[Sigia-l] JOB: 5 IA and Usability positions, Framingham, MA, Staples Inc. Fulltime

Thu Apr 17 17:08:27 EDT 2008

Apologies for cross posting. We have 5 new openings in our group.
Please send your responses to carol.savage at staples.com.

Thanks and best of luck,

-Adamya Ashk
Sr. Manager Usability | Staples Inc.
Ph. 508 253 3986 | Fax 508 253 8946
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You've heard our tagline: "That was easy." Now come join one of the
key teams that are making that statement a reality.

Usability at Staples is growing to meet company demand for our
services and adding the following 5 new positions to our team.

•	Manager of Information Architecture [6 years experience]
•	Sr. Information Architect [6 years experience]
•	Usability Project Manager on Staples Retail IS [4-6 years experience]
•	Usability Project Manager on Staples e-commerce IS [4-6 years experience]
•	Information Architect [4-6 years experience]

These new roles are being created to support IS projects that directly
contribute to our position as one of the largest retail and e-commerce
businesses in the world.

This expansion will add to existing usability involvement in building
exceptional customer and associate facing user interfaces.

The detailed descriptions of each position are given below.

If you are interested please write to carol.savage at staples.com along
with your resume and mention the position you'd like to apply for.

Manager of Information Architecture
---------------------------------------------------
The Staples Usability team is looking for a Manager of Information
Architecture to head up a dedicated team involved in designing the
user interaction and information architecture (IA) of our websites and
internal systems.
The ideal candidate for this position is a well rounded user
experience professional who is passionate about the user experience at
every level and has extensive experience managing design teams.

Team Management

•	Lead the IA competency within the usability group. Own and develop
the overall framework and standards for IA documentation.
•	Manage IA resources and work in conjunction with usability manager
to ensure appropriate IA coverage of various projects. Manage budgets,
contracts, allocations and performance issues.
•	Investigate integration of IxD and IA methodologies into various
in-house development processes. Present recommendations to
cross-functional internal teams and project managers.
•	Ensure that adequate resources are allocated to the creation of IA
assets and that industry leading techniques in IA/IxD are used.

Information Architecture Support and Strategy

•	Lead project teams in defining the functional business requirements
and the UI through JAD and white-board sessions and other
collaborative techniques
•	Partner with usability managers on user-research activities and
integrate findings into design through an iterative process
•	Architect and document user interaction solutions through site-maps,
process flows (experience maps), wire-frames and thumbnail flows
•	Perform expert reviews on concepts and wire frames
•	Drive long term IA strategy and vision. In this capacity:
	Lead IA strategy implementation across websites and systems
	Define reusable IA/ user-interaction models/patterns
	Develop a holistic view of all Staples systems and document them.
Actively maintain this repository to reflect design changes and
proposals

Qualifications

•	Minimum of an MS degree in Interaction Design, Cognitive Psychology,
Industrial Design or related discipline required
•	Minimum of 6 years experience in UxD/IA/interaction design including
at least 3-4 years managing design teams in corporate or consulting
environments required; Experience in retail environment a plus
•	Thorough grounding in usability principles, interaction design and
some experience with usability research
•	Proven experience translating business strategies into conceptual
diagrams, task flows, and site maps using standardized tools and
techniques. Strong experience with Visio preferred
•	Strong understanding of computer platforms and browsers and the
effects those variables have on the design of a system and how this
impacts the user. Well versed in HTML, JavaScript
•	Ability to lead high-level, cross-functional definition meetings
that map out the user experience of new projects; must be a strong
presenter with excellent interpersonal skills
•	Ability to produce designs that consider how seemingly disparate
systems may work together to create efficiencies
•	Awareness of various methodologies for software creation and the
software development life cycle
•	A long and impressive track record of building usable solutions;
leadership abilities to drive a varied group to design consensus

Senior Information Architect
----------------------------------------
As the ideal candidate for this position you must have a deep
understanding of usability design issues and extensive experience
designing IA/software solutions for large scale websites and systems.
You must be able to produce designs that leverage previous learning
and consider how seemingly disparate systems may work together to
create efficiencies.
Ability to define interaction needs and communicate these through
succinct deliverables is required. You must be comfortable working in
diverse teams while facilitating the development of design solutions.

Partner with usability manager to support large scale web and
information systems projects:

•	Contribute to overall usability plan including discovery research.
Assist in the execution of this plan.
•	Facilitate integration of discovery research findings as they
pertain to the user experience.
•	Promote the use of collaborative UI define sessions. Lead teams in
understanding user interaction issues and devise the solutions.
•	Develop strategy to document these requirements through structured
deliverables of varying fidelity.
•	Publish these solutions through design documents. These documents
include architecture-maps, system process flows and thumbnail flows.
•	Manage contractors as needed.
•	Perform expert reviews on concepts and wire frames and integrate
this into the design process on an iterative basis by presenting the
findings and suggesting changes where necessary.

Work with the Manager of IA to drive long term IA strategy and vision.
In this capacity:

•	Lead IA strategy implementation across websites and systems
•	Define reusable IA/user-interaction models/patterns
•	Develop a holistic view of all Staples systems and document them.
Actively maintain this repository to reflect design changes and
proposals.
•	Mentor other team members on approach and strategy as relates to
various projects.

Qualifications
•	Minimum of an MS degree in Interaction Design, Cognitive Psychology,
MIS, Industrial Design or related discipline required.
•	Minimum of 6 years of information architecture experience in a
corporate or consulting environment required. Strong background in
e-commerce and/or web-based application design.
•	Proven experience translating business strategies into conceptual
diagrams, task flows, and site maps using standardized tools and
techniques required. Strong experience with Visio preferred.
•	Ability to lead high-level, cross-functional definition meetings
that map out the user experience of new projects.
•	Experience managing information architecture or interaction design
on large-scale projects required. Managing internal and contract
employees essential.
•	Background in system development methodology including the Software
Development Life Cycle and techniques for contextual inquiry, task
analysis and some interaction design preferred.
•	Deep understanding of human behavior as demonstrated through
professional and educational study.
•	Strong technical skills and versed in coding languages such as HTML,
JavaScript. Strong understanding of computer platforms and browsers
and the effects those variables have on the design of a system and
ensuing impact to the user

Usability project manager on Staples Retail IS
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Project Management:
•	Act as usability lead on various small, medium and large-sized
systems projects.
•	Organize and implement comprehensive research initiatives.
•	Partner with business analysts to produce requirements documents and
deliverables for projects.
•	Organize research findings to serve as inputs for designs and task flows.
•	Partner with information architects to develop & review system screen flows.
•	Review vendor applications to determine usability level; make
recommendations on improvement as needed.
•	Manage contractor resources as required by projects.

Research Execution:
•	Perform data collection activities in accordance with research
strategies. Activities may include competitive reviews, focus groups,
heuristic reviews, field studies, usability tests, surveys, cognitive
walkthroughs, in-store customer observations and intercepts, and other
means.

Qualifications
•	Minimum of a Master's degree in Human Factors, Cognitive Psychology
or related discipline required (Please do not apply if you do not have
at least a Master's degree).
•	Minimum of 4-6 years of usability experience in a corporate or
consulting environment required. Experience in a retail environment a
huge plus.
•	Experience managing all aspects of usability involvement in major
software projects, including management of business and systems
partner relationships.
•	Experience in usability testing practices and theory around non-web
applications required.
•	Must be a strong presenter with excellent interpersonal skills.
•	Ability to handle multiple projects for multiple clients at once.
•	Must be able to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
•	Basic understanding of HTML required. Working knowledge of using
Macromedia Dreamweaver & Adobe Photoshop for basic image editing and
image mapping (for prototyping) a plus.
•	Basic understanding of statistical methodologies and working
knowledge of statistical packages like SAS, SPSS, etc. a plus.
•	Understanding of information architecture principles.

Usability Project Manager on Staples E-commerce IS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

In this capacity you will:
•	Act as usability lead on various small, medium and large-sized web
site & systems projects.
•	Organize and implement comprehensive research initiatives.
•	Review requirements documents and deliverables for projects.
•	Organize research findings to serve as inputs for designs and task flows.
•	Partner with information architects to develop & review web site &
system page flows.
•	Review vendor applications to determine usability level; make
recommendations on improvement as needed.
•	Manage contractor resources as required by projects.
•	Provide input that will impact the strategic direction of
wide-ranging usability research.

Research Execution:
•	Perform data collection activities in accordance with research
strategies. Activities may include competitive reviews, focus groups,
heuristic reviews, field studies, usability tests, surveys, cognitive
walkthroughs and other means.

Qualifications
•	Minimum of a Master's degree in Human Factors, Cognitive Psychology
or related discipline required (Please do not apply if you do not have
at least a Master's degree).
•	Minimum of 4-6 years of usability experience in a corporate or
consulting environment required (with a substantial amount of that
time primarily focused on usability). Experience in a retail
environment a huge plus.
•	Experience in ecommerce usability testing practices and theory required.
•	Must be a strong presenter with excellent interpersonal skills.
•	Ability to handle multiple projects for multiple clients at once.
•	Must be able to work effectively in a cross-functional team environment.
•	Basic understanding of HTML required. Working knowledge of using
Macromedia Dreamweaver & Adobe Photoshop for basic image editing and
image mapping (for prototyping) a plus.
•	Familiarity with popular web browsers such as Internet Explorer and
Firefox. Understanding of web accessibility standards a plus.
•	Basic understanding of statistical methodologies and working
knowledge of statistical packages like SAS, SPSS, etc. a plus.
•	Understanding of information architecture principles.
•	Travel varies depending on project/research needs. Approximately
5-10% travel may be required.

Information Architect
------------------------------

In this capacity you will:
•	Identify key user-interaction requirements by participating in JAD
sessions and other business requirement forums.
•	Facilitate user interface definition sessions by leading teams
through white boarding exercises and discussions.
•	Pin-point important issues that may require further discovery
research by collaborating with usability resources.
•	Architect user interaction solutions/schema based on sound usability
principles, research and technical feasibility.
•	Express these solutions through design documents. These documents
include architecture-maps, system process flows and thumbnail flows.
•	Partner with Usability Manager on research plans and integrate
findings into design through an iterative process.
•	Manage contractors as needed.
•	Perform expert reviews on concepts and wire frames and integrate
this into the design process on an iterative basis by presenting the
findings and suggesting changes where necessary.
•	Create and maintain a centralized repository of IA documentation.
•	Provide IA support for ongoing application production and bug fixes.

Qualifications
•	Minimum of a Masters degree in Interaction Design, Cognitive
Psychology, MIS, Industrial Design or related discipline required.
•	At least 4 years of information architecture/interaction design
experience in a corporate or consulting environment required. Some
background in retail a definite plus.
•	Must be able to translate business strategies into conceptual
diagrams, task flows, and site maps. Expertise in using Visio
preferred.
•	Must be a strong presenter and communicator with excellent
interpersonal skills.
•	Ability to lead high-level, cross-functional definition meetings
that map out the user experience of new projects.
•	Strong understanding of computer platforms like AS400, client
server, non web applications and related usability issues.
•	Understanding of usability testing practices and theory required.
•	Experience managing information architecture or interaction design
on large-scale projects required. Some experience managing internal
and contract employees.
•	Background in system development methodology including the Software
Development Life Cycle and techniques for contextual inquiry, task
analysis and interaction design required.
•	Some technical skills in putting together click-through prototypes
and versed in HTML, JavaScript.
•	Approximately 10% travel required.

If you are interested please write to carol.savage at staples.com along
with your resume and mention the position you'd like to apply for.

About Our Team
The Staples Usability team continues to be one of the thought leaders
in usability and is growing to meet company demand for our services.
We are comprised of researchers, information architects and analytics
experts. Our mission is to cut costs and increases sales by using
science to predict behavior and optimize design. No easy task but one
that is achievable with a focused, all-star team of experts all
driving to the same goal.