My Skills

Information Architecture

I have worked on and off as an Information Architect since my first course in the subject the summer of 2005. That same summer, I served as an Intern at Eli Lilly in a major portal redesign effort. I conducted a heuristic analysis and terminological analysis as an initial starting point while later conducting focus groups, surveys, search log analysis and compiling iterative reports for the organization. Following this effort, I worked with the POLIS Center at IUPUI on a 6 month effort where I, again, conducted Search Log Analysis and constructed a controlled vocabulary to assist searches on the Indiana SAVI Database. This vocabulary is still assisting the SAVI Search Engine and still in use today. I later went on to become an active member of the Intranet Committee at Columbus Regional Hospital applying principles of information architecture I had learned as a student in my first graduate program and honed as a professional. As I moved into the healthcare field, I saw opportunities to improve the presentation of information in healthcare and the interfaces used in numerous healthcare applications. My work with the Regenstrief Institute allowed me to continue efforts to improve and practice information architecture at a professional level in healthcare and add skills in Human-computer Interaction. This eventually led to a position with the Alzheimer’s Association as Associate Director of Information Architecture where I conducted analysis of interfaces and controlled vocabularies as well as leading efforts to revise the organizational intranet, association portal and improve search engine optimization (SEO).

User Experience & Interface Design

I have more than 7 years’ of experience in UX and Interface Design working primarily in the healthcare industry. I have mastered projects in portal design for Eli Lilly and have completed graduate level coursework in the subject developing detailed wireframes and prototypes for user testing. I have used a number of different methods in user testing to include cognitive walkthroughs, semi-structured interviews and Rapid/Agile Testing Methods. I have completed interface design projects employing detailed wireframes and prototypes for the IU School of Medicine, the Regenstrief Institute, the Veteran’s Association, Alzheimer’s Association and Amedisys Home Health & Hospice Care. I am proficient in the use of Sketch 3, Axure, Fireworks, Photoshop and Balsamiq Mockups as well as a variety of other tools.

Education/Teaching & Instruction

Since 2004, I have been teaching both in face-to-face courses and engineering online courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. At its most basic level, this has involved syllabi development, course material development and lesson preparation and delivery. For distance and online education, I have had to be a bit more creative using screencasts, casting online videos, leveraging learning management systems, podcasting and the use of distance testing technologies. I have instructed the following courses over the past 8 years:

Indiana University School of Liberal Arts, English Department

Elementary Composition

Introduction to Drama

Indiana University Graduate School of Library & Information Science

Library Systems

The Organization & Representation of Knowledge & Information

Dominican University Graduate School of Library & Information Science

Knowledge Management

Writing

I hold a Bachelor’s in English (and philosophy) where I focused on creative non-fiction, literary journalism and rhetoric. I also wrote for the IUPUI school paper, Sagamore, for 2 years and served as the photo editor covering stories such as the Dalai Lama’s visit to Bloomington with Muhammad Ali in 2003, Governor Frank O’Bannon’s death, Rudolph Giuliani’s visit to Indiana during the 2004 Republican Campaign and the Campaign of Mitch Daniels vs. Joe Kernan in 2004. This work later led to a publishing opportunity for a local magazine, Indiana Insight, where I served as a primary photojournalist and assistant editor. I have also published fiction writing in the IU literary journal, Genesis, and am currently an active blogger, reviewer and contributor to various web publications.