Resume

OBJECTIVE

To obtain a user experience position within a dynamic team environment where I may leverage my visual design and information architecture background while aiding the business and end user in accomplishing their objectives

SKILL SUMMARY

Interface Design, Usability, Information Architecture

  • 9 years experience designing interfaces that best serve the users’ needs while balancing the requirements and expectations of business stakeholders
  • 9 years design experience in agency and corporate environments; including collaboration with cross functional, global teams involving members from user research, technology, business, and marketing
  • Observing, understanding, and translating research to uncover customer and business needs and define visual context of projects
  • Creating, designing, and delivering effective, intuitive, and pleasing user interface design mock-ups using industry-standard software applications
  • Employing research and design skills to discover, understand, promote and visually communicate the goals of the end user while balancing the needs of the business and brand
  • Proposing new interface and user interaction designs to meet business requirements for the best possible user experience
  • Creating paper and HTML prototypes for user testing
  • Evaluating and translating research findings into actionable insights and user interface improvements

Consulting, Collaboration

  • 5 years experience communicating with internal business clients and offering refinements &/or enhancements to business requirements if out of synch with user research findings
  • Fostering a collaborative creative environment by sharing critiques and participating in project and team brainstorming sessions
  • Managing the development of multiple projects and assignments while delivering them within specified deadlines
  • Providing design direction and mentorship to other user interface designers

WORK EXPERIENCE

Lowe’s Home Improvement

March 2010 – Present
Senior Information Architect

Sears Holdings Corporation

April 2009 – March 2010
User Experience Architect

Led design initiatives and platform enhancements across Sears.com, Kmart.com, and other Sears Holdings web properties. I conducted and analyzed research, gathered business requirements, and identified technology constraints in order to synthesize intelligent and successful design solutions. As an integral part of the User Experience team, I collaborated closely with Visual Design, Front-End Development, and business stakeholders on concept generation through final implementation.

Notable projects: Product Details Page Redesign (Hardline, Softline, & Consumables templates), Footer Redesign, User-Generated Video Integration, CNET Content Integration, Search Results View Enhancements, Sears Local Marketplace

Brandt Media Group, LLC

August 2008 – Present
Freelance Design & Consulting

Professional print & web design, email, brand identity, and online customer experience consulting for individuals, small businesses, and non-profit organizations.

HSBC – North America

October 2005 – March 2009
Senior User Interface Designer

  • Designed a touch-screen interface for HSBC Executives to track the implementation status of the OneHSBC global software initiative
  • Partnered with United States HSBC Bank stakeholders to develop customer experience enhancements to Personal Internet Banking
  • Scheduled and managed the entire visual design throughout the project lifecycle for the 2007 redesign of Consumer Lending flagship sites (Beneficial.com/HFC.com); activities included customer interviews, focus groups, mood board creation, stakeholder interviews, content development
  • Scheduled and managed the entire visual design throughout the project lifecycle for the 2006 redesign of Credit Card Services core portfolio websites (HSBCCreditCard.com, OrchardBank.com, HouseholdBank.com, UnionPlusCard.com); activities included user testing, stakeholder interviews
  • Led a UCD Team initiative to establish an internal brand identity consisting of presentation and documentation templates, logos, print marketing materials, and an Intranet presence
  • Developed visual treatments to be applied to upcoming HSBC Intranet enhancements; including interface design and logo development

September 2004 – October 2005
User Interface Designer

  • Represented the User-Centered Design team as the Business Liaison to Credit Card and Retail Services; credit card and merchant card offerings over 70 brands including Best Buy Card, Best Buy RewardZone MasterCard, and Sony Card
  • Chaired bi-weekly and monthly meetings to plan and execute quarterly Credit Card and Retail project releases; including but not limited to Refer a Friend, Paperless Statements, Partner site co-branding and Offer Marketing initiatives

Tribune Company

December 2003 – September 2004
Web Developer

  • Designed user interface for the Tribune Company Extranet
  • Played key role in the design and development of an online performance appraisal system to be utilized throughout Tribune Company
  • Gathered, wrote, and revised iterative application requirements through internal client meetings and interviews.

    • Administered user observations, perform user/task analysis, and create user profiles.

  • Developed and revised iterative low and high fidelity prototypes for web-based applications.
  • Designed UI for web-based applications.
  • Inspected and evaluated the usability of web-based applications throughout the development cycle.

BlackVoices.com (formerly a division of Tribune Company Interactive)

January 2000 – December 2003
Interactive Producer

  • Selected as lead producer for General Motors multi-year, multi-million dollar media alliance; this alliance included design, development, and maintenance of new channel areas, online features, and advertisements. Received Tribune Interactive Local MVP Award in April of 2001 due to efforts in this regard
  • Designed look and navigation schema of several key sections of the 2001 BlackVoices.com website re-launch
  • Produced weekly original interactive features for sponsorships, editorial and promotions for various website content areas
  • Implemented new product integration for revenue generating partnerships, including CareerBuilder.com, Match.com, and Voice Personals

EDUCATION

Master of Science, Human-Computer Interaction, 2005
DePaul University, Chicago, IL

Bachelor of Science, Graphic Communications Systems, 1999
NC A&T State University, Greensboro, NC

SKILLS

Software: PhotoShop, ImageReady, Illustrator, InDesign, Visio, Dreamweaver, BBEdit, Microsoft Office, Keynote, Audacity, WordPress
Languages: XHTML, HTML, CSS
OS: Windows, Macintosh, UNIX
Training: Web Design, Human-Computer Interaction, User Experience, Information Architecture

MEMBERSHIPS/AFFILIATIONS

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. – Iota Nu Sigma Chapter