[JOB] Manager, Information Architecture (Arlington)

November 30, 2009

From Sapient:

Job Title
Manager of Information Architecture

Job Summary
Managers of Information Architecture at Sapient are responsible for the navigation, organization, interaction design, and business/user process engineering for leading-edge Web solutions, software, and mobile devices/applications. You will apply user-centered design methods to translate user needs, business objectives, and technology capabilities into world-class user experiences for leading companies. In addition, you will play an active part in expanding current client relationships and forging new ones. You must have a basic understanding of creative disciplines, such as user-centered research, visual design, site development, content strategy, and brand strategy, to craft and lead holistic solutions with the experts in those disciplines. We look for people who are experts in their field, passionate about what they do, and thrive working with other smart people to solve the toughest design challenges.

Again, for more info, check out the job description and apply there.


[JOB] Information Architect/Vienna, VA

November 25, 2009

If interested, contact RUX co-founder cnicolls@ironworks.com ++++

Information Architect

Ironworks Consulting is seeking an experienced Information Architect (IA) to lead and coordinate the design and prototyping of navigation,
content structuring and workflow for various client initiatives. The Ironworks IA will work with clients to analyze and understand their
business requirements while providing workflow analysis, content hierarchies, user interface requirements, wireframe diagrams, and
documentation. The Information Architect produces high-level documents articulating how a proposed architecture addresses strategic,
business, user, and functional requirements.

Position opening is in Vienna, VA.

This might be for you if you enjoy:

  • Leading and coordinating the prototyping and design of web site structure and user interface
  • Acting as project lead, analyst, and/or designer
  • Facilitating a collaborative web-site design across marketing, business development, creative, technical and operational areas
  • Participating in usability testing and capturing specific target audience feedback and incorporating that feedback into site design
  • Capturing website requirements including brand message, marketing, customer experience, operational, engineering and usability requirements
  • Evaluating and documenting stakeholder needs & wants
  • Performing gap and impact analyses
  • Building Sitemaps, Wireframes, Prototypes and documentation that clearly articulate site/application structure and organization
  • Ensuring ease of navigation and simplicity of design
  • Communicating the site design/structure to the business and engineering teams
  • Performing usability test planning, execution, reviews and results analysis
  • Reviewing and providing feedback throughout development lifecycle
  • Evaluating and incorporating statistical indicators and information captured through WebTrends and related sources into the interactive design to continuously improve and evolve the end-user experience

What we are looking for:

  • Minimum of 3 years experience designing and developing Information Architecture for web sites and/or applications
  • Minimum of 5 years experience working with Web content, information analysis, and copywriting.
  • Solid understanding of information architecture and user interface design concepts and techniques
  • IA experience within a SharePoint or MOSS environment
  • Strong conceptual and strategic thinking skills
  • Excellent group facilitation skills
  • Strong requirements gathering skills in interviewing, surveying and leveraging focus group results
  • Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written)
  • Keen sense of customer experience and target audience analysis
  • Familiarity with use case specification, user scenarios and usability testing

For immediate consideration, send resumes and samples to
cnicolls@ironworks.com.

The work, the people, the experience

Ironworks has a unique corporate culture built by people who love what they do, respect the people they work with and enjoy the experience of working closely with customers to achieve measurable results. What you will find at Ironworks are smart, honest people who have one
mission: never fail a client.

Ironworks specializes in the use of Web technologies to solve business problems through the combination of strategy, technology and design.
Ironworks has earned a reputation for delivering on what it promises, deploying a team of experts on every engagement and completing
projects on time and on budget. The firm offers expertise to clients nationwide in the practice areas of IT Strategy, Program Management,
User Experience, Content Management and Portal Development, Business Intelligence, and Custom Application Development. Ironworks operates from offices in Glen Allen, VA, McLean, VA and Cary, NC.
For more information on Ironworks, visit www.ironworks.com

Ironworks Consulting is an equal employment opportunity employer. We adhere to a policy of making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age or disability. We assure you that your opportunity for employment with Ironworks depends solely on your qualifications.


Resources for Better Agile UX

November 23, 2009

Agile User Experience Projects
Nielsen  |  November 4, 2009
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/agile-user-experience.html

Agile Development Projects and Usability
Nielsen  |  November 17, 2008
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/agile-methods.html

Quick and Dirty Usability Testing: Step Away from the Book
Chisnell  |  October 20, 2008
http://www.uie.com/articles/usabilitytesting_dc

Agile Methods and User-Centered Design: How These Two Methodologies Are Successfully Integrated In Industry
Fox, Sillito, Maurer  |  Agile Conference 2008, Toronto

Weekly User Testing: TiVo Did It, You Can, Too
Nielsen  |  July 2008
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/weekly-usability-tests.html

Twelve Emerging Best Practices for Adding UX Work to Agile Development
Patton  |  June 2008
http://agileproductdesign.com/blog/emerging_best_agile_ux_practice.html

The Impact of Agile on UCD: Mixed Messages From a Before and After Survey
Barnum and Dayton  |  Usability  Professionals’ Association Conference, Baltimore, Maryland  |  June 16-20, 2008
http://usability.spsu.edu/image_assets/agile.pdf

Making Usability Recommendations Useful and Usable
Molich, Jeffries, Dumas  | August 2007
http://www.upassoc.org/upa_publications/jus/2007august/useful-usable.pdf

Adapting Usability Investigations for Agile User-centered Design
Sy  |  Journal of Usability Studies, v.2, n.3, May 2007

Clash of the Titans: Agile and UCD
Cecil  |  December 2006
http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2006/12/clash-of-the-titans-agile-and-ucd.php

User Experience Activities on Agile Development Projects
Ambler  |  October 2005
http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/agileUsability.htm

Streamlining Usability Testing by Avoiding the Lab
Spool  |  May 25, 2005
http://www.uie.com/articles/streamlining_usability

UCD in Agile Projects: Dream Team or Odd Couple?
McInerney and Maurer  |  Interactions, v. 12, n.6, 2005

Case Study of Customer Input for a Successful Product
Miller  |  Proceedings of the Agile Development  Conference, IEEE Computer Society, Washington, DC, 2005

Process Agility and Software Usability: Toward Lightweight Usage-Centered Design
Constantine  |  September  2002
http://www.foruse.com/articles/agiledesign.pdf

Agile Usability Yahoo! Group
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/agile-usability/

Agile2009 Conference – UX Stage
http://agile2009.agilealliance.org/users


[JOB] Information Architect (IA) in Richmond

November 11, 2009

Our friends at SnagAJob are hiring! Apply at http://www.snagajob.com.

Information Architect

Location: Richmond, Virginia

SnagAJob.com is seeking an experienced and passionate IA to join our growing Web Experience team. This team is responsible for designing, building, and supporting, front-end elements used throughout SnagAJob.com as well as other online company initiatives. The Web Experience team is critical to ensuring that SnagAJob.com provides the best user experience possible to its internal and external users.

Asan IA you will be a vital link between Product and Engineering (collaborative personality a must). You will be responsible for creating documents such as wireframes, site maps, and prototypes that translate user requirements into a visual form-enabling internal and external customers to experience a product prior to its development. You must also have a results-driven attitude and be willing to back your ideas and designs with user testing and site metrics.

In addition to IA responsibilities this candidate should also possess the design skills needed to translate documents into detailed design comps that will be used by our Web Developers to build the final product.

Responsibilities

  • Plan, design, and conduct user experience research throughout the product development process, including competitive evaluations, iterative prototypes, usability testing, and similar methods
  • Produce and communicate necessary design deliverables, including wireframes, prototypes and mockups, across a multidisciplinary team throughout all phases of the project
  • Advocate for the end user by building consensus with stakeholders to ensure that design and business goals are balanced with user needs
  • Perform usability test planning, execution, reviews and results analysis

Qualifications

  • Minimum of 4 years experience as Information Architect
  • Solid understanding of information architecture and user interface design concepts and techniques
  • Strong conceptual and strategic thinking skills
  • Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written)
  • Strong portfolio of IA deliverables
  • Experience with major design software (Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign)
  • Experience working in an Agile environment a plus
  • Familiarity with usability testing
  • Familiarity with CSS and HTML

Compensation and Benefits

SnagAJob.com offers a highly competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental, life, short and long-term disability insurance, 401k plan, tuition reimbursement, holidays, paid time off (starting with 18 days); a generous commission plan; and a casual, fun work environment.


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