Recent
Goings On
There's always something to engage my little gray cells (tempting me away from what I should actually be doing!). I think you'll find interesting some of the latest creative user experience, IA, and educational goings-on that occupy my time. Also, I have put some examples of my work on the Portfolio page, including an example of personas.
Publication
Designing the Democratic; Thinking outside of our own cultural influences can strengthen our design decisions
Published at Boxes and Arrows
It is increasingly rare that our users are all from a single nation or culture. Often, our designs must meet the needs of several groups at once. I talk about how our own cultures affect our design decisions.
Professional
NEHCLI - Network Executive Health Care Leadership Institute
I was nominated for and accepted into this leadership program sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs. It's a formalized series of week-long face-to-face sessions and individual coaching sessions. We have a stack of texts to read addressing leadership skills, personal mastery, teaming, and negotiation. Along with the results of personality and strength assessments, these texts prepare us for intense daily-long sessions (during the day, we're allowed no email, no Blackberry, no cell phone, nothing). I do get to travel to Orlando, Burlington, and DC over the next 6 months, which I look forward to.
New Position - Department of Veterans Affairs
I have moved from the multimedia design and development group to take my place as an instructional systems specialist for those healthcare learners who utilize clinical applications. This presents me with new opportunities to design not only the UX and interactions that learners undertake, but the learning as well. Though the cognitive theory and application behind my multimedia work was always present, I now am in a position to influence the learning to an even greater degree. It also allows me to be a knowledgeable liaison between those in charge of educational projects and those (former multimedia colleagues) who need to put rubber to the road.
Academic
PhD - Dissertation Phase
I am slowly but surely working my way through my literature review.
Personal
Hospital Usability
A close family member was in a serious accident in August and I have had cause to spend a lot of time in hospital and rehabilitation facilities.The healthcare practices and patient safety processes that theses institutions have established are always interesting to see. Sometimes I look for them with professional goggles on; other times I see them as a visiting family member without even trying. To greater or lesser degrees, equipment, labeling, accountability, and safety measures are all part of a medical ecosystem. Additionally, it's interesting sometimes to consider how these elements the balance in a medical ecosystem can be improved upon.
Section 508 Compliant Wine
As commoners, my wife and I are always on the lookout for good yet inexpensive wines. It wasn't until we got the bottle home that we realized the Chapoutier 2006 Cote-du-Rhone label "under-imposed" braille within the graphical layout! I'd like to know the story behind what has turned out to be an unexpected brush with usability and accessibility. There's bound to be a high conversion rate--persuasion experience at its keenest. Á votre santé!