Bruce Browne

Bruce received his Masters Degree in Graphic Design from Rochester Institute of Technology, where he explored an interest in User Interface Design. He developed the first User Interface Design thesis at RIT before there was a formalized curriculum for the study of Human Computer Interaction at RIT. His research focused on the design of a graphical user interface for educational software.

After leaving college, Bruce joined a pioneer in the field of User Interface Design, Aaron Marcus and Associates in Berkeley, California where he gained extensive experience in system and application software design. He provided interaction and visual design recommendations for products such as an air traffic control workstation for IBM/FAA, financial information and news system for Reuters Ltd., and a graphic arts workstation for Scitex.

Bruce joined IDTWO (IDEO) in September 1987 as a senior interaction designer and assumed the role of Director in 1988. As Director Bruce was responsible for managing an interdisciplinary team of designers including Engineering, Human Factors, Interface Design, Graphic Design and Industrial Design. He designed the interface for the NavGraphic LORAN navigation computer for Trimble Navigation. He consulted with Claris Corporation to establish a consistent software identity and Interface guidelines, develop and test notable application interfaces such as MacWrite II, MacWrite Pro, FileMaker Pro and MacDraw Pro. Bruce also consulted with Apple Computer to develop new interaction techniques and metaphors by developing future user scenarios and creating storyboards/prototypes that demonstrated and visualized the techniques.
In 1990, Bruce left IDTWO to establish an Interface Design consulting firm with Elisabeth Waymire. Together, they work in partnership with their clients to design and develop visual and interaction design strategies, processes, tools and product solutions for use on a variety of mobile, desktop and web platforms. As a consultant, Bruce worked extensively with Palm Computer on the design of their groundbreaking Treo interfaces, including the email, calendar, contact and task applications. He worked with Intuit on their Quicken for Macintosh and their Pocket Quicken mobile software, Remedy Corporation on the design of their “Remedy@Work” enterprise web application suite along with the design of their award-winning HelpDesk software, U3 on the design of their portable flash drive application, and Snap-on Tools on the design of their Mobile Information Center and franchisee sales software. Additional clients include SUN Microsystems/Oracle, Apple Computer and Be Inc. (design of future operating system interfaces), Microcell Labs (research, design and development of consumer electronic product interfaces), Netcentives (design of their e-commerce rewards program), Connectix Videophone, Symantec Corporation, and several R&D projects involving mobile and accelerometer technologies. Bruce consulted with Photoworks, Tuvox, Certain Software and Extreme Networks on web based applications.

Bruce's work has appeared in many publications such as the American Center for Design Journal, Axis, Car Styling, and Domo magazines as well as the Wall Street Journal and San Francisco Chronicle. He was awarded the Appliance Manufacturer First Annual Special Class Award in 1988 for the design of the NavGraphic LORAN Track Plotter interface. He is a member of ACM SIGCHI.