Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler. —Albert Einstein
Why this quote here?
The usability and usefulness of these user experiences is enabling the user to achieve emotional satisfaction. Its about understanding mental models and needs, and removing interference. Connecting the dots between the users’ tasks and the business goals without disturbing these ambiguous, emotional quests that can be a part of inspiration, aspiration, and sometimes just hope. I find the simplicity of human need in these tasks refreshing, acknowledging the complexity of meeting business goals when synthesizing the two and making both the business and the user successful.
The focus on purely emotional user tasks has influenced my other work with a heightened awareness on the impact of a user’s emotions on more “tangible” tasks such as transactions, information seeking, monitoring and managing, etc. tasks. The work has the same acquisition and retention goals from a business perspective, but creating a delightful experience for users means understanding them from an additional psychological perspective.
Contract Usability Studies for Amazon Goodreads 2020
Usability and Qualitative Studies - International | Winter + Spring + Summer 2020
Conducting quick usability studies and qualitative interviews to inform their redesign and expand their understanding of their users - both members and non-members.
Research Generative + Summative | Desktop | Mobile | Usability | International | Remote | Social
Contract International Cognitive and Usability Studies for Facebook and other Facebook products 2019 - 2020
Cognitive Studies - International | Fall 2019 and Winter 2020
Working as support to three studies and an Analysis lead on two via Applause.
1 large and 1 small study engaged several moderators across the globe to gather qualitative feedback from people in several countries in exploring the usability of survey items across languages and cultures in 12 international markets on top consumer concerns.
1 Smaller qualitative study explored the name of a new mobile app to ensure it resonated with targeted users and had a consistent meaning across cultures - 10 international markets.
Usability Study - International 8 Countries | Winter 2019
Working as a lead and support to a Usability Study for Messenger producing a final report that included a comparison to a Spring study as well as in-depth insights of previously identified usability issues. The study had been designed by another lead in the first study.
Research - Formative + Summative | Brand | Desktop | Mobile | Usability | International | Remote | Social
Contract User Experience Research and Strategist | Sling TV | 02.2018 - 04.2018
Designed an approach to exploring the world of streaming content to identify new perspectives, validate assumptions, and specific research questions. Conducted In-Home studies to explore the world of potential and existing customers to understand needs, the emotive value, tasks, and the context of consuming streaming content. Conducted card sorts and interviews to understand the needs around consuming sports content - both live and On-Demand as well as the variations and relationships to other types of content (pre- and post- sports viewing). Designed and conducted iterative concept validation studies of the console experience to solidify a direction and the navigation strategy.
Produced UX Strategy for a new section - Sports, a user-based overall structure and experience; Validated conceptual design; and established draft Omni-Channel Experience Blueprints and Personas that drive design and product decisions.
Research | Strategy | Information Architecture | Card Sort | A/B Testing (Console)| In-Home Studies | Omni-Channel | Console | Brand | Web | Mobile | Streaming | Acquisition + Retention
Contract User Experience Strategist | Country Music Television | 02.2015-03.2015
Evaluated cross-product and digital product experiences using heuristics and brand and market research to reveal opportunities increase engagement and retention and use the brand research to inform it.
Project break down coming soon
Strategy | Information Architecture | Omni-Channel | Brand | Web | Mobile | Streaming | Retention
Contract User Experience Architect | TotalMovie for Empathy Lab | 04.2012 – 06.2012
Brought in to fill the gap in the team while they looked to hire a permanent mobile designer on a new project. The NetFlix competitor in Mexico and South American, needed two new payment options integrated into their Desktop version including enhancing the check-out process, and translation of the full desktop experience to mobile and tablet (iOS and Droid).
Leadership | Strategy | Account Management | Business Development | eCommerce | Remote Work | Interaction Design | Responsive | Mobile | Tablet | Desktop | Remote Work | Retention
User Experience + Management Consultant | Comcast Entertainment Group/ NBC Universal – E!, Style, Golf Channel | 12.2009 – 10.2010
http://www.eonline.com | Internal B2B System | GolfNow Mobile Apps
Worked collaboratively across teams to establish UX Strategy, direction, requirements and design for informational sites (E!, Style) including both long- and short-term solutions.
I designed and lead user research to understand golfers, their booking needs, and the emotive experience around golf while conducting iterative concept to design validation activities to establish a successful GolfNow mobile app. I was then engaged to improve their internal proprietary system to manage GolfNow inventory and sales relationship with their clients - golf courses, by conducting interviews with their multi-tiered sales organization.
Project break down: E! Online Strategy coming soon GolfNow iOS App
Leadership | Strategy | Account Management | Information Architecture | Participatory Design | Usability Testing | User Research | Interaction Design | Systems + Applications | Mobile | Desktop | Data Visualization | Dashboard | Real-Time Data | Card Sorting | Product Design | Acquisition + Retention
Manager of User Experience & Product Management | Kadoo, Inc. | 12.2007 – 09.2008
Recruited to establish product management, I successfully organized product management and development teams in just 3 days. Consequently my responsibilities were expanded to include managing the DC-based technical teams and project management in less than 1 week.
Established and managed UX team, project plan, processes, activities, and product definition and direction with limited budgets, staff and time. Recognized internal expertise and potential, and entrusted to manage, direct, and mentor external contractors, engineers, visual designers, and junior user experience analysts. Reviewed conference and marketing materials to ensure alignment to product and brand. Laid-off with code freeze.
Worked with executives to understand their vision and goals for the product and company to inform product priorities and project management. Managed relationships between executives.
Established a vision for the holistic vision for the system and each subsystem to unify the team’s vision and effort by building upon the original ideas and high-level requirement.
Refined 18 subsystems in 6 weeks using UCD methodology working iteratively to establish design patterns, vetting system and features’ usefulness and usability with baseline usability testing, user profile surveys, paper prototype testing with users, and defining user groups and scenarios of use for each – under budget.
Project Breakdown coming soon
Leadership | Strategy | Account Management | Product Management | Participatory Design | Usability Testing | Interaction Design | Project Management | User Research | Social Media | Mentoring | Team Management | Acquisition + Retention