OBJECTIVE
My goal as a management, communications and usability professional is to work with clients and development teams to effectively communicate across media types, delivering targeted messages to targeted audiences. Whether the purpose of the project is to train, sell, or inform—I work to ensure that the end-user achieves the intended goal through intuitive functionality and successful messaging. This is accomplished through careful project scoping and analysis of requirements, clearly understanding the audience, detailed information architecture, and iterative testing.
SKILLS SUMMARY
• Project management
• Information architecture
• Usability assessment and testing
• Writing, editing, proofreading
• Marketing, sales, client relations
• Graphic and Web design
REPRESENTATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Management & Client Relations
• Manage 20+ Web and multimedia development projects in 2009–2010 at Creative Street/Webize with clients including Eli Lilly, NCAA, Roche, and more from initial scoping through deployment phases.
• Attend and lead client meetings, prepare and participate in client presentations (sales, training, and executive review meetings), oversee various development teams, set and manage deadlines and budgets, and create system architecture documentation to guide project approval and development.
• Co-manage operations of Webize including: acting as Lead Project Manager to distribute projects and assign development teams; assisting with the quoting/estimating process; assisting with staffing employees; and overseeing general operations and human resources needs.
• Present to and meet with a variety of clients at Creative Street/Webize (from Fortune 500 companies to local non-profits) to discuss their needs, formulate proposals with unique ideas and strategies for their marketing and communications campaigns, and define scope requirements.
Usability Testing & Assessments
• Speaker at 2009 World Usability Day (Usability Professionals' Association) on conducting usability assessments.
• Designed and led usability task analysis tests on Web sites for Indianapolis Private Industry Council (IPIC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Eligibility Center at Creative Street/Webize.
• Conducted usability assessments and comparative analyses on Web sites for Indianapolis International Airport, University of Indianapolis, Roche Diagnostics, Methodist Health Foundation, American Teleservices Association (ATA), and NCAA Financial Dashboard at Creative Street/Webize.
• Implemented and led new services for Creative Street Media Group in 2007–present, including: usability assessments, usability testing, surveys and focus groups.
• Tested JIST catalog, resulting in a redesign effort and more than $200K in sales.
• Assisted JIST Publishing's Webmaster during site redesign process and usability testing.
• Tested communication pieces, including application forms and Web pages with students at IIT.
Graphic, Web, & Information Design
• Develop information architecture for new interactive projects at Webize: create Visio diagrams and extensive system architecture documentation through careful requirements analysis.
• Conduct comparative analyses, focus groups, and usability assessments at Webize to determine how clients' sites can be more competitive and user-friendly.
• Designer of 44-page catalog for Good Works Book Company.
• Completed design and execution of various e-newsletters and e-campaigns for JIST Publishing using Exact Target software.
• Webmaster, content developer, and designer of IIT Graduate College Web site (200+ pages).
• Designer, writer, and editor of IIT's Inventing the Future Together, a research magazine distributed to funding agencies and universities throughout the United States.
Communications
• Web writer at Creative Street for sites attracting thousands of visits each month, including: www.bioworksu.com, www.diicommunity.org, and several courses on www.nfhslearn.com.
• Wrote 21 brochures, 6 letters, and 11 flyers for JIST, resulting in more than $150K in sales.
• Writer and designer of more than 50 E-mail campaigns and e-newsletters for JIST Publishing.
• Writer of cover copy for more than 20 videos and books at JIST Publishing.
• Editor of 2004–2006 IIT Graduate Bulletin distributed to graduate students and IIT employees.
• Created IIT's International Student Handbook, distributed annually to more than 1000 students.
• Author of Dream Within a Dream, prose published in MT CUP Revue Fall Journal 2000.
RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
November 2008–Present
Webize Interactive Media (a Creative Street Media Group company), Indianapolis, IN
Lead Project Manager, Usability & Information Designer
(Promoted to Lead Project Manager in December 2009)
February 2007–November 2008
Creative Street Media Group, Indianapolis, IN
Writer, User Experience Designer
July 2006–Present
Freelance Communications & Usability Specialist, Indianapolis, IN
Writer, Editor, Web Designer, and Graphic Designer
November 2004–July 2006
JIST Publishing, Indianapolis, IN
Copywriter, Marketing & Communications
October 2002–August 2004
Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, IL
Director of Marketing & Communications for the Graduate College
August 2001–October 2002
Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, IL
Graduate Admissions Coordinator
EDUCATION
5/2009–Present
IUPUI, Indianapolis, IN
Information Technology Certificate
• Currently Pursuing, GPA: 4.0
• Focus on principles and techniques used to develop Web-based business applications.
1/2002–5/2004 Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Master of Science in Technical Communication & Information Design
• Cumulative GPA: 4.0, Dean’s High Academic Honors
• Intensive study of information design through usability testing and effective design principles.
9/1998–5/2001
Ball State University, Muncie, IN
Bachelor of Science & Humanities, English Preprofessional Major, Professional Writing Option
• Major GPA: 3.565, Dean’s List
• Focus on grammatical rules, literature analysis, and various types of communication.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
2008–Present
Usability Professionals' Association National & Indiana Chapter
The UPA is a national organization that supports those who promote and advance the development of usable products, reaching out to people who act as advocates for usability and the user experience. Members come from across the broad family of disciplines that create the user experience.
• 2010 Volunteer Director of Outreach
• Presented at World Usability 2009, at IUPUI, on conducting usability assessments
•
National member
since 2008
•
Local Indiana Chapter
member since 2008
2008–Present
United Way ReadUp Program
Reading Tutor
2009
Habitat for Humanity
Volunteer
SOFTWARE & WEB DEVELOPMENT PROFICIENCY
Visio; DotProject; Adobe: Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Pagemaker, Acrobat; MS: Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint; Quark; HTML, CSS (beginner).
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Professional References
References, letters of recommendation, and portfolio samples are available upon request.
Reviews
“I had the good fortune of working with Melissa on several projects during my time at Creative Street. I found Melissa to be a dependable and very knowledgeable team member – not to mention her great sense of humor and positive attitude. We worked with clients that had various levels of understanding about usability and consistently Melissa was effective in speaking to the clients in language they understood. On many occasions, I asked Melissa for direction on the best way to enhance an existing online process that was confusing to our end users. She was very creative in coming up with solutions and working within the constraints of existing framework. I would welcome the opportunity to work with Melissa again.”
Molly Machett
Former NFHS, Sports & Communications Account Manager at Creative Street Media Group
“After the first ten minutes of interviewing Melissa, I knew she would be a great asset to our company. I was right. In the two years at JIST and with freelance work for the next year, Melissa always delivered high quality work. She will be successful in any position. Her drive, desire to learn, work ethic, enthusiasm, technical knowledge, marketing experience, and communication skills will be a great asset to any company. I would highly recommend Melissa to any organization!”
Randy Haubner
Former VP/Marketing, JIST Publishing
“Besides being a pleasure to work with, Melissa is an extremely conscientious, take-charge worker. She very quickly earned the respect of her co-workers for the quality and quantity of work she produced. Melissa is a diligent, very well organized worker, who is easily approachable, and always on time. I would personally recommend Melissa Zabel to any employer needing her skills.”
Barry Newborn
Former Vice President, Sales, JIST Publishing, Inc.
"Melissa
made a smooth transition from an admission coordinator position
to the Director of Inquiry Management, Marketing and Communications
in a short time. She has improved the existing process and
established new ones that made an impact to the operation
of her office. As she is completing the annual cycle she is
identifying areas that need additional work and improving
her skills to address those needs. She is attending various
national meetings to learn best practices."
Ali
Cinar
Dean of the Graduate College Illinois Institute of
Technology
"Melissa
is one of the most self-motivated, competent and mature employees
I've ever supervised. I believe my challenge is to provide
stimulating and interesting projects for her. The value added
by Melissa is truly exceptional."
Karen
Swenson
Former
Director of Graduate Admission Illinois Institute
of Technology
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