The Communication Studio

Skills

I'm a multi-skilled, cross-disciplinary, Full-stack UX Unicorn

Strategic UX consultation   to management level stakeholders

Usability resource   at level of the Team, the Group, and the Enterprise

Educate, evangelize, collaborate   programmers, marketing, creative

 

I solve workflow-intensive challenges. "The fewest clicks to Satisfaction." Creative and insightful. Strong analytical and communication skills. Experienced. Technically astute.

 

  • Seasoned leadership : Self directed, team guidance, group process, executive advocacy, colleague mentoring
  • Excellent skills: full-stack UX, “dirt-under-the-fingernails” implementation, mobile, BI, responsive design, clickable demosites, HTML5, CSS3, behavioral code
  • Client trust : Return engagements, self-managed, remote work, highly recommended

SKILL AREAS:

Best Practices, Usability Analysis, Prototyping & Modeling, CSS & Templates, Information Architecture, Semantic, Workflow, Responsive, Mobile, Documentation & Online Help, Social Networking, Accessibility, Compliance, Team Process, Agile, Rich Internet / DHTML / Javascript

Abilities

Insight
Grasp "the Big Picture". Holistic.
Problem-Solving
Identify and address critical issues.
Creativity
Think and act "out of the box" (I had to say it.)
Innovation
Improve what already exists. Fix the legacy.
Interpretation
Understand what's really going on.
Explanation & Presentation
Communicate effectively.
Organization & Librarying
Pull it all together into a coherent system.
Consistency
Do due diligence.
Detail Orientation
Follow-through on the whole package.

 

Tools

I'm a multi-skilled, cross-disciplinary, Full-stack UX Unicorn

I sometimes refer to myself as "a repository of dead languages". Whether a given product is still popular today, the usage and functionality is constant. Here are some of the tools I use most often.

Only the skilled can judge the skillfulness, but that is not the same as judging the value of the result.

C.S. Lewis

Modeling

Dreamweaver
Expert
1999
HTML
Expert
1995
CSS Stylesheets
Expert
1999
Responsive Design
Strong
2005

Graphics

Fireworks
Expert
2000
Photoshop
Strong
1996
Powerpoint
Strong
1997

Documentation & Structure

Documentation / MS Word
Expert
1993
Information Architecture
Expert
1996
Robohelp
Expert
1996
Visio
Competent
1996
Erwin Data Modeler
Competent
1999

Coding & Process

HTML & DHTML
Expert
1996
Javascript : behavioral
Strong
2001
Sharepoint
Expert
2006
SourceSafe & source control systems
Competent
1999

Presentation Platforms

Windows / DOS
Expert
1983
Macintosh
Expert
1988
Animation
Strong
1974
Mobile
Competent
2011
Video
Competent
1972
Voice / IVR
Competent
1998

Professional training / certification

I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want... what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you.

Liam Neeson in 'Taken'

 

I am not really a Programmer

I work with teams that use a range of programming development platforms: ASP, JSP, DotNet, JSF, PHP, C+Plus, etc.

I don't include these programming languages in my list of skills because I don't actually produce this programming code. Nor is that my job.

I am a very skilled Coder

I do produce User Interface and Information Architecture collateral (HTML, CSS, and some Javascript) that is readily usable by developers who are skilled in producing program code for each of these platforms.

I have technical knowledge that is appropriate to my role.

I help make the 50,000 lines of program code usable.

When someone says, "Gee, that looks like it was designed by a programmer" ... It's usually not a compliment.

I've worked successfully with many excellent programmers who should not be allowed anywhere near HTML or CSS code.