About Us
About this blog
Talk Usability is the brainchild of two (2) Usability practitioners – both by profession and vocation.
This blog is dedicated to the discussion of the usability of everyday things – from computers, software applications, mobile phones, web sites, gaming consoles, toys, even kitchenware, home appliances, etc.
Talk Usability highlights the best and the worst in the realm of usability. We publish rants and raves about products and services. We highlight items heralding ease-of-use and excellent, albeit fun user experience.
Apart from product reviews and the usual waxing philosophical about usability and human factors (which we like doing), this blog aims to reach out to other usability professionals like us to share knowledge, news and updates on the usability homefront.
About the authors
April Cabello
April has been doing usability work since year 2000. She is one of the first Certified Usability Analysts (CUA) in the Philippines. She is also one of the first usability practitioners to dabble into the mobile space.
April currently works with one of the telecommunications giants in the Philippines, heading the organization’s usability operations.
Her main competence includes user interface design (UID), information architecture development, usability testing and user research on the web and mobile space. She is currently waiting to march down the graduation aisle on March 2009 for her Masters degree in Development Communication at the University of the Philippines. She earned her undergraduate degree of BA Communication Research in the same university. Her educational background makes her well-versed in usability testing and research methods.
When not wearing her usability hat, April likes to write, read blogs and books of all kinds and genres. She loves playing computer games and considers Nintendo Wii as THE gaming console that revolutionized gaming experience. She loves going to the beach and is currently learning how to swim better and surf. Shopping is one of her favorite cardio exercise.
Andoy Montiel
Andoy, the other half of the usability dynamic duo, also works with one of the Philippines’ mobile and telco leaders. Highly versed in information architecture and user interface design, usability testing and conduct of expert reviews, Andoy spearheads the company’s user interface design and standards creation.
He is also one of the first Certified Usability Analysts (CUA) in the country and one of the earliest practitioners in mobile usability.
With a Masters Degree in Information Management and an undergraduate in Psychology from the Ateneo de Manila University, Andoy is the perfect hybrid of a usability practitioner who is armed with knowledge on both information systems and human behavior.
Andoy has always been a computer fidgeter (if there is such a term). He likes to disassemble and assemble computers. On the software side, he toys around with various open-source software and checks out how they fare usability-wise. Andoy also enjoys playing computer games and recently stayed up until 3 am just to finish a level in Spore.
Being a husband and father, he enjoys watching Disney DVDs with his family. And of course, no day is complete without a round or two of reading Adarna books.