Carolyn Chandler
Carolyn Chandler has been working in the field of User Experience Design for over 20 years, after finding it due to a driving interest in psychology and anthropology. As Director of UX at Eight Bit Studios, her areas of specialty include design strategy and leadership, interaction design, and user research and modeling. She co-authored A Project Guide to UX Design with Russ Unger (now in its second edition) and Adventures in Experience Design with Anna van Slee. Due to her work in teaching and mentoring students and start-ups, Carolyn was named one of “Chicago’s Tech 50” by Crain’s Magazine. She appreciates cheesy puns and words like spork.
For more, keep up with Carolyn at dhalo.com or on Twitter as @chanan.
Presentations
UX Camp Winter 2021
Remotely Human
Necessity is the mother of invention… and this year, have we had necessity! Many teams were suddenly forced to work entirely remotely, requiring major adjustments to work styles and tool sets. While most technology companies supported remote work to a certain extent, it’s been quite different to remove in-person possibilities completely. Gone are the casual water cooler chats, taps on the shoulder, work social events, and other interactions that can be the glue of strong working relationships. For those of us in the UX practice, we’ve also faced the challenge of conducting research from our homes, and running brainstorming sessions without post-it walls and collaboration space.
Some of the adaptations in this time may stay OF this time when workplaces open up again. But which ones should we bring into the future? What have we learned about connecting while remote? What elements make us feel engaged and human? What tools have people used to fill the gaps? We’ll explore some ideas and approaches that may help us and our teams through this winter, and beyond.
UX Camp 2016
Lessons Learned from the World of Wearables
Apple Watch, Fitbit, Jawbone, Misfit… fitness-related wearables have exploded over the past few years. Their promise, like the promise of many other kinds of wearables: a deeper understanding of personal data and the encouragement to make positive change. How well has this promise been carried out… and what other kinds of wearables are getting traction?
In this session Carolyn will share some of the UX lessons learned after working for Chicago wearables start-up, Mira Fitness. We’ll cover research on the wearables user experience, brand and product differentiation, and common industrial design considerations, as well as some stories from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show which featured everything from smart clothes to virtual reality headwear.
UX Camp 2015
Keynote
UX Camp 2014: Mobile Camp
On Reaction: The Power of Transitions Keynote
Mobile interfaces have become a playground for new and unusual transitions. When you add a “to do” item in Clear, or move from category to story detail in Facebook Paper, you experience a new standard in interface response using animation and sound.
Mobile developers and designers have a multitude of opportunities to inform and delight in those spaces in between major actions. When done well, unique transitions can add playfulness, meaning, and interest to your mobile solutions. When done badly, they can frustrate users with long wait times, or obscure the relationships between elements of your product.
In this session we’ll explore the power of transitions in the mobile space, and discuss:
- Why is it important to consider transitions?
- What types of situations warrant a unique transition?
- Where can you find inspiration?
- How do you know when you’ve gone overboard?
