Mobile Phone Design: Inclusive design for everyday users of everyday mobiles – Thursday 22nd April 2010 - SOLD OUT

The UKUPA and System Concepts will host an evening packed with information and discussion on the benefits of inclusive mobile phone design. The event is to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by all users of everyday mobile phone technology, including but not restricted to those with disabilities, and how to design accordingly.

The first part of the evening will discuss the benefits of and barriers to using mainstream mobile phones, assistive mobile phone technology and available guidelines for inclusive design.

At the end of the session, representatives from mobile phone companies and providers will be given the opportunity to briefly discuss their current view and future plans for inclusive design as part of a panel discussion.

The event will offer an opportunity to define what is meant by inclusive mobile phone design; explore what is currently being done; what could be done in the future to improve inclusive design; how guidelines can be made more useful as well as how to improve access to assistive technology.

This event is being sponsored and hosted by Systems Concepts.

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About the speakers:

Chandra Harrison – UK UPA Accessibility Representative
Chandra is the UK UPA Accessibility representative and is passionate about encouraging inclusive design in all aspects of UCD. Over the past seven years Chandra has held user-centred design, research and testing roles for a range of companies covering web, mobile, product and software development, both client-side and in agencies. In New Zealand, she worked for Pulse Data developing assistive technology for people with visual impairment. In The United States, she worked for Siemens evaluating domestic appliances and healthcare software. And in the UK Chandra is a Principal Consultant at Flow Interactive working on a variety of research projects. She has also worked with members of the BBC mobile team to help raise awareness of inclusive design issues for their web offering. Chandra has published, presented and taught about UCD and accessibility in Europe, Asia and America.

Whan WK Stransom - User Experience Consultant, System Concepts
Whan WK Stransom is a User Experience Consultant at System Concepts in London. He holds a BA in Psychology from Yonsei University in Korea and a MSc in HCI with Ergonomics from UCL. He has worked on many accessibility and user experience research projects for a range of UK and global clients, such as the BBC, Samsung, Nokia, Microsoft and France Telecom.

Paul Harty – Usability Analyst, UK Design & Usability, Orange
Paul is a user experience professional specialising in user interface design, research and usability. Paul has been with Orange UK for 7 years, initially working as an user interface designer, until recently the lure of research and user centered service design saw him change roles and move permanently into the Usability team. Paul is extremely passionate about user centred design and usability. He has a vast amount of experience working on web and mobile platforms both as a designer and usability specialist. Paul would say he believes in designing products that first and foremost meet customers needs and requirements, whilst still looking for new innovative solutions, in order to deliver the best possible end-to-end customer experience.

Julian Harty – Senior Test Engineer, Google

Julian's a fool on behalf of our users, the users who would like technology to help them, divert them, entertain them, etc. Over the years he's helped test software, write software, and even document stuff - all with the goal of helping to get technology to adapt to the user, rather than the other way around. He's an active member of the software testing communities and has written, published and presented globally. Currently he works for Google as a senior test engineer. At Google he's been actively involved in mobile applications in Europe, and has helped lead the accessibility efforts with a particular focus on mobile devices and applications. He's the lead on several open-source projects related to accessibility, including test automation for web applications code.google.com/p/web-accessibility-testing/ and a DAISY 'talking book' reader http://code.google.com/p/android-daisy-epub-reader/ that runs on Android phones.

Other guest speakers:

Ed Chandler – Usability, RNIB

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Date: Thursday 22nd April 2010
Time: 6.30pm for 7pm start
Location: System Concepts Ltd, 2 Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R 0EZ

2 Savoy Court is just off the Strand in between the Savoy Tailors Guild and the Savoy Theatre (where Legally Blonde is currently on) further directions

Details also on our website http://ukupa.org.uk/events/

There is no charge for UPA members only. For non-members the cost is £10, and for student non-members £5 - payable at the door.

*SOLD OUT*

We are restricted to 50 attendees for this event so unfortunately we won't be able to admit anyone without a ticket.

If you have signed up but are unable to go please let us know so we can reallocate the ticket. 

You can also let us know if you would like to be added to the waiting list for returned tickets.

Contact Hannah at vice.president@ukupa.org.uk.

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