In the November 7, 2006 election, an unexpectedly large number of people in Sarasota, Florida skipped the congressional election. Where other races, for Senate and Governor had undervote of 1.2-1.4%, the race for U.S. Representative had an undervote of 14.9%. Advocates for voter-verifiable paper audit trails (VVPATs) immediately pointed out … Continue reading
As part of its member advocacy efforts, the Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA) works with various governmental, quasi-governmental, and private coalition groups to present the viewpoints of the profession and to educate those groups on the usefulness of the profession. We are happy to inform you that the latest product of … Continue reading
Affirmed as the fourth person on a committee that bridges the connection between government and voters, Mayor Gavin Newsom’s appointment of long-time Usability Professionals’ Association member Dana Chisnell to the San Francisco Ballot Simplification Committee rounds out a group of communication professionals who work as volunteers to provide unbiased, objective … Continue reading
Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform The Honorable Jimmy Carter and James A. Baker III: I am writing on behalf of Design for Democracy, a non-profit organization affiliated with AIGA, the professional association for design, and the Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA). This strategic program works with election officials at the … Continue reading
Representative Candice Miller House Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs The Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA) wishes to express its support for plain language, and the concepts in the Plain Language Act of 2006 [HR 4809] The UPA was founded in 1991 by people working to improve the design of technology: software, services, and … Continue reading
March 4, 2005 Comment on notice of Proposed Rulemaking: 14 CFR Part 382: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel; Proposed Rule The Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA) is an international organization of practitioners in the field of usability and accessibility. Members work in industry, academic institutions and government … Continue reading
Usability problems do happen, and they do affect elections. The following media reports of problems with elections are usability issues. They may be problems for voters, or for voting officials wrestling with new procedures or equipment.
Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA) President Whitney Quesenbery has been appointed to the United States Election Assistance Commission’s (EAC) Technical Guidelines Development Committee. This group will draft new standards for voting systems used in the United States. “I’m pleased to see usability included in these guidelines,” Quesenbery said. “Too often, a … Continue reading
At the UPA 2004 conference, Louise Ferguson, Bill Killam, Sharon Laskowski, and Josephine Scott participated in a panel, moderated by Whitney Quesenbery. The title was “Can Usability Save Democracy?” Voting Equipment in America: Observations from the Field – Bill Killam Standards and Testing for Usability and Accessibility – Sharon Laskowski International … Continue reading
This workshop, at UPA 2004 in Minneapolis, looked at the social, civic and methodology issues in ensuring the usability of voting systems and new voting concepts currently being trialed. Participants considered the issue of e-voting/e-participation through the lens of usability and user-centered design. The workshop looked at: Understanding the voting … Continue reading
A Washington Post article, The Tabulator: Is Florida’s 2000 Vote on the Butterfly Ballot Designer’s Mind as November Approaches? You Can Count on It interviews Theresa LaPore, almost four years after the 2000 US Presidential elections with her “butterfly ballot” included quotes from LaPore wondering why people couldn’t learn to … Continue reading
FEC launched a project in October 2002 to provide usability information about voting systems to augment system standards. Whitney Quesenbery is appointed to the Advisory Council. The brochures were published in December 2003 and were distributed by the EAC. Developing a User-Centered Voting System Procuring a User-Centered Voting System Usability … Continue reading
Once again an election is in the news, and once again there are possible usability issues surrounding the ballot. This time, the election is in California to vote on recalling the current Governor and, if the recall is successful to vote on his replacement. The election is scheduled for October … Continue reading
The Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA), a society of professionals dedicated to making software and other products easier for people to use, announced today that it supports the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ consideration of the effectiveness of the voting experience in its decision to delay the gubernatorial recall election … Continue reading
To: The Department of Transportation Comment on: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: 14 CFR Part 382: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel; Proposed Rule The Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA) is an international organization of practitioners in the field of usability and accessibility. Members work in industry, academic institutions … Continue reading
In June 2001, UPA and SIGCHI collaborated to bring the issue of usability in elections to the attention of all their members. Last November, America was riveted as the presidential election hung in the balance while ballots in Florida and other states were counted and re-counted. We learned a lot about … Continue reading
At the time of the election, we heard from people who felt disenfranchised by the ballot itself — voices like the voter who told the South Florida Sun Sentinel, “It was so hard to tell who and what you were voting for. I couldn’t figure it out, and I have … Continue reading
The Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA) today stated that simple usability practices could have significantly reduced or possibly eliminated the problems that caused some 19,000 ballots in Palm Beach County, Florida, to be disqualified in the November 7th presidential election. Usability professionals are specialists in designing forms, software, electronic and other … Continue reading
In an editorial, The Disability Lobby and Voting, the New York Times wondered why some groups see a conflict between having elections accessible to all and allowing for a verifiable audit trail. The UPA response stressed the value of a complete user-centered design approach in meeting all requirements and ensuring … Continue reading
