Sunday, May 20, 2007

Application Interface Designer

"The main role and responsibility for this position is to design clean and intuitive graphical user interfaces for our interactive, data-driven web applications. The challenge is to create outstanding and innovative user experiences which solve complicated problems without burdening users with complexity.

The successful candidate will have a keen eye for detail, be highly creative, have expert diagramming and screen layout skills, be proficient with graphic and web applications, be action- and team-oriented, and possess strong oral and written communications skills.

We are looking for someone outstanding in interaction and web design as well as information architecture. Please note that this is NOT a graphic designer or application programmer position. This position reports to the VP of Product Development.

Requirements
Responsibilities:

  1. PLAN & ANALYZE

    • Analyze users’ goals and needs for our target audiences.

    • Understand our business needs and requirements.

    • Translate needs into design specifications that merge business and user goals with technical capabilities.


  2. DESIGN

    • Develop effective interface components and assemble them into highly usable and coherent web designs.

    • Create sketches, concept and navigation maps, page and task flows, wireframes, and design specifications for proposed designs.

    • Create prototypes based on written requirements and/or meetings.

    • Build user interfaces using HTML, CSS, and DHTML.

    • Conceptualize and document the design of proposed interactions and interfaces.


  3. COLLABORATE

    • Work with multiple project managers simultaneously as part of cross-functional project teams.

    • Help shape vision and requirements for product experience; transform requirements into wireframes and functional specifications.

    • Work with usability engineers to develop user profiles, analyze user tasks, create scenarios and use cases, test interface designs and translate usability study findings into improved designs.

    • Work with application/systems programmers to ensure that web interfaces connect in real-time with underlying data sources.

    • Work with development team to review and refine prototypes, and to ensure correct implementation of interaction functionality (including participating in executing unit test plans).


  4. PROCESS

    • Utilize and promote user-centered design methodologies.

    • Follow an iterative process along the complete product life cycle.

    • Provide multiple viable solutions to complex user interface and information design problems.

    • Help create and enforce standards and guidelines for user experience.

    • Research best practices and propose improvements in designs and methods.

    • Experiment with new interaction types that push the boundaries.


  5. LEAD

    • Take creative direction to deliver a consistent high-quality user experience.

    • Manage full lifecycle of design tasks, from concept and design to production.

    • Articulate ideas and direction in writing and/or storyboards.


  6. LEARN

    • Review competing products and recommend design solutions that differentiate our products from theirs.

    • Keep up to date with industry standards and trends as well as advances in interaction design technologies.


Qualifications:
  • EDUCATION:


    • Bachelors degree required, preferably in Graphic Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Visual Communications or related field.

  • EXPERIENCE

    • 3-5 years full-time experience designing interactive user interfaces for web or software applications

    • Experience with online consumer software product interfaces.

  • KNOWLEDGE

    • Thorough knowledge of web and interactive design processes, best practices and tools.

    • Working knowledge of HTML, DHTML, and CSS.

    • Understands information architecture, usability testing, and how to leverage AJAX, JavaScript, Flash, XML, and XHTML.

  • SOFTWARE

    • Highly proficient in desktop UI/graphics applications (such as Illustrator, Photoshop, Visio, InDesign, QuarkXpress).

    • Microsoft Office.
Keywords: user interface, application usability, web designer, interaction design, user-centered application design, application designer, information architect, graphical user interface, human computer interaction, HCI, GUI, UI.