Once More, Wiz Feeling: Magical UX and the Internet of Things with Josh Clark

Designing for the “internet of things” means blessing everyday objects, places, even people with extraordinary abilities—requiring designers, as well, to break from the ordinary. Designing for this new medium is less a challenge of technology than imagination. For the digital manipulation of physical objects (and vice versa) effectively turns all of us into wizards. Through its magic, we can sling content between devices, bring objects to life from a distance, and weave “spells” by combining speech and gesture.

But magic doesn't have to be otherworldly; indeed, the UX of connected devices should build on the natural physical interactions we have everyday with the world around us. This new UX must bend technology to the way we live our lives, not the reverse. That kind of design thinking is exactly what designer and author Josh Clark will discuss in his talk for An Event Apart Boston 2015, “Magical UX and the Internet of Things.” Delve into the new experiences that are possible when anything can be an interface. Explore the values and design principles that amplify our humanity, not just our superpowers.

Josh is a designer specializing in mobile strategy and user experience. He's the author of Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps (O'Reilly, 2010) and Best iPhone Apps (O'Reilly, 2009). He founded and leads Global Moxie, a company that offers design services and strategic advice to help media companies, design agencies, and creative organizations build mobile apps and effective websites. Global Moxie's clients include Time Inc., eBay, Nokia, and Intuit, among others.

Before jumping onto the internet, Josh was a management consultant at Monitor Group in Cambridge, MA, and before that, a producer of national PBS programs at Boston's WGBH. He shared his three words of Russian with Mikhail Gorbachev, strolled the ranch with Nancy Reagan, hobnobbed with Rockefellers, and wrote trivia questions for a primetime game show. In 1996, he created the popular Couch-to-5K (C25K) running program, which has helped millions of skeptical, would-be exercisers take up jogging.

Magical as he is, Josh is but one of twelve extraordinary presenters appearing at An Event Apart Boston 2015. See them all! Following the two-day conference of twelve great sessions comes A Day Apart: Everything You Wanted to Know About Responsive Design…And Less!, led by Brad Frost (Atomic Design). You can register just for the two-day conference, just for A Day Apart, or save $100 when you sign up for all three days. Check the schedule for details, and save an additional $100 if you register now through March 16.