Experience

Posted on 09/20/2008 01:08 am by uxmelina

SUMMARY

  • Extensive past experience working with customers to gather user requirements and deliver innovative design recommendations
  • Very high interest in multifaceted design: interface, interaction, user experience, and product design
  • Work well independently and collaboratively in a variety of engineering and design challenges
  • Intermediate knowledge of C++, Java and software engineering processes

WORK EXPERIENCE

Interaction Designer, VMware Inc., User Experience Team,
05/2008-08/2008
  • Independently planned and completed 4 month project to iteratively redesign storage configuration workflow
  • Conducted heuristic evaluations, task analysis, and usability sessions to evaluate low and medium fidelity design prototypes
  • Presented project recommendations to large corporate audience winning a place in the top 12 presenters in over 150 interns
User-Centered Design Practitioner, IBM Canada, Rational User-Centered Design Team,
01/2007 - 04/2007
09/2007 - 12/2007
  • Delivered intuitive user interaction design recommendations for beta software
  • Conducted face-to-face and remote usability sessions, heuristic evaluations, and customer surveys
  • Quickly learned large software tools in the WebSphere and Rational line
  • Participated in skill building seminars: Paper prototyping, Web 2.0 interface design, Innovative data-gathering methods
Industrial Engineering Specialist, United Parcel Service, Industrial Engineering,
05/2006 - 08/2006
  • Optimized physical design of sort station, extending maximum sort capacity of a facility by 2 years
  • Led project to determine and analyze various design alternatives of a package centre for 10 years
  • Recognized for outstanding learning ability by understanding UPS standards and practices
Industrial Engineering Assistant, Ford of Canada, Central Engineering,
08/2005 - 12/2005
  • Performed time and motion studies to assist with assembly line simulations and determine ergonomic constraints
  • Conducted labour and production studies to minimize losses within supply departments
  • Continually recognized for superior multitasking and time management skills
Systems Design Engineering Assistant, Ontario Ministry of Transportation, Highway Design - Business Process,
01/2005 - 04/2005
  • Delivered information design and interface design recommendations to optimize and simplify business reporting software
  • Liaised with end-users and development to ensure user-requirements were being met in the development of a database reporting tool
  • Participated in various team brainstorm sessions to improve business processes within the Ministry

DESIGN EXPERIENCE

  • SocialTV: Researched and designed an innovative solution to redesign the television viewing experience. (2008/2009)
  • Learning Tools: Designed an interactive software solution for Research in Motion (RIM) to facilitate first aid training (2008)
  • Disney’s ImagiNations Competition: Designed a large interactive surface with Web 2.0 to create an online community within the parks (2008)
  • One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Software Design: Designed and prototyping a software solution for children of 3rd world countries (2008)
  • Product Design: Designed, prototyped and user tested a hand washing prompting device to aid the elderly suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (2007)
  • Detailed Portfolio: http://uxmelina.com/design

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Applied Science, Honours in Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
04/2009
Sample Courses:
    Research and Design: Interface Design Methods, Cognitive Ergonomics, User Centered Design Methods, Introduction to Human Systems, Organizational Behavior, Cognitive Processes, Design Workshop (Intro, 1, 2, and 3).
    Project/Product Management: Conflict Analysis, Engineering Optimization, Engineering Economics, Design and Society.
    Technical / Software: Digital Computation, Digital Systems, Data Structures & Algorithms, Circuits, Instrumentation & Measurement.

PUBLICATIONS

McLarty, M., Migicovsky, E., Gopal, A., Marchwica, P., Gawne, C., Srikantha, P., Yu, P., and Zelek, J. (2007) A Reminder System for Memory Loss. Proceedings of the Fourth IASTED International Conference. 619:205-243

ACTIVITIES & INTERESTS

  • Waterloo’s Interaction Design Association (IXDA)
  • Continual education
  • Travel