Carolyn Farino

Sr. Director of User Experience & Creative

**** ***** **.

San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

C 206-***-****

acrq7j@r.postjobfree.com

www.carolynfarino.com

www.dribbble.com/carolynfarino

www.linkedin.com/in/carolynfarino

Objective

To contribute my broad skill set leading innovative product development and crafting experience design; leading the architecture process from discovery through final implementation; to be instrumental in establishing UX strategies and best practices; to foster collaboration in an innovative, challenging and creative environment; to change lives for the better, through smart and intuitive user experience and thoughtful design.

Experience

My passion and focus is creating desirable and usable digital products for cutting-edge technologies; problem-solving and creating interfaces and architecture for HCI systems. I provide UX strategy and technical blueprint-level software development documentation for a variety of markets: games and entertainment; hospitality, virtual and augmented reality systems, military and security, social media, medtech and beyond. Platforms include applications, games, operating systems, enterprise frame- works, websites, mobile/tablet, 10-foot experience, e-commerce, b-to-b, b-to-c, SaaS, PaaS. Sr.

Director of User Experience & Creative; META Co., 7/2014-8/2015

In Meta’s world of augmented reality I led the experience design of a very specialized multifaceted ecosystem comprised of an OS-like framework, native applications, component modules and third-party apps running on a custom hardware headset which powers Meta’s holographic spatial experience. This framework will expand personal interactions and collaboration as applied to numerous market verticals including entertainment, automotive, education, healthcare & medicine, science, gaming and simulations, eCommerce, architecture and engineering and industry, and many more. My focused was on defining what 'UX best practices' are in the world of AR, creating touchless interaction models while leveraging familiar HCI principles based on device-based input, hand/body gestures, eye-tracking and voice-based interfaces.

Owner; Sr. Director of User Experience & Creative; Digerati Design, 1/1992-current

As a consultant to software companies and agencies, I offer leadership in, and hands-on execution of user experience and interaction design, information architecture, branding, GUI design, futuristic user interface (‘FUI’), prototyping and motion design. Recent consulting projects include:

• UX Architecture of critical new and highly secure UX software package for Northrop Grumman;

• Futuristic visualization tablet-based nanotech project for Lockheed Martin;

• UX Architecture of flagship mobile app experience for ESPN’s exclusive global launch on Nokia’s LUMIA 900 device;

• UX Architecture and visual design for browser-based enterprise solution for the film/VFX market;

• UX Architecture for browser-based enterprise solution for Disney's international marketing group;

• UX Architecture for a multi-platform three-app suite (iOS, Android +web, cloud) for Proctor & Gamble;

• UX discovery for leading genetics company’s new tablet/web app to foster easy physician and patient access to genetic testing customized modules & results.

Director of User Experience & Creative; Health Symmetric, Venice, CA, 9/2012 -11/2013

As the Director of UX and Creative, I created the cross-platform UX architecture for the iOS and web platforms for this multi-cloud electronic medical records (EMR) platform, vetting features and functionality; creating all visual design for the company brand and products (GUI design, guidelines and toolkits); established iOS art production processes for creative and produced all final art assets.

Director of User Experience, Blitz Agency; Los Angeles, CA – 3/2008-12/2008 I drove the UX strategy for all projects at BLITZ. Was successful in streamlining and elevating the quality of projects through innovative direction via my ‘discovery–problem definition–solution’ approach. UX evangelism was also an important, ongoing effort bringing strategic relevance to this discipline within Blitz and to our clients. I led discovery documentation including functional spec authoring, sitemapping, wireframing, persona and use case development. I also hired and managed a team of UX resources. Clients included: Google, Microsoft, nVidia, Adobe, Naked Juice, FX Networks, Activision/Guitar Hero, Bioware/Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, Starbucks.

Sr. Information Architect; SK+G Advertising, Las Vegas, NV 5/2007-3/2008 As this agency’s first IA, I was instrumental in introducing and demonstrating the value of the UX discipline in this traditionally print– and creative–centric agency. I was responsible for evangelizing UX, leading and authoring UX documentation (project briefs, requirements docs, sitemaps, user flows, personas, user scenarios, wireframes and style guides). I also led clients in understanding UX and IA; and empowered them to be participatory in the discovery process. Clients included Four Seasons Ocean Residences, The Palms Resort & Casino, Planet Hollywood Resorts.

Art Director, Sr. Information Architect; Microsoft, Redmond, WA 10/2003-10/2004 As an Art Director in the Windows Graphics & Gaming Group, I drove creative direction and interaction design of the games vertical in Windows Vista OS; created mockups based on my UX schematics. I also led cross-group and cross-discipline coordination of this high-profile effort. Outside of my team responsibilities, I also created the UX architecture for the Vista design team’s Global and Gaming Parental Controls functionality.

Art Director, Sr. Information Architect; Microsoft, Redmond, WA 1/2001-3/2002 I was responsible for driving the creative direction for Plus! for WindowsXP, a showcase for the new features in WindowsXP. I created the look and feel of the Plus! application and its underlying UX architecture; I designed the GUIs for several in-product games + the product’s website; I built a team of production artists; coordinated team, cross-group and external design efforts.

Art Director; marchFIRST (formerly USWeb/CKS), Kirkland, WA 9/1998-1/2001 Designed large-scale sites, established creative direction of projects; managed creatives, external vendors; Clients included Starbucks, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Nike, Adidas. Sr. Designer; Simulation Games Group, Microsoft, Redmond, WA 2/1997-5/1998 I designed and produced MS’s first immersive GUI based on the flight sim engine for the WW2 Combat Flight Simulator, European Theatre Edition series; and created video cut scenes for the sim. I established a new level of design thinking for the simulations design group, bringing user-centered design and aesthetic immersion to an established (and non-game-oriented) codebase.

Affiliations

Information Architecture Institute Member: 2007–15

Interaction Design Foundation Member: 2014-15

Augmented Reality World: 2015

CES: 2010–15

National Association of Broadcasting (NAB): 1999–2015

Education

B.A. Journalism, Emphasis, Advertising;

Minor: Commercial Art/Advertising Design;

California State University, Fresno

B.A. Visual Communications, Emphasis: Graphic Design; California State University, Chico

Tech

Adobe Creative Suite, Apple iWork & iLife Suites, OmniGraffle; Microsoft Office Suite; Confluence.

Mac & PC platforms; iOS, Android & Windows Mobile.

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