About Me
I am an interaction designer with several years of experience designing web applications in the finance and education industries.
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 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 a discount brokerage firm and and software for public school districts.
In 2006, I created a site called VISUALIZING ECONOMICS.
Recent Professional Work
Lead interaction designer on redesign of java-based trading console that provides access to streaming tools for active traders, with customized layouts and display of key account information. Conducted usability tests of new console using clickable pdf prototype.
User Research
Interaction Design
User Testing
Created interaction design of financial advisor website. Streamlined order entry screens, more comprehensive order status, block trading functionality, balance & positions and aggregate account views.
User Research
Interaction Design
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.
Data Visualization
Interaction Design
User Testing
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.
Research
Data Analysis
Information Design
Interaction Design
User Testing
Earlier Work
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.
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.
Research
Information Design
Interaction Design
Other Design Projects
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.
Research
Information Design
User Testing
Writing
Visual Design
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.
Research
Information Design
Interaction Design
Programing
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".
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.
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.
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.)
Information Design
Visual Design
I designed two book covers using the letters of TYPOGRAPHY to create the background image.
