Donovan Watts

Current

User Experience Researcher at AnswerLab

Past

Founder/Project Manager at Getting Sites Built
Internet & Technology Coordinator at Coral Reef Alliance
Founder at Web Surf Hawaii (Sole Proprietorship)

Tech Support at Action Fire Sprinkler Corp.
Tech Support at Coldwell Banker McCormack Properties

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Education

Nielsen Norman Group
University of Hawaii at Manoa

Recommended

7 people have recommended Donovan

Connections

216 connections

Industry

Market Research

Websites

My Website

Donovan Watts’s Summary

Donovan has been an early adopter of the practice of usability which goes back to his days as a web site developer. Prior to AnswerLab Donovan founded and managed a web site development firm that served clients across a number of industries, including professional services, non-profit, media, and financial services. His experience with user-focused web site development spans more than a decade. An early adopter of blogging and podcasting, Donovan has always strived to remain on the cutting edge of Internet technologies. As a strong believer in usability, Donovan's approach to building sites has always been focused on ease of use for the visitor.

Donovan eventually made the leap to user research learning by doing, by reading, by participating in design teams, and especially by watching and listening to people as they used and experienced the interfaces he and others designed. An understanding of site design challenges and excellent people skills serve him well when it comes to helping study participants articulate aspects of their experience that can provide insights to design teams.

Donovan’s consulting work at AnswerLab has focused primarily on remote usability. This method incorporates the use of online screen-sharing tools which enable moderating of usability sessions over the phone. Donovan’s work across both usability and web site development has enabled him to identify user experience issues that are of most value to client development teams.

Donovan is a graduate of the University of Hawaii with a background in Educational Technology.

Donovan Watts’s Specialties:

Usability studies, remote usability projects, general project management, workflow systems, video recording/editing, screener writing, facility/recruit management, report writing, search engine marketing

Donovan Watts’s Experience

User Experience Researcher

AnswerLab

(Privately Held; Market Research industry)

January 2007 — Present (2 years 7 months)

AnswerLab conducts custom user experience research to improve websites, software, and mobile applications. Our quantitative and qualitative methods help clients throughout the development cycle, from concept to launch to ongoing benchmarking. Our insights result in increased revenues by improving conversion, customer satisfaction and brand impression.
Founder/Project Manager

Getting Sites Built

(Internet industry)

November 2002 — November 2008 (6 years 1 month)

Founder/Project Manager for Getting Sites Built. We build custom-crafted websites.
Internet & Technology Coordinator

Coral Reef Alliance

(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Environmental Services industry)

November 2000 — November 2002 (2 years 1 month)

Responsible for all site duties; CMS installation, online forms integration, email list management, server administration, forum installation and integration.
Founder
Web Surf Hawaii (Sole Proprietorship)

(Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Internet industry)

January 1998 — September 2000 (2 years 9 months)

Installed and maintained dns/www/ftp/mail/list servers for hosting customers. Customer training and support.
Tech Support

Action Fire Sprinkler Corp.

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Construction industry)

November 1995 — January 1998 (2 years 3 months)

Installed and maintained cross platform network; hardware and software. Employee training and support.
Tech Support

Coldwell Banker McCormack Properties

(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Real Estate industry)

June 1989 — July 1990 (1 year 2 months)

Installed and maintained hardware and software. Employee training and support.

Donovan Watts’s Education

Nielsen Norman Group

Usability 2008 — 2008

Usability Week 2008
http://www.nngroup.com/events/san_francisco/agenda.html
University of Hawaii at Manoa

BA , Art History, Educational Technology , 1989 — 1993