Interview at Stanford News by Brooke Donald

Excerpts from our Interview at Stanford News Check the last Problem Solvers section.

 

Problem solvers 

Ignite alumnus Raj Lal, a Silicon Valley software engineer, said the program changed his perspective about starting a business. "There's a lot more to it than having a great idea, making an app, selling it and getting rich," he said.

"Sure, that works for some people, obviously, and it becomes a big story and everyone thinks that's the formula for success. But it's not reality for most people, not for 99 percent of the people."

 Lal said the program taught him the importance of teamwork and about filling a void. "You start with a problem that you're trying to solve," he said. "Basically, you find out what the customer wants, then build according to that. Don't build something, then try to find customers."


 Soon said she entered the program wanting business skills but not necessarily to start her own venture. "I thought if I had ideas, someone else would eventually make the product. I'm not capable of doing that," she said. "But the course gave me encouragement and motivation." She said the program also gave her the resources and confidence she needed to try entrepreneurship, and provided connections to like-minded people.

She, Lal and Lee continue to meet with Ignite alumni at monthly networking event. "The program was really inspiring," said Lee, who received a master's degree in electrical engineering from Stanford. "I learned so much I can't believe it was only nine weeks. It felt like nine months." - Read the complete interview at: Stanford News

Interview with Raj Lal on Designing User Friendly Interfaces at HOW Interactive Design by Erin Prus

Interview at HOW Interactive Design making User-Interface design more user-friendly

Excerpts

How does a good User Interface translate into a great user experience?

A User Interface is when a user interacts with an application. It can be used both to consume information, and to interact with the application. It can be both visual and non-visual. The role of a good User Interface (UI) is to get the information and interaction to the user first. Steve Jobs once said that good design is not how it looks, but how it works. A good UI adheres to this same principle. It has a basic purpose to help the user.

What is the architecture of an application in terms of user interface?

We have used an Architecture view for each User Interface. The architecture, in terms of User Interface, is the key elements of the application. You’ll need to know these in order to create multiple versions of the application. Once you know the main elements, then the final application can be of any shape and size, but still function the same. It also gives a top view of the User Interface, how the application fits in the bigger picture, and interacts in the real world. For example, a checkout application is a key aspect of online commerce, but it is still only one part. The other parts of e-commerce also need to be understood in order to create a great ecommerce experience.

Check the complete interview