Resume

Deborah A. Barber
Astoria, NY

SUMMARY

Over 15 years of experience in working with website design and development, with a three-year detour in client records management. I started out as a front-end developer for websites but have spent the last five years as a User Experience professional specializing in Information Architecture and Interaction Design.

  • My experience as a front-end developer plus love of design means I’m comfortable speaking the languages of both technology and visual design.
  • Adept at using multiple tools and able to learn new tools and processes quickly
  • Continually keep my knowledge of the User Experience field up-to-date through reading publications and attending meetings, workshops, and conferences

WORK EXPERIENCE

User Experience Designer. Group SJR, NYC. January 2015 – January 2017

  • Contract with Group SJR (WPP)’s Creative Department performing site analysis, and creating information architecture and workflows for responsive websites. Clients included Pfizer, Chick-fil-A, FINRA, Exxon, and Verve Wireless.
  • Conducted remote usability testing for Group SJR client using Join.me and Usertesting.com.
  • Researched and introduced InVision to Development team as a tool to replace a less efficient production management tool.

User Experience Designer. H4B, NYC. March 2014 – August 2014

  • Contract with Havas/H4B’s UX Department performing site analysis, and creating information architecture and workflows for websites, mobile websites and tablet applications. Clients included Teva, Reckitt Benckiser, and Astellas.
  • Improvised IA documentation for parallax website to successfully communicate ideas to client.
  • Created alternate menu ideas for iPad detailer to account for expansion in the future.
  • Continually gathered and shared the latest in UX research and Responsive Design processes with the team.

Freelance Information Architect/Designer, NYC. November 2000 – present

  • Consultant to small businesses wishing to move their websites to WordPress. Recent clients include 3 Chicks that Click and The Wild Rumpus.
  • Research and select responsive templates that meet the business needs of clients while also meeting the needs of their website’s visitors
  • Consult on design and development of Shopify websites

User Experience Designer. Sudler & Hennessey, NYC. . January 2012 – March 2013

  • Contract with Sudler & Hennessey Digital Dept. performing site analysis, user research and creating information architecture and workflows for websites and tablet applications. Clients included Ferring, Johnson & Johnson, Galderma and Boehringer Ingelheim.
  • Designed sitemaps and wireframes in InDesign and Visio.
  • Created Personas for redesign project to give a clearer view of customers’ goals to Account department

Front-end Designer/Developer. Citibank, NYC.. December 2010 – August 2011

  • Contract with Citibank’s Graphic Communications Department. Updated Global Transaction Services website and created client emails with Photoshop, HTML and CSS. Selected and edited stock images for website and emails that supported Citibank branding.

Web Developer. Advance Internet, Inc. November 2004 – February 2009

Advance Internet is a leading creator of local news and information web sites, created in alliance with over 25 newspapers affiliated with Advance Publications Inc.

  • Performed as technical manager for XML Repository program update, coordinating between programmer and newspaper editorial staff.
  • Assisted manager with planning and conducting nine-month Proof of Concept testing of Java-based CMS (Escenic Webspeed), a potential content management system for the company, and created test templates in JSP format.

Records Coordinator. American Red Cross September 11 Recovery Program May 2002 – July 2004

Before 9/11/2001, the American Red Cross still relied on a paper-based system for managing client records. The record number of clients (over 60,000 total) for the 9/11 disaster pushed the ARC to move into the digital age.

  • As a critical member of the steering committee for program’s SQL Server/ASP client-tracking application I reviewed requirements, designed user feedback survey for data entry group and documented workflows.
  • Conducted workflow analysis of department procedures
  • Created survey and indexing scheme for documents in client case files, which was used as a reference for file digitization project.

Volunteer and Data Quality Manager.
American Red Cross of Greater New York September 2001 – May 2002

Began as volunteer entering information into missing-persons database and later hired to update new client-tracking database for 9-11 disaster.

  • Trained workers and wrote User Guide for data quality project that audited paper files and financial records for over 2000 clients against database records

VOLUNTEER AND PERSONAL PROJECTS

Knickerbocker Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution October 2016 – September 2017

  • Designed and built both public and private sections of the Knickerbocker Chapter website in WordPress.

Pro Bono projects through the Taproot Foundation July 2009 – October 2012

  • Riis Settlement House – Performed both Information Architect and developer responsibilities for website redesign featuring a flexible WordPress design that works on many devices.

ORGANIZATIONS

NYC UXPA (User Experience Professionals Association)

IAI (Information Architecture Institute) Attended 2011 and 2013 annual conferences.

EDUCATION

August 2015 – Workshops with CooperU Three-day workshop on Interaction Design plus one-day workshop on Leading Creative Ideation

September 2014 – Lean UX One-day workshop led by Jeff Gothelf teaching the principles of Lean UX

October 2012 – UX Workshops: Kim Goodwin, Rachel Hinman, Nathan Shedroff. Three days of workshops sponsored by Rosenfeld Media on UX Leadership, Mobile Prototyping and UX and Science Fiction.

2008-2009 – School of Visual Arts Continuing Ed. Took Basic Graphic Design, Photography and Graphic Design, and Designing with Type

July 2009 – Presenting Data and Information: one-day course with Edward Tufte

ABD MM, Music Technology, New York University, NYC.
Relevant courses include: Interaction Design, User Interface

MA Composition and Theory University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. December 1990.
B.Mus. Composition and Theory, Violin Principle, Belmont University, Nashville, TN. May 1988