From Publishers Weekly ”Like Thoreau and the band Devo, psychology professor Schwartz provides ample evidence that we are faced with far too many choices on a daily basis, providing an illusion of a multitude of options when few honestly different ones actually exist. The conclusions Schwartz draws will be familiar to anyone who has flippedContinue reading “Barry Schwartz: The Paradox of Choice”
Author Archives: smeade
Qualities of Great Software Design
What makes a great web application? From David Verba, Director of Technology, Adaptive Path: ”A successful product depends on the experience your users have and how well your product serves their needs.” ”Don’t try to be everything to everybody.” Selections from Robert Hoekman, Jr., interaction designer and usability specialist: ”It conforms to the way usersContinue reading “Qualities of Great Software Design”
Making of a Web App: Sales Team Collaboration Software
It’s difficult to talk about web application design in this Making of a Web App series without first describing the application. Other designers have hidden their plans while sharing their process by offering vague design decisions and small, blurry screenshots. The results are less than satisfactory so in this series we’ll share the details ofContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Sales Team Collaboration Software”
Web Application Design: Focus
“The focus should not be on features, the focus should be on focus. An obvious application is a focused application. It is easy to explain to other people. It makes sense to those using it because the purpose of the tool is self-evident, and nothing in it strays from that purpose. Every feature supports theContinue reading “Web Application Design: Focus”
Making of a Web App: Introduction
Synap Software is designing a web application and in the flavor of Bare Naked App, I am documenting the experience from idea through design and deployment. Starting at the point where the idea and market has been selected and the technology choices have been made, this series will follow the design and development of theContinue reading “Making of a Web App: Introduction”
Software Design: Grant Peace of Mind
I understand about indecision But I don’t care if I get behind People living in competition All I want is to have my peace of mind – “Peace of Mind”, Boston Avoid Indecision, Grant Peace of Mind If you are a software designer, your goal should be to have every page have one purpose. ThisContinue reading “Software Design: Grant Peace of Mind”
Google Gears
Google Gears Google Gears javascript libraries transparently create and update a local database. Developers simply execute SQL against a local database. Google Gears’ database module takes care of prompting the user for permission, creating the database, and executing the SQL. Google Gears also provides a local server module to cache web content and then serveContinue reading “Google Gears”
Destroy…transform…condense…make it more substantial.
”When you begin a picture, you often make some pretty discoveries. You must be on guard against these. Destroy the thing, do it over several times. In each destroying of a beautiful discovery the artist does not really suppress it, but rather transforms it, condenses it, makes it more substantial.” – Pablo Picasso Code thatContinue reading “Destroy…transform…condense…make it more substantial.”
RailsConf
I have just returned from three days of RailsConf 2007 in Portlant, Oregon and wanted to share my overall impression of this very well-done event. There were four tracks, so no one could have attended all sessions. So, I won’t be sharing a play-by-play summary of each of the sessions. The guys over at OnRails.orgContinue reading “RailsConf”
Starbucks Everywhere
In most airports this space between the “up” and “down” escalators would be an unoccupied, dusty corner. Not here at Portland’s airport. btw I’m here for RailsConf 2007. Full reports on the next three days of geek-speak to follow.
Synap Software, LLC 