Erik Klimczak - Design for Software

This edition first published 2013

2013 Erik Klimczak

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ISBN 978-1-119-94290-0 (paperback); ISBN 978-1-119-94369-3 (ebook); 978-1-119-94370-9 (ebook); 978-1-119-94371-6 (ebook)

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For Bob, Chris and Val
Without you, I wouldnt be me.

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About the Author

Erik Klimczak is an interaction designer and software developer who specializes in creating products and services that help make peoples lives easier. He is hugely passionate about the blurry part of design where cognitive behavior, fine art, and technology converge. Erik leads a design group in Chicago, where his unique skill set helps bridge the gap between highly inspiring creative and technical teams, from whom he learns something new every day. His work covers a vast range of creative and technical ground, which he has brought to bear for the entertainment, financial, health, consumer, and retail domains. When he is not at the whiteboard, Erik spends his time indulging in his passion for photography and music. You can get in touch with him via Twitter at @eklimcz.

About the Technical Reviewer

Jacob Gable is a Father, Amateur Philosopher and Creative Technologist living in Chicago, IL. He has created desktop, mobile and web based software of all kinds for small, large and just right companies across the world. He is a contributor to open source projects including jQuery Mobile, and creator of several useful libraries available on Github and Node Packaged Modules (NPM).

When hes not obsessing over some weekend hacking project he can usually be found Sailing or Biking around Chicago with his wife, Kristen, and daughter, Addison. He writes occasionally on technology and the meaning of life on his blog: http://jacobgable.com. You can get in touch with him via Twitter at @jacob4u2.

Acknowledgements

Even though my name is the only name on the cover of this book, I couldnt have done it without a lot of help.

First, a great deal of gratitude is owed to the hard-working team at Clarity Consulting whove been a constant source of inspiration long before the conception of this book.

Then theres good folks at Wiley, particularly Chris Webb and Jeff Riley, who helped turn my rambling thoughts and incoherent writing into a book my English teaches would be proud of.

My technical editor, Jacob Gable, whose complementary skill set and sage insight kept me honest and gave me encouragement through over a year of writing.

Thanks are also due to Sean Devlin and Raphael DAmico, who selflessly dedicated their time and artwork, which was crucial throughout the writing process.

Finally, there is one person without whom this book would never have happened: Valerie, whose love, friendship, encouragement, and numerous brain massages allowed me to carry on. Thank you.

Introduction

SINCE I CAN remember, Ive always had a special love for technology and design. In fact, my earliest childhood drawings werent made with crayon and paper but with my Grandmothers Apple II. Throughout my career Ive struggled with a bit of an identity crisisAm I a designer? Am I a developer? Could I be both? In college I had a hell of a time trying to sign up for courses that allowed me to get a dual degree in Computer Science and Fine Arts. For the next four years people would ask, Why are you wasting your time getting a Fine Arts degree? Physics is a much better compliment to computer science. Or Computer Science? What are you going to do with that? You should be thinking about getting experience at a design studio.

Out of college I was hired into a long-established software development company. In many ways, I was responsible for defining my own role within the company, educating people about design and how it fit into to their projects. Initially, there was some hesitancy and even animosity towards the presence of design in a well-oiled development process. But over time it became clear that having a design competency in the tech field gave us a unique advantage.

And here I am, writing a book about the intersection of design and software. I would have never guessedReminiscing about my story always a reminds me how just a few short years ago the coexistence of design and technology was a relatively foreign concept. And now weve come full circle, UI and UX design are first class citizens in the software world.