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Cyd Harrell

Cyd is a user research expert who believes you can answer any question as long as you are fearless and creative about methods.

She was the VP of Research for SF-based UX design firm Bolt|Peters until June 2012, when Facebook acquired the company. While there, she helped clients such as Sony, Volkswagen, and Rdio to conduct remote research and real-time usability studies.

In the early 2000s, she led desktop experience and design standards groups at Charles Schwab. Cyd has recently helped multiple local governments in the US learn user-centered practice and techniques. She promises this workshop won't hurt a bit.

Wed

23

09:00 - 12:30

Aud III

Workshop

Rich UX Research on the Fly

No time, no budget, no problem

In this workshop, you’ll learn everything you need to know to conduct solid user research on tight timelines and at minimal cost.

You’ll leave with:

Plans and resources for recruiting participants in advance or in the moment;
Techniques to guide unscripted interviews to answer your research questions;
Methods for capturing research data informally in the field;
A checklist for your complete on-the-fly research toolkit;
The confidence to get real insights to inform your designs, no matter the obstacles;

Thu

24

15:00 - 15:30

Auditorium I

Talk

UX In Service

So many designers go into UX to make the world better. While making delightful commercial products can fulfill this ambition, there’s also an important role for UX in the work of public institutions. In this inspiring talk, Cyd will discuss how UX practitioners can partner with public servants to shape institutional experiences that honor people’s time and human dignity. She will talk about the best ways to approach and foster trust with public sector partners new to UX, as well as sharing stories of frustration and success from her 6 years designing with governments. She'll invite all practitioners to make service a part of their career, and show how to realize that goal.