STC Usability SIG Newsletter
Usability Interface

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Report from the New Jersey Usability SIG Meeting

Discussion on "Do We Still Matter" hosted by Dr. Charles Kreitzberg, CEO of Cognetics

The New Jersey Usability SIG met September 23 at the office of Cognetics in Princeton Junction, for a presentation by Dr. Charles Kreitzberg on the topic of "Do We Still Matter?" Ably assisted by Anne Pauker-Kreitzberg, CEO of Alignment Advantage, Dr. Kreitzberg presented his case for a qualified "yes" answer.

The discussion focused several key factors that affect businesses (and the usability profession) today:

• Commoditization of IT
• Outsourcing
• Increased competition with other usability practitioners
• The technology meltdown since mid-2001
• Business changes represented by the cases of Enron, Worldcom, and others.

As always, the meeting was a lively discussion of research, happenings, and possibilities. Charlie presented a blueprint for usability professionals who would like to evolve into the kinds of professionals who will succeed in this changing market: acquire business skills, improve influencing skills, become experts in project management and business process re-engineering. Overall: increase the breadth of our professional vision so that we offer a complete solution.

Anne presented ideas about how we can better network and market ourselves. Primarily, it is clear that our skills as translators are needed. Line management tends not to communicate well with IT and system vendors. There is an important role to be played, and we are the people who should play it.

We look forward to having Charles and Anne join us for a future meeting in which we can explore these ideas further.

For more information about the New Jersey Usability SIG see UsabilityNJ@yahoogroups.com.