a design lead focused on beautiful solutions to complex problems. http://stephen.turbek.com/ Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2012/are-design-patterns-antipatterns.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2012/are-design-patterns-antipatterns.html In a world of limited resources, code beats pictures. (published at BoxesAndArrows.com) Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/projects/chart-test/index.html http://stephen.turbek.com/projects/chart-test/index.html How good are you at reading charts? Which chart is the best? I created a small game to test chart skills and get some hard numbers on how well each chart works, including styles. Everyone says that pie charts are bad. But how bad? Analysis will be written up here. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2012/usability-of-coffee.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2012/usability-of-coffee.html When Bad Usability is Good User Experience Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/projects/marathon/marathon/index.html http://stephen.turbek.com/projects/marathon/marathon/index.html Having run a couple of marathons, I designed and coded some interactive charts to analyze the New York Marathon overall runner population and look up an individual runner. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2011/are-your-users-stupid.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2011/are-your-users-stupid.html How good design can make users effective Wed, 20 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2009/06/better-charts-from-simple-questions.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2009/06/better-charts-from-simple-questions.html Selecting the wrong chart, like bad chart design, can obscure the data. Here is a simple model pick the right chart for your needs. Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2009/08/sign-on-login-better-practices-for.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2009/08/sign-on-login-better-practices-for.html To an expert user, it is easy to forget the obstacle that registration and login pose to many users. Here are a few tips that can make the process easier. Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2008/03/how-to-make-personas-useful-and-its-not.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2008/03/how-to-make-personas-useful-and-its-not.html Personas are a popular user experience deliverable, whose purpose and use are often misunderstood. This article suggests ways to make personas useful, and not just a pretty face. Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2008/01/advancing-advanced-search.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2008/01/advancing-advanced-search.html Advanced search is the ugly child of interface design -always included, but never loved. Websites have come to depend on their search engines as the volume of content has increased. A progressive disclosure approach can enable users to use precision advanced search techniques to refine their searches and pinpoint the desired results. Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2007/04/what-i-learned-from-my-failed-web-20.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2007/04/what-i-learned-from-my-failed-web-20.html From Apr till Dec 2006, I conceived, designed, and coded survee.com. Though I dropped the project, it was very satisfying and taught me some harsh, but good lessons. Wed, 18 Apr 2007 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2007/04/automatically-create-table-of-contents.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2007/04/automatically-create-table-of-contents.html As updating Tables of Contents in Visio is very dull, I wrote a macro (a small program) that automatically generates a Table of Contents list for a Visio document. Wed, 04 Apr 2007 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2006/10/real-wireframes-get-real-results-by.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2006/10/real-wireframes-get-real-results-by.html Realistic wireframes are easier for users to understand and respond-to in wireframe tests. Published at BoxesAndArrows.com Tue, 19 Sep 2006 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/TheAll-MenuNavigation_Turbek.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/TheAll-MenuNavigation_Turbek.pdf A whitepaper on a way to improve usability in website navigation. Sat, 20 May 2006 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2006/04/your-interface-is-your-company.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2006/04/your-interface-is-your-company.html A whitepaper on financial services business challenges and solutions. Thu, 30 Mar 2006 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/UPA_2006_RIA_FS_presentation.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/UPA_2006_RIA_FS_presentation.pdf A presentation at the 2006 Boston Usability Professionals Association Mini-Conference Thu, 30 Mar 2006 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/Williams_Turbek_IBF-presentation_032106.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/Williams_Turbek_IBF-presentation_032106.pdf This presentation summarizes research and workflow techniques for designing complex applications, and was presented to the Intranet Benchmarking Forum. As always with presentations, much more was said than appears on the slides. Tue, 21 Mar 2006 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2006/03/lazy-ias-guide-to-making-sitemaps.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2006/03/lazy-ias-guide-to-making-sitemaps.html Use these lazy techniques and spend your time on more interesting problems than lining up little boxes! Published on BoxesAndArrows.com Sun, 29 Jan 2006 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2005/04/does-it-outsourcing-actually-work.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2005/04/does-it-outsourcing-actually-work.html Project management techniques can determine the success or failure of an outsourced project. The discussion of IT outsourcing has been dominated by the advertisements of the companies selling it and the concerns of US workers. Less discussed is whether it makes sense for a US company to actually outsource major software projects. Wed, 13 Apr 2005 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2004/01/how-to-argue.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2004/01/how-to-argue.html Some tips on arguing, and how to avoid common logical errors. Wed, 14 Jan 2004 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2003/01/intelligence-is-not-enough.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2003/01/intelligence-is-not-enough.html Our products solve physical problems, not intellectual problems. Intelligent devices won't be useful until they can take action to achieve their tasks. This may be more difficult than making the device intelligent. Wed, 01 Jan 2003 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2002/03/were-getting-what-we-ordered.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2002/03/were-getting-what-we-ordered.html What food additives say about us as consumers. Wed, 20 Mar 2002 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/the_good_login.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/the_good_login.pdf A short paper on login best practices. Thu, 01 Mar 2001 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr049_audio.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr049_audio.pdf A discussion of using audio elements and sound tracks in modern interactive environments. Wed, 31 Jan 2001 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr048_osi.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr048_osi.pdf by David Neier, with Stephen Turbek The Open System Interconnection (OSI) model describes the way in which information travels across a network. This report illuminates some of the inner workings of your computer as it browses the Web. Mon, 29 Jan 2001 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr047_xml.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr047_xml.pdf XML, the eXtensible Markup Language is a simple, flexible, open system for sharing data between organizations. Though generally invisible to the user, it is rapidly changing the way information is exchanged and is used in thousands of applications. Mon, 22 Jan 2001 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr046_cryptography.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr046_cryptography.pdf Secure Internet transactions have been as important as the Web browser in making the Internet useful. This report gives an overview of Public Key encryption and a brief history of cryptography. Fri, 12 Jan 2001 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr042_telecoworking.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr042_telecoworking.pdf Collaboration with distant colleagues is one of the biggest challenges in the new workplace. Here are some ways to make it easier. Mon, 11 Dec 2000 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2000/12/analog-and-digital.html http://stephen.turbek.com/articles/2000/12/analog-and-digital.html What does it mean to be "digital"? Why has the word "analog" become synonymous with natural, old, or human? Why exactly is the future digital? Mon, 04 Dec 2000 12:00:00 EST http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr038_plugnplay.pdf http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr038_plugnplay.pdf Plug and Play technology is poised to make computers much simpler, if only we can agree on a standard. Mon, 06 Nov 2000 12:00:00 EST http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr037_cookies.pdf http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr037_cookies.pdf Cookies have been fingered as agents against personal privacy, but in reality, they work for you. Mon, 23 Oct 2000 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr031_scarcity.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr031_scarcity.pdf Digital media can be easily duplicated, making it difficult to control the supply. A new model for commerce must emerge. Mon, 02 Oct 2000 12:00:00 EST http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr023_game.pdf http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr023_game.pdf Games illustrate what a good interactive experience can be. Fri, 28 Jul 2000 12:00:00 EST http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr022_chicken.pdf http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr022_chicken.pdf The French culinary technique, the 'Gallantine'. Fri, 09 Jun 2000 12:00:00 EST http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr021_tufte.pdf http://stephenturbek.com/docs/rr021_tufte.pdf Notes from the work of the master of information graphics. Tue, 06 Jun 2000 12:00:00 EST http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr019_tacit_knowledge.pdf http://stephen.turbek.com/docs/rr019_tacit_knowledge.pdf by Ben Kleinman, Mary Quandt, Stephen Turbek, Neil Werhle Tacit knowledge is used in all communities to keep people informed and engaged. Tue, 25 Apr 2000 12:00:00 EST