reviews, initiated company- wide practice ... NPR Digital Services â Member site Usability Testing, Station Stakeholde
Joanne McLernon
[email protected]
SUMMARY Providing Usability and User Research services including: Usability testing and evaluation; Card sorting; Surveys; Persona Development; Interviews; Heuristic Inspection/Expert Reviews; Requirements and Use Cases.
SKILLS AND BACKGROUND Seventeen years building excellence in usability consulting, preceded by three years technical writing/quality assurance, using proven skills: Conducted 100+ end-to-end usability studies
Created UCD methodology Led 50 heuristic expert reviews, initiated companyfor 250-person consulting firm wide practice
Developed 3 usability testing programs for clients, including mentoring trainees
Performed segmentation analyses and developed personas for 5 clients
Conducted over 100 user interviews and over 50 stakeholder interviews
Developed use cases and scenarios for 15 projects
Conducted 25 card sorts, trained two other IAs
Introduced paper prototyping method within consultancy
CLIENTS/PROJECTS WGBH News – Web site usability testing TJ Maxx – Multiple remote unmoderated usability surveys Oppenheimer Funds – Multiple remote unmoderated usability surveys Biogen Idec – Use cases, Requirements, User Acceptance Testing, Usability Services NPR Digital Services – Member site Usability Testing, Station Stakeholder Interviews, Agile Usability Testing Gemvara – Site Usability Testing, User Research Interviews, Personas Vistaprint – Multiple Usability Testing studies Leaf – Hardware Usability Testing for point-of-sales tablet system Mackenzie Investments (Canada) – Site Map, Paper Prototype Usability Testing adidas miCoach – User experience testing on entire individual coaching system JBL – Site Usability Testing Fidelity – Remote unmoderated Usability Testing (UserZoom) Great West Retirement Services – Card Sorting
JOANNE MCLERNON/3
EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS HFI Certified Usability Analyst B.A. Honors English University of Alberta B.Sc. Honors Chemistry University of Alberta
Boston, MA (certified 2009) Edmonton, Canada Edmonton, Canada
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Freelance Usability Expert Azis Software 2013 – the Present
User research projects for clients in the greater Boston area: all kinds of usability testing (web sites, applications, software, and physical devices), interviews, use cases and requirements, heuristic reviews. Conducted multiple studies for repeat clients, including NPR Digital Services, Vistaprint, Applause.
Usability Specialist The MathWorks (www.mathworks.com) (USA) 2012-2013
Supported Bangalore-based team developing core features for flagship product. Conducted usability testing, specializing in remote testing, workflow analysis, paper prototyping.
Consultant, Experience Design Molecular (now Isobar North America) (www.molecular.com) (USA) 2004-2012
“Go-to” usability consultant on the largest user experience team in New England. For the final three years performed usability studies exclusively for clients including adidas, Analog Devices, Kaspersky, BrownCo (now eTrade), and TripAdvisor . Prior three years created wireframes, conducted user research, created site maps, navigations, and use cases.
Project Resourcing Director The Information Architecture Institute (http://iainstitute.org/ ) (USA) 2003-2004
Helping lead a diverse group of internationally known IAs in expanding the practice of IA worldwide; coordinating volunteers for initiatives ranging from Member Directory and Job Board to establishing local chapters.
Information Architect/Usability Evaluator Pangaea Systems Inc. (now CGI Canada) 1999-2002
Created navigation and labeling systems; analyzed content and processes for Intranets and large web sites; created IA blueprints and site maps; evaluated prototypes; performed heuristic evaluation; conducted focus groups, interviews and requirements gathering sessions; gave presentations; wrote and conducted training seminars; led teams up to 3 members.
JOANNE MCLERNON/3
SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS DESIGNED a methodology for evaluating the user experience of a global consumer product/web site system (adidas miCoach). Determined study goals; created methodology; recruited and scheduled participants; obtained equipment; managed all logistics; carried out study; evaluated and reported findings. Results: Client returned to methodology repeatedly with few modifications and expertise led to three new client engagements; current generation of product is market leader. LED international usability testing with on-site visits in Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo for Analog Devices. Designed study; organized international contacts and translations; liaised with sister companies; conducted testing; was ambassador for company and received rave reviews; analyzed and presented findings; praised by client for deep insight. Results: Analog Devices redesigned web site using practically all recommendations. PIONEERED the evaluation and testing practice at a subsidiary of CGI. Recognized a problem to be solved in a web application project; researched usability testing methods; successfully tested application with users; recommended improvements; extrapolated a project-specific solution to a pattern of solutions that became a company-wide usability practice. Results: CGI became a leader in providing user-testing services in their market. AMALGAMATED multiple processes into a master process for Biomira Inc., an innovative biopharmaceutical company. Analyzed pattern similarities; assessed significance of differences; negotiated condensed process; diagrammed and documented master process; created modules for the variable sections. Results: Documentation reduced by 80%, process standardized for future centralization, management expectations exceeded.
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
“How to Find the Best Research Tool for your Campaign”, iMedia Connection, February 2010. (http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/25994.asp) “Designing for Discoverability” presented at Web Builder 2.0, Las Vegas, 2007, and at Web Design World, Boston, 2007. Boston UPA mini-conference: “How to Analyze Usability Testing Results” 2006.
