• Listening

    Goals and Objectives

    Audience Definition

    Detailed Analysis

    Current Solution Assessment

    Competition Comparison

  • Sketching and Brainstorming

    Before getting right to the layout and design, it is essential to create a plan and have everything I will need for a project prepared. I work from sketch to digital rendering to accumulate accurate information, solid architecture and visual quality.

    Site Maps

    Wireframes

    Mood Boards

    Assets and Content

  • The creation of the project

    With all the essential ingredients in place I can begin forming and blending the details.

    I use the inspirational material from the mood boards, content and the structure from site maps and wireframes to establish the main interface

    I can then mix up the internal pages and develop the layout and style that will remain consistent throughout the project.

  • Building the project

    I use the same detail oriented approach that I use in my design, when developing my projects. This is where the functionality of the site comes together with the design to make it useful and visually appealing. I strive for standards and the most up-to-date technology.

    >I use a layered cake approach: separating the markup layer from the presentation layer. This makes it easy and organized and more conveinient to make changes if nesissary.

    XHTML

    CSS

    PHP/MYSQL

    JAVASCRIPT

    I monitor the process and deal with any changes or additions that need to be made, keeping an eye, not to waiver from my overall scope.

  • Testing and Launching

    Before I present the final product, I examine the details and make sure everything is in place. I test it on multiple platforms and strive to get in front of as many eyes as possible before I serve it up online

About Me and My Work...

When designing and developing interactive media my philosophy and focus in my work is the user or customer. Understanding the needs of the user defines how a project develops from concept to completion. It drives every decision made in design or functionality of the project. Since all users and the technology that they use are unique, there is no one design and development pattern to follow. Customized solutions in design, functionality and organization that reflect the goals and objectives of end users and customers are core components for communicating a message using multimedia.

Functionality and Design do not have to be a compromise. The harmony between these two concepts allows for the user or customer to participate in an engaging and memorable experience. A deep understanding of the user, development process, and the organization and hierarchy of information are of the utmost importance for every project. Neither appearance nor functionality need to be sacrificed as both are essential to a successful product.

While working with clients or on a team it is necessary to maintain a balance of the user experience and keep them as the major driving force in decision making:
What the User needs to accomplish
What technology is the User using
The Users social context
By keeping these concepts simple it is easy to see and drive the message forward, which in the end, results in sticky concepts that the user is able to intuitively interact with.

My process begins with user research and the definition of the users goals and objectives. I create detailed user profiles that produce a “story” of the users background, current profession, location, their technological ability and the technology they will be using in the project as well as the tasks they need to accomplish. After defining who the user (customer/audience) is, I then define the message that is to be communicated throughout the project or what the client wants the user to experience. Using sitemaps and wireframes, I am able to group the information of the message into common categories based on where the user needs to go and what the user needs to do. The information architecture is the users roadmap for arriving easily at their destinations in the smallest amount of clicks or taps. The development of the visual layout and functionality are the final steps. There are a series of developmental steps I follow from initial sketches to a functioning alpha model of the project to beta and final launch. I involve the user throughout the development of the project to ensure that it functions properly and that they are able to accomplish their goals.

My fine art background has laid the groundwork for expressing myself through multimedia communication and design. I am most at home giving feedback to clients and team members about conceptual design and functionality and how they work together to create a user experience. I focus on how the two concepts are working together and how they can be improved. My experience working with diverse groups of people from non-profit organizations to high net worth individuals has taught me how to be a mentor and how to manage the communication of an idea from concept to completion. I have learned through working with managers, printers, web developers, programmers and other designers how the pieces of a multimedia project fit together to create an organized free-flowing project. Additionally, I never stop learning. In an industry where everything is changing as quickly as the weather, it is a necessity to always be absorbing information.