Project Manager
Resume:
Elizabeth J. Houle
Technical Skills:
Balsamiq Mockups
Realtime Board
Visio
InVision
Axure
Omnigraffle
Jira and Confluence
PVCS/Issue Tracker
Silverpop
Bootstrap
SharePoint 2007,10, & 13
PhotoShop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Director, Dreamweaver
Biztalk
CSS
JavaScript
Teamsite
Terminal4
Blackboard Learn LMS
Web Trends
Google Analytics
DTD; XML
ASP
HTML
Salesforce
Server Environments: AWS, ATG, IBM Websphere, Apache, Weblogic, Wowza Server; Sun Solaris, Glassfish, Liferay, and Oracle Application Server (10g)
Education:
Degree in
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, St. Paul, Minnesota
Ph.D. in Design (2012)
M.S. in Scientific and Technical Communication (1996)
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS Saint Paul, Minnesota
B.A. in Business Administration, Marketing Management, and Art History (1988)
Fluent in Spanish
Summary
Accomplished Technology Professional with 20+ year’s progressive experience planning, designing, managing, and implementing both redevelopment of existing functionality to develop new features and functions. Elizabeth is able to analyze and document project scope, goals, and critical success factors. Specializing in operating in Agile framework that can report out important executive metrics for project measurement towards progress and success. Recognized for:
Driving results and deliverables for the 2017-2018 roadmap for Catalog, Curriculum and Student Engagement products.
Designing and executing client implementation process for new clients and existing clients migrating to curriculum.
Strategically re-engineering and motivating IT Teams to increase efficiencies return on investment and customer satisfaction.
Building collaborative cross-functional partnerships and strategic relationships with internal and external clients to deliver the highest quality end product.
Possessing strong process focus, creativity, leadership skills, team building, project planning and development.
Managing the project management capability (PMO) within YA, as well as the portfolio of projects to ensure successful delivery of rebates, sweepstakes and Refer-A-Friend projects to streamline process and increase revenue. Scrum and Kanban Master for a nine member Scrum team.
Integrating through API with a variety of systems and companies at both YA and eLumen.
She has 10 plus years of experience leading and conducting user research studies, including usability tests, concept tests, ethnography, co-creation sessions. Expertise in both qualitative and quantitative research methods and a strong understanding of when/how to apply them.
EXPERIENCE
Wellbeats, Incorporated
Business Analyst/Project Manager 2020
Wrote Project Charter and Project Plan for a Client Resource Management reimplementation.
Produced Wireframes for the Corporate Sales Process.
Conducted requirements gathering sessions for the reimplementation.
Worked to build out forms in the new Microsoft Dynamics 365 Interface.
Project Consultant 2019
UX/UI duties by competitive analysis, product research, wireframes and mockups.
Facilitating, documenting and communicating requirements gathering activities. Coached a diverse team of business analysts, project managers, UI/UX designers and developers to transition from waterfall to Agile.
Document requirements and areas for improvement in the product and turned into (Agile) Epics and Stories. Coached on the use of Jira and Confluence.
Drove a solution set across teams (BA, Engineering and Marketing) through marketing requirements, product feature goals, and positioning. Created and edited Powerpoint and EcoSystem documentation.
Robert Half Technology 2018
Project Consultant at an e-commerce B2B and B2C product manufacturing company.
• Responsible for ensuring the product’s vision is aligned with business goals.
• With a thorough understanding of the corporate goals, product objectives, market trend, user’s behaviors, and product utilization, define goals and create a vision for product, in conjunction with business partners. Business analysis documentation and process flows.
• Capture and communicate product development via appropriate business analysis techniques including high-level requirement documentation, user stories, acceptance criteria, workflow diagrams, and wireframe/mockups.
• Responsible for creating, maintaining and prioritizing the list of backlog items, based on the overall strategy and business objectives.
• Work with business stakeholders and development teams to ensure the product backlog has visibility, transparency, and clear understanding of functionality.
• Responsible for coordination with development team to ensure technical tasks are well defined and acceptance criteria are clear.
• Participate and assist in daily standups, sprint meetings (planning and grooming) and retrospectives.
• Responsible for communicating with all stakeholders, including business managers, business SME’s, and the development team to make sure project objectives, execution plan, and statuses are clear.
• Ability to manage, organize, communicate and track sprint and project releases. Participate and assist in problem resolution to move the project forward.
eLumen, Inc., Minneapolis, MN 2017 – 2018
Implementation Manager / Product Owner /Scrum and Kanban Master / UX
Contribute collaboratively to the product roadmap and assist in managing scope and deliverables. Includes: Scrum master tasks, managing the backlog and story/idea workflow, ensuring will groomed stories and acceptance criteria are ready for development prior to the upcoming sprints.
UX/UI duties by competitive analysis, product research wireframes and mockups.
Coordinate the state of each customer on the implementation process
Develop the implementation process between Customer Success Managers and Dev Ops through Smart Sheets and Jira tasks.
Document implementation challenges and areas for improvement in the product and turn into (Agile) Epics and Stories.
Work with the technical support team to get tasks prioritized and track work completed
Organize existing and new product documentation (ILOS videos, Google Drive, Confluence, User Voice).
Develop demo environments and academic demo data for sales and training.
YA Engage, Minneapolis, MN 2016 –2016
Senior Product Owner/Business Analyst/Scrum and Kanban Master / UX
To guide the team that is charged with a product line contribution as a business unit. To build products from existing ideas, and help to develop new ideas based on industry experience and contact with customers and prospects. Provide a unique blend of business and technical savvy; a big-picture vision, and the drive to make that vision a reality by researching in the market, to understand their problems, and find innovative solutions for the broader market. Communicate with all areas of the company and work with the solution architect to define product release requirements. To work with marketing communications helping them understand the product positioning, key benefits, and target customer. Serve as the internal and external evangelist for product offering, occasionally working with the sales channel and key customers.
Manage the entire product line life cycle from strategic planning, conception, to tactical activities from requirements gathering to development.
Specify market requirements for current and future products by conducting market research supported by on-going visits to customers and non-customers.
Drive a solution set across teams (UX, Engineering and Marketing) through market requirements, product contract, and positioning.
Work with Engineering and internal clients to define and document the backlog that is broken down according to Agile methodologies to track and communicate product development, and to develop product launch plans.
Develop and implement a company-wide go-to-market plan, working with all departments to execute.
Analyze and document potential solutions for the existing and probable clients.
YOUNG-AMERICA, Edina, MN 2014 –2015
Interaction/Client Solutions Manager/Business Analyst / UX/Product Owner
Responsibility for managing overall support and enhancements — from coordinating to design and implementation — of multilingual and responsive marketing services solutions. Interacting with a non-US business team, on-site and off-site IS teams in addition to external agencies. Responsibilities include:
Creating detailed and accurate project plans, descriptions, estimates, functional and technical specifications, wireframes, timelines and written stories throughout the Web site development processes.
Documenting all aspects of project development through the use of project intranet sites, meeting notes, change request forms, TFS, Jira and stash, and other documentation.
Facilitating, documenting and communicating requirements gathering activities. Managing a diverse team of business analysts, project managers, UI/UX designers and developers.
Performing development of acceptance criteria and quality assurance testing.
Communicating daily & weekly project status to stakeholders.
Coordinating and managing incoming enhancement and project and product requests.
Understanding and following the established Agile methodology for project development and change management process and contributing to this process.
Ensure on time, on budget and on scope delivery.
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS, St. Paul, MN 2003 –2013
Director, Web and Media Services, Information Resources and Technologies (Senior Lead Analyst) / UX/ Product Owner
Proactively ensured the quality, value, and delivery of instructional and institutional web and media technology services. Provided direct leadership, operational management, strategic vision and business planning/evolution including J2EE development, User experience design, and digital video and audio production and supporting services.
Re-engineered a team of 20 IT Staff to more efficiently contribute to core resource needs and create products that supported capital development efforts and improved the online graduate registration experience, leading to increased enrollment.
Combined design and development to create a structured team using a uniform java methodology and branded products for consistent look and feel that served the university by creating a competitive advantage.
Oversaw the agile engineering of 112 institutional custom java applications with an emphasis on user experience using Model View Controller methodology.
Forged and managed strategic relationships with clients to marry technology and business process to gain efficiencies by creating applications that streamlined or freed up work time or improved to the quality of work.
Directed the design and development of Enterprise applications while introducing a unified methodology and design pattern for the University including a Graduate Admissions Management application, Law School Mentor Paring, CRM, Portal, and services integrated with the ERP.
As part of an emphasis on continuous improvement, implemented web, development and software analytics and metrics. Revamped email processes of 2 million users to leverage e-mail marketing strategy and segmentation for internal and external efforts and personalization.
Revamped and implemented a process model that is flexible for a variety of solutions from cloud hosting to software engineering. Structured functions that provide needed project details from business analysis, specification, requirements, and various documentation documents (i.e., wireframes, specification details, prototypes, and proof of concepts). Implemented Sharepoint 2013 as the functional Intranet and K2 for business process management solutions to gain efficiencies across the institution. Organized campus-wide information architecture, campus-wide document policy and document repository.
Designed and implemented a systematic approach to migrating UST websites (300+) to the newly designed look, navigation and web content management system. Provided leadership, direction and business ownership to Content Management (Collage retiring; Terminal 4) and Learning Management (Blackboard) Systems, Lecture Capture and Web Conferencing.
MUSICLAND GROUP, INC. (a Best Buy Company), Minnetonka, MN 2000 - 2003
Site Management Manager - MLG Internet Inc. (Senior Lead Analyst & UX) 2002 –2003
Ensured all site activities for www.samgoody.com, www.suncoast.com, and www.mediaplay.com were aligned with business plan objectives and strategies. Prioritized new project development and ensured business owners understood effects, dependencies, and risks. Systems included a tiered architecture of application servers, distribution center, inventory management system of more than 300,000 SKUs, and an email database of 3 million customers.
Provided site architect expertise in functionality, design, navigation, and usability to guide decision making to optimize ROI. Researched, managed implementation, and developed project plans. Developed and managed site processes and operating procedures including: process mapping, redesign, education, scheduling, maintenance, efficiency, and effectiveness reporting. Performed competitive and strategic analysis by utilizing industry competition data to develop and guide the business.
Oversaw the overall plans for end-to-end architecture of the website, from backend database and inventory integration to systems for online purchases, content management, and promotional tools.
Managed e-commerce project management disciplines and methodologies. Provided services and assistance in: need assessment analysis, planning, implementation, documentation, training, and ongoing maintenance for project owners, project managers and team members. Developed, directed and implemented projects and communicated and enforced project process management.
Administrated Information Systems and Customer Service relationships in a shared services model. Facilitated incorporation of business process and aligned a business model that understood and communicated backend IS with front-end customer service processes and resources. Acted as liaison for new business development, on-going site development, enhancements and bugs.
Production Manager 2000 –2002
Directed the Website Development team, overseeing high-level communication strategies, marketing/ branding tactics and Business requirements, and functional and technical specifications. Conceptualized and facilitated marketing and merchandising strategies for e-commerce delivery by providing strategic and technical direction based on business initiatives.
Directed, created and managed web development and design, user interface architecture and technical production of www.samgoody.com, www.mediaplay.com, www.suncoast.com and www.oncue.com.
Continuously developed, evolved and maintained a comprehensive design and content system for the websites that provided general conceptual direction for the following elements: page layout grids, interface components (buttons, icons, type treatments), and design assets (photography, illustrations, animations, audio, and video streams).
Created “design system” processes to ensure the site's design integrity was maintained. Created and supported production schedules and interpreted merchandisers’ marketing plans.
Performed team lead role of site transformation from commerce to entertainment portal with commerce integration. Re-engineered a team to increase productivity and produce web products that saved millions by cutting external consultants.
Managed the development and design of 9 end-to-end websites within 3 years to increase revenue and triple customer base from 1 million to 3 million.
Created and streamlined processes to improve efficiency, track productivity, and deliver timely products.
Translated requirements to internal and external developers to successfully implement the design; Managed off-shore QA and development for the content and product management system and the shopping cart.
Reviewed and analyzed solutions and their ability to support strategic objectives, including working with all departments within MLG e-commerce to assist in improvement of customer experience, business processes, implementation, and support processes, ensuring high quality functionality, while recommending solutions.
METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY, St. Paul, MN 1988 –2000
Executive Director, Information Technology (1999 – 2000)
Director, Information Support Services (1995 to 1999)
Provided strategic and operational technology leadership. Directed and managed the IT department including designing and implementing IT processes and project initiatives. Directed three campus infrastructures with 10 computer labs and 1000+ desktops, and a budget of $1.5M annually.
Assistant Director - Academic Computer Services (1990 – 1995)
Consultant (1988 to 1990)
Managed the operation of A.C.S. and planned and supervised university network services. Supervised staff and managed microcomputer, mainframe, and minicomputer networks. Researched and purchased hardware and software, and managed daily operations of the Minneapolis, Midway, and St. Paul academic computer centers and classroom labs. Planned, developed and managed university website.
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