PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Manager, Middleware User Research & Installation

Confidential

Responsibilities:

• Manage a centralized team of usability engineers supporting all of Confidential ’s middleware product line (Identity Management, JDeveloper, SOA Suite, Webcenter, Java.com, etc..).
• Developed researching project to identify primary issues preventing successful product installation across all Confidential products. Formed cross divisional team for addressing identified issues via combined approach addressing Software Architecture, Documentation, Install Process (e.g. OTN downloads) & updated UI Components & Templates.
• Developed guidelines & patterns site for Installation Wizards UI Layout to improve Installation Processes and UIs and promote consistent interfaces. Guidelines have been adopted across Confidential product lines.
• UX Designer (consultant) for Confidential ’s Database Unicode Migration Assistant. Conducted Heuristic Evaluation of design specification and advised new information architecture and design pattern following current desktop guidelines. Provided design patterns for common dialogs & wizards, assisted with their implementation & participated icon definition & development.
• Created light usability testing methods allowing 48 hour response to key usability questions.

Manager, User Experience Team

Confidential

Responsibilities:

• Managed a multifaceted team of usability engineers; visual designers, contractors and interns focused on research, UI design & visual design for Development Tools, IT Administration Utilities and Applications (database, email, system), & Installation Processes.
• Created customer focused user research program for tools and server technology products; focused on lightweight usability evaluation methodologies for quick feedback into development process utilizing internal customers, Confidential program, and customer visits.
• Developed large customer outreach events at successive Confidential Open World Company & User Group Conferences aimed at identifying usability issues experienced by customers
• Developed formal techniques and guidelines for performing remote usability testing activities using web conferencing utilities adhering to company policies (legal, ethics, product distribution)

Manager, User Experience Team

Confidential

Responsibilities:

• Managed a global team of (4 - 5) interaction designers, usability engineers, visual designers, contractors and interns focused on the development of tools for application development; specifically LDAP Administration, Map Builder IDE, and HTML DB. Guided all aspects of product design from requirements gathering, to storyboarding, wireframe design & prototype development; as well as user research activities
• Initiated and led initial development of Interface Guidelines for Thick Client Applications and Tools in Confidential Application Server layer. Coordinated with UI Designers, product management teams, and documentation writers. Authored guidelines for keyboard navigation & accessibility requirements.
• Guided team through reorganization of corporation’s user experience organization from a centralized entity to small groups aligned with individual product lines. Maintained quality of deliverables while adapting to new development culture and integrating new processes.

Principal UX Engineer

Confidential

Responsibilities:

• Participated in multidisciplinary design teams working on products for design, deployment and management of databases & technical systems.
• Member of UX team transitioning Enterprise Manager, a middleware management tool from a thick client desktop solution to a web application. Developed task flow and wireframes, designed UI page templates, conducted UI reviews.
• Initiated a program of contextual observation for customer research. Developed new methodologies and tools for rich data collection during customer site visits to secure environments in which recording was not allowed. Led 3-person research team working on everything from in-depth studies of Confidential ’s technical users (i.e.: database administrators, email administrators, application developers) to study of communication & collaboration in enterprise environments to guide design of new collaboration tools.
• Authored specification for Canvas Object Interaction Behavior based on cross division requirements for object manipulation (e.g. drag & drop) to ensure consistent interaction patterns and a common visual language across all company products.
• Supported division-wide usability program coordinating activities among all usability engineers, developed and enforced standards for conducting and reporting research, tracked results and kept upper management informed of trends and major issues.

Usability Engineer

Confidential

Responsibilities:

• Designed, conducted, analyzed, and reported results from usability studies covering Discoverer, Warehouse Builder, Confidential Personal Newspaper, Confidential Reports, and Confidential Email: updated page designs, simplified information architecture, and improved screen text and documentation.
• Member of design team for Confidential Warehouse Builder: Wrote specifications and created design patterns for common dialogs and wizards.
• Conducted usability testing for variety of products and applying different methodologies to identify key usability issues including: Heuristic Reviews, Task Analyses, Focus Groups, Usability Walkthroughs, Surveys and lab based Usability Tests.
• Wrote feature specifications and design guidelines for application developers to ensure consistency of GUI development.

Usability Engineer

Confidential

Responsibilities:

• Contributed to the design of Confidential Operations (SCO) GUI & Character based (CHARM) operating system interfaces and embedded applications.
• Designed Combined CD Case Cover / Quick Start Documentation for various releases
• Designed and Built First Usability Lab for SCO
• Conducted Usability Studies to improve SCO operating system and applications.