TechBiz Connection Kicks Off 2012 with Website Usability Forum Featuring Live Site Reviews

Jan. 11, 2012 - PRLog -- IRVINE, Calif. – TechBiz Connection will launch its tenth consecutive year of hosting networking and educational events for the Southern California business and technology community with an interactive forum designed to help entrepreneurs improve their websites on Wednesday, January 18, 2011 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at the law offices of Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear in Irvine.

According to Jack Bicer, TechBiz Connection president and panel moderator, attendees will learn that getting prospects to a website is only part of the process. “It is surprising to find out about what both web designers and marketers often miss, which are key ingredients of what an audience can see and not see on a website,” Bicer noted. “This can make or break a website and ultimately determine the quality of the user’s experience.”

TechBiz Connection has assembled a world-class panel of usability experts to review and critique websites LIVE. The panel will provide fair and honest feedback so that attendees can start improving their websites immediately. The expert panel will cover the most important usability considerations; how visitors get lost or confused on the website; the best ways to find and understand an offer; and how to apply design-based thinking into a website. After registration websites can be submitted for review at sitereview@techbizconnection.org.

Mr. Bicer is the founder and CEO of Septium (www.septium.com), a Microsoft Partner and a hybrid-offshore custom software development company, combining offshore cost savings with U.S. management expertise. Prior to Septium, he held several CTO roles in dot coms since 1996. A 30-year software industry veteran, Mr. Bicer is an industry expert in SaaS/web software, new product development, hybrid offshoring and mobile phone and tablet applications. Known as the “Father of Uninstall”, he invented the uninstall concept and wrote the first uninstaller. He is also credited with inventing the "Automated Software Updates". Mr. Bicer holds a Bachelors in Communication Engineering from University of Kent, followed by a Masters in Computer Science from George Washington University and attended the MBA program at Pepperdine University.

Panelist Thumbnail Bios

•   Dr. Joely Gardner is president of Human Factors Research and, as a licensed psychologist, captures the emotional essence of what customers consider a great experience. She then helps her clients to operationalize that experience, measure and manage it. Dr. Gardner’s consulting clients range from startups in mobile technology and social networking to Fortune 100 companies. Clients include Intuit, Hewlett Packard, Quest Diagnostics Clinical Trials Division, Invitrogen, and Cricket Communications to name a few. Previously, she was the director of customer experience research for France Telecom R&D in San Francisco, and is the co-author of nearly 40 books with publishers such as Harper & Row, IDG, and QUE.

•   Jeof Bean, principal, Del Mar Research & Consulting, LLC, specializes in increasing the success of client product development, marketing and customer experience decisions. His experience spans strategic to tactical with small innovative companies and large successful organizations that develop or depend on technology for success like Promedia Wireless, LPL Financial and AT&T. Mr. Bean is on the board of directors of the San Diego Software Industry Council's (SDSIC) User Experience Group. He is a frequent guest speaker at companies and conferences. Mr. Bean and Sean Van Tyne are authors of the book "The Customer Experience" published by Brigantine Media about companies that change industries and peoples’ lives with extraordinary customer experiences.

•   Sean Van Tyne, user experience director for FICO, is also an author and speaker who co-authored a book with Jeofrey Bean on insights into how great companies create great experiences. Prior to FICO, he was the AVP of user experience for strategy & technology at LPL Financial; director of user experience and technical communications for marketing and product management at Mitchell International; and held leadership positions in other software companies. Mr. Van Tyne has also consulted and provided insights to companies such as Oracle, Hewitt Packard, Nokia, Kodak, and more.

•   Ant Creed is vice president, customer experience at Kelley Blue Book whose professional passion is the pursuit of growth through innovation reinforced by engaging experience design. He’s spent his career leading and coaching cross-functional teams to envision future products and services, to create compelling experiences, and to pilot or launch these in the market. He’s also heavily invested in coaching business leaders on the principles and practices of successful innovation and design. At Kelley Blue Book, Mr. Creed leads the vision, strategy and execution of experience design and user research for all KBB products and services. Prior to KBB, he worked in a wide variety of design and development environments, for companies such as Intuit, Sony Electronics, Kodak ImaginationWorks, IDEO, Philips Design in the Netherlands; and the Health & Safety Executive, UK.

The TBC Forum’s discussion and subsequent question-and-answer session is sponsored by Daly-Swartz Public Relations (http://www.dsprel.com); Haynes and Boone LLP (http://www.haynesboone.com) ; Latisys (http://www.latisys.com); Septium Corp.(http://www.septium.com  Smith Micro (http://www.smithmicro.com); and Knobbe Martens, Olson & Bear (http://www.kmob.com).

Admission to the TechBiz Connection event is $20 prepaid and $40 at the door. For further information and RSVP, visit http://www.techbizconnection.org or e-mail president@techbizconnection.org.

TechBiz Connection (http://www.techbizconnection.org) was created to support Southern California business and technology professionals, companies and entrepreneurs by providing timely education and networking opportunities. The organization focuses on where technology and business intersect; everything a successful high-tech company would want to do.

Contact:
Daly-Swartz PR for TechBiz Connection
Jeffrey Swartz, 949-470-0075
jeffreyswartz@dsprel.com