“Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes” said Groucho Marx or as the wikiquote page for Groucho tells us, the line was actually spoken by Chico Marx. This panel discussion will focus on the usage of eye-tracking to get quantifiable data to support what users see and what they don’t when they visit entertainment sites (e.g. sports, games, news, or book sites). While many entertainment sites use analytics to get information about user behavior, there is no way to measure the effectiveness of the visual aspect of their site. Users cannot rationally describe what they feel and what makes certain visual elements desirable; eye-tracking can help you measure such metrics. This panel will bring in user experience managers, directors, and/or vice presidents who have an eye-tracking lab or have used eye-tracking consultancies to get data to support the value of photography and video on their site.
Ania Rodriguez is a customer experience / market research expert with 13 years of experience consulting to C-level executives on the topics of UI Design, Usability and Online Marketing. She has worked with over 50 fortune 500 companies as well as start-ups to define their customer experience strategy. Her company, Key Lime Interactive, conducts user research and market research using both moderated and unmoderated approaches. Key Lime Interactive specializes in eye tracking user research for both web and mobile/tablets.
Jesse Zolna is currently Manager of User Research at BN.com in NYC. He has a Ph.D. in Engineering Psychology, aka Human Factors or Human-Computer Interaction, earned at Georgia Institute of Technology. Since 1999, he has conducted Qualitative and Quantitative research to improve consumer packaged goods, web sites, software, and hardware devices. Jesse is constantly seeking to develop new and innovative ways to uncover user needs, behaviors, and attitudes so that he can advise product designers about effective ways to improve user experiences.
Dr. Karl Steiner is the Manager of Usability for THQ Inc., a video game publisher. In his role at THQ, he is responsible for overseeing all usability/playability activities at THQ, evangelizing player research, and formulating best practices. In addition to conducting traditional observation-oriented usability tests and survey-oriented playability tests, Karl has an interest in the application of new technologies such as eye-tracking and biometrics to games research. He has been active in the research and professional community, contributing book chapters and conference papers, making presentations, and serving on committees for usability related organizations. When not busy with work, he can sometimes be found playing League of Legends and working to perfect his build of Cho’Gath, the Terror of the Void.
Kerin Smollen is one of the leading women in digital media user experience. She works at ESPN.com where she combines her love of sport and design, leading a team of Information Architects and Usability Analysts to deliver cutting edge projects in User Interface.Among many other projects,s he oversaw the user interface of the 2009-2010 World Cup ESPN site with world record viewing during the U.S.-Algerian match. Kerin is an accomplished athlete; in May she captained a 12-member team for the 192-mile Ragnar Race between New Haven, CT and Boston, MA and has previously taught and trained others in their own athletic pursuits.
