Director of Design and User Experience
Summary
I am an interactive design director with 14 plus years experience creating online products and services.
For the last 12 years I conceived, designed, produced and successfully evolved online news sites for The Wall Street Journal Digital Network: The Wall Street Journal Online, Barron's Online and Marketwatch.
CONCEIVED: Brainstormed, sketched, researched ideas, created prototypes, conducted usability testing and launched WSJ and Barron's online web products.
DESIGNED: The entirety of the visual presence online. The navigation, taxonomy, presentation of news and features, interactive graphics and special reports, logo and brand identity.
PRODUCED: Formed a design team to create all visuals associated with the sites This included page layouts and templates, color palettes, logo and other unique brand identifiers and daily graphics charts
EVOLVED: Frequent and rapid change are a few of the defining characteristics of the web and this necessitates an almost perpetual rethinking, redesigning, reengineering and relaunching of web properties
Process
I take a user-centric approach that focuses on the customers goals and tasks for accessing a web site. I concentrate on creating clear, consistent and effective designs which facilitates product usage and enhances the brand identity.
Planning is perhaps the most important part of the entire project. Successful completion of a project depends on solid and realistic requirements, a clearly defined content strategy and clear and appropriate goals.
Design Flows are detailed diagrams of navigation, functionality, features and/or a site map, etc. In very large-scale projects, the design flow is elevated to become an Interaction Design Specification. At this high level, the Interaction Design Specification is the project's blueprint and combines page schematics with detailed descriptions of functionality for each element on a page.
Wireframes are a necessary step in the process and ensures that all key stakeholders are in agreement with the content strategy and the required elements are properly represented on each page. Wireframes also allow for "proof of concept" and are often used for prototype testing with customters.
Philosophy
Design is about making history.
It's about discovering opportunities and then having the capacity to plan in order to achieve desired outcomes.
Design is getting out there and meeting customers. It's an essential way to make lasting connections with them
Design is a vital way to solve problems and drive innovation.
Design is paying close attention to one's surroundings and empathizing with them.
Design is the openess to experience events and becoming changed by them.
Design needs to become a discipline that C-level management understands and champions.
My design philosophy is constantly evolving and is being shaped by new ideas and theories that I observe and learn in all aspects of my life.