UX Book Club Toronto: Thoughtful Interaction Design by Jonas Löwgren & Erik Stolterman April 26, 2010

UX Book Club Toronto will discuss Jonas Löwgren & Erik Stolterman's highly recommended "Thoughtful Interaction Design: A Design Perspective on Information Technology" after our choice caused the book to sell out in Canada, creating a shortage. It's not required to have read the book to participate, but you will get much more from the discussion if you have.

We'll head over to Sin & Redemption for socializing after the discussion portion of the evening.
http://maps.google.com/places/ca/toronto/mccaul-st/136/-sin-&-redemption

As usual, we will choose our next book at the meeting so come with suggestions of your favourite UX books to help us decide.
All people interested in user experience and design are welcome. Bring a friend -- you never know who's going to show up!

About Thoughtful Interaction Design
The authors of Thoughtful Interaction Design go beyond the usual technical concerns of usability and usefulness to consider interaction design from a design perspective. The shaping of digital artifacts is a design process that influences the form and functions of workplaces, schools, communication, and culture; the successful interaction designer must use both ethical and aesthetic judgment to create designs that are appropriate to a given environment. This book is not a how-to manual, but a collection of tools for thought about interaction design.

Working with information technology—called by the authors "the material without qualities"—interaction designers create not a static object but a dynamic pattern of interactivity. The design vision is closely linked to context and not simply focused on the technology. The authors' action-oriented and context-dependent design theory, drawing on design theorist Donald Schön's concept of the reflective practitioner, helps designers deal with complex design challenges created by new technology and new knowledge. Their approach, based on a foundation of thoughtfulness that acknowledges the designer's responsibility not only for the functional qualities of the design product but for the ethical and aesthetic qualities as well, fills the need for a theory of interaction design that can increase and nurture design knowledge. From this perspective they address the fundamental question of what kind of knowledge an aspiring designer needs, discussing the process of design, the designer, design methods and techniques, the design product and its qualities, and conditions for interaction design.

About UX Book Club

UX Book Club is for people interested in User eXperience (UX) design who want to SHARE their views and LEARN from each other.

Most of us are user experience professionals: information architects, interaction designers, visual designers, usability specialists, researchers and strategists, students, developers and educators. The only requirement is interest in improving your understanding of the UX practice in a fun, social environment.

http://groups.google.com/group/uxbcto

Official Website: http://guestlistapp.com/events/20055