Dr. Bix and associates will provide an overview of the exciting research at the School of Packaging at Michigan State University. The lab aims to quantify and qualify the human/package interface, with an eventual goal of providing scientific guidelines that will help design teams optimize ease-of-use in their package designs. Projects include:

• Child Resistant Drug Packaging and Arthritis: Can Older Consumers Access Their Medication?
  
• Quantifying the Contact Area between Consumers and Packaging
  
• Sight, Sound and Child-Resistance
  
• Effectiveness of Required US Warnings for Over-the-Counter Drug Labels

As an added bonus, attendees will be given a tour and discussion of the lab facilities. The tour will include:

• Eye trackers
• An instrument that measures legibility of label elements and designs
• Techniques that quantify the surface area of touch between people and packages
• Techniques to understand the abilities and limitations of test subjects

Brought to you by
The Michigan UPA (www.miupa.org)
Michigan State University School of Packaging (http://www.packaging.msu.edu/)

When
Tuesday July 24th, 2007 6:00-8:30PM (Food and networking until 7:00, then presentation and tour)

Where
Michigan State University School of Packaging
153 Packaging Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-355-4556

Map at http://packaging.msu.edu/documents/PAULSMAP_001.PDF
Note: Parking is free starting at 6:00PM, there is a parking lot directly behind the building, and there is also a brick parking structure directly behind the Communications Building (corner of Wilson and Red Cedar).

Cost (includes food and beverage)
$5 Students, $10 UPA members, $15 all others
RSVP – Email events@miupa.org

STC and UPA are joining forces for a March 28th event

STC/SM & MIUPA Joint Program:
"Creating and Evangelizing a Corporate Web Standards & Usability Program"

Where:
EDS, 750 Tower Drive , Troy MI

When:
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
6:30 pm: Networking and Appetizers
7:00 pm: Speaker's Presentation

Leader of EDS' Web Standards & Usability program, Deb Ermiger has been working in online communications since 1994. Her work has spanned many areas including writing, editing, graphic design, information architecture, usability testing, and yes ... even some coding.

Deb currently leads a cross-organizational team of experts in the documentation and delivery of user interface standards and guidelines for the Web. Her team also provides consulting to EDS Web sites and client accounts.

Preregister by Monday, 3/26/07 for a $5 discount
e-mail register@stc-sm.org

At the door registration:
UPA and STC-SM Members: $15
Non-members: $25
STC Members: $20
Students Members: $17
Students Nonmembers: $17