On Tuesday, February 10, 2009, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm, the Michigan Usability Professionals’ Association will host Introduction to Usability: An Interactive Discussion at Quicken Loans in Livonia, Michigan.

Interested in learning the basics and benefits of user-centered design and how to introduce it into your organization? This is the event you want to attend!

Mike Beasley, the president of the Michigan UPA, and Dave Mitropoulos-Rundus, owner and principal of UsableWorld, will lead the discussion. Learn about:

• What is usability? Can you touch it? Can you measure it?
• How can you incorporate it into your organization?
• “Usability,” “User Experience,” “Human Factors,” “Information Architecture?” What do these words and phrases mean?
• What can my website analytics tell me about the usability of my site?
• How can you use user tasks and goals to organize your website?

Food and networking begins at 6:00pm, program at 7:00pm.

The introduction to the basics of usability will be followed by a Q&A session. Audience members will set the agenda for this discussion through the questions you bring, so come prepared!

Location: Quicken Loans, 20255 Victor Parkway, Livonia, MI 48152 (map)

Directions: Exit 7 Mile East from I-275. North on Victors Parkway from 7 Mile. At the Quicken Loans building, enter main door, go to 3rd floor, meeting will be in the “Puerto Rico Room”

Cost: $10 for MIUPA members, $5 for full-time non-working students, $15 for all others

RSVP via email

Interested in attending a web-focused conference in southeastern Michigan with top industry speakers, practitioners, and authors? Looking for a complete package of Internet user experience design training, case studies, and real-world examples?

Join us at the fifth annual Internet User Experience 2009 at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan the week of March 30, 2009 to April 3, 2009.

Organized by the Michigan Usabiity Professionals Association , the conference promises a week of keynote presentations, panels, training sessions, and tutorials on developing effective, compelling and profitable websites for businesses.

I’ve attended the event three of the five years, and really enjoyed meeting fellow web professionals from Michigan and outside of our state.

The conference is invaluable for

• company website managers and stakeholders
• product managers
• marketing professionals
• advertising professionals
• web developers
• web designers
• user experience professionals
• information architects
• professional communicators
• students in any program

Experts in user experience design, online branding, mobile design, field research, effective web writing, and social media will lead sessions at the conference.

Tutorials are also available to attendees with 1/2 day and full-day workshops before and after the main conference days.

Discounts are available for Usability Professionals Association members and several other organizations, as well as full-time non-working students.

The event will be held at the Morris Lawrence Auditorium at Washtenaw Community Colllege (map).

Registration is open at Internet User Experience conference website. Register before March 10 and receive a free copy of Susan Weinschenk’s new book, “Neuro Web Design: What Makes Them Click?”