Mel M. Heravi

646-***-****

http://Mel.Melify.com

ABOUT ME

An Usability/User Experience & POC Builder, Interaction Designer and Software Developer with several years of experience supporting initiatives within the financial services industry. A participant in all aspects of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), from requirements gathering, through user centered design and other techniques, to prototyping, usability testing, and product development and an expert in W3C Web Components.

TOOLS & PLATFORMS

Windows, Unix, Mobile Devices including Tablets & Smart Phones, Microsoft Office, Adobe Suites, HTML/5, JavaScript, Style Guides, CSS, Less, Sass, jQuery, jQuery Mobile, jQuery-UI, Twitter Bootstrap, Axure, Sketch, Fore-UI, Phone-Gap, Ionic Hybrid Mobile framework and W3C-Component design and development.

PROFESSIONAL FOCUS

UCD / Information Architecture

Low / High-Fidelity Prototyping

Visual / User Experience, Interaction Design Extreme/Agile Development Environments Product Development / Management, Legacy System Migration

W3C-Component design and development

WORK EXPERIENCE

SENIOR UXD Designer and Builder

Melify LLC, Jersey City, NJ // Nov.2018 – Present

Designed, developed and delivered over 100 “Framework Independent” W3C-Components as well as 5 online applications some in multiple languages.

Designed and Developed a “Component Shopping Cart” to facilitate quick integration into React and AngularJS and optimized for load-time.

Heavy interaction with stakeholders to make sure designs and functions are optimized. Performed heuristic site evaluations and competitive site analysis. Designed sitemap, style-guides. Provided leadership in devising the User Experience Strategy for projects. Conducted stakeholder & user interviews to create a Findings report. Created personas and scenarios based on user research and interviews. Participated in usability studies to evolve the interface to meet accessibility and usability standards.

SENIOR POC/UXD CONSULTANT

Depository Trust Company (DTCC)., Jersey City, NJ // Jul.2016 – Oct.2018

Provided guidance on developing W3C Components to unify and promote re-usability across DTCC applications. Created over 40 components and hi-fidelity prototypes. Prototypes were used as proof of concept to drive actual development in India. Helped address developers' issues on the day-to-day and as needed basis. Provided key solutions into technical feasibility concerns by educating development team on interaction design best practices and methodologies. Enriched the user experience of web applications by enhancing the navigation system to provide optimal pathways to primary functionality and improved “Help” related content for new users and a more intuitive user experience.

UXD/POC DESIGNER

Barclays Bank - New York NY // Jul.2015 - Jul.2016

Designed, Prototyped and helped implement a real-time process execution system based upon Enterprise Architect Process Modeling Platform. Processes are executed in a hierarchy fashion; EA diagrams are updated in real-time to reflect the status of each process. Web-Sockets were employed for incremental communications between front and back end systems.

Business analysts, enterprise architects, testers, project managers and many others were involved in creating process models within EA. These process diagrams were then consumed by the application ready for execution. Designed visual models of recommended enhancements to the organization’s UX processes and standards.

LEAD U/X BUILDER AND INTERACTION DESIGNER

Fannie Mae - Washington DC, // Jan.2015 - July.2015

Designed and prototyped Fannie Mae's first iPad appraisal application to be used on the field. The prototype for this application is developed using Ionic and Angular-Js into a single page application. It is currently being used to evaluate and test the concept in the field. Interviewed project owner and developers and drafted a working design document and logical flow diagrams. Designed and maintained information architecture artifacts such as site maps, prototypes, mockups and flow charts for use by development teams.

SENIOR U/X DEVELOPER AND INTERACTION DESIGNER

Fidelity Investments - Jersey City, NY // Jan.2012- Dec.2014

Created multiple High-Fidelity prototypes for usability testing and management presentations. These prototypes utilized my toolkit as well as shared component libraries embedded within the toolkit as well as new ones that were created and tested for various applications. Prototype components could be switched in real time for testing purposes and also various tools were provided for U/X engineers to update screens remotely and on demand. Management use prototypes as means of communication with various groups internal and external while other groups use them to validate designs, workflows and other usability tests. Designed and developed a “Page Builder” to help developers construct new pages rapidly and efficiently. Integrated Fidelity's Pattern Library Components into the code generator. Expansion and deployment of Page Builder will reduce development and deployment costs of new applications and products substantially and by orders of magnitude. Further deployment of components will allow company to make changes rapidly and efficiently without having to rewrite entire parts as is customary today.

INFORMATION ARCHITECT UX- MANAGER

Sapient - New York, NY // Aug 2010 - Dec.2012

Worked closely and iteratively with clients managing expectations, presenting deliverables, facilitated work sessions & workshops. Designed high fidelity wireframes in alignment with functional requirement specifications. Successful deployment of project within scope & budget recognized with praise as the first mobile website for the company and the Annuities industry.

Conducted end user needs assessment and task analysis using appropriate techniques, e.g. interviewing, ethnography, site usage data analysis, etc. Provided key solutions into technical feasibility concerns by educating development team on interaction design best practices & methodologies. Designed personas, scenarios, user flows and high fidelity wireframes. Client list included Wellington, Bank of America, State Street, US Treasury and others.

LEGACY SYSTEM MIGRATION SPECIALIST / USER EXPERIENCE ENGINEER

Transaction Auditing Group (TAG) - New York, NY // Sep 2007 - Aug 2010

Consulted to an independent and unbiased provider of trade performance and market quality assessment for the securities industry. Migrated three independent legacy systems into a single environment, using Melify Internet Toolkit as the implementation platform; and provided migration paths and solutions to facilitate the expansion into European and Asian markets. Completed redesign of all screens, navigation and workflows Created interaction/workflow design for company's applications Tested each product with end-users and validated each use case Re-implemented several backend components, including database migration, reconciliations, etc. Performed usability analysis, testing and enhancement of client web applications.

Integrated high-end financial graphics into various screens. Created a new European website for company's high profile customers

USER INTERFACE / USER EXPERIENCE ENGINEER

International Business Machines (IBM) Novato, CA // Feb 2006 - Sep 2007

Helped customers of a multinational computer technology and IT consulting corporation with user interface analysis, design and development of high fidelity web-based prototypes and usability testing, onsite and remote. Mentored group members in component-based UI design as applied to Internet. Managed three high-net worth insurance- related applications.

Managed and processed development requests with stakeholders Performed high fidelity prototyping of portals within customer website. Performed usability analysis, testing and enhancement of client web applications v Created interaction/workflow design

SYSTEM ARCHITECT / SOFTWARE DESIGN ENGINEER

Hewlett Packard (HP) - Mahwah, NJ // Apr 2004 - Nov 2006

Designed and developed a comprehensive Remote Software Testing Tool for a technology solutions provider's line of products utilizing participatory design and usability analysis. This application is a multi- platform, test bed currently running on HP/UX, UNIX, Windows and Mac OSX platforms. The test bed has distributed multi-tiered architecture, and a Web based UI.

Managed product requirements. Conducted user research for internal applications, using contextual inquiry techniques.

Created scenarios, information architecture and task flows for test bed system of applications v Produced low/high fidelity prototypes and visual designs for its web components. Conducted brainstorming sessions with product managers, designers, developers and end users. Guided development team with product and interaction requirements v Conducted usability walkthroughs and formative usability tests

LEAD USER EXPERIENCE DESIGNER

Lockheed Martin - Baltimore, MD // Jan 2003 - Apr 2004

Worked for global security company that is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Designed and developed a comprehensive Test Environment and provided usability engineering and UCD support for a federal government agency. Designed and developed a unique Internet based test bed and survey application. Prototyped the Adult Disability web application and remotely tested the product with over 100 end users and advocates in various states.

Participated in various UCD sessions. Designed user interaction for Adult with Disability website Conceptualized, prototyped and created visual designs Created test scripts and conducted, along with agency team, usability tests with users v Conducted remote testing same application with over 100 remote users

LEAD PRODUCT ARCHITECT / DESIGNER & IMPLEMENTOR

New York Stock Exchange, New York, NY // Dec 2000 - Jan 2003

Designed system architecture and functional/user requirements for a full-service financial advisory firm's in-house online equity trading system. Utilized participatory/User Centered design process in development of customer, functional, and user requirements specifications. This online system covered Portfolio Management, Order/Risk Management, Customer Workflow management, and direct real-time Trading with NYSE including Market making activities. Helped create and develop the application from the ground up in less than nine months (half the estimated time) with the aid of three other developers.

Educated management on benefits of prototyping, usability testing, participatory iterative design processes as well as UXD signed the initial application from brainstorming with Management Traders and back office personnel

Created an initial prototype that was tested and accepted by all participants in less than a month

Organized and managed the development team from software selection to actual implementation.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. (Aerospace Engineering) Manchester, England

M.Sc. (Computational Fluid Dynamics) Manchester, England

B.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering) Manchester, England

LINKS

Mel’s bio online

W3C-Components

W3C-Shopping Cart

Dropbox sample designs and work

Contact this candidate