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New Nikon cameras speak Wi-Fi

New Nikon cameras speak Wi-Fi

Nikon on Thursday unveiled what it says are the world's first built-in Wi-Fi-enabled digital cameras to hit the market.


Cameras that use wireless connections to upload pictures or to print photos aren't new. Many models use Bluetooth technology to get the job done, but only a handful of companies are investing in Wi-Fi to connect cameras to other devices

But New York Times writer David Pogue isn't so sure Nikon will hit paydirt with its new Coolpix models. In a story published Thursday, Pogue assesses the P1, hailing the concept but saying that Nikon has "a lot of work to do...with the wireless element.
"The camera," he writes, "can't connect to a computer or printer until you first install the software on your computer, connect the camera through its USB cable, walk through a series of setup screens and name your connection (or, as Nikon calls it, your profile; the camera can memorize nine of them).
"This process is far more technical and jargon-laden than it needs to be; in fact, the whole ritual should be unnecessary. Why can't the P1 auto-detect and auto-join wireless networks the way palmtops and laptops can?"

TRIZ Innovation - methodology based on Patent Study

I met a guy at the innovation summit who introduced me to the concept of TRIZ- Theory of Inventive Problem Solving. I was amazed to find that a Russian innovator had arrived at this method based on the study of patents.

Triz is a methodology arrived after studying all successful Patents in the world and classifying them into 40 Innovative Principles that helps you define and solve problems.

The Features are:

1) Provides direct access to solution strategies of the best Inventors in the world.

2) Triz classifies Knowledge by Function ,hence we have access to the way the function is performed across different industries and systems.

3) Helps Predict trends in Technology Evolution

4) Triz proves that most of the time somebody somewhere has solved a problem like yours. Cross Industry solutions to your problem are most effective.

5) A Systematic problem definition and solution process offered by Triz , Reduces Risk

6) Triz shows evolutionary trends in Technology and hence helps focus your R&D

7) Provides Access to the solution strategies of the best Inventors of the world

Sonic Rim methodology for Innovation

Sonic Rim has an interesting methodology for understanding people and in turn innovating for them.

To get an in-depth understanding of day to day people's lives. We need to understand...

• What people say (traditional market research)
• What people do (applied ethnography)
• What people make (participatory design)

Innovation Summit in Bangalore

Sometime back CII conducted an innovation summit in Bangalore. It was a good start to address innovation as culture ( or lack of ) in the Indian organizations. But the summit lacked focus in terms of what it wanted to convey.

Innovation for Indian organizations is imperative, that's a known fact, but innovation means different things to different people. From product to process, any change is considered as innovation. The summit failed to address the incremental innovations versus radical innovations and its impact on the market and the economy.

What's Driving India's Rise as an R&D Hub? R&D in India:

We all know that Bangalore is becoming a R&D hub. But what is that which is attracting these big MNC's to set up cutting edge research centers in this city? And, are these research centers actually producing results? These are all good questions. This article tries to answer some of these questions.

The Curtain Rises, The Play Has Begun

"They're cool but without attitude"

IDEO, the 350 person design firm is changing the way corporate do business. They help them understand their customers better. It is much more than a design company. In the latest Business Week (May 17), they discuss how this small firm started by merger of David Kelly Design, which created Apple Computer inc first mouse in 1982, and ID Two, which designed the first laptop, has become a force to reckon with. They compare it to traditional management consulting companies such as Mckinsey, Boston Consulting, and Bain. Management consultants tend to look at the corporate world through a business-school prism. By contrast, IDEO advises clients by teaching them about the consumer world through eyes of anthropologists, graphic designers, engineers, and psychologists.

IDEO's Innovation Practice Tips

Observe people, customers and non-customers, especially enthusiasts.

Play with your physical workplace in a way that sends positive "body language" to employees and visitors.

Think "verbs", not "nouns" in your product and service offerings so that you create wonderful experiences for everyone who comes into contact with your company or brand.

Break rules and "fail forward" so that change is part of the culture, and little setback is experienced.

Stay human, scaling your organizational environment so that there's room for hot groups to emerge and thrive.

Build bridges from one department to another, from your company to your prospective customers, and ultimately from the present to the future.

Times when usability cannot improve an interface

Yes, with all the knowledge of user centered design, there are times when usability process cannot improve an interface. Usually this occurs when the business process (read features) of an application, software or a product itself is so convoluted that usability ( though one may try their best ), it may not improve an interface.

These are situations when its best to re- engineer the business process at the start of the user centered design process. Does it mean that usability professionals should be management consultants as well? The answer to this is yes and no. This should be a collaborative process where the usability expert can bring their expertise early and often in the process. Previous knowledge about the vertical helps and its good to develop pool of resources for a particular vertical.

Project Management Tool

I just explored a new project management and tracking tool called Basecamp designed by 37signals and I am ready switch from my present tool. The functions are so self evident and the interface does not comes in the way of doing things. The only drawback is that the tool has been designed from the perspective of an individual user and not company usage where it may be used and administrated in a group. I am sure the 37signals will be getting a lot of feedback from its happy customers and will make the changes in the next release.

Jacob Nielson also talks about (mis)use of statistics in usability studies

Risks of Quantitative Studies (Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox)

Easy to Use Remote Controls

Now Preening on the Coffee Table: The TiVo Remote Control
This NY time article gives a snapshot of a process to design a easy to use remote control. Even Nielsen gives it a good rating!!

Statistics, Lies and Video Tapes in Usability Testing - Part 2

Now something about the statistics part. Its great to show some graphs and charts as a part of the results in the usability testing report. But the best part is the selective use of statistics to prove a point. Sometimes it can be tricky. Its important to know how much data is important and in how many different ways it can be analyzed.

The timing of the task is only important when the task itself is time bound. Otherwise its just good to show the success rate of the task. I hardly use a stop watch during usability tests. Yeah... there was this one UT where we had to test ATM's and it was critical to time the tasks.

Well, the important part is that use statistics to make a valid argument . Use statistics when it’s statistically significant.

Statistics, Lies and Video Tapes in Usability Testing - Part 1

I dont know why organizations need tons of video taping for their usability evaluation sessions. They end up paying a lot of money and I wonder what happens to all those tapes a week down the line. Sometime back we were all having a good laugh when I suggested the idea that we should all make a reality TV show with all the funny, strange, and surreal comments we get during user testing.

I dont know if the reality show will solve this issue, but the reality is that NOT all user testing sessions need to be taped religiously. Unless of course the video equipment is free, the manager is gone on a vacation while you were testing and you need to convince him/her when they are back.

Simple usability tests give the best results. And all the more better when one starts early in the process of design. I know , i know.. that only happens in a utopian world, but thats what we all strive for.

So, best is to make quick notes, have a tight moderator protocol so that you know what to ask. And analyze the results as soon as possible so that all the comments are fresh in the memory and you have time to tear apart the design you have tested. And Make sure you annotate the findings with the screen shots with those cute little call outs. That will take the mind off of your managers from that infamous video tapes.