[Sigia-l] Job Posting: Usability Manager

[Samantha Bailey]

Hi,

I'm looking for a person who has strong skills and experience with
usability research methods and wants to do some hands-on usability,
but is also conversant in information architecture and interaction
design. Position description is below.
-- 
Samantha Bailey | samantha at baileysorts.com | http://baileysorts.com


Manager, Usability

We're seeking an energetic, self-directed leader with substantial
experience with user-centered design techniques to manage a team of
usability and GUI design experts for Westlaw(r) (www.westlaw.com), the
premier brand in online legal research.

Reporting to the Director of Usability, you will manage a team of
usability and user interface design experts, and will work with
product developers, programmers, marketing professionals, and outside
vendors to ensure ease of use for a variety of user types while
maintaining a professional and consistent user interface for Westlaw.

The right person for this position will have substantial experience with:
• Managing teams of multi-disciplinary professionals
• Evangelizing user centered design principles to non-designers and skeptics
• Experience conducting field studies and usability tests, performing
heuristic evaluations, translating research results into actionable
designs, and effectively communicating research findings and usability
principles.

This position is based in Eagan, MN. Moderate travel is required. West
will cover relocation expenses for this position.


Responsibilities and Duties
• Personally design and conduct user research and usability studies,
including: heuristic evaluations, contextual inquiry, one-on-one
usability studies, participatory design sessions, and similar
research, using valid test designs and reliable methods for gathering
information. Manages internal teams and external vendors to do the
same.
• Reports the findings of user research and translates findings into
actionable designs, prioritizing recommendations.
• Works with product developers and programmers to promote and support
iterative, user-centered design.
• Manages graphic design and web development staff to create
prototypes, mock-ups, and generally ensure a visually appealing,
professional, consistent user interface.
• Writes detailed interface design specifications.
• Maintains, enhances, and promotes style guidelines for Westlaw.
• Reviews all interface changes prior to release.
• Trains staff on usability and user-centered design best practices.


Required Qualifications
• Master's degree in Human Factors, HCI, Usability Engineering,
Cognitive Psychology, or related field. (substantial experience may
substitute)
• 3+ years experience designing and conducting usability research,
reporting findings, and determining which user-centered design
technique is most appropriate at various stages of the product
development life cycle.
• 1+ year experience managing web-design teams
• Strong project management skills
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, often chaotic environment

Desired Qualifications
• Experience in the legal industry
• Basic understanding of Web site accessibility issues for users with
visual impairments
• Basic understanding of graphic design principles, layout,
composition, and color theory
• Basic understanding of Web technologies and Web browser peculiarities


About Thomson West
For more than 100 years, Thomson West's renowned products have been
invaluable resources for legal professionals. Part of the Thomson
Corporation, an international information publishing leader, our 4,000
+ on-line, CD-ROM and print products have made ours the strongest
brand name in the business.

Westlaw enables legal professionals to conduct research quickly and
easily with an extensive collection of legal resources, news, and
business and public records information. It is backed by
industry-leading customer service, from technical support to reference
attorneys, ensuring the best results from each research session.
West's reference attorneys are bar-admitted lawyers with
representation from more than 20 states, and the company's customer
service departments are staffed 24 hours a day.

To Apply:
Please send cover letter, resume and work samples to: Samantha Bailey
(samantha.bailey at thomson.com).