Usability and Information Design | 10 in 10 Vlog Segment

David Sturtz is a product manager with Geonetric, a software development company which offers proprietary content management systems for hospitals and health care systems.  A graphic designer, certified Scrum (agile development) master, information architect, and usability professional, David leads the development team at Geonetric.

You know how this goes.  I ask someone really talented (like David) about their skills and interests.  They answer.  You get a peek at some of the best marketing/Web/creative talent east-central Iowa has to offer.  And the pool here is a lot deeper than you might think!

So take a look.  You’ll learn about design thinking, and what your consumers need from your Web site.

Questions for David:

• You hold a BA in Graphic Design and an MA in Library and Information Science. How do those two tracks work to further your career objectives?
• What skills and experiences do you think are must-haves for college graduates and entry-level workers of tomorrow?
• What can you tell us about the terms “visual thinking,” and “ideagraphics?” You use the term “design thinking” on your site.
• Do you think images can play a stronger role in communicating messages than simple aesthetics?
• Name your favorite website – or two – and tell us why you enjoy it.  This can be for practical or aesthetic reasons.
• What areas of Web development do you feel remain largely untapped?
• What can we learn about the library that we most likely forgot (or never learned, considering the computer age)?
• Thinking about your own professional growth, what would you like to learn more about or experiment with?

A few interesting resources:
Boxes and Arrows
Information Architecture Institute
A List Apart
The Usability Professionals’ Association
Interaction Design Association
Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox
Luke W

I hope you enjoy my interview with David.  He’s a smart cookie, spanning the gap between technology, business requirements, and user needs.

Have a suggestion for the next video?  Let me know who I should interview!