Since receiving my graduate degree in technical communication and information design in 2004, I have worked diligently to implement user-centered design practices throughout my employment experiences. I am an active member of the Usability Professionals' Association and have presented for the local Indiana Chapter in 2009. I have successfully integrated usability testing and assessments into the reportoire of services offered by Creative Street Media Group and lead the creation and implementation of usability task analysis tests, assessments, and comparative analyses for clients.

I continue to learn best practices techniques for testing, network with other usability professionals to gain their insight, and educate myself on the latest WCAG 2.0 accessibility guidelines for Web design.

Portfolio Examples & Experience in Usability Testing & Assessments

	World Usability Day 2009 IUPUI - Presented in usability tools panel discussion to audience of 50+ usability professionals - Led opening activity with audience on proper survey question formats - Educated audience on conducting usability assessments - Provided clear, easy-to-implement tips and advice on assessing clients' Web sites - Participated in post-presentation Q&A session
	Indianapolis International Airport Web Site - Conducted comparative analysis of 25+ airport Web sites as part of redesign effort for the Indianapolis Interionatl Airport Web site - Examined competitors' site architecture, technology use, design, and strengths/weaknesses - Developed new information/site architecture for redesign site - Assisted project manager with client meetings and scope/requirements management - Carefully reviewed site development in progress to ensure site met WCAG 2.0 guidelines and provided detailed feedback to project manager for meeting guidelines - Drafted detailed user documentation for custom-built online event/calendar administrator tool >>Launch the Web site
	NCAA Eligibility Center Web Site - Attended client meetings with project manager to help determine project scope and requirements - Assisted project manager with creative approach for a non-traditional site and helped assemble project definition documentation - Designed and led iterative usability task analysis testing at several area schools with actual end-users (domestic and international high school students) - Administered post-test surveys to obtain further feedback - Provided detailed reports and development recommendations based on feedback and results from user tests >>Launch the Web Site (click on Fall 2010)
	JIST Publishing Catalog Redesign - Conducted task analysis tests (25 timed tasks) with sample end-users - Administered follow-up survey to obtain general feedback from the participants - Documented and presented results to executive management at JIST to encourage user-friendly redesign of catalog - Redesigned catalog information and assisted graphic design team with user-friendly design heuristics - Received numerous compliments and gratitude from both employees and customers for redesign efforts - Catalog sales increased from previous editions >>View a sample of the redesigned catalog (PDF 1.98MB)
	Illinois Instittue of Technology Admission Application - Performed the Plus/Minus test on the graduate application instructions at IIT, as a first step toward improving applicant understanding, and reducing mistakes and double work - Recruited domestic and international student participants and administered test by asking users to read through and write a plus (+) over sentences that he or she liked and write a minus (-) over sentences that he or she did not like - Uuncovered grammatical, cultural, and stylistical suggestionsto improve application usability - Managed application redesign of application to implement changes to design and wording of application instructions and field labeling
	GW Micro Window-Eyes Software Testing - (While in graduate school) worked with two other researchers to design and lead task analysis testing in a formal usability lab - Recruited non-sighted computer users to test Window-Eyes© software - Alternated responsibilities of facilitator, timekeeper, recorder, and videographer - Presented observations and findings to our graduate classand provided copies of the results to GW Micro, owner and creator of Window-Eyes©.