User Experience Research Skills

User-Centered Design Methods
  • Heuristic evaluation
  • Cognitive walkthrough
  • Paper prototyping
  • Interviews
  • Surveys
  • Ethnographic observation
  • Usability testing (in laboratory and on-site)
  • Card sorting
  • Affinity diagramming
  • Web log analysis
  • A/B testing
  • Personas
  • Scenarios
Research Techniques and Tools
  • Qualitative research methods: participant observation, semi-structured interviews, ethnography, analysis techniques (categorization, coding, thematic analysis)
  • Quantitative research methods: research study design, statistical data analysis (SPSS, Excel), NVivio 8.0, Google Analytics, Clickdensity (website click-stream analysis), Urchin

Work Experience

Season of Usability Intern, Ubuntu/Canonical, Summer 2009

  • Usability analyst for redesign of Ubuntu add/remove program tool
  • Conducted heuristic evaluation, paper prototyping, user testing, interviews and mockups within interdisciplinary product development team

Webmaster, Drexel University Libraries, 2005-2007

  • Build, design, maintain and support library web pages and web applications; manipulate and create graphics, prototypes and design ideas for web pages; evaluate new technologies and software for the libraries’ web presence, including many open source technologies
  • Conduct usability analysis and iteratively improve library website; including techniques such user testing, heuristic review, cognitive walkthrough, interviewing, and ethnographic observation

Lead Web Developer, SMG Inc., 2004-2005

  • Develop complex, multi-media web-based learning simulations using Flash, Java, JSP, Javascript, HTML, CSS, proprietary software applications, and integrated streaming media.
  • Co-head of internal usability group tasked with integrating user-centered principles and techniques into design and development process; design, organize, and conduct user tests for both internal and external clients.

Web Developer, Amazon.com, 2000-2003

  • Created and maintained presentation and display templates using proprietary embedded scripting language in order pipeline, online help, detail page, website emails, and shopping cart
  • Strong contributor to customer-centered design and development environment; identified and campaigned for UI and behavioral changes to better meet customer needs; designed and built web log analyzing tool for analysis of user behavior