Summary of Qualifications.

A seasoned observer and design advocate with extensive background in analysis, experience design, production and team management on large-scale engagements & enterprise applications. Extensive experience managing the creation of web based applications with an emphasis in User Experience and Information Architecture. 

Specialties include: Creation of user centered design teams who build Information Architecture / User Experience documentation; Rich Internet Application and enterprise software; Expertise in managing large teams focused on User Experience and Business / Systems Analysis.

Honeywell Connected Enterprise
July 2019 - Present
Director Experience Design, Connected Aerospace

Build, manage and grow a global design team focused on creating consumer grade experiences for a Fortune 100 company with a long tradition in industrial hardware. Work closely with Honeywell Connected Enterprise (HCE) global design leaders to establish a data driven approach to user centered design. Lead the Product Design function for Business Aviation, Air Transport & Commercial Aviation as well as Defense products focused on bringing actionable data to daily users of HCE hardware and software.

Manhattan Associates
3/2017 - July 2019
Director of Product Design

Establish and enhance Product Design core team within Manhattan Associates. Manage day-to-day operations of full stack design team while participating in ongoing design tasks.  Heavy involvement in product conceptualization and strategy with a focus on design and process reengineering.  Lead Product and R&D teams to develop a user centric and data driven approach to innovation.  Coaching, mentoring and leadership of a growing team of UX designers and researchers.

Asurion
3/2015 - 2017
Director of User Experience - Soluto

Manage day-to-day functions of the User Experience team and coordinate functional design across multiple development teams. Lead Product Development workshops and discovery sprints to re-imagine enterprise applications from a user centered point of view. Heavily involved in collaborative and data centric design processes for multiple enterprise platforms including CRM, Big Data, Knowledge Management and more.

TRADE NTE
4/2013 - 7/2014
Consultant

Management consulting and digital product development.  Responsible for overseeing client work in the areas of application development for mobile, tablet, and full-screen design efforts.

Cbeyond
6/2010 - 4/2013
Director, User Experience; Business and Systems Analysis

Responsible to inspire, lead, and grow a talented team of interaction designers, visual designers, and analysts to deliver highly usable products and services for Cbeyond’s customers. Manage a team that creates the vision and standards for the user’s experience including the look, feel, and tone based on inspired design, conventions, trends, research, brand positioning, as well as measuring results.  Additionally, I evangelize user-experience practices & principles throughout the company, fostering a culture of design thinking, innovation and collaboration. 

 
Responsibilities Include:

  • Effectively communicate Cbeyond’s value through site interactions and designs.

  • Understand and advocate for the experience needs of small business customers, particularly the Cbeyond customer.

  • Oversee several simultaneous projects and strategies from inception to launch.

  • Manage the day-to-day operations of the UX team, including setting priorities, assigning resources, and ensuring goals are achieved

  • Work with technology leads to resolve functional issues related to business requirements and design input.

  • Consult with the organization at large, participate in and guide strategic design decisions.

  • Manage and mentor team: Provide clear direction to direct reports that fosters learning and independent decision-making.

Critical Mass
7/2009 - 1/2010
Senior Information Architect
Lead Information Architecture practice for IA team dedicated to AT&T Account Management project track.  Responsible to be primary user advocate and provide strategic insight to aid in usability and utility as it relates to all areas of customer facing AT&T services.  Understand business requirements and translate goals into design structure.  Manage user testing protocols and prototype development across internal and external teams.

Responsibilities Include:

  • Translate business requirements into concrete design with an emphasis on user experience and efficiency.

  • Coordinate with other IA Leads to assure consistency in approach and design across all project tracks.

  • Develop site maps and wireframes as well as use case scenarios and user profiles.

  • Work closely with design team to assure that the user experience vision is carried through design process.

  • Work with technology leads to resolve functional issues related to business requirements and design input.

Kaneva
3/2008 – 6/2009
Director of Experience Design
Responsible for overseeing Experience Design Department which includes IA/UX, visual design, copy as well as 3D art direction and animation. Coordinate and manage department work streams and company wide strategy and implementation goals. Interface with other department leads to determine to assure timeliness and quality of all design assets and user interface deliverables.

Work closely with CEO and Product Management team to establish business requirements, user requirements, and develop strategies to create compelling user experiences both in the 3D world and on the web. Design and manage all user interfaces in the 3D experience while assuring efficiency and usability levels are maintained. Lead user research to review design prototypes and manage user centered design approach.

Responsibilities Include:

  • Directly manage 10+ resources dedicated to User Experience research and design as well as graphics and front-end application development.

  • Manage the user experience for a large variety of products including 3D virtual world, enterprise software platform, and web based social networking and entertainment portal.

  • Represent the User - translate customer requirements into defined specifications and inspire the Engineering team to develop the right products.

  • Significantly influence product strategy and direction.

  • Develop and maintain design mockups, usage scenarios, prototypes, specifications, navigation maps, and other design documents.

  • Develop expert-level knowledge of competitive and complementary products and bring new ideas to the team.

  • Define innovative user interfaces and interaction styles that result in improved user productivity.

  • Develop rapid prototypes in Flash for iterative user testing.


IQ Agency
1/2006 – 3/2008
Vice President, Operations / Lead Information Architect
Responsible for overseeing the operations and Project Management service line of the agency as well as directing production processes and procedures in support of all agency business and clients. Oversee the day-to-day management of projects in excess of $1mil/year as well as acting as department head for production management group that manages over $9mil/year. Major accounts include: UPS, Volkswagen, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Merrill Lynch, among others. Development of agency wide policies and procedures related to the operations and management of clients, revenue, systems, and personnel.

Work closely with clients to define business requirements and how they relate to features and function. Define content structure, navigation, and interaction design schemas in support of functional and aesthetic requirements. Develop user personas and use case scenarios to inform interaction and design architectures. Writing of functional specifications and page level technical requirements for development efforts.

Responsibilities Include:

  • Development of high level user experience site flows and detailed page level wireframes

  • Developed the “i5” methodology that serves as the agency’s core strategy and production guidelines.

  • Often serve in multiple roles as defined by client needs including: Information Architect and Strategist as well as Project Manager.

  • For all Information Architecture/Interaction Design projects responsibilities include:

    • Creation of creative and technical blueprints in support of application development and site design

    • Strategic analysis of client’s business goals, requirements and audience

    • Creation of user personas and segmentation models to support user experience design

    • Contribute and manage the conceptual framework of projects and strategic solution sets

    • Design on User Experience via Architecture and Interaction Design models

  • Work with IQ and client side Creative and Engineering teams to assure alignment with creative and technical feasibility


Project Highlights:

  • UPS.com – Lead experience designer for homepage redesign and redesign of UPS Business Solutions

  • VW GTI Configurator – Lead Information Architect for this cutting edge site. Award highlights include: Cannes Cyber Lion Grand Prix, Adobe Max Award for Best Marketing Site & Peoples Choice 2006

  • Celebritycruises.com –Lead Information Architect for this major re-branding effort for Celebrity Cruise Lines.



A full listing of URL’s and work samples are available upon request.

Freelance Consultant – User Experience Architect
5/2005 – 12/2005

 Client - THINK Inc. – User Experience Architect
Work with team of designers, writers and strategists to produce Information Architecture documents for clients such as Alltel, Specialty Nutrition Group and TransitCenter.com among others.

Project Duties Include:
• Work closely with Clients and Account Services teams to define project needs and guidelines.
• Production of site maps and wireframes in MS Visio and maintenance of IA docs.
• Heuristic and usability analysis of client sites for redesign efforts.
• Provide user-centered design feedback and strategies for promotions, websites and banner ads.
• Design and develop Flash based media for promotions and web sites.

Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates (TVS&A)
3/2001 – 5/2005
Senior Associate – Manager of Information Design Studio
Led the formation of a business specializing in web development, multi-media design, and advanced visualization. Managed the design of projects that ranged from corporate websites to multimedia presentations to rich internet applications.

Responsibilities Include:
• Lead Information Architect for all projects within the studio.
• Team leader for web and multi-media development projects.
• Design and develop presentations and web sites that utilize Flash MX for major marketing efforts.
• Lead redesign effort for corporate website (www.tvsa.com) that resulted in a National Honor Award from the SMPS.
• Develop e-learning tools for corporate intranet and training videos.
• Help clients develop strategic media projects that support core business goals and help create new economic opportunities through interactive media.

Special Recognitions / Achievements:
• Recognized as a leader in the firm as part of the Leadership Class 2003 - promoted directly to Senior Associate.

Mothership
1998 – 2001
Founding Partner / COO
Co-founder of a successful web development firm. Led a group of 4 designers / developers to create innovative and strategic web sites with an emphasis on user experience and graphic impact. Managed all aspects of client relations and managed the day-to-day operations of the firm. Developed all proposals, contracts and managed projects to tight budget guidelines.

Sample Client List:
• e-invest - managed entire web design/development team for a $25 million start-up.
• Andersen Consulting / Accenture - designed cutting edge Flash presentations for Andersen consultants; trained Creative Services staff in graphics and multimedia development; helped build an interactive media department for the Atlanta Office of Andersen.
• FolioZ - worked closely with agency staff to prepare multimedia applications and video presentations for technology.
• Project 18 - worked with agency clients to develop numerous web and media projects.

Education

Georgia Institute of Technology
1992-1996
Bachelor's of Science in Architecture
Studio work includes: Freehand drawing, mechanical drawing, design theory, color rendering, model design, and construction science.

Awards and Publications:
Winner First Place 1995 Georgia Tech / Velux America Design Competition.
Works published on cover and interior of Georgia Institute of Technology College of Architecture Projects 1994-1995.
Work published on cover of Georgia Institute of Technology College of Architecture Newsletter.

Georgia Institute of Technology
1998- 2000
Masters of Science, Information Design and Technology - degree unfinished
Course work includes: HTML programming and JavaScript, multimedia design and programming, analog and digital video editing, video teleconferencing via internet, graphic design.

Software Knowledge / Skills

Expert level knowledge 5+ years of experience:
Macromedia Flash MX 2004 (versions 3, 5, MX & MX 2004 Professional)
Macromedia Dreamweaver MX (versions 3, 4 and MX)
Adobe Creative Cloud - Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator (versions 6 – 10)
Microsoft Office
3D Studio Max (versions 2.5, 3.1 & 4.0)
3D Studio Viz (versions 3 & 4)
Adobe Premiere (versions 4, 5, 6.5 & Pro)
HTML programming

Intermediate level knowledge 3+ years of experience:
Sound Forge (version 5 & 6)
MS Project
MS Visio
Macromedia Director
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe InDesign
Adobe After Effects
JavaScript