Psychologists to revolutionise IT with a true visual application development tool
Category: current-news | Author: James Breeze | Date: 31/08/2006
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PTG Global has again affirmed itself as one of the most innovative usability and user interface design firms by receiving a $437,175 Commercial Ready Grant from the Australian Government: AusIndustry.
With the grant, PTG Global will develop XPDesigner™, a revolutionary software tool for rapid user interface design, simulation and specification that intends to solve the 'holy grail' of IT: visual application development.
XPDesigner will be to IT what computer aided design (CAD) software is to architecture. It will fully simulate complex user interface behaviour to test the usability of the application and ensure it delivers on business and user requirements.
XPDesigner will provide IT with the tools to significantly reduce the risk inherent in complex IT applications. Craig Errey, Managing Director, says 'The IT industry is facing a challenging time as around 70% of IT projects have serious cost overruns and fail to meet business and user requirements. With our team of psychologists, we are tackling the problem from a very different perspective.
'The failure rate in IT occurs in part because IT is the only engineering discipline that operates without a precise, complete and unambiguous visual blueprint. This means that no-one, from the business, executive, project manager, end users and coders, has a clear and shared understanding of the end goal. It's no wonder that projects suffer — everyone thinks they're building something different.'
XPDesigner will be based on PTG Global's extensive research and development into creating the world's first scientific and repeatable approach to user interface design — XPDesign. With this research, PTG Global is injecting new thinking into the way application development is approached.
Errey says 'PTG Global has constantly challenged the way user interface design is done by focusing on making the process systematic and defensible. Our industry has been uncertain about how to take this, because there is still a strong belief that UI design is a creative process based on an individual's expertise.'
Instead, we're about codifying and standardising the process so all IT professionals can produce applications that work for people — the first time. After all, the only thing you see at the end of the day is the user interface, not the code or the flashing lights on the server box.
'With XPDesigner we intend to close the communications gap between business and IT, double the productivity of UI design and application development and tightly integrate the two disciplines to get IT right the first time.
'To make this a success, we are working closely with the IT industry and our partners, including the leading research institutions National ICT Australia (NICTA), UNSW and UTS and IT consulting firms Object Consulting and Factotum.
'We've got some pretty tough problems to solve and that fact that 30 years of IT research hasn't solved the problem is not lost on us. We think that tackling the problem using psychology will be the key.'
XPDesigner will enable IT projects to be better designed, better costed, delivered on time, on budget and be usable. Errey concludes that 'XPDesigner is just the tip of the iceberg. We've got incredible plans for where we want to take it that will make it an essential tool on everyone’s desktop. We're out to change the "face" of IT and XPDesigner will be a giant leap in making IT all about people.'
About PTG Global
PTG Global is a leader in the research and practice of usability and user interface design — literally millions of people use desktop and online applications designed by PTG Global. PTG Global has led the industry with unique and innovative methods and services including the IT Blueprint™, XPDesign™ and Certified Usable™.
PTG Global works with the largest finance, telecommunications and government organisations in Australia and Worldwide to deliver applications and services that work for people.
PTG Global gratefully acknowledges the support of the Australian Government and the R&D Tax Concession and Commercial Ready programs.
Contact
Craig Errey, Managing Director and Psychologist
+61 2 9251 4200
