Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

The group of six have extensive experience in the innovation and design of a broad range of products and services in the technology, industrial and consumer sectors, and include UK experts from BT and Orange. Instrata was chosen because of its leadership in designing interactive systems.

The mission is a part of the DTI’s Global Watch Mission and is called “The Future of User-Centred Technology Design Mission.” It will be led by Nina Wakeford, director of INCITE, a University of Surrey incubator for research into technology and ethnography.

On the visit, Instrata managing director Dr Rachel Jones will meet blue chip technology organisations including Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Volvo, BMW, design agencies, universities and individual professionals.

The mission will go to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle over five days in October and cover the latest developments in user centred design methods and techniques in the USA, for example new interaction techniques and new ways of designing interactive systems.

It will enable Instrata to discuss the processes that companies can follow in order to produce a ‘customer friendly’ interactive system. At the same time Dr Jones will have the chance to explore and seek new opportunities for collaboration with North American organisations.

Dr Jones said: “We are delighted to be chosen as one of the industry experts. This is clear recognition of our expertise in innovating through leading-edge user-centred design. The mission will allow us to learn how other leading companies on the West Coast are developing new techniques for interactive systems and incorporating these into their organisations.”

On completion of the mission, participants will share the knowledge gathered in the USA to help other UK companies develop user-centred technology design.

The firms will present their findings along with recommendations to other interested UK organisations in early December.

Instrata specialises in providing market innovation, strategic research, user requirements and interactive solutions.

It has over 15 years’ experience delivery new concepts, market insights, requirements and user interface design.