Among other things, I hope to bring my interests in and experiences with human-computer interaction to the company. A good software system (on the web, on the desktop, what have you) is only as good as it is useable.

Exactly what constitutes a well-designed, usable software system varies from context to context. No single set of guidelines or rules will suffice for every situation. However, that doesn’t prevent us from doing a good job and creating excellent interfaces that satisfy our users! A good design must fit somewhere within the fuzzy overlap between users’ contexts of use, their needs, and their wants. Making that happen while meeting the needs of all stakeholders involved takes a lot of work. But when you produce a system that makes users happy, then it’s well worth it.

I’m particularly excited to have the opportunity to think about these issues in the context of online learning. The interaction between technology and learning is an exciting space of seemingly limitless possibilities. In the future I hope to write about my experiences carving out those fruitful possibilities and providing our clients with new and exciting opportunities for online learning.