Deutsch Inc.


(01/2012 - 06/2012)
Projects span a wide spectrum from Facebook apps to a complete mobile sites to analytics based tuning.

Most projects included some aspect that leveraged social networks to create or build-upon the brand's following. While we found these communities to be a great resource for reaching customers, we also had to be mindful of people's core tasks while in these spaces.

Mobile sites were a big part of my work at Deutsch, including sites for VW and fresh&easy Neighborhood Markets. Both were follow-ups to their desktop counterparts and required close analysis of user behavior and device constraints in order to create an appropriate experience. On the VW site, depth of information was an key. While mobile browsing is typically more causal than that on a desktop, mobile devices were a popular shopping tool while at the dealership. This lead us to have very detailed information, but in much simpler interactions.

MWES is a study done by JD Powers to assess car manufacturer web sites. They test the various sites in many areas in order to rate them against each other. This leads to standards that consumers can rely on to help them in their decision making process. It can also lead to monotony across sites. How can a brand differentiate itself if it is expected to present the same information as it's competitors. A good amount of design and analysis was done in order to properly select the enhancements that would help users, while maintain the brand message.

While much of my other work has focused on functionality and intuitive interfaces, much of the work at Deutsch was focused on making things cool. Tapping into people's curiosity and willingness to play can be a very power tool. Projects such as Why VW pushed storytelling boundaries and UX standards. For example, for the Safety section we created a parallax experience to visualize how the features work. Since parallax many times sacrifices usability, we took special care in crafting the solution to be usable while the user played.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online

(06/2010 - 12/2011)
Worked on the redesign of the Walt Disney World booking engine as well as their next generation experience. The design process involved close collaboration with business partners to advocate for the user every step of the way. The RITE (Rapid Iterative Testing and Evaluation) method was used to test designs with users in 3 week design cycles. Usability tests were conducted with participants in target markets either in their city of residence or at the park, depending on the subject of the test.  If terminology or UI elements had proven to be a disconnect with users, they were altered in order to learn as much as possible from tests. Prototypes were created in Axure to allow for quick iterations, stable prototypes and minimal test computer requirements.

Many improvements were based on nuances that were observed during testing. For example, park guests mentioned family dynamics and personal pressure to plan the perfect vacation. This lead them to weeks of research and pricing exercises in order for them to feel comfortable in their decision. Meaning a vacation eCommerce experience is completely different from that of a shoe purchase. And so the purpose of the shopping cart was not always seen as the purchase stage, but many times as a research tool itself.

LRN


(01/2009 - 06/2010)
Senior Product Designer in charge of a risk assessment tool and a community for an ethics, compliance and environmental knowledge company. I lead the team through the transition from an acquired concept to a enterprise application. The position involved heavy collaboration with the business owners as well as on/offshore development teams.

All three products in LRN’s suit have an end user, customer admin and an internal admin element to them. Defining the personas and their usage pattern was critical in defining the posture of the tools and separating UI’s where appropriate. Gathering research was not a task that was budgeted for in most smaller projects, but I had to figure out how much casual needs gathering could be done. ‘Just because it is not budgeted, doesn’t mean its not expected’ is the odd reality in environments that don’t fully understand design.

Once the research had been gathered, it was compared to previous personas that were developed to see if it still mapped and either an individual persona was evolved or a new vague persona would be define. I find that a vague persona is better than nothing. Scenarios would then be developed to translate the business requirements and materialize them into a quick prototype. The Axure based prototype would help us, design and business, collaborate to clearly define the framework for the new features or overhauls. Many of LRN products were developed very quickly, without proper design the first time around. Once customers demonstrated interest AND frustration with it’s usability, then the business would commit to funding design for it. A bit backwards, but a reality in too many companies.

Once the framework was signed off, then the form and behavior spec was developed with collaboration from development. I find that earlier collaboration with dev helps the team moral as well as produce a realistic spec. Once development starts, my role reduce only about 25% as many details had to be communicated and tuned through the majority of the process. Once dev support dies down it’s time to communicate the design to QA.

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Online

(07/2008 - 11/2008)
Senior Information Architect position where I helped develop design patterns and a simple system for keeping track of requirements. A major task here was identifying standard interactions that we wanted to follow vs. opportunities to innovate that were appropriate for Disney.

iRise


(08/2004 - 07/2008)
Interaction design position for a Windows based application. The application allows business analyst and interaction designers to build full fidelity prototypes of web apps without programming.  My responsibilities included user research, detailed interaction design, usability testing, writing specifications and communicating ideas through development into testing. Cooper methodologies were heavily used here. Attending the Cooper Interaction Design Practicum with the full design team was one of the most successful team building events. It helped get everyone on the same page and formalize the language.

Creative Source Inc.


(01/2001-08/2004)​
Interaction design position at an advertising and interactive agency. My contributions spanned from logo designs, print, web sites and advanced ad customizing solutions. I was involved in initial client meetings to final presentations as well as working with development and printing shops.
 

iOM Composition Group

(07/2000-12/2000)
Interaction design position for an international web app and graphic design agency. My involvement started at initial client meetings, developing flow diagrams, wireframes, and implementing the look that graphic designers had defined. I then worked with oversees development teams to complete the projects.

Universal Electronics


(01/1999-07/2000)
Product design position working with hard and soft interfaces. My key project was Mosaic, a touch screen remote control, for which I did the industrial and interaction design for. Special consideration was needed in order to fit physical keys close to the screen for a seamless integration. My tasks also included user flows, final GUI and usability testing.