CHI 2005 | Development Consortium

April 2-7 | Portland, Oregon, USA

UXnet: Making Connections
Whitney Quesenbery
UXnet UPA,
Whitney Interactive Design
New York City Area, NY, USA
whitneyq@wqusability.com

Richard Anderson
UXnet, SIGCHI, Riander
San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
riander@riander.com

ABSTRACT

Beth Mazur
UXnet, STC
Washington DC Area, USA
beth@idblog.org

encourage joint sponsorship of events, and host First
Friday social networking events.

This position paper for the CHI2005 Development
Consortium describes the vision that led to the formation of
the User Experience Network (UXnet) and cross-disciplinary
needs it addresses, for individual practitioners and for theongoing development of the field as a whole.

• Events Calendar and Group Directory –a searchable
listing of UX-related organizations and events. This
ambitious technical vision is being implemented in stages,
working towards a site that allows visitors to identify
locations, organizations and topics of personal interest tothem. 1

Author Keywords: UXnet, User Experience Network
ACM Classification Keywords

A third initiative addresses a structural goal of encouraging
cooperation among the organizations

K.7.2. The computer profession: organizations• Organization Collaboration – facilitating cooperation
among UX-related professional organizations.

INTRODUCTION

User Experience (UX) is an emerging field concerned withimproving the design of anything people experience: a website, a toy, or a museum. UX is inherently interdisciplinary,synthesizing methods, techniques, and wisdom from many
fields, ranging from brand design to ethnography to libraryscience to architecture and more..

Although each society has value in serving a specificdiscipline or perspective on user experience, we also see thevalue in making connections between these organizations forjoint conferences, shared meetings, advocacy initiatives,
cooperative publications…the possibilities are endless. We
believe that these connections will only strengthen eachorganization by providing additional breadth and member
benefits. This process already goes on informally. UXnet canbecome a common ground to facilitate these efforts.

In finding colleagues and organizations, there are many, rich
options for UX professionals to choose from. The User
Experience Network (UXnet) starts from the principle thatfacilitating connections is key to increased value: for the
profession, for organizations, for businesses and forindividuals. We can all benefit from supporting ourcolleagues from all parts of the user experience world.

HISTORY: THE ROAD ALREADY TRAVELLED

In the fall of 2001, Lou Rosenfeld began a discussion of themeaning of user experience among a variety of practices andorganizations. This free-ranging discussion covered practicalissues, philosophies and tried to understand what shapecollaboration or coordination might take. The groupconsidered three metaphors to describe the emerging vision:

One of the goals for UXnet is to provide a “home” for the big
picture or strategic discussions that, by their very nature,require cross-disciplinary communications. On virtually
every professional e-list, the question of “the big picture”
overtook more targeted discussions, as each community
struggled to understand both the complete field and thecontribution its skills brought to it.

• Linked arms. The concept that all of the skills representinter-related aspects of creating a product and the users’
experience of it. (See Figure 1)

At the same time, there are some practical tools that can
provide immediate value to both practitioners andorganizations. Two have been defined and launched. Each ofthese initiatives has intrinsic value, and meets specific needs
expressed, sometimes forcefully, by UXnet supporters.

• Super-SIG. An umbrella organization that would bring
together all of the organizations and skills.
• Interfaith Council2. A forum for the leaders of the“linked” communities.

• Local Ambassadors –a network of representatives tofacilitate collaboration in local areas: coordinate meetings,
1

Keith Instone’s position paper “User Experience: Anumbrella topic” covers this initiative.

Copyright is held by the author/owner(s).
CHI 2005, April 2–7, 2004, Portland, Oregon, USA.
ACM 1-59593-002-7/05/0004.

2

The name was a word play on the fervently held (evenevangelical) views of many of the participants.

1098

CHI 2005 | Development Consortium

April 2-7 | Portland, Oregon, USA

the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) in Pittsburgh or the
Design Council in the UK which serve to both shape andcommunicate critical issues in their fields.
One long-term vision to meet this challenge is a “UX
Institute.” Such an organization could not only bring
together the UX disciplines, but also work other fields (suchas software and product development, marketing and others)
to create a better understanding of how they contribute to
great (not just good) products.
Where the current organizations are focused on a single
aspect of UX, and on the critical goal of serving theirmembers, UXnet is focused on the overview and therelationships between the disciplines.

Figure 1. The “linked arms” visualization

In mid-2002, Lou Rosenfeld invited a group of people to join
him in creating something new. He wrote, “I'm hoping we
can create a small, agile, and strategic team that believes inthe value of a truly interdisciplinary approach to user
experience design…It's absolutely not foolish or overly
ambitious to believe that we can do things that will make a
big impact for thousands of our fellow professionals.”3

CONCLUSION

The general idea of a UXnet as a way to connect individuals
and organizations from many different disciplines under theuser experience umbrella has always been a compelling one.
However, despite enthusiasm for the idea, it has been hard to
move from discussion to action, and harder to define concretegoals. The UXnet Executive Council concluded that only big
goals, a mission that would make a substantial difference,
were worth the effort that bringing together so many(sometimes competing) interests. Along with a large group of
volunteers, we have begun the work of networking in thecommunity and building collaborative tools to support thatcooperation. The next steps will require commitments fromthe organizations, and a plan to achieve the potential of the
UXnet vision.

The results of that work was “soft launched” on June 21,
2004, with a web site (www.uxnet.org) to communicate the
UXnet vision, individual supporters, and several
organizations informally supporting the effort.
THE JOURNEY AHEAD

One thing became obvious the early discussions: this could
not be a small vision. UXnet can only succeed if it adds towhat current organizations already offer, and creates
something greater than the sum of the parts. The UXnet
Roadmap (see supplemental material) maps out a three year
strategic plan and long-term vision. In addition toorganizational development activities, it identifies three mainareas of focus:

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This paper is based on a discussion lasting several years
among many people. First among them is Lou Rosenfeld,
who first brought the group together. The Executive Councilof UXnet is Richard Anderson, Keith Instone, Dirk
Knemeyer, Beth Mazur and Whitney Quesenbery.

• Building the network: networking the idea in thecommunity and facilitating the discussion of sharedprofessional interests. Long term ideas include symposia
or “UX retreats” to continue to develop UX concepts.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION• Reaching out: sharing best practices, communicating UXprinciples both within the community and to a broadening
base. Long term ideas include educational programs forpractitioners and business colleagues.

The following supplemental information will be madeavailable to Development Consortium participants.
• Organizational Models – A summary of different
approaches to creating an organization.

• Influencing others: influencing public policy, advocacy,
fostering UX research and development, promoting thebest work in the field through recognition programs.

• UXnet Roadmap – A three year strategic plan and longterm goals, released January 2005.
• UXnet Governance – A preliminary diagram of thestructure and leadership of UXnet, released January 2005.

LONG TERM VISION: THE INSTITUTE

One of the challenges in developing user experience as afield is that this work is inherently multi-disciplinary,. It
cannot be effectively led by any of the current organizations,as each is centered on one aspect of the field. However,
without an umbrella under which this work can be done, thefield will never gain the maturity and public stature it
deserves. Other fields have their thought leaders, for example
3

Private communications, dated June 8, 2002

1099

UXnet: Making connections
Supplemental Information
Beth Mazur
Society for Technical Communication, UXnet
AARP
Arlington, VA
bowseat@bethmazur.com

Whitney Quesenbery
Usability Professionals’ Association, UXnet,
Whitney Interactive Design
78 Washington Ave, High Bridge, NJ 08829
whitneyq@wqusability.com

Organizational Models
As the User Experience Network (UXnet) was in formation, the executive council1 considered several
different organizational models for the new organization.
Most of the organizations where we had substantive experience were based on an individual
membership model. For all of them, serving these individual members with binding member benefits(including professional development, education and outreach) is the core mission.
UXnet would be a different kind of organization, one more focused on the development of the field andin collaboration among individuals and associations. As we considered how to meet the needs of boththe bottom up (individual) and top down (organizations) constituents, the executive council looked in
depth at five organizations with similar missions, but very different organizational approaches.

Group

PurposeHow

Customers

ICOGRADA

awareness (bringassociations
together)umbrella groupprofessional societies

Design Management
Institute

make money,
publish, educate(corporate) memberships,
tightly held assets (pay toread)managers

Corporate Design
Foundation

education

publishing and good works

sponsors (public)

Software Engineering
Institutechange the world(software industry)

government funding,academic linkage

software industry

Move Onchange the world

donationsactivists (politicians)

1

The Executive Council of UXnet includes (as of January 2005) Richard Anderson, Keith Instone, Dirk Knemeyer, Beth
Mazur and Whitney Quesenbery. Other participants in the discussions included Lou Rosenfeld, Challis Hodge, Nigel Bevan
and George Olsen. Beth Mazur led the project to gather organizational models.
1

ICOGRADA(International Council of Graphic Design Associations)
Governance: Board of Directors
ICOGRADA's Executive Board consists of individuals who are duly nominated and elected by
ICOGRADA member associations at the biennial ICOGRADA General Assembly. Members of the
Executive Board serve in a volunteer position and donate their time and expertise to further
ICOGRADA 's mandate. Board meetings are typically held four times a year in different locations
around the world, usually in conjunction with regional meetings, seminars, or other scheduled design
events.
Funding: Membership, sponsorship, and donation\
Membership: ICOGRADA is an association of independent Member associations, forming a global
network. More than 70 Member associations in over 45 countries share common concerns,
commitments, and standards. Professional design organizations join ICOGRADA as Full Members withvoting rights. Promotional or technical organizations join as Associate Members with voting rights. Nonvoting Members include: Patron Members, who contribute financially; Subscriber and Education
Members, engaged in education, the raising of standards, or design research and practice;Corresponding Members, residing in a country not represented by a Member organization; and Affiliate
Members, international organizations concerned with professional practice in fields related to graphic
design.
The ICOGRADA Foundation was established in 1991 for the advancement of worldwide understanding
and education through the effective use of graphic design. The Icograda Foundation charity registeredwith the Charity Commission for England and Wales. It obtains funds from corporate sponsorships,
individual donations, legacies, and various fundraising activities.
Friends of ICOGRADA is a worldwide network of individuals and corporations who share a common
interest in graphic design and visual communication. Friends support ICOGRADA and desire tocontribute to ICOGRADA and its worldwide aims. Anyone who wishes to support ICOGRADA and who
agrees with ICOGRADA 's aims and values can become a Friend of Icograda on a contribution basis.
ICOGRADA 's Purpose
Icograda is the world's non-governmental and non-political representative and advisory body forgraphic design and visual communication. It serves the worldwide community of graphic designers. In
doing so, ICOGRADA aims to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

raise the standards of design, professional practice, and ethics
raise the professional status of the graphic designer
further the appreciation of designers' professional achievements
extend design's contribution to understanding among people
promote the exchange of information, views, and researchcontribute to design education - theory, practice and researchcoordinate matters of professional practice and conduct
establish international standards and procedures
hold congresses, conferences, seminars, and symposia
publish and distribute information concerned with graphic design.

URL: http://www.icograda.org/web/ and http://www.friends.icograda.net/web/home.shtml

2

DMI (Design Management Institute)
Governance: Staff plus advisory council
DMI has a 6-person staff, including president, a board of directors and an advisory council
Funding: Membership and educational revenue
There are several membership types:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Professional Individual
Professional Group
Professional Organization
Forum
Student
Academic Individual
Academic Group

DMI’s Purpose
Founded in 1975, the Design Management Institute (DMI) has become the leading resource andinternational authority on design management. DMI has earned a reputation worldwide as amultifaceted resource, providing invaluable know-how, tools and training through its conferences,seminars, membership program, and publications. DMI is a nonprofit organization that seeks toheighten awareness of design as an essential part of business strategy.
The DMI strategy is at once practical and dynamic – in touch with technological and business realities,
and driven by a deep commitment to managing for design excellence. DMI brings together design andbusiness professionals from corporations, consultancies, the public sector, and universities – across all
categories of design – who are interested in advancing their understanding and providing greater value
to their organizations, and participating in a community of professionals sharing their knowledge.
The DMI mission statement is:
VisionImprove organizations worldwide through effective management of design for economic growth.
MissionBe the international authority, resource and advocate on design management.
Objectives•

Assist design managers to become leaders in their profession.

•

Sponsor, conduct and promote research.

•

Collect, organize and make accessible a body of knowledge.

•

Educate and foster interaction among design managers, organizational managers, public policy
makers and academics.

•

Be a public advocate for the economic and cultural importance of design.

URL: http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm

3Corporate Design Foundation
Governance: Board of directors.
No mention of staff on website.
Funding: Sponsorship/donation.
Support for Corporate Design Foundation takes the form of both charitable contributions andparticipation in the development of programs.
Corporate Design Foundation’s Purpose “It is the mission of the Foundation to improve the quality oflife and effectiveness of organizations through design. At the heart of this mission is a desire to expand
the awareness of design through the education of corporate leaders, managers and public sector
executives. Through its programs, the Foundation promotes the research and documentation of the
impact of design in business, and the development of new teaching curricula and materials for use inbusiness education.”
Accomplishments
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

In 2002, launched Natural Design Consortium, to establish multidisciplinary courses onsustainable product development and sustainable architecture
In 2002, collaborated with Carnegie Mellon University and Rochester Institute of Technology, toproduce The Business Edge, a nationally broadcast teleconference to 43 locations illustrating
the impact of design on business. Sponsored by NEA.
Since 1995, publish @issue: The Journal of Business & Design, the first publication written forcorporate executives about design, sponsored by Sappi. Current circulation 60,000 with anadditional 40,000 distributed at business schools and conferences.
Collaborated with Rochester Institute of Technology to produce the teleconference Business,
Design and Communication, a program dedicated to educating executives and students about
the effect of design on successful business.
Organized the National Forum on Design (1995-1997) with the National Endowment for the Arts
and General Services Administration aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of government
through workplace design.
Organized the first conference for university faculty about teaching interdisciplinary courses,
including design and business, and published the results of this conference and research as
Teaching Collaborative Product Development (1994).
1991-1998, offered the annual Design Leadership Symposium, to bring business school faculty
together with designers and business executives to discuss design practice and businessschool teaching about design, sponsored by IBM.
Since 1990, distributed over 500 design related books to 50 business school and public libraries
as part of the Library Initiative.
Developed a library of business school case studies and videos that examine the impact ofeffective design on successful business.
Produced Winning through Innovation, a program for corporate executives develop a framework
for thinking strategically about design and innovation.
Facilitated development of the first interdisciplinary courses bringing together students andfaculty in design, business, and engineering.
Collaborated with business school faculty to establish the first full-length courses at businessschools about design and business. The Foundation continues to collaborate with over 250
faculty at 70 business schools.

URL: http://www.cdf.org/
4Software Engineering Institute
Governance: Staff, funders.
SEI now has four offices in US and Europe
Organizations that sponsor and otherwise oversee SEI operations, include the following:•

Office of the Secretary of Defense/Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (OSD/AT&L)•

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)•

Joint Program Office (JPO)•

Carnegie Mellon University•

Board of Visitors

Funding: Grant-funded.
The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) is a federally funded research and development center
sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics [OUSD (AT&L)].
SEI’s Purpose
The SEI's core purpose is to help others make measured improvements in their software engineering
capabilities.
Vision The right software, delivered defect free, on time and on cost, every time.To be successful,
integrated teams of developers, acquirers, and software users must have the necessary software
engineering skills and knowledge to ensure that the right software is delivered to end users.
Mission The SEI is a preeminent software engineering R&D technology center.
The SEI provides the technical leadership to advance the practice of software engineering so the DoD
can acquire and sustain its software-intensive systems with predictable and improved cost, schedule,
and quality. The SEI mission includes four objectives:
1. accelerate the introduction and widespread use of high-payoff software engineering practices
and technology by identifying, evaluating, and maturing promising or underused technology andpractices
2. maintain a long-term competency in software engineering and technology transition
3. enable industry and government organizations to make measured improvements in theirsoftware engineering practices by working with them directly
4. foster the adoption and sustained use of standards of excellence for software engineering
practice
The SEI works closely with DoD engineering organizations. In addition, the SEI offers continuing
education courses based on matured, validated, and documented solutions. The SEI also licenses the
packaging and delivery of new and improved technologies, working with developers and acquirers aswell as with transition partners -- DoD and industry organizations that help others adopt newtechnology.
URL: http://www.sei.cmu.edu/sei-home.html

5Move On
Governance: Staff
Small staff (four at MoveOn.org, plus others at MoveOnPac)
Funding: Donations.
Because MoveOn.org has only a tiny staff, our basic operating costs are very low. You can support ourwork with a secure online contribution. Almost all of our funding comes through these donations frompeople like you.
MoveOn’s Purpose
MoveOn is working to bring ordinary people back into politics. With a system that today revolves around
big money and big media, most citizens are left out. When it becomes clear that our "representatives"
don't represent the public, the foundations of democracy are in peril. MoveOn is a catalyst for a newkind of grassroots involvement, supporting busy but concerned citizens in finding their political voice.
Our nationwide network of more than 2,000,000 online activists is one of the most effective andresponsive outlets for democratic participation available today.
URL: http://www.MoveOn.org

6