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I graduated in May 1999 with a Master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Michigan School of Information. The school's coursework was a lot of work, but also interesting, challenging, and great fun. Professionally, I consider myself a combination User Experience Architect and Usability Engineer.
People rarely know what a "UEA" does, so I thought it would be useful to share a few case studies from my professional lifte. Hopefully, I'll be able to add something new every now and then. In the meantime, here are a few to get us started.
The Kano Model and User Experience Architecture
Read more
and download the presentation...
I gave a talk for the local Boston chapter of the Usability Professionals Association (UPA) in March 2004 on this topic. The Kano Model is frequently used in the business field for identifying opportunities in quality product engineering. My talk focused on ways to adapt this tool to the field of user experience design for Internet-based applications and communicating design priorities to clients.
E-Marketplace
Case Study
Read the
case study...
Client: E-Marketplace, Inc., an online business-to-business marketplace. E-Marketplace's client organizations respectively post and search for promising new business opportunities in a particular industry.
Published: Spring 2001
Description: I worked on this project for about 6 months, from Fall 2000 through Spring 2001. I eased into the lead User Experience Architect position, gradually taking over from the Director of UEA, Paul, who had helped sell the project. My work on the project included:
- Incorporating business requirements and user discovery insights into Functional Specifications documents, including actor descriptions, use cases, scenarios, business requirements.
- Leading the design and creation of the Site Map, including page flow diagrams.
- Leading the design and creation of Wireframes., including significant interaction and user interface documentation for nearly every one. (*whew!* That was an undertaking…)
- And creating random other documentation such as an organization and user privileges matrix, a Wireframe Tracker spreadsheet to record unique wireframes and templates, and more!
- All the while doing my part to manage client expectations and proactively prevent scope creep for the benefit of the client's own interests and the project budget.
Although the project was real, I changed the name of the client and some details to protect the innocent. My employer has also been renamed to "eBiz Consultants, Inc." Read the in-depth Case Study and check out samples for each of these project deliverables.
Site Analysis Case Study
Read the
case study...
Client: The brochureware-plus site for a consumable product of a packaged goods company
Published: Spring 2001
Description: What mysteries can one discover by plumbing the depths of those arcane server logs? IP numbers, referrer pages, and activity stats, oh my!
Honestly, this was my first time getting paid for playing server forensics expert, and it was great fun. I'd looked at server logs before for my own personal web site and for the U-M International Center where I was a webmaster. But it's somthing else entirely when it's for a "real" commercial site.
This case study explains the methodology I followed and some lessons learned. I also offer advice for customizing your own server log tool to maximize the value of your reports.
U-M SI Grad School Projects
For
roughly 18 months while in the Human-Computer Interaction program at the
University of Michigan School of Information, I had a total blast. Hard
work and lots of it. But the faculty and fellow students were top notch.
Here are a few of the more interesting
student projects I worked on. Well, the ones that I had time to make
into web studies, at least!
Curriculum
Vitae
You're
welcome to take a look at my curriculum vitae
online, as well.