Geek Contraxioms: 7 Ways to Work Better with Developers

Bring your favorite developer, programmer or engineer to this special evening of fun and useful revelation. You will learn how to get more done together by adjusting to each other’s innate ways of thinking and communicating. In the end, you’ll be able to better articulate your value as a UX professional. Everyone knows that UX helps in bridging the gap between tech folks and just about everyone else. After this workshop, you’ll really be able to describe your important role.
 


You’ll discover:
• How mismatched assumptions lead to serious obstacles at work
• What seemingly trivial behaviors trigger massive roadblocks

• What small adjustments can make a huge difference in creating great product
• How important UX is in helping people, with different world views, work together more effectively
 


You’ll experience:

• A series of big aha moments, listening to the two presenters explain and enact the divide of technical and non-technical folks

• Exercises that reveal, release and resolve hidden dysfunction

• Practice new, more productive approaches of working together



About the presenters:

Paul Glen is the CEO of the Leading Geeks Company, an education and consulting firm devoted to unlocking the value of technical people. He is known worldwide as a Computerworld columnist and as an award-winning author.  His book “Leading Geeks: How to Manage and Lead People Who Deliver Technology” received several book awards including the Financial Times Germany International Book Prize.

Maria McManus is the VP of Program Development for Leading Geeks. She has spent 17 years working in close collaboration with technical people. Her experience includes being a Vice President of Usability and Product Development at iVillage and Director of User Experience Strategy and Design at the Disney Internet and Media Group.

About the venue:

CityGrid is the leading online local media company that connects businesses and consumers everywhere local happens. CityGrid Media provides an environment that’s strategic and innovative, diverse, supportive and collaborative, and most of all, fun! At CityGrid you: interact with smart people, work closely in small teams of very talented people that make a difference in the world – feel good at the end of the day!

This will fill up quickly. Space is limited to 60 people. Grab a seat while they last!
Drinks and mingling start at 7:00PM. The event will start promptly at 7:30PM, so please be on time.

Also, in order to see the correct times for all of our events, you will need to add your time zone to your account. You can do this by clicking on your name in the top left and then selecting Edit. Scroll all the way down till you see Locale Settings, then select America/LosAngeles as your time zone.

Parking details:
Free valet parking is first come, first serve.  Metered parking on Sunset — PLEASE BE CAREFUL PARKING ON SIDE STREETS, THEY TOW!  There is a paid public lot on Sunset 1 block east.

The Interaction Design Association (IxDA) is a member-supported organization committed to serving the needs of the international interaction design community. Subscribe to the IxDA discussion list to discuss issues, theories and methods about interaction design practice. Join the Los Angeles local group for events, resources, and jobs in greater Los Angeles.