Design Sales
Resume:
Sara Shelton
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
*******.****@*****.***
SUMMARY
Adds value by delivering useful, usable, desirable and findable interactive
experiences. Articulates the value proposition for Information [UX]
Architecture to clients and working teams.
Works with business sponsors and project team to clarify and refine goals,
competitive analysis, user goals, target audience, contextual inquiry and
success measurement criteria. Gathers requirements, synthesizes large
amounts of information and understands the structure and use of
information. Practices user-centered design processes supporting branding,
best practices and standards. Communicates well at all levels: team player.
Participates in Client Management and Business Development for all clients.
Subject matter expertise includes: Information [UX] Architecture and
Interaction Design, scoping, resource allocation, client management,
proposals, presentations, requirements gathering, site structures,
navigation, wireframes, contextual inquiry, paper/PowerPoint prototyping,
scenarios, personas, heuristic evaluations, knowledge of graphics software
and design usability.
SOFTWARE SKILLS
Works cross-platform: Mac or PC
OmniGraffle, Visio, Adobe CS4, PhotoShop/ImageReady, Adobe Illustrator,
InDesign, MS Office, PowerPoint, Excel, FileMaker Pro.
Understanding of practical benefits and limitations of Internet
technologies such as Progressive Enhancement, AJAX, FLEX2, XHTML, DHTML,
XML, CSS, JavaScript, Flash, Java, SilverLight, .NET and others. Familiar
with SEO and W3C and 508 Accessibility.
URLs:
social networking: http://www.beinggirl.com-online community of girls
reaching puberty and reaching out for information and peer connection. This
is a successful global site owned by Tampax and Always (P&G). My role was
providing information architecture, pitching ways to more fully realize the
potential of social media with inherent restrictions of marketing to
minors. This includes integrating new products, product sampling (Always
Infinity ) and a moderated blog within beinggirl.com, always.com and
Facebook brand page.
Promotional site for Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Bread and Disney High School
Musical 3 which includes contests, sampling, simple login, parent/guardian
email permission, user-generated content and Disney HSM3 videos. My role
was providing information architecture, pitching ways to realize the
potential of social media with inherent restrictions of marketing to
minors.
marketing/brand: http://www.gillette.com (2008), DresstotheSevens.com
(2008), http://www.tide.com/en-US/product/tide-total-
care.jspx?ms=true(2008) scroll to Tim Gun ad, Fidelity Intranet, Oberon,
Mapletreenetworks (acquired by Performance Technologies)
ecommerce: Mellon Private Wealth Management portal (2007), croydonsteas.com
(acquired in 2005), http://www.dancingdeer.com (2004),
http://www.allergybuyersclub.com (2003),
application: Travelers Auto Insurance: Understanding and Estimating Auto
Insurance tool, http://www.travelers.com/personal-insurance/auto-
insurance/index/learnaboutcoverages.html, GMO's Shareholder Transactional
Application (2008-09), Thomson Financial's Street Events (2007),
maestro2learn, bostondine, http://www.eliassen.com, http://www.dgi-
invisuals.com, http://www.thomasregister.com
EXPERIENCE
Consultant 10/2008 -
10/2009
Sapient / Travelers Insurance Co: Information (UX) Architect: Architected
the Auto Insurance Coverage Estimator tool in conjunction with the
Travelers Insurance Co team. Defined user needs, behaviors and business
goals. Managed the process and delivered user research, analysis and
detailed wireframes of user needs and behaviors. Achieved consensus outcome
for the user experience.
GMO: Information (UX) Architect: Architected and designed the financial
services transactional application. Analyzed the transactional types and
devised a new way to break down a transaction and create simpler to use
software. Introduced "smart fields" which set the stage for a transaction,
thereby reducing transactional risk and errors. Delivered task analysis,
scenarios, task flows, wireframes, mental models, cognitive walkthroughs,
and UI Manual of Visual Specifications in a .NET environment. Lead design
working sessions and created a library of all design elements. Defined user
needs, behaviors and business goals and adapted the design to fit.
Digitas, Boston 12/2007 -
08/2008
Sr. Interaction Designer: Architected consumer experiences for Procter &
Gamble Brands: Gillette Men's Grooming and Venus, Tide, Always, Tampax and
Sara Lee Bakery. Defined user needs, behaviors and business goals. Created
sitemaps, user flows, wireframes, heuristic evaluations, mental models,
cognitive walkthroughs, integrating web 2.0 into all brands.
Consultant 1/2005 -
10/2007
Thomson Financial: Designed a new 'skin' of the Street Events application.
Analyzed, assessed, strategized and designed the complete user experience
for this web-based software application. Determined the overall look and
feel for features based on established styles and brand, iconography, page
and content layout to optimize ease of use.
Mellon: Architected Mellon's Private Wealth Management web portal. Merged
three online banking systems into a single seamless user experience.
Defined user needs, behaviors and business goals. Delivered user research,
analysis and detailed wireframes of user needs and behaviors. Created
roadmaps. Oversaw creation of the clickable demo for sales situations.
NameMedia: Information Architect/Designer for http://www.cats.com and
http://www.commanderincheap.com adding Web 2.0 social networking components
and revised navigation. Delivered user-centered design.
Pearson Prentice Hall: Managed the design for Math Teacher's Editions
textbooks. Managed internal and external resources on 2 continents for the
design of the books. Created the design process and guidelines for the
Texas Test Banks application. Strategized the use of a single template for
all books and managed the design process to deliver all Math Teacher's
textbooks on time, with extensive documentation, within budget and of
highest quality.
Croydons LLC 11/2002
- 5/2006
Co-Owner: Created a new retail brand through packaging, websites, sales and
marketing collateral and point-of-purchase design. Designed, architected
and built 2 ecommerce websites (doing all aspects) along with a presence on
Amazon's Gourmet Foods portal. Website aspects include: Designed for the
best user experience. Analyed similar products. Practiced user-centered
design methodologies, interaction design, and usability best practices.
Gathered requirements. Delivered wireframes, taxonomies, site structures,
paper/PowerPoint prototyping, scenarios, personas, usability, wireframes,
site design, shopping cart, copywriting, deployment and fulfillment.
Integral to the Product Design process, branding, marketing, trade show
visuals, financial management, sales management and general operations.
Croydons LLC was acquired by Halpern, Denny & Co., a private equity
investment firm founded by former executives of Bain & Company and Bain
Capital.
Consultant 11/1998
- 2002
Bose, Fidelity intranet, Dancing Deer Baking Co., Eliassen Group, Cohen &
Gebler, MA Department of Childcare Services, Maestro2learn: Presented
design solutions to clients for B2B and B2C. Led brainstorming sessions and
requirements gathering. Delivered site structures, wireframes,
paper/PowerPoint prototypes, scenarios, personas, taxonomies, design, ad
hoc usability, HTML/DHTML and documentation. Analyzed client's site.
Practiced user-centered design methodologies, information architecture,
interaction design, and usability best practices.
Boston Internet Group
1998
UX Design Lead/Information Architect: sales meetings through all design/dev
processes (requirements gathering, IA, site structure, personas,
taxonomies, wireframes, paper/PowerPoint prototyping, website design, site
builds, to deployment and post analysis). Analyzed client's current
website. Knows user-centered design methodologies, information
architecture, interaction design, and usability best practices. Guides and
mentors staff in career development. Clients include: DGI-Invisuals,
Mapletree Networks, Oberon
HubNet Communications 1996 - 1998
Web Designer/Information Architect: requirements gathering, Information
Architecture, Website Design, site structure, personas, taxonomies,
wireframes, paper/PowerPoint prototyping, design, site builds, to
deployment and post analysis along with managing outside design/production
resources. Expert in aesthetic and practical aspects of design including
brand strategy and identity for bostondine.com, takeoutonline.com,
partiesonline.com
Consultant 1995 - 1996
Inforonics: Website Design and Production: Managed all aspects of website
design for 500-600 catalog clients of Thomas Register. Managed a
contractual staff of 15. We were judged the superior vendor for website
design and production. URL - http://www.thomasregister.com
Sentry Technology Publishing Corporation
1993 - 1995
Design Director: Designed all aspects of Software Magazine, aimed at the
high-level Information Technology market. Managed 4 staff designers and 12
freelance photographers, illustrators and studios. Set standards and
procedures. As a result of my work, the company doubled advertising and
reprint revenues.
Weekly Reader Corporation
1987 - 1992
Sr. Art Director/Designer: Creative management for 4 grades of Weekly
Reader - Pre K through 2nd grade. These are the large mass markets for
educational supplements. Innovated processes and people to achieve 300+%
improvement in subscriptions.
Scott Foresman & Co. 1978 - 1987
Design Manager/Designer: Managed the design of series and single books for
the K-12 education market. Managed large teams of designers, photographers,
illustrators, and producers. Schedule and budget management. Member of
SF&Co's entrepreneurial product development environment. Designed and
managed the visual design process for the company's best selling program of
all time-History and Life. This product suite outsold Dick and Jane by all
measures.
EDUCATION
BFA in Fine Arts, Visual Design from Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
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