Cyber Anthropologist and User Advocate / Usability and Interface Engineer
Dallas/Fort Worth Area
Cyber Anthropologist and User Advocate / Usability and Interface Engineer
Dallas/Fort Worth Area
I am a Masters student at UNT currently majoring in Applied Anthropology with a focus on Business, Design and Cyber Anthropology. My work background consists of a focus on end user experience, user interface design, user centered technology, graphic arts, and web design/development. As a usability and interface engineer I am in a position that allows me to combine my anthropology and ethnographic skills with my technology and arts background.
Ethnographic Research, Digital Ethnographer, Anthropologist, Photoshop Mastery, CSS, Macintosh Server Administration, Photographer, Graphic Design, Information Architecture, User Interface Design, Usability, User Experience, Interaction Design, Quantitative Analysis, Qualitative Analysis, Process Analysis, Researcher of Internet Culture, Researcher of Video Game Culture, Podcaster, Blogger, Project Management, Web Developer, Web Designer, Heuristic Evaluator
(Privately Held; Computer Software industry)
April 2008 — Present (1 year 4 months)
* Heuristically assessed the usability of the company’s software offerings from an interaction, information, and interface design perspective then proposed and designed changes based on this assessment.
• Provided direction through wire framing, prototyping, process design, and web analysis.
* Changes included a complete navigation redesign, completely redesigning key system functions, as well as reworking several system processes.
* Incorporated anthropological methodologies such as participant observation, interviews, and standard observations in order to assess the usability of the software from several view points, then made changes based on the results.
* Responsible for overseeing all interface changes and updates within the application.
* Worked closely with application development, product management, and system design in order to increase application performance, provide a better user experience, as well as create a more cohesive look and feel.
* Utilized tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Acrobat, Omni Graffle, Omni Outliner, Mantis (bug tracking software), an internal Wiki (for spec work), and Microsoft Office in my daily work.
(Entertainment industry)
1991 — Present (18 years)
• Managed a staff of 10-15 people for an art gallery and auction at a convention held for Japanese Animation fans that has grown over the years to more than 15,000 attendees
• Managed 80-150 artists in getting in to the show, setting up, and exiting the show
• Managed an inventory of 700-2500 pieces of art
• Managed a live art auction to crowds between 100 and 250 people
• Managed show books and issued artists' payments based on sales
• Worked face to face with staff, artists, and attendees
• Created workflows in the form of easy to hand out 1 page manuals to normalize and ease the processes of being an artist, attendee/bidder/buyer and a staffer
• Created an online registration system in MySQL and PHP where artists can register prior to the show and download all their paperwork so they can be ready to hang their art upon arrival
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
November 2007 — April 2008 (6 months)
• Provided direction through wire framing, prototyping, process design, and web analysis.
• Created audience persona and user scenarios to assist in site direction and development.
• Traveled to client sites for collaborative sessions and to give presentations on deliverables.
• Worked on brands such as EDMC, GSK, Samsung, and Lowe's Home Improvement
• Utilized Microsoft Visio and Power Point extensively
(Education Management industry)
December 2006 — November 2007 (1 year)
* Heuristically assessed the usability of the company’s software offerings from a usability perspective then proposed and performed changes based on this assessment.
* Administered custom content management system for private schools internal web applications and external facing web sites.
* Designed custom portal sites for private schools incorporating tools for parents and students to make them both a sales point and a tool for existing customers.
* Redesigned the company web site in order to provide a clearer message about our products and services.
* Performed an SEO analysis of the site then proposed and performed changes based on this analysis that allowed us to improve our search rankings on both Yahoo and Google.
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; JCP; Retail industry)
March 2002 — December 2006 (4 years 10 months)
• Focused on usability and human interface design.
• Developed, designed, and supported web based applications for the marketing department used by 500 home office employees.
• Developed, designed, and supported applications used by over 1000 stores.
• Administered 3 Macintosh web servers (general Unix server knowledge) and 1 Windows based web server.
• Designed the look of the in-store Point of Sale interface.
• Established the first internal wiki system for the copywriters.
• Utilized PHP, Lasso, XML, MySQL, & FMP
(Computer Hardware industry)
July 2001 — March 2002 (9 months)
• Designed and Edited 128 page full color catalog.
• Art Director
• Image Editor
• Copywriter
• Acted as product manager of 1000+ products sold through the catalog.
• Performed market analysis for all current and potential products sold.
• Taught time management and customer service skills to 40 phone reps.
• Sold and supported products offered in the catalog
(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; tdfx; Computer Hardware industry)
September 1999 — February 2001 (1 year 6 months)
• Provided technical support for Macintosh and PC lines of Voodoo video cards.
• Designed a web based Macintosh training tutorial to assist the company and I in training American and overseas offices.
• Traveled to California to beta test our Macintosh products on video games and graphic design applications prior to public release.
• Represented the company at MacWorld New York 2000 to promote and educate the public about our newly released Macintosh line of products.
• Awarded employee of the month August 2000.
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Graphic Design industry)
August 1998 — August 1999 (1 year 1 month)
• Worked as an Electronic Prepress Designer and Manipulator of Ads, Books, and Posters for large companies including i2, EDS, and Lucas Arts.
• Created promotional materials for universities including University of North
Texas, Texas Christian University, University of Dallas, and University of Texas at Dallas.
• Maintained Macintosh systems and hardware.
(Privately Held; 1001-5000 employees; Information Technology and Services industry)
August 1997 — August 1998 (1 year 1 month)
• Provided technical support for multiple Macintosh based computer companies.
• Promoted to educational support for schools and universities.
• Promoted to peripheral support for printers, scanners, monitors and cameras.
• Placed on the original G3 technical support release team.
• Promoted to Mentor in Training - a tier two help desk where I took calls from fellow employees who needed help with their customer’s technical issues.
• Taught time and resource management to all level 1 techs
• Lead the new hire teams of 10-12 new people every 2 weeks assisting them in getting acquainted with the job and serving as their personal help desk.
MS , Applied Anthropology , 2007 — 2010 (expected)
Podcaster for the Society for Applied Anthropology Conference (http://www.sfaapodcasts.net)
Vice President of the Graduate Association of Student Anthropologists
BA , Philosophy, Psychology, Anthropology , 2004 — 2006
UNT GPA 3.95
Graduated Cum Laude
Advanced Courses
Design Anthropology
Ethnographic Field Methods in Anthropology
Philosophy of Social and Behavioral Science
Abnormal Psychology
Technical Writing
Certificate , Intermedia Arts , 2001 — 2002
Advanced Courses
Video Editing
Audio for Video
Midi Production
3D Animation
Web Programming
Flash Programming and Animation
Digital Photography
AA , Photography , 1996 — 1999
Focused on Photography including:
Color
Black and White
Studio Work
Hand Development
Client Photographer Relations
Student News Paper
Completed Core Classes
Gadgets, Gaming, Graphic Arts, Photography, Macintosh, User Interface Design, Cyber Anthropology, Internet Anthropology, Internet Culture, Video Gaming Culture, Education through Video Games, Effects of Technology and the Internet on 'Third-World' Communities, Net Neutrality, Gamer's Rights
DFW Photographers, American Anthropological Association, Society for Applied Anthropologists, Usability Professionals' Association
JCPenney Marketing Excellence Award - October 2006
Graduated BA Cum Laude - May 2006
3dfx Employee of the Month - August 2000