Design Engineer

NINA HAMILTON HORTON

***** ******** ****** *** *** • Del Mar, CA 92014 • 310-***-**** • abl7ib@r.postjobfree.com

Usability Research • Usability Architect • I/O Psycholgist • Human Factors

Engineer/Consultant

PROFILE

Highly accomplished, results-driven Usability professional with proven ability to facilitate corporate

success through design and delivery of product and marketing strategies. Comprehensive background in

I/O psychology and user experience research. Special expertise in improving profitability by ensuring

client needs met. Able to plan and direct complete project life cycles, including interaction design, visual

design, prototyping, production, and usability testing. Adept at building and leading multi-functional teams.

Excellent problem-solving, client relations, and research skills.

Areas of Expertise

Program/Project Management • Change Management • Needs Assessment • Cross-Cultural Usability

Qualitative & Quantitative Research • Presentations • Consulting • Vendor Management • Innovation

Global Research • Technology Business Support • Validation • Industrial & Organizational Psychology

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

NINA HORTON, Del Mar, CA 2005 - Present

Consultant - User Experience / I/O Psychology

Carry out usability and user research, and market research for global client base in hardware, software,

and web application sectors. Assist organizations in understanding consumer needs and workflows. Plan

and lead assignments in China, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Australia, and Brazil.

Coordinate and work with multi-disciplinary teams, including Customer and Market Insights, Product

Managers, and Marketing. Clients include Dell Computers and Sentient Services.

Selected Accomplishments:

• Aided clients in determining and resolving usability issues by conducting cross-cultural usability

research, leading focus groups, and performing heuristic reviews and wire frames.

• Ensured effectiveness of B2B websites through extensive testing and validation.

• Provided custom user/expert reviews of touch-screen tablet and other computer hardware.

• Since 2009, Instructor of Industrial & Organizational Psychology, University of Phoenix, online.

DELL COMPUTER CORPORATION, cityRound Rock, state TX 1997 - 1999

Senior Consultant & Manager, Usability Engineering (Software)

Established Dell’s Usability Engineering Department and oversaw usability testing and implementation for

computer products, interfaces, packaging, and documentation. Supported US, Japanese, and UK

operations. Directed usability and UI design support for software user interfaces. Supervised three.

Developed customer experience in laboratory and field settings.

Selected Accomplishments:

• Delivered 25% reduction in usability-related service calls through testing and solution design.

• Authored several patents in industrial engineering area.

• Dramatically improved usability through user-centered design and iterative usability testing.

• Created and validated usability test strategies for desktop, notebook, and server segments.

• In-house expert for heuristic reviews of new technologies, including wireless technologies, for Dell

and various vendors, including Harmon-Kardon, SBC Technologies, and Microsoft.

Nina Hamilton Horton • Page 2

EDUCATION

MS, (ABD) in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, w/concentration in Human Factors

Baruch College, New York, NY

BA in Psychology

Hunter College, CUNY, New York, NY

MFA in Creative Writing

Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Independent fiction author, playwright, producer, and publisher. Authored six novels, two plays and

several screenplays.

Editorial Assistant, The Literary Review (Journal)

PATENTS

Horton, Beryl Hamilton and Ewell, Michelle. “Computer system and documentation arrangement for

guiding system installation.” United States Patent Number 6,785,131. (Dell Products, L.P.), 31 2004.

Horton, Beryl Hamilton, et. al. “Device and Method for Packaging System Setup Materials.” (Dell

Products, L.P.) United States Patent Number 6,354,065, 2002.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Usability Professionals Association

Psi Chi

ACM SIG-CHI

TECHNICAL & RESEARCH SKILLS

MS Office, Visio, SAS, SPSS, LISREL, PageMaker, test analysis & design, psychometric research,

usability and market research, focus group design & moderation, formal usability testing

LANGUAGES

Spanish (fluent read/write/speak), Japanese (speak), French ( writeread)

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