Web Strategy & Information Architecture

If you have a graphic designer and a developer, but need someone
to translate your business and user goals into a cohesive implementable
vision, then I might be what you are looking for.

Let me help you refine the strategy, gather business requirements,
conduct user research, define the information architecture, and
create the site design and user experience.

Every step of my process has a purpose, and advances the project
in a meaningful, explainable way.

SUMMARY

Senior User Experience Architect with 11 years experience aligning
business and user goals to create successful ecommerce, entertainment,
and collaboration experiences. Bring together performance metrics,
user research, market trends, and competitive analysis to optimize
the business strategy and user experience.

Experience includes designing online communities and entertainment
portals for companies such as Verizon and AOL. Optimize e-commerce
properties with checkout for companies such as BellSouth, WindStream
Communications, and ATT.

I have a great deal of experience with intranet strategy and design
as well. Experience includes projects for Arthur Andersen, Reliant Energy,
the U.S. Postal Service, and Macy's.

SKILLS

Information architecture
Content strategy
Shopping carts, checkout, and form design
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Search engine marketing (SEM)
Webtrends and other metrics applications
Storyboarding and dynamic prototyping
Card sorting, usability testing, surveys
Monetization strategy
User research, task analysis, and persona creation
Intranet design
Design using content management systems:
- Drupal, WebSphere, Alfresco,
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS)


EXPERIENCE

IA/Strategy/Interaction Designer
Macy's (Contractor)
Duluth, GA - Aug 2008 to present
Combine and redesign divisional websites into an enterprise wide
user-centered SharePoint portal.
- Audit and inventory five divisional intranets.
- Use site traffic metrics, surveys, and task analysis to study
how associates obtain information to accomplish tasks and goals.
- Reconcile divisional intranet information into one company wide
user centered information architecture.
- Identify key content and create an enterprise-wide taxonomy for use
for faceted search, highly targeted personalization, and push content.
- Implement taxonomy in SharePoint using metadata linked to content types.
- Create global navigation, page layouts, and key templates.

Web Strategy/Interaction Designer
AT&T (Contractor)
Atlanta, GA - Sep 2006 to Jan 2008
Redesign order flows for higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.
- Monitor metrics, surveys and task analysis results to inform design
opportunities.
- Design metrics-based enhancements to online billing, new customer
order flows, customer ordering, and account maintenance flows.
- Test designs before deployment, and monitor metrics after deployment
for total conversions, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction.
- Help develop strategies for merging the BellSouth, AT&T, Cingular,
and SBC customer experience, business processes, ecommerce flows,
and website style guides.

IA/Interaction Designer
Verizon (Contractor)
Reston, VA, and Carlsbad, CA - Feb 2004 to Sep 2006
Guide the design strategy and methodology used for portal initiatives.
- Analyze and document existing Verizon Portal content, infrastructure,
and navigation, and identify opportunities and strategies for improvement.
- Helped craft the strategy for, and led the redesign of the Verizon Central
Portal, Verizon Small Business portal, and Broadband Beat community.
- Integrated top tier news, video, games, and children's content and helped
oversee the creation of a Verizon DSL and FiOS community with blogs and
moderated forums.
- Create strategy briefs, wireframes, interaction flows, and other
deliverables to communicate the design to developers and stakeholders.
- Monitor card sorting and user testing, and integrate improvements.

User Interface Designer
America Online (Contractor)
Dulles, VA - Jan 2003 to Sep 2003
Create information architecture and interface design of online content
areas. Projects include AOL Latino Client, Rate-a-Buddy!, Black Focus,
AOL Banking, and AOL Health.
- Produce user interface design deliverables for interactive web
applications, including page level elements, and functionality
specifications for tools and features.
- Create information architecture, navigation design, and page layouts.
- Review user testing results and integrate feedback into future
design iterations.
- Brainstorm with product managers to flesh out functionality and
enhance the user experience of online products. Present UI to stakeholders
and design review board.

Information Architect/Designer
Arthur Andersen
Atlanta, GA - Dec 1998 to Feb 2002
Broad experience in designing and reviewing user centered web architectures.
- Perform heuristic usability evaluations, and create improvement
recommendations.
- Produce interactive design prototypes in HTML, Visio, and PowerPoint.
- Create page templates, style guides, and CSS files to facilitate
utilization of user centered designs by programmers and content creators.
- Conduct stakeholder and influencer interviews to produce business
requirements.


EDUCATION

- B.A., Marketing, Radford University, Radford Virginia, Dec 1993.
- Web Trends Essentials and Custom Reports (4-day class), Aug. 2009.
- Ongoing coursework and training in multiple areas including SEO, SEM,
project management, RIA design, online communities, and mobile design.
- Certifications, HTML 4.0, and Web Design for Accessibility, Brainbench,
March 2004.