U-PODS: The Business of Usability
U-Pods is a new professional forum targeted at managers who want to improve their skills and knowledge. Aimed specifically at people in the field of usability, U-Pods comprises a number of small groups (or "pods"). People in each pod share their experiences, insights and problems in managing usability or human factors teams. In return, they get ideas and constructive support from their peers.
-- David Travis, October 15 2003
Membership of U-Pods is open to anyone, worldwide, who manages a usability or Human Factors group. So far more than 100 people have signed up of which 61 qualify for membership. At launch (October 1) Pod Members are from Canada, China, Finland, Mexico, Russia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. Members are from a diverse range of companies, including the BBC, Accenture, EDS, Lycos, Macromedia, Microsoft Game Studios, Motorola, Nokia, and Sprint PCS.
U-Pods was founded by a group of volunteers keen to improve the way usability is managed within organisations. The founder members are Ali Vassigh, Philip Hodgson and Scott Leazenby (from Whirlpool Corporation's Global Consumer Design organization), and usability consultants Todd Johnsgard and David Travis.
"People join U-Pods for a number of reasons. By finding out how their peers have tackled similar problems, members can address business issues with more confidence, knowing how others have solved the same challenges. And because each Pod comprises people from non-competing companies, members can have open, meaningful, and valuable discussions around subjects too sensitive for public forums."
— U-Pods co-founder Ali Vassigh.
"But members can do more than talk," continues Vassigh. "They can actually plan and do things, such as sponsor and share research."
The discipline of usability has been around for some time and organisations already exist to help usability professionals to network. But U-Pods is causing some excitement in the industry because it is the first time that usability managers have had a voice. U-Pods is a large organisation of managers with significant corporate resources. This means it can tackle industry-wide issues, helping create tools, processes and standards to promote the management of usability.
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