In retrospect 2009 has been a year to remember. I was looking forward to it before it began – a year full of promise. But I honestly didn’t expect it to turn out as well it has done.
Projects
During 2009 I’ve had opportunity to work on some very interesting projects. I started the year working with the NSW Department of Education on the redesign of their staff intranet, a project I commence work on in May 2008. Supporting the day-to-day activities of over 100,000 staff, the DET Intranet is a complex online system, and a challenge to reinvent.
Between February and April I was asked to help YHA Australia with a project that ultimately ended with the delivery of an experience lifecycle and technology strategy aimed at improving the service delivered to guests at YHA’s network of Australian youth hostels. The project became the topic of an article, and later a presentation.
April saw me back at the NSW Department of Education & Training working with Iain Barker on an Internet Strategy project. And then two follow-up pieces of strategy work around social media and communications from July through September.
I finished the year with a 7 week service innovation project in the financial services industry. And the last few weeks of the year have been spent lining up projects for 2010.
Community & Professional Development
2009 has also seen a lot of activity for me outside of projects, with a variety of community and professional undertakings. Right at the end of 2008 the UX Book Club was launched. Throughout the year it has continued to expand, now occurring in some 80 locations around the world. We estimate something like 150+ events have been held in the 13 months since launch – something I’m very proud of, but can take little credit for.
In March I attended my first international conference – IA Summit 2009 – in Memphis. I then headed down to Savannah, Georgia to give a presentation to students and faculty of the Savannah College of Art and Design as part of their Design Style lecture series. It was an honour to be invited by Dave Malouf, and I thoroughly enjoyed the visit.
Whilst in Savannah I had the pleasure of meeting the President of the Interaction Design Association (IxDA), Janna DeVylder. We had a long discussion about interaction design, community, and communication, which led to me joining the Communications initiative for the IxDA later that month. When the Director in charge of Communications stood down in May I put forward an application and was fortunate enough to be selected. So on May 7th I became a Director of IxDA – an important role in a fantastic organisation serving a vibrant and growing community.
I receive a lot of support, encouragement, friendship, inspiration & consolation from the global UX community – in all its diversity – so I was happy to be able to give something back through the mentoring programs of the IA Institute (IAI) and IxDA.
Writing
I had a goal for 2009 that I would write more. (I had the same goal last year, and it worked.) I published 4 articles in 2008, and something like 32 blog posts. I was pretty happy with that: 32 blog posts was double what I’d written in 2007; and the 4 published articles (all in UXmatters) was on par with 2007. As it stands today I’ve produced 18 articles and been quoted in two others in 2009; I have two more drafts nearly complete that may just see the light of day before 2010 rolls around. I’ve also managed to write 27 blog posts, not all of which were “Hey, I’ve written another article”.
This year saw my first contributions to Johnny Holland, kicking off with the somewhat surprisingly well-received article “Deconstructing Analysis Techniques“. All in all I’ve published 11 articles to JH this year – with those two drafts I mentioned previously still hanging out there. I was therefore happy and pleasantly surprised to be asked to join the editorial team at JH, which I did in May. I haven’t been tracking the articles I’ve edited and published for other people, but I love doing it.
I’ve also contributed a few pieces to UXmatters including a couple on audience segmentation models, with which I was quite happy. And published my first pieces to Boxes & Arrows and Andy Polaine’s The Designer’s Review of Books. And then I was honoured to be asked by Cindy Chastain to act as editor for her article in Boxes & Arrows – Experience Themes. It is still with a certain bemusement that I see myself listed as an Editor of B&A, and not something I’m crying about 
New Things
The major new thing for me in 2009 was the awesome debut of UX Australia – the conference I co-chaired with Donna Spencer in partnership with Andrew Boyd and Danielle Baty (my wife ). Nearly 200 people attended the event in Canberra, and experienced a conference that I’m really proud of. Planning for the 2010 conference – to be held at the Langham Hotel in Melbourne (Aug 25-27) is already well under way, and we hope to make it even better than our first effort.
Coming in late in the year was the (low key) announcement a couple of days ago of the new business I’m starting up with Iain Barker and Janna DeVylder. I’m really excited about this, and can’t wait to begin our first project together in January. We haven’t released any details as yet – just that we’re doing something
Personal Things
Far and away the biggest event in my personal life in 2009 has been the birth of my twin daughters – Alannah and Evelyn – on November 16. They’ve just passed the five week old mark and there are already noticeable differences in their size and physique since the birth. It is taking some getting used to, this business of having a family of my own, but an awesome experience.
As they get older they’re changing in subtle but perceptible ways, and I’m excited to have the chance to watch (and help) them grow and learn and do things along the way.
Danielle is doing an amazing job feeding and caring for two newborn babies at once. Caring for one can be a challenge; we’ve two and they’re both growing strongly and keeping healthy and happy – a testament to the success Danielle is having in her new role as Mama.
Things weren’t all smooth sailing, especially during the last 10 weeks of the pregnancy, but the girls were born naturally and without complications for them or Danielle.
The stress and busy-ness of those last few weeks – and since the birth – sees me 10kgs lighter today than I was at the beginning of September. In general this is a good thing, since I’ve been trying to reduce my weight all year – it’s just not the best way to go about it.
And finally…
I hope 2009 has been a good year for you. More importantly, and regardless of what this year has been like, I hope 2010 is better. As this year draws to a close I’m already looking forward to what 2010 has to offer – including three conferences (including my own). I hope you are too.