Speaker

Steve Herbst

 



ABSTRACT:

Perceived Quality:
Revealing what matters most

How might we identify and prioritize objective attributes underlying user perceptions of product quality? What tools and processes are needed to assure that this knowledge is manifested in the resulting product?

In this presentation, Steve will share some of the sophisticated methods applied at Motorola toward identifying and prioritizing physical quality attributes. He will highlight notable research findings, showing examples of products that directly benefited from this type of research, and discuss how such work has influenced new design concepts within his organization. In addition, Steve will describe the tools and processes that have proven successful to assuring that such research findings are systematically applied to all products (a particular challenge in a large, widely-distributed organization). Finally, this presentation will relate conclusions from the work to those from similar efforts that he has recently undertaken in the digital realm.

BIO:


An early interest in art and psychology, and a later-discovered affinity for statistics, led Steve to a career in Human Factors Research & Design. Steve cut his teeth professionally as a researcher at the worldís first consumer online service, Prodigy. Steveís next position took him to the surgical bedside, as a research manger at Dr‰ger Medical, a manufacturer of anesthesia workstations and patient monitoring equipment. In subsequent positions at AT&T, Philips, and now Motorola, Steve has been responsible for optimizing the user experience of mobile communication devices - a class of products that presents an unparalleled range of human factors design challenges.

Currently, Steve is a Senior Manager of Human Factors Research & Design in Motorolaís Consumer Experience Design organization (CXD). Steveís internationally-based team of researchers is responsible for forward-looking investigations into physical and digital mobile device design and interaction. His group has led highly successful initiatives to identify, prioritize, and tangibly illustrate the mobile device design attributes most critical to user satisfaction, and to leverage this knowledge in the development of new product concepts. In addition, Steve has led several targeted research initiatives - from in-home research on the needs of ëunconnectedí users in rural India, to sideline-based research on the communications needs of NFL coaches and players.

Steve received his BA in Psychology from the University of Delaware, and his MS in Applied Psychology/Human Factors from Stevens Institute of Technology. He holds several user interface patents and, with the invaluable support of staff and colleagues, has influenced the design of many highly successful products.

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