Usability Testing
Hi, I'm Heather
UX Generalist
∨
UX Generalist
∨
Toolkit
SKILLS
- Usability Testing
- Design Thinking
- Project Management
- Workflow Mapping
- User Research
- HTML
- CSS
- JavaScript
- PHP
- SQL
CERTIFICATIONS
- Human Centered Design
Graduate Certificate
University of Washington - Web Development
Certificate
University of Washington - Project Management Certificate
Bellingham Technical College - Web Technology Certificate
Bellingham Technical College
TOOLS
- Axure RP
- Adobe XD CC
- Dreamweaver
- Silverback
- PHPEd
- Visual Studio
- WordPress
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- SSRS
Experience
Throughout my career in IT, development and UX, I've focused on improving products and processes for users. By viewing problems from the perspective of the user, I've been able to effect positive change, improve processes and create engaging solutions.
All effective products put the user at the center of the design process. Through a human centered design approach products are developed that engage users. These design decisions must be based on user research and testing. Putting the user’s needs at the center of the design and testing processes must be the essential focus for any competitive technology company.
Process
I'm passionate about creating effective technology that captivates users and enhances their experience. I believe technology should benefit people by creating positive interactions with content and processes.
From the first iteration to product launch a successful design process must put the user first. All design decisions, evaluations and iterations must always be justified and guided by the needs of the users. Good design is not created in a vacuum and great design relies on deliberate responses to users' goals.
Contact
How can I help bring user centered design to your company or next project?
e-mail: Heather@RoseHeather.com
Usability Testing
Alaska Airlines — Travel Bundling Usability Study
Working on a team with two other University of Washington Human Centered Design graduate students and a corporate UX partner at Alaska Airlines, we investigated the possible usability issues with reservation bundling of travel bookings on the Alaska Airlines website. We also investigated user experiences with bundling travel on sites other than Alaska Airlines.
Role: Working in a team of three UW Human Centered Design graduate students we contributed to all aspects of the usability test.
Client: Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines — Usability Test Planning
This was a quarter long project which consisted of four major phases; planning, testing, analysis and reporting. The team started by writing a usability study plan that outlined processes and methods that would be most effective to fully investigate our targeted usability area. We then wrote a usability study kit that contained all of the materials necessary for conducting the test.
Role: Working in a team of three UW Human Centered Design graduate students we contributed to all aspects of the usability test.
Client: Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines — The Test
We conducted eight hour-long sessions with our recruited target users. Each hour long test included a pretest interview, primary task and post test questionnaire.
We used screen capture software, video recording, forms and notes to document the raw data. All eight sessions were in person, our corporate partners were given the opportunity to observe remotely.
Working in a team of three UW Human Centered Design graduate students we contributed to all aspects of the usability test
Client: Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines — Data Analysis and Reporting
We analyzed the data, carefully scrutinizing our findings. The analysis culminated in a twenty-four page report and an hour long presentation. This information was presented to decision makers at the Alaska Corporate office. We identified twelve findings and recommendations and highlighted the top three as well as additional areas to explore.
Role: Working in a team of three UW Human Centered Design graduate students we contributed to all aspects of the usability test
Client: Alaska Airlines
Web Work
Public Facing Sites
It is imperative that an organization's web presence be accessible and mobile first. A good design should not only be responsive but fluid. A design should avoid jumping at breakpoints but flow between each breakpoint to maintain the best possible look at every viewport size. It is no longer competitive to design for only a handful of device sizes. I value fluidity that ensures good design at all viewport sizes.
Although most of my web work has been company facing, I have designed and coded a handful of public facing sites as well as custom templates for proprietary content management systems.
Projects: Stone Town Theatre Works, The Carrot and Stick, Homestay at Skagit Valley College, various legacy sites
Role: Design, Code
Corporate Applications and Intranets
Corporate environments provide opportunities to deliver solutions through intranets and internal facing web applications. Solutions I have provided include; reporting dashboards, bug tracking applications and file transfer status reports.
Some of the most interesting problems I have been tasked with involve solving unique industry specific issues in health care, banking and manufacturing. Distinctive challenges are presented in each environment and by each role in that environment.
Corporate Intranets and Web Applications
Role: Coding, Design and Delivery
User Research
Mapping Methodologies
Selecting the right user research method for the targeted users ensures the user is at the center of the process and the most relevant data is collected. I have used various methods to conduct user research depending on the target user. I usually start with task analysis, supplementary research or contextual interviews with users when possible.
The two most important objectives that user research helps me obtain is building empathy and discovering facts.
Cultivating Empathy
Methods that cultivate empathy for the user are valuable especially in a team environment. They promote advocacy for the user. The development of personas is a physical reminder of the users objectives.
Role: User Researcher Team InnerActions
Above: Personas from Team InnerActions University of Washington Human Centered Design
Fact Finding
Heuristics analysis and expert evaluations can be valuable when analyzing workflow and task flow issues. This type of review also helps narrow focus and refine problem statements. These reviews are extremely useful in helping plan for larger usability testing. I've used expert evaluations to help communicate complex problems to stakeholders and to garner support for projects.
Role: Reviewer
Project: various corporate projects
Visual Design
Print Work
To give myself interesting design challenges, I've volunteered to create newsletters, posters, mailers and advertisements for non-profits. I employ the same principles to print projects that I've learned in other environments and various design classes.
Role: Graphic Designer
Clients: Landlubber Mercantile, Portland Actors Ensemble, The Bellingham Theatre Guild
Artistic Direction
My undergraduate work in stage direction taught me the fundamentals of design and communication that I use everyday. Each project starts with research. From that research a clear design concept is formed. That concept is used to unify and inspire the designers and others on the project.
Using fundamental design elements and principles common in all visual design the concept of the play is communicated.
Role: Director
Theaters: Stone Town Theatre Works, Theatre in the Grove, Western Washington University, iDiOM
Style Guides
Like a directorial design concept, I use style guides to inspire and unify my visual designs. These guides generated from an abstract concept act as an anchor to ground and give form to that concept.
Role: Designer
Project: The Female Wits, Stone Town Theatre Works
UX Design
Design Thinking
Gathering project requirements, conducting research, analyzing and then reframing those requirements into an actionable well defined statement inspires the design process.
Through the process of Design Thinking; research, ideation, prototyping and evaluation in an iterative cycle creates innovative, user-centered solutions.
As the design process progresses, I create artifacts that help evolve the work and solicit feedback. With every iteration each design artifact is evaluated, critiqued and adjustments are made.
Sketching and Low-Fidelity Mockups
After clearly defining the problem to be solved, I start sketching solutions and refining low-fidelity mockups. This is an opportunity to test design solutions against early user research and product requirements.
I find it's helpful to share these early sketches and low-fidelity mockups with stakeholders. This helps communicate the understanding of the project requirements. It also gives an early opportunity to fine tune objectives.
Role: Designer
Projects: Various corporate projects
Wireframes
Once a clear path has been set for the solution, I start wireframing. This is also a good opportunity to check in with stakeholders. The bare bones of the wireframe often lets contributors concentrate on features and functionality. Did the stakeholders clearly communicate all needs during requirements gathering? Did I interpret the needs as intended? If not, it is easy to make adjustments at this stage.
Role: Designer
Projects: Various corporate projects
High-Fidelity Mockups
After proof of concept and any necessary iterations have been completed in lower fidelity design and wireframing, it is time to create high-fidelity mockups. It is important not to introduce this stage to early as a high-fidelity mockup can be very impactful to stakeholders.
Role: Designer
Projects: Various corporate projects
Prototyping
The early prototyping stage is a perfect opportunity to solicit feedback from stakeholders and users. I've used prototyping to test individual components or the entire application.
Like mockups, it is often helpful if prototypes progress in fidelity. With the data collected from the prototyping phase adjustments are made and the iterative process continues until the product is acceptable for launch.
Role: Designer
Projects: Various corporate projects
Workflow Solutions
Workflow Analysis
For nearly every problem I've been asked to solve I create a workflow or task analysis. This helps me understand the issue and allows me to show a physical representation to those involved to make sure I'm understanding the current state of the problem.
Performing this analysis can be tremendously beneficial for complex tasks or workflows that involve many team members.
Tools: Visio
Lobby Management System
After completing market research and a competitive analysis report on products that would address lobby management issues at multiple branches in a financial institution, the decision was made to design the system in-house.
I then conducted user and subject matter expert interviews. After mapping the current lobby management workflow, a system design was created, prototyped, evaluated and iterated. I procured equipment, coded the front and back end and solicited user feedback.
Role: System Design, Develop, Hardware Design and Implementation
Technologies and tools: JavaScript, HTML, CSS, DataTables, PHP, PHPed, Visio
Incoming Order System
I created a software and hardware solution that allowed managers to gauge daily staffing needs based on incoming orders. I designed this system for a healthcare manufacturing facility, and as with all projects I've designed in the healthcare space, it conformed to HIPAA electronic information and data handling compliance. I installed a rugged touch panel that could be operated with the protective gloves necessary in shipping and receiving. I designed input-controls with large touch targets. Information from shipping was fed into a dashboard for managers accessed throughout the facility.
Role: System Design, Coding, Hardware Implementation
Technologies and Tools: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, VP.Net, IIS, SSRS