UPA Awards: Recognizing Extraordinary Service

In 2005, UPA began formally honoring those who contribute in special ways to UPA and to the profession. Recognition by a professional association is an important way to acknowledge both individual and chapter achievements, and to publicize the best projects we undertake.

• 2006 Awards Announcement
• 2005 Awards Announcement

The President’s Award

This award gives special honors to an individual whose work has been important in furthering both the organization and usability in general.

• Thyra Rauch (2008): For her commitment to UPA as UPA President from 2006-2007 as well as all her invaluable contributions over the years to many areas of the organization.
• Nigel Bevan (2008): For his important contributions and commitment to UPA as a Board Member from 2002-2007.
• Whitney Quesenbery (2007): For your innumerable contributions to UPA over the years in many areas of the organization. Your leadership and tireless enthusiasm have touched and inspired many across UPA.
  
• Charlie Kreitzberg (2005): For your contributions in launching User Experience Magazine, and serving as Editor-in-Chief from 2001-2004 Your leadership created a publication with a unique perspective, substantive contents and a professional design
  
• Ginny Redish and Margot Steinberg (2000): For your work to modernize the finances of the association. This is unglamorous work, done behind the scenes, but it was critical in helping UPA mature and continue to develop.
  
• Janice James (1998): For your vision and initiative in founding UPA, and your ongoing mentoring of local chapters and other UPA leaders.

Chapter Award

This award recognizes chapters for sustained exceptional activities. Whether they have held a new conference, shown significant growth in UPA members in their area, or starting a new collaborative initiative, the work of chapters in creating local visibility for UPA cannot be underestimated.

• UPA Singapore Chapter (2008): For excellence and innovation in creating chapter activities, including a usability networking platform for UPA members and a design integration seminar with Motorola. 
  
• UPA Michigan Chapter (2007): For promoting UPA, increasing its visibility, and collaborating with other related chapters and universities throughout the state of Michigan.
  
• UPA China (2006): For rapid growth as a chapter in its first two years, with local meeting groups in Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou and Hong Kong. The chapter also created an annual conference, “User Friendly,” which attracted over 200 professionals from across China and the region in 2005.
  
• Boston Chapter (2005): For sustained excellence and innovation in creating chapter activities, including five annual chapter conferences
  
• UK UPA (2005): For increasing the visibility of usability throughout the UK through a successful drive to increase membership
  

Usability Service Award

Organizations thrive on the work of “unsung heroes” who put in extra effort to start, revitalize or sustain UPA activities. They often devote extraordinary effort, beyond normal volunteer work, whether on a specific project or in a general sustained effort.

2008

• Steven Wiens: For the innumerable hours of invaluable support he has given to the World Usability Day website.
• Josephine Scott: For her unwavering commitment and involvement in the UPA Voting and Usability Project and other efforts in support of UPA’s involvement in voting standards in the United States.
• Kit Brown: For her invaluable support of the Journal of Usability Studies in her capacity as Editorial Assistant. She has set a high standard for those who will follow.
• Alberto Lacalle (Spanish), Melanie Rousseau & Sylvie Lachize (French), Silvia Zimmermann (German), Michele Visciola (Italian), Adriana Betiol (Portuguese), Yaniv Michaeli (Hebrew), Natasha Voynarovskaya (Russian), Denny Huang (Chinese), Tadashi Kobayashi & Toyohiro Kanayama (Japanese), Ali Berkman (Turkish): For their tireless and efficient efforts in translating the UPA Monthly in support of the growing global view of usability connecting usability communities everywhere.
• Daniel Szuc: For his tireless and efficient efforts in preparing the UPA Monthly in support of the growing global view of usability connecting usability communities everywhere.

2007

• Natalia Minibayeva: For your years of dedication and attention to detail in making UPA’s online publications professional, usable, and accessible.
• David Mitropoulos-Rundus: For your unwavering commitment to the goal of expanding the scope of UPA through new chapter development andyour leadership in nurturing new chapters both locally and abroad.

2006

• Richard Bellaver: For establishing the UPA Ethics Advisory Committee, and leading the effort to create the Code of Professional Conduct for UPA. This international code provides a strong foundation for guiding the work of professionals practicing usability around the world.
• Keith Instone: For tireless work as a member of the World Usability Day 2005 committee. His leadership in creating WorldUsabilityDay.net, which brought people from many different user-experience communities together to help create the first World Usability Day; and his innovative work on the official WorldUsabilityDay.org web site contributed in many ways to the success of this inaugural event.

2005

• Susan Fowler and Alice Preston: For your energy and professionalism in your work as Managing Editors of the UPA User Experience Magazine
• Chauncey Wilson: For your unstinting contributions of knowledge, time and energy. We honor you as a mentor, a colleague and a friend.