Web Design '09 Conference Session Descriptions

In Internet retailing, nothing exists in a vacuum. That is especially true when it comes to technology. Technology decisions affect everything and often, poor interfaces are designed to accommodate rigid tech requirements. The rigidity enters because the retailer is using an inflexible third party tool or because the site's design process is poorly structured. For example, a user clicks "Add to Wish List" only to be greeted by a page bearing the headline "Welcome: Create your Account." The tech team views Wish List, Account Creation, and Checkout as essentially the same multi-step processes. So it programs the site to offer the same suite of pages regardless of user intent. It's up to the user advocate to make sure that at least the page's headlines and graphics reflect the task the user is trying to complete, rather than the programming the tech team is trying to leverage. This session will address how to communicate design needs to a programming team, and will describe common pitfalls, how to avoid them, and how to start digging out if you're already stuck. This session will feature a retailer who will talk about how her company persuaded usability experts and programmers to work together and a design/usability consultant who will outline what to look for and what to ask and when.