Welcome to my web site where you can look at some of my
work as a designer or learn a little more about me.
BIO
By day I work as an interaction designer on large web applications, by night I work on a little web site I created called
VISUALIZING ECONOMICS.
In 1971, I was born in Washington DC.
In 1993, I graduated with an AB in Economics from the University of Chicago. During the next eight years, I worked for a financial consulting firm where I mastered Excel and learned about the financial markets.
In 2004, I completed the 2 year Master's program in Interaction Design at Carnegie Mellon, where I explored information and interaction design in both print and digital pieces. In my Master's thesis, I created a series of posters presenting data about the United States' economy. Since then I have working as an interaction designer on web applications for a discount brokerage firm and for public school districts.
You can find me on LinkedIn or Facebook or contact me at catherine[at]visualizingeconomics.com.
DESIGN PROJECTS
Market Analytics Tool
Designed and documented the interaction and charting for new pre-trade analytics tool which identifies the stocks making the fastest price moves (both speed and acceleration), as well as stocks showing increasing volume.
2006
Information Design
Interaction Design
Redesign of Advisor Web site
Interviewed financial advisors for a redesign of existing trading site. Wrote personas and scenarios. Documented new design in wireframes and task flows which include a better account search, imported orders, streamlined order entry screens, more comprehensive order status, block trading functionality, balance & positions and aggregate account views.
2005
User Research
Interaction Design
I created three posters to help people understand basic information about the United States’ economy, focusing on three different topics: how rich is the United States as compared to other countries, how rich are people in the United States and finally defining GDP using the United States’ economy as an example.
2004
Research
Information Design
User Testing
Writing
I used economic stories in the media to explore the role of visualization in persuasive communication by employing the work of several authors including, Chaim Perelman’s The Realm of Rhetoric and Jacques Bertin’s Semiology of Graphics. I wanted to understand how a designer shapes an argument, while maintaining the integrity of economic data in its visual representation.
Using a report published by the Congressional Budget Office on the distribution of income and taxes rates, I created several interactive digital sketches experimenting with different visualizations.
2004
Research
Information Design
Interaction Design
Programing
I worked as member of a team of graduate students redesigning the Domestic Mail Manual (a list of rules, regulations and dense, text-based information) into a document that has clear language, diagrams and images.
2004
Research
Data Analysis
Information Design
Interaction Design
User Testing
In a class project, I created a visualization of Yahoo's
TV listings for the night of February 4, 2004 for 5 cites in the U.S. This
applet allows the viewer to select among 1-7 categories of TV programs
and then display them one on top of the other allowing for the comparison
of programing patterns for each city during "prime-time".
2004
Research
Data Analysis
Information Design
Interaction Design
In a class assignment, we were asked to design "something" in Flash. Inspired
by the the paintings of Piet Mondrian.
I choose to experiment with color. The color in the center changes as the
black bars are moved. Also, animated balls can be added to the picture.
2003
Interaction Design
Programing
As a member of a two-person team, created a small color booklet aimed at a middle school audience for The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh. Met with the client, presenting several sketches and story ideas. We wrote a story and revised it based on client feedback, using colleges to create the visuals.
2003
Information Design
Interaction Design
User Testing
In a class project, I explored the meaning of a poem by creating a kinetic typography piece in After Effects. (Later, I added an ambient soundtrack using Peak and ProTools.)
I designed two book covers using the letters of TYPOGRAPHY to create the background image.
As a member of a two-person team on a pilot project using Contextual Inquiry and Design, proposed and designed a new intranet site to provide support for scheduling and tracking client financial reports.
2001
Research
Paper Prototyping
Information Design
Interaction Design
User Testing
Converted a 20-page paper survey into an interactive Excel survey which was sent to 700+ college and universities. This project was the first attempt to collect survey data in a digital format. The response was very positive with 71% of the institutions using the Excel version, and fewer data errors reported.
1999
Research
Information Design
Interaction Design
