
Information Architect | Usability Consultant | User Researcher
Greater Los Angeles Area

Information Architect | Usability Consultant | User Researcher
Greater Los Angeles Area
As an independent user experience consultant, I help create desirable, useful, easy to use, and innovative products that support strategic objectives.
With 10 years of experience in user interface design, I've created information architecture solutions and deliverables for clients including Honda, Acura, NBC, Yahoo! and others. I am passionate about true user-centered design and have conducted usability testing and other research studies to guide conceptual modeling and inform critical design decisions for clients including Toyota and Verizon.
My academic and independent training in both business and human factors has helped me develop the right balance of advocating for user needs while staying focused on business goals. Lately, I’ve been working on rich internet applications, Flash, and Ajax interfaces for clients in the entertainment and automotive industries.
You may contact me at aa@uxconsultant.com
Usability Testing, Information Architecture, Interaction Design, AJAX, Flash, and RIA, User Interviews, User Requirements, Competitive Analysis, Heuristic Evaluation/Expert Review, Card Sorting, Nomenclature and Web Site Content, Ethnographic Research and Contextual Inquiry, Survey Design and Analysis, Prototyping, User Profile and Scenario Development
(Internet industry)
April 2007 — Present (1 year 8 months)
Providing Information Architecture and Usability/User Experience services to clients including Honda, Acura, NBC, and T-Mobile.
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; SAPE; Internet industry)
December 2006 — March 2007 (4 months)
- Designed user experience solutions and deliverables for clients including Yahoo!, Logitech, McKesson, and Fandango
- Conducted requirements gathering and design collaboration workshops with clients
- Contributed information architecture deliverables and estimates to new proposals
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Internet industry)
January 2005 — November 2006 (1 year 11 months)
- During entire tenure, acted as lead user experience consultant on the Toyota account including Toyota.com, Toyota's Certified Used Vehicles site and various mini-sites and initiatives.
- Grew the user experience service offering by developing research methodologies, building test labs, training research facilitators, conducting workshops, seeking new consultants, etc.
- Conducted all aspects of usability research including planning, recruiting, moderating, analyzing, reporting, and presenting results catered to executives, designers, developers, or other audiences.
- Conducted heuristic evaluations, competitive analyses, and surveys.
- Sought and analyzed appropriate web site metrics and 3rd party research. Translated findings into actionable user experience recommendations.
- Created site flows, wire frames, user profiles/personas, scenarios, and other deliverables for the design and development of web sites and applications.
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Telecommunications industry)
April 2004 — December 2004 (9 months)
Conducted usability testing, ethnographic research/contextual inquiries, competitive analyses and heuristic evaluations of web, hardware, software, and CD-ROM products. Products included Superpages.com, Verizon.com, DSL in-home installation, home networking in-home installation and home networking on-line education.
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; CBT; Chemicals industry)
September 1999 — September 2003 (4 years 1 month)
Managed and redesigned global intranet reaching 23 countries (editor-in-chief, information architect, designer, strategist, usability specialist, etc.).
Computer Science 2007 — 2007
Undergrad level XHTML and CSS course
Human Factors in Information Design 2002 — 2004
Graduate-level courses in Human Factors, Usability Testing, and Information Visualization.
B.S. Business Communication, (Graphic and Web Design, Marketing and Management), 1993 — 1997
High School, Classic Languages, College Prep, 1987 — 1993
Meditation, Cycling, National and State Parks/Hiking/Camping, Charity Work, Making Sushi, Baking Cupcakes, Nutrition
- Los Angeles Information Architects/UX Meetup Group
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Special Interest Groups: Computer-Human Interaction (SIGCHI), Los Angeles Chapter; Accessible Computing
- Usability Professionals Association (UPA): Attended 2005 and 2006 conferences; Reviewed submissions for the 2007 and 2008 conferences.
- Information Architecture Institute (IAI)
- Interaction Design Association (IxDA)
- Braille Institute
- Bentley College Alumni Association