Even before taking on Cognitive Science, I've always known that I wanted to work with computers and the web. I started as a Computer Science student and discovered the Cognitive Science field and what it was doing for computers and the people using them. What amazed me about the web was how it was a collective and shared space. I think the internet has augmented the lives of so many people, making it one of the most widely used tools for relieving cognitive load. It has streamlined the way we send and receive information, making us faster, more efficient and ultimately making life "easier".
Inevitably, eyes were opened.
When I discovered usability, it made total sense to me. Not only does it have its application in everyday objects, but it made sense to pair this concept up with the internet. Just like when an eraser was first attached to a pencil to make it an easier tool to write with, user-centered design attached to a website or application made it an easier tool to use.
I was born in Long Beach, grew up in Honolulu, and returned to spend a few awkward years in LA, and spent the next 67% of my life so far in San Diego.
*This is a dramatization.
I'm a media collector. I buy the music I like. I own the movies I love. I have every season of television shows I follow loyally. Cataloging it all is a bonus.
Balboa Park is easily one of my favorite places on the planet. I go out of my way to take walks here. It's been a good place for me to think and find some clarity.
I'm a comic book fan. X-Men books are my bias. I've been attending San Diego Comic-Con since 1999.
My favorite books are the Earthsea Cycle and the Dragonriders of Pern series. My father raised me on Piers Anthony and Tolkien.
Before you ask, it's an okapi.
"Good navigation and website design make it easier for users to find what they're looking for and to buy it once they've found it."Donahue, 2001
"What users want is convenience and results."Jef Raskin
"Any darn fool can make something complex; it takes a genius to make something simple."Albert Einstein
"The benefits of usable technology include reduced training costs, limited user risk and enhanced performance."Vice president Al Gore, 1998
"One thing a computer can do that most humans can't is be sealed up in a cardboard box and sit in a warehouse."Jack Handy
"Don't make me think."Steve Krug
"Make it as simple as possible. But no simpler."Albert Einstein
"If the user can't use it, it doesn't work."Susan Dray
"Most software needs to be spanked."Alan Cooper
"The most common user action on a Web site is to flee."Edward Tufte, Information Design Guru
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