Jen Siegel - The Ethical Implications of the Chatbot User Experience (
Feedback Survey)
Humans seem to love yelling at robots. We probably all have our own stories of asking inappropriate questions or saying mean things to chatbots. In fact, according to Dr. Sheryl Brahnam, Assistant Professor in Computer Information Systems at Missouri State University, 10%-50% of our interactions with conversational agents (CAs) are abusive. While we may not physically harm the AI behind these chatbots/virtual assistants, there could be unintended consequences of this behavior. Since most virtual assistants are female and our behavior towards machines can blend into our treatment of humans, I argue UX designers have an ethical responsibility to consider social problems in our designs. In this presentation, I will walk through this space - describing the current research and the open questions that remain.
Hoshedar Framroz Bamji - Brand in the age of UX & IxD (
Feedback Survey)
Companies invest millions of dollars to build brands that are unique and connect with the emotions and aspirations of their audiences. They attempt to carve a special space in the minds of their audiences to become a business that is relatable and connects on a subconscious level. In today’s digital world, the experience of a product/service has an impact on the brand perception of a company. With voice activated systems, wearable teach, and IoT; users experience a product/service/brand in a variety of mediums and proximities.
Sean Higgins - Psychology & UX - Research and Design (
Feedback Survey)
User experience and user-centered design are nothing without investigating the motivations, tendencies, and behavior of users. Dr. Nick Fine, a digital psychologist, computer scientist, and UX practitioner has suggested that web designers with no research background subsume the psychology of UX at the expense of good products and the users themselves. Can one create user-centered design without performing user research? Do small test samples obviate the need for rigorous, clinical testing, and do our personas arise from that testing? This presentation will look at both sides of the argument and attempt to bring together a suggestion for a symbiotic relationship between the "scientists" and the "designers."
