What kind of work can I do for you?
User Interface and Experience Engineer
I first began my training in UI/UX design with Kaufman Patricof Enterprises back in the dot-com boom of 1999-2000. My first assignment in this role was as an assistant to the main UI designer consulting with Sony on a redesign of the Sonystyle web site, while taking a secondary role as the main front-end development liason for Sony’s in-house development team. The experience taught me a great deal about the user experience, and the tools of the UI Engineer. Since then, I have continued to utilize this knowledge in all of my work, expanding my education and always striving to present an interesting and inviting layout while keeping it simple, and not forcing the user to think.
Front-end Web Developer (HTML/CSS/JS/AJAX)
I’ve always been a front-end developer first and foremost, as it ties in most directly with the online experience. Being able to both understand and execute the functionality available to enhance user experience, or when putting down a design in Photoshop enables a deeper connection to the link between content and user. Facilitating that link is something I continue to enjoy, and while the challenge of pleasing the unfortunate user who is stuck with Internet Explorer can be frustrating at times, it is also often rewarding. The logos to the left are just some of the companies whose sites have featured my front-end code at one time in their ever-evolving lifecycle.
PHP and MySQL Application Development
Just last year, Boca Java was paying $40,000 for a third-party search solution to manage their online product catalog. Recognizing the potential in ROI, I utilized my spare time to build out a replacement search engine/catalog that would increase functionality from the existing paid solution. By building from the Code Igniter PHP framework and implementing the open-source ad server from OpenX, I was able to eliminate one of the businesses’ largest online costs, and increase configurability, functionality, and load time.
Click here to visit the catalog.
SEO and Analytics
The ability to drive organic traffic, as well as placing a quantitative value on a web site’s traffic should not be underestimated. With experience implementing and analyzing both SEO and analytic solutions on platforms provided by companies such as Google and Omniture, I have the tools and knowledge to create an action plan to begin tracking or enhance current tracking of qualitative data. Such information is often beneficial both understanding how the user is utilizing the web site, what potential barriers exist to the user following the desired flow, and how to optimize the user interface to reduce or eliminate these barriers.
Web Site Design
My original education was in graphic design, and I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Design from Long Island University in New York. My highest profile design client was Countrywide Home Loans, with whom I designed and developed a series of microsites intended to both draw traffic and interest to their services. These designs were targeted towards a younger demographic, and as a result were a departure from Countrywide’s standard look and feel, while still maintaining the rules outlined in their style guide.
Click here to visit my portfolio and see the designs.