Formerly pos TC omm

re:Design

The annual magazine for alumni and friends of the University of Washington

Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering

Summer 2009 Tracked Changes Message from the Chair Time of Transition 2008–2009 has been a dynamic year that will not soon be Features forgotten. It has been a year of transition. We have come through an incredible amount of change in a very short time, all the 03 TC to HCDE stronger and better for the experience. We have a new name, a new Beginning January 1, 2009, physical location, four new tenure track faculty, a new department UWTC became the Department chair, new degree programs, new curricula, and more students in of Human Centered Design & the entering class than ever before. As it was a time of beginnings Engineering. for our new faculty who taught their first classes, it is a time of endings for Tom Williams, who taught his last official HCDE class 06 PhD Student Thrives HCDE Chair Jan Spyridakis and will be retiring next autumn. The change of name from Technical Communication to Human Centered Design & in Academia

Engineering (HCDE) was not undertaken lightly. A task force of our best and brightest Quan Zhou, now assistant professor at University of spent many days and nights working to find an elegant solution. And even after the name Wisconsin-Stout, receives great was official on January 1, 2009, we had a last-minute identity crisis over “to hyphen or not honor. to hyphen.” Alas and alack, most style guides state that you do not hyphenate proper nouns. And our department title is indeed that—a proper noun. Of course, you should realize our concession when we gave in on the hyphen but adopted the ampersand! 14 Matt Shobe’s And only those of you who shared some time with us in the bowels of Loew Hall or Daring Adventure the Engineering library, or chasing bats in the rafters of the Engineering Annex would HCDE Alum Matt Shobe wins understand why those in HCDE so appreciate the light-filled offices of Sieg Hall, with its 2009 “Early Career” Diamond wide hallways, windows that open and bring in Seattle sun, meeting rooms, and a true Award. student lounge. Our new faculty, Cindy Atman, Julie Kientz, Sarah Kriz, and Charlotte Lee, have settled in and now seem like they have been with us a very long time. Of course, it helps to have us all sharing one big echoing circular hallway in Sieg—we know each 19 HCDE Welcomes other’s business and see each other’s smiling faces on a daily basis. The department also Cindy Atman experienced a shift in staffing this year when I gained a full-time assistant, Julianna Jones, Research design process and who has proven to be a wonderful Jill of all trades, and Kate Long became our publications Atman’s research are a natural fit coordinator extraordinaire. for HCDE. Along with the department name change came new programs and curricula. What a great time to get Jen Turns to sign on as the Associate Chair of Learning and Mark Zachry to 23 Economy succeed her as Associate Chair of Academics. Jen Turns and Gian Bruno, our Adademic Adviser, and Maggie Bardacke, our Program Coordinator, have heralded through new Got You Down? HCDE degree titles for the BS, MS, and PhD programs and created a variety of degree Alumni offer unique perspectives pathways within the degree programs. These hard efforts have paid off big time. on how to land a job and to thrive in the workforce. In closing, I hope you enjoy reading the articles in our first issue ofre:Design as much as I have. The editorial and production team has worked day and night to bring you this publication and created a great set of articles about our doings this past year. You can find out more about our escapades by sitting down and planning for a very good read. Sections

Team Contact re:Design 03 Tracked Changes re:Design Human Centered Design & Engineering 06 Students & Alumni College of Engineering, University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 Box 352315 206.543.2567 | [email protected] 14 Accolades Cover Design Formerly posTComm 17 Department Updates Created by Breanne Miller, the cover design loosely resembles an 23 Careers re:Design affinity diagram using Top Row from Left: Tiffany Rooney, Theresa The annual magazine for alumni and friends of the University of Washington post-it notes. The new Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering Maramba, Sophia Fong, Chad Driesbach. name of the publication, Summer 2009 25 In the Real World Bottom Row from Left: Devor Barton, Jacob Warren, Catherine Treadgold, Kyle Hurt re:Design, was suggested and selected by the Not Pictured: Linet Henry, Kate Long, Breanne Miller, Patrick Kreuch, Jonathan Morgan, Jan HCDE community. 35 Donors Spyridakis 2 \ re:Design Tracked Changes TC to HCDE A New Name for an Expanding Department by Sophia Fong

n January 1, 2009, the Department of Technical continuous process of contacting people from industry and colleges OCommunication (TC) rang in the new year with a new across and outside of the country. department name: Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE). The new name helps to highlight the expanding Represented colleges include the University of California, Irvine; curriculum and research of a department that has been in the UW the University of Toronto; Carnegie Mellon; Georgia Tech; Penn College of Engineering for over three decades. State; the University of Texas; Michigan State; and many others. People were excited to hear about the change, and many professors A name change for the department has been brewing for some and industry professionals found the prospect of a name change time but really began in fall 2008. Faculty and staff had small- interesting and innovative. One professor from the University of group discussions over different words and phrases relating to Wisconsin wrote in an email, “What an interesting change, I like it!” the department’s curriculum and “Technical Communication.” Everyone was aware of the challenging task that naming such a A wide variety of industry professionals were contacted in search long-standing, multidimensional department would be. As Assistant of ideas and feedback on possible names. An email with possible Professor Julie Kientz emphasized, the new name can’t just be the name ideas was even sent out to over 1,000 Microsoft employees name of a specific research area, but needs to encompass the entire who work closely with communication and production experts. department and evoke the right imagery and ideas for current The committee received many valuable responses that helped them industry professionals and prospective students. explore and finalize a new name.

A small committee representing faculty, staff, students, and alumni The hundreds of emails, phone calls, and meetings resulted in was formed and members worked hard to find ideas, comments, a new name for our department that is both contemporary and and feedback. The committee spent hours exploring name ideas in a representative of what we do. Sieg Hall Move by Tiffany Rooney from Cellar... chool is out, and students and birds alike chunks home with them. One CSE graduate Stwitter happily in the summer sun—a student reportedly based his decision to sun that HCDE actually got to see this attend UW on his chunk of Sieg. “How year! No longer must we suffer in (relative) could I say ‘no’ to a school that gave me a silence, relegated to the dungeon commonly piece of their computer science building?” known as Loew’s basement. HCDE now he asked. resides in the esteemed Sieg Hall, called “The Pride of UW” by its (rather sardonic) Regrettably, students can no longer pilfer prior inhabitants, the Computer Science chunks of Sieg; the building was remodeled and Engineering (CSE) department. to fix that—a mere $6,500 per column. But at least we know Sieg’s remodeled columns Sieg has a fairly rich history, starting as can withstand earthquakes. After an recently as 1960, when $1,061,468 bought earthquake in March 2001, someone sent an UW a new building. It’s “contemporary email to the dean of CSE saying, “I’m sorry design” was even featured on a 25-cent to hear that Sieg is still standing. Better postcard. But even masterfully engineered luck next quake!” As of the January 2009 engineering buildings don’t last forever, and earthquake, that luck had not improved. Sieg’s contemporary columns soon started (continued on page 4) Sieg Hall crumbling. By 1999, students were taking re:Design \ 3 Tracked Changes ...to Penthouse

(continued from page 3) Ladies, if you have not yet used the facilities on our floor, prepare yourselves. Upon HCDE’s new locale encompasses the entering, you will see urinals on the wall— entire fourth floor of Sieg and some of something that would make any woman the third. Highlights include upgraded stop, wide-eyed, then spin around and facilities for the Laboratory for Usability flee the scene, thinking that one of those Testing and Evaluation (LUTE), a bigger horribly embarrassing nightmares had just and better lounge (it even has couches!), come true and hoping nobody was there to and—you might want to sit down for this witness it. Even after re-reading the signs, it one—windows. That’s right my friends, we still somehow feels like breaking the rules. can actually see the sun. That is, whenever And yes, that is “signs” plural. When we HCDE settles into its new fourth-floor home. those persistent Seattle clouds decide to first moved in, there were two signs, one him Steven “SiegHall.” Faculty and staff of which was a sheet of paper that had are walking around with revived energy “Women” printed on it no less than five and more spring in their step, and students times. are exercising their newfound ability to open windows—those blessed, blessed We poke fun at Loew and Sieg, but it’s all windows—during class. in good humor. Loew served us well for many years; undergraduate student Daren Besides, there is one very distinct advantage Chaisy is not alone in saying, “I miss the to being housed in Sieg Hall, commonly basement.” And despite Sieg’s quirks, most considered the ugliest building on campus. students seem thrilled with HCDE’s new If we’re already in it, we never have to look home. One student even suggested that at it! Construction underway in new space we invent an HCDE mascot and name

let it through. Many HCDE students are thoroughly enjoying our recently acquired view. “It’s nice to see the sky from the computer lab,” said Taylor Langford, an undergraduate student in the program.

Another perk is that many of us will be getting more exercise on the stairs. You can choose to take the elevator, but waiting for it will still be a strenuous exercise—in patience. And once inside, alone with the sounds and the smells, you may begin to wonder if this was the first elevator Mr. Otis ever built. Most people make it safely to the fourth floor though, so perhaps it will hold out a few more years. Welcome to the Ladies’ Lounge.

posTComm re:Design by Kyle Hurt ongratulations to PhD student Matt Eliot, who won the Ccontest to rename posTComm! In the winter quarter, we for their favorite. Of the 71 votes, 35 percent went to re:Design— asked students, faculty, and staff to submit ideas for a new name more than double the number of votes for the runner up, Interface. for posTComm. After reviewing the submissions, we narrowed it Thank you to everyone who participated, and thank you to Matt for down to eight names and asked everyone in the department to vote coming up with the winning name!

4 \ re:Design Tracked Changes

HCDE Open House BS Program by Linet Henry Expands to he Research Showcase and Open House, is looking into what might happen Twhich this year celebrated the move to if environmental policy documents, Three Pathways Sieg Hall and the new department name, particularly Environmental Impact by Patrick Kreuch was the most exciting and crowded research Statements, were written in plain showcase to date. Three hundred people, language, and asking the question, TC majors may have been surprised this two dogs, and one robot filled the top floors “Does NEPA document quality make a year to learn that a proposal to change of Sieg Hall, talking, milling about, eating, difference?” the official degree requirements has been approved. HCDE’s new curriculum is not and sitting in comfy sofas in the lounge • The Digital Games Research a radical departure from the core aspects with the windows open and the sunlight Group, directed by Beth Kolko, is of TC, but the department is now more streaming in. Alumni, faculty, students, and exploring how computer gaming focused toward design-oriented studies. guests wandered up and down the fourth- affects information gathering and There will be three degree options: Human floor hall looking at posters and talking to communication skills, particularly in Computer Interaction (HCI), Technical researchers about their work. The dogs, one underserved populations. Communication, and Individualized of which was an honorary alumnus, got lots Course of Study. These options will be of attention and probably some good table • The Communicative Practices in available by fall 2009 and will appear scraps too. The robot rolled about trying Virtual Workspaces Group, directed on the student’s degree under the title to find someone to talk to, but everyone by Mark Zachry, is looking at “Option in… .” was too busy looking at research posters or “emergent uses of digital technologies The HCI option draws from four specific talking among themselves. to coordinate work activities.” Their programs: HCDE, UW School of Art, poster was a visual representation of UW Computer Science and Engineering, The robot, who wore an Arnold the relationship between various levels and UW Information School. This Schwarzenegger image on his video-screen of contributors and editors in the allows students to draw coursework face, is one of the 28 research projects Wikipedia community, as well as how from other departments in addition to that were represented. The robot’s project, they have developed their operating HCDE. The TC option will require more which takes place in the Human Robot practices. communication design and rhetoric courses. The option closest to the current Communication Lab (HRCL), explores how • The Human Centered Safety and degree requirements is the Individualized humans talk to and interact with robots— Security Systems Research Group, Course of Study. This option leaves the not very much at a large happy party it directed by Mark Haselkorn, is students 27 credits of free electives. seems—and this project is typical of the investigating how to map economic interdisciplinary nature of research in the New courses also will be available. corridors in developing countries. Usability Research Techniques and User HCDE department. Experience Design (HCDE 417 and 418) But that was just upstairs. Downstairs, on The unique nature of the HCDE will soon be offered as undergraduate the third floor, there were cool little rubber equivalents of current graduate courses. department, with its core faculty from both ducky key chains available at Charlotte Also, Web Technologies (TC 438) is being hard and soft sciences, and its collaborative Lee’s Computer Supported Collaboration offered this summer. TC 438 has not been work with other departments, has led to a (CSC) Lab, in which researchers “study offered for years, but recent interest in diverse range of research projects, from the the development and use of collaborative summer classes has revived the course. application of interface design to improve information systems in science and New degree requirements will leave the collection of medical information in the engineering.” And there was Julie Kientz’s core requirements unchanged, with a field to an exploration of how large Internet Computing for Healthy Living and few notable exceptions. First, Style in communities construct and regulate Learning (CHiLL) Lab, which had a Wii Scientific Writing and Technical Editing themselves. for visitors to work out on and some tips (TC 401 and 402) will not be required of all undergrads, only those choosing Every project was thought-provoking, and for using software to assist with healthy lifestyles. These researchers are exploring the TC option. Another change requires all of the researchers were engaging. Here undergrads to participate in at least two some very interesting issues around storing are some of the research groups represented: credits of research(TC 496). and retrieving educational and therapeutic • A group, directed by Jennifer Turns, information about autistic children. The changes to the program are expansive is examining the details of creating rather than restrictive. The degree options personas to support effective user Everyone at the open house and research give students more flexibility to choose interface testing and asking the showcase will have noticed that not only was courses from HCDE and expand their question, “What does it mean to keep the food delicious, but the wine and beer elective options so that they can create a solid pathway leading to high demand the user in mind when designing?” were free. The HCDE department throws a careers. • A group, directed by Jan Spyridakis, great party.

re:Design \ 5 Students & Alumni PhD Student Thrives in Academia by Jacob Warren

hen PhD graduate Quan Zhou Wisconsin-Stout was looking for Wcame to UWTC in 2003, he already someone who could bring their knew his career path: Academia. Whereas English department knowledge most of the program’s students focus on about information architecture and the degree’s private sector appeal, Zhou the relationship between culture felt that the intersection of technology and and technology. Zhou’s TC training communication had fascinating potential made him the ideal candidate. Quan Zhou in Wisconsin for academic inquiry and discourse. Zhou, now an assistant professor of Technical Zhou knew UWTC had a lot to formatting techniques that make business Communication at the University of offer from researching other TC programs. documents easier to process. With his Wisconsin-Stout, recently received a great He concluded that UWTC was “the best fellowship, Zhou is continuing QuikScan honor: he was appointed a member of the in the world” after seeing the variety of research at Wisconsin-Stout. He now 2009–2010 Wisconsin Teaching Fellows research opportunities that aligned with focuses on how QuikScan formatting and Scholars Program. As a Wisconsin his interests and the numerous articles techniques can improve a student’s writing Teaching Fellow, Zhou will be granted published by UWTC faculty. ability, collaboration skills, and aptitude for $4,000 of research funding. This award was audience analysis. Zhou came to UWTC with an editing and largely based on Zhou’s performance as a publishing Bachelor’s, and a journalism teacher. Students who relate to Zhou’s personality minor from Wuhan University, China. As and interests may also find themselves Zhou believes UWTC prepared him for a student, he showed many of the qualities considering academia. Zhou advises such success as an academic. In particular, he of an academic. He considers himself an students to get teaching experience while credits the program’s interdisciplinary analytical person who continually strives to still in school. Teaching experience enriches nature, its mixture of rhetoric, user centered learn both practical and theoretical material, students’ credentials and helps them develop design, usability, and HCI. Now a full-time and wants to disseminate his knowledge personal teaching philosophies. Aspiring professor and researcher, Zhou appreciates to others. Dave Farkas, Zhou’s dissertation academics should also pursue research, the experience he gained teaching both advisor, remembers his “amazing hunger especially if they want to work at a research- Technical Writing, as well as Web Design for learning.” He recalls that Zhou wanted oriented university like UW. They should and Publishing, and participating in student to learn everything the department had to also consider going outside the department research, studying information design, offer and was a keen observer of American to take courses from other programs. digital gaming, cell-phone usage, and culture. He was particularly good at finding He believes courses in the liberal arts usability through eye-tracking. He says the ways to travel on a tight budget. and humanities would also be beneficial, cutting-edge quality of his education made considering that most universities include Farkas and Zhou jointly started the him more appealing to employers. When technical communication in their English QuikScan research group, which studies Zhou was applying for academic positions, departments. Natasha Jones: Bitten by the Teaching Bug by Jacob Warren Natasha Jones once planned on becoming a technical editor. If you share Jones’s sentiments, academia might be the career for Then, during her second semester of grad school, she taught you. She has several pieces of advice for aspiring professors. First, a composition course, got “bitten by the teaching bug,” and be a teaching assistant in as many courses as possible. The hands- continued teaching through the rest of her Master’s studies. Jones on experience is invaluable and makes you more comfortable can’t see herself doing anything but teaching and is pursuing her with the role. In addition, get involved in ways that show your PhD in HCDE with that purpose in mind. capacity for research and service: participate in research groups, serve on a scholarship committee, or work in the engineering What is it about teaching that she loves so much? Jones considers writing center. The research, service, and teaching triad is herself a people person and enjoys the interaction. But more appealing in applications for academic positions. importantly, she sees teaching as an opportunity to learn while inspiring others. Ultimately, she wants to know she is making a Give teaching a try and maybe, like Natasha, you’ll get bitten by difference. the teaching bug.

6 \ re:Design Students & Alumni Research Group Updates edited by Jacob Warren

Exploring the Human-Robot and technical entities. Recently we have We also displayed four posters at the Relationship Through Film studied collaboration in environmental UW Change poster event and submitted Faculty lead: Sarah Kriz microbiology, functional brain imaging, a National Science Foundation grant to Team members: Shalina Bajracharya, Linda museum exhibit design, and even hobbyist do Washington-state based research that Brooking, Ninad Dalal, Pallavi Damera, Toni Ferro, rubber duck collecting. We have two builds on our work from the past few years. Alexis Hope Gottlieb, Evan Herbst, Sora Hong, active research projects supported by the We traveled to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, over Jessica Houston, Natalie Lindner, Xiang Ling, Trond National Science Foundation to study the spring break to conduct three research Nilsen, Josh Polansky, John Porter, Alex Price, Chris development of cyberinfrasturctures, or studies: usability tests of a tracking system Raleigh, Zhauntaliece Swenson, Jessica Wang large-scale computing systems, to support for shared transportation, usability tests We analyze American films that feature scientific research. We are also exploring a of a mobile social software application for robots in key roles. Our central focus is to use new project (with Professor Mark Zachry) mobile phones, and interviews to explore these films to evaluate how the human-robot to study how astronomers in multiple Internet users’ experiences and perceptions relationship is commonly conceptualized in locations collaborate in the use of remote of information technology. American society. The types of issues that telescopes. are typically covered during our discussion Designing Information sessions include the way in which robots are Technology for Healthy Living represented in relation to humans (friendly Faculty lead: Julie Kientz helper vs. dangerous super-human machine), “How do rubber Team members: Amanda Ahn, Renae Culala, the roles that robots play in society (servant Sajanee Halko, Jackie Holmes, Reshma Kooner, vs. peer), the ethical issues inherent in the duck collectors Andrey Maslov, Breanne Miller, Maureen Nash, creation of robots, the style and manner of Dawn Sakaguchi. human-robot communication, the impact collaborate to find Information technologies have a vast robots have on our understanding of potential to enable individuals and humanness, and how these films shape our out about new families to improve the health of their biases and expectations about the capabilities lifestyles. Mobile technologies, persuasive and behaviors of robots. In addition, we duck designs? ” technologies, and collaborative technologies contrast the fictional representation of robots can all support people in setting and and their relationships with humans with achieving goals, such as a healthier diet, real world robots and their roles in society. better record keeping for their health, Design for Digital Inclusion and a sustainable lifestyle. We focus on Computer Supported Faculty lead: Beth Kolko these topics using a standard HCI design Collaboration Team members: Chad Driesbach, Erica Johnson, process by determining design requirements Cynthia Putnam, Rebecca Walton Faculty lead: Charlotte Lee through qualitative evaluations, coming Team members: Matthew Bietz, Alex Thayer We analyze existing data and are planning up with design concepts based on those requirements, developing prototypes of How do people use Google calendar for much additional research for the Central Asia Information and Communication different concepts, and evaluating the more than meeting scheduling? How do prototypes with real users. scientists share and analyze massive amounts Technology project, a five-year longitudinal of genetic data? How do astronomers study of information and communication technology adoption and adaptation Communicative Practices in distributed across the globe work together Virtual Workspaces to “see” through a telescope halfway around patterns in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the world? How do rubber duck collectors Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. We are Faculty lead: Mark Zachry collaborate to find out about new duck collaborating with faculty and students Team members: Babi Velho Barreto, Katie in Computer Science on the design Derthick, Toni Ferro, Marita Graube, Linda Le, designs? These are just a few of the questions Jonathan Morgan, Elly Searle we have been studying. of hardware and software to build a transportation information infrastructure, We investigate emergent uses of digital and we are developing a cellphone-based The Computer Supported Collaboration technologies to coordinate work social networked information directory. This (CSC) Lab conducts research to inform activities. Specifically, we are concerned year, we submitted papers to the Journal the design of information systems for with developing knowledge about of Computer-Mediated Communication, collaboration in both work and leisure. novel applications and integrating such the Journal of Information Technology and We use primarily qualitative social science technologies into organizations. Adopting International Development, the ACM/IEEE research methods, conducting interviews and extending ideas from TC, HCI, and Conference on Information Technologies or observational fieldwork in places of related fields, we use theoretical frameworks and Development, the IEEE IPCC work and leisure to holistically investigate provided by activity theory, actor-network information systems as evolving social conference, and the Advances in Social Networks Analysis and Mining Conference. (continued on page 8) re:Design \ 7 Students & Alumni

(continued from page 7) During spring quarter 2009, we conducted We are presenting our work at the Research theory, and genre ecologies, along with user student-facilitated usability studies for a in Engineering Education Symposium in research methods and discourse analysis, commercial client: Microsoft. Their own Australia in the summer 2009. to explore communicative practices within Theresa Goertz, the content publishing lead online environments. of the Windows Mobile team, requested Internet-Based Research Group that students evaluate the usability of (Intres) Windows Mobile help systems. The results Much of our current research involves Faculty lead: Jan Spyridakis the study of Wikipedia as a novel online and recommendations of our study helped Team members: Daren Chaisy, Elisabeth Cuddihy, space where collaborative work gets done. the content publishing team at Microsoft Jaayden Halko, Sajanee Halko, Brett Masker, Current projects include an exploration of make redesign changes in anticipation Kate Mobrand, Sella Rush how editor reputations could be visualized of the release of Windows Mobile 6.1, in order to assist users to more effectively the operating system’s latest release. To We study how various design features judge the reputation of others; an analysis gather data, we brought participants into of online information (e.g., websites) of the use of Wikipedia userboxes to better the HCDE LUTE (the old one beneath affect users’ behavior, comprehension, understand what sort of information the engineering library) and conducted a and perceptions. Our research focuses on about an editor could support effective variety of activities, which included card refining a user model that accounts for how collaboration; and a study of how Wikipedia sorting, wants and needs analyses, and comprehension and navigational behavior policies, guidelines, and essays serve to scenario-based task analyses. Our study interact in digital environments. Our regulate collaborative writing practices on was presented during the Undergraduate approach also accounts for how a user’s Wikipedia talk pages. We are also writing Research Symposium on May 15th, 2009. domain knowledge and demographics fit up the results of a national survey to into the model. understand how publicly available online Studies of Engineering Educator We are proud to announce the creation of services support knowledge workers in the Decisions (SEED) WebLabUX (go to http://depts.washington. workplace. We plan to relaunch the survey Faculty lead: Jennifer Turns edu/intres/drupal/node/7), a toolkit that to compare differences and adoption rates Team members: Shalina Bajracharya, Faria dynamically generates alternative versions from year to year. Bhatti, Brent Goodwine, Jim Borgford-Parnell, of a website, delivers them randomly to Kathleen Gygi, Reshma Kooner, Katherine participants through the Internet, and Visualization and Analytics Nguyen, Michael Prince, Cynthia Putnam, Sarah Read, Cedric Wong collects survey results as well as users’ Research Group behavior with an information system. Our Faculty lead: Mark Haselkorn In this project, we are addressing the goal has been to study users interacting Team members: Faria Bhatti, Pallavi Damera, question: how do engineering educators with information systems using their own Loraine Rohrback, James Wachai, Rebecca take student motivation into account in the computing environments at a time of their Walton, Kristin Wieben context of teaching decisions? Motivation own choosing. This spring, we launched a We are working on a wide variety of has long been considered an important issue remote, Internet-based study to compare projects linked by the use of geographical in teaching and learning. A student’s level of the effect of display size and preview design information system (GIS) displays for motivation can affect time on task, ability on users’ comprehension, behavior,and decision support. For example, one project to persist in the face of difficult tasks, and perceptions. The team is presenting a paper involves three universities and multiple other factors that are positively linked to at IPCC in Hawaii in July. government organizations to identify and learning outcomes. Although a great deal is analyze factors that affect security at three known about student motivation and how The Plain Language Research sites along the U.S. border. Another project such motivation affects learning, much less Group is known about how faculty think about involves analyzing logistics needs during Faculty lead: Jan Spyridakis and take student motivation into account. emergencies and partnering with World Team members: Katie Derthick, Randy Dowell, Vision International to improve emergency Such knowledge will be valuable in efforts to Justin McDavid, Natasha Jones logistics services to field offices worldwide. help faculty more effectively address student Yet another project operates in partnership motivation in their teaching. We are seeking The NEPA documents group is researching with Mercy Corps to map the value chains to address this gap in our knowledge base. the effects of Plain Language guidelines on reader comprehension and perception of six high-value commodities in Nepal. To explore this issue, we have been Additional work by this research group of environmental impact statements. This analyzing transcripts of interviews with spring they conducted a reading study involves coordinating the work of the Pacific engineering educators. This analysis has Rim Visualization and Analytics Center. of four versions of an IES (differing in been a collaborative effort across a ten- heading format and pronoun presence) person research group consisting not only on 120 participants who came to the Usability Evaluation of Windows of faculty members and graduate students university, read one version, then answered Mobile Help but also of undergraduate students. Even comprehension, perceptual, and open-ended Faculty lead: Karen Kasonic though our analysis is still underway, questions. The group is also doing focus Team members: Mike Berg, Doug Divine, Molly the data work against the stereotype that group followup interviews. Results will be George, Calvin Kaiser, Alicia Kellogg, Brian engineering faculty at research universities presented at IPCC 2009. Knudson, Erin Olman, James Wachai, Jacob are disinterested in student responses to Warren, Bob Watson, Cedric Wong their teaching.

8 \ re:Design Students & Alumni Making Lasagna by Devor Barton Instead of Spaghetti

s a student in David Farkas’ Although he had written a thesis for his InfoCamp in both 2007 and 2008, and AInformation Design class, Noah undergraduate degree, Iliinsky had not presented at Foo Camp, BarCamp Seattle, Iliinsky began studying diagrams simply intended to write one for his graduate and Ignite Seattle. Earlier this year, Iliinsky because the topic interested him. However, studies; he simply wanted to study diagrams presented at a PSSIGCHI meeting and gave his interest turned into a Master’s thesis and because he had always been a visual thinker two presentations at VizThink. Following eventually led to invitations for speaking and enjoyed applying visual order, often last year’s VizThink presentation, he was engagements and other work as an expert on creating diagrams for his own purposes. But interviewed for a podcast webinar. In all of diagrams. Iliinsky was encouraged by others to pursue these presentations, Iliinsky hopes audience the idea as a thesis. Farkas became his thesis members take away an understanding of Iliinsky (pronounced eel-YIN-ski) didn’t advisor and committee chair on the project, what makes diagrams more effective and initially pursue a course of study in usability discussing ideas and raising questions while what they can do to make better diagrams. or technical communication. He earned allowing Iliinsky to follow his own path. his BA in physics from Reed College in Farkas says, “Working with Noah was a Portland, OR, while operating the campus pleasure. Once he started writing his thesis, nuclear reactor, then found employment the chapters came quickly and were in pretty as a programmer after graduating, but good shape when I saw them.” The other he always wanted to design things to members of the committee, Tom Williams make them better for people. After taking and William Winn, also provided invaluable Jennifer Turns’ User-Centered Design assistance. The thesis title itself, “How to course, Iliinsky wanted to learn more about Make Lasagna Instead of Spaghetti,” came usability and entered the UWTC Master’s out of a discussion with Farkas about the program at the University of Washington. inadequacy of typical “spaghetti” diagrams, When he created some interesting diagrams whereas Iliinsky prefers information in in his Information Design class, Farkas ordered layers, similar to lasagna. asked him to do more on the subject. The Noah Iliinsky’s original diagram for David topic interested Iliinsky, so he spent a Since beginning work on the thesis, Iliinsky Farkas’ Information Design class quarter of independent study researching has presented on the topic many times diagrams and applying concepts from other in various venues. The first time was as a To find out more about how to make UWTC courses, eventually developing rules poster at the 2005 Society for Technical lasagna instead of spaghetti (and download to identify what contributed to a diagram’s Communication Showcase, then as a paper a brownie recipe), visit Iliinsky’s website at success or failure. Now, he thinks about this and presentation in the 2006 Showcase after www.complexdiagrams.com. kind of work all the time. his oral defense. He gave a presentation at

Anthro-Tech Sponsors Students to Attend UPA Conference by Kyle Hurt

CDE recently received a generous contribution for its students department in 2001, Boyd saw it as an opportunity to bring a Hfrom local user-centered design consultancy, Anthro-Tech professional perspective to academia. She considers it an honor to (www.anthro-tech.com). Anthro-Tech sponsored three students teach the caliber of students who come through the department and to attend the 2009 Usability Professionals Association (UPA) values the contributions they bring to the classroom. “They bring Conference in Portland, OR. Anthro-Tech Founder and Principal their own stories, experiences and challenges,” she says. Her goal Consultant, Suzanne Boyd, who received her Master’s from UW, is to “leverage that knowledge and share strategies and tactics for said the sponsorships were an opportunity to give back to the UCD, so they can be more effective in practice.” department that has helped her throughout her career, both as a student and professional. Anthro-Tech has hired and collaborated Boyd teaches UCD for the web and, this year, will be co-teaching with several department graduates and faculty over the years. with HCDE PhD candidate and Senior Associate at Anthro-Tech, Emma Rose. When asked about the department’s new name, Boyd As a student in Communication at UW, Boyd’s interest in user- expressed her support for the change, as it “places the focus on centered design (UCD) peaked when she took Judy Ramey’s making technology and design work for people.” As a seasoned Usability Testing class (TC 517). When asked to teach in the consultant, Boyd knows that is what the industry is all about. re:Design \ 9 Students & Alumni Former Certificate Students Share Their Wisdom by Catherine Treadgold

ood news if you’re looking for a job in Theater. Job seekers must learn Gin TC: the later bird can still get the to emphasize the advantages of their worm—given enough determination, a diverse backgrounds. For example, in clever strategy, and exactly the right worm. his application materials and interview, Zura pointed to specific ways that acting Graduates of the Certificate Program in On February 3, a panel of seven former skills enhanced his value as an employee, Technical Writing and Editing share their post- students from the UW Certificate Program a strategy that landed him a job at Flow program experiences with current students. in Technical Writing and Editing visited the International. current Technical Editing class to share their In DeAngeles’ experience, all qualifications post-program experiences. This is the second Draheim, the first and only technical being equal, candidates who fit into the year of what is becoming an annual event, editor at the environmental consulting firm company’s “culture” will stand out: “Will thanks to lecturer Tracey Freel, who has Brown and Caldwell, was hired despite a they stress people out or smoothly transition taught technical editing for four years. non-science background. “I stressed my into part of the team?” To determine if strength in writing and language, because you’re a good fit for a company, she advises The panel of five men and two women that’s what I know. Then I said, by the way, talking to current employees and studying discussed topics ranging from how to fine- I also worked for an environmental land the website. tune a résumé to which companies are still use law firm for twelve years. [Think of] hiring in a challenging market. Panelists expressed universal praise for the any transferable skill, any background that UW Certificate Program, where about 25 you can spin. If you’re students complete two courses per quarter, shifting from one two evenings a week over the course of an industry to another, academic year. Bessler, who parlayed his “If you’re a good editor and you’ve got to find background as a guitarist and magazine some little foothold. journalist into a job writing manuals writer, there’s a demand.” Otherwise it’s a lot for musical equipment at Behringer harder.” International, found the program helpful After an intense, “across the board—everything we learned in Jobs in the public sector still need good two-month search, Draheim ended up with Jan’s [style] class, everything about software.” people, and jobs overseeing the environment three offers, all in environmental consulting. Zura added, “In Tracey’s editing class, I need those who are both passionate about He believes his carefully tailored and crafted preserving the earth’s resources and skilled learned a lot about diplomacy with writers résumés and cover letters secured the and subject matter experts—how to talk with in editing and writing. “Dan Draheim and interviews. “I made every last word exactly I are both in the environmental consulting them and extract what you need, and how to right, made everything as specific as possible understand what they want to get across.” arena,” said Audree DeAngeles, a freelance to the position and the company,” he said. contractor. “Right now we have a lot of Bessler’s employer “was a product of the work. The companies targeted specifically Jobs in the private sector still exist for Communications Department. She knew have contracts that are federally and state the persistent. Thad deJesus, a content about this program, so for her, it did turn a mandated…. If you have any sort of editor for Expedia, spoke of the decline light on. It helps! It shows that you’re serious environmental or biology background and in online marketing positions: “From my and that you are interested and committed if you’re a good editor and writer, there’s a experience, it’s going to be a tough road, to this field.” demand.” given the current economic climate.” Don’t be discouraged, he added, because tougher, DeAngeles added, “It opens up a Travis Martin added, “These jobs can also more competitive candidates who market conversation. They’ll see [your certificate] on be personally more rewarding.” Martin’s themselves intelligently are bound to prevail. your résumé—” company, Tyler Technologies, adapts corporate software for the public sector. When interviewing candidates, deJesus “At the very top!” Freel interrupted. “We’re looks for qualities that “show versatility and putting education at the top now.” A science background is not essential for flexibility…how you were able to acquire working in scientific and other technical specific skills when necessary. People are DeAngeles continued, “And they will say, fields. Ian Bessler and Leann Plank are being asked to wear a lot of hats…. Also, a ‘Tell me about the program. What did you both musicians, and Greg Zura majored good attitude goes a long way.” learn?’” 10 \ re:Design Students & Alumni PhD Student edited by Kyle Hurt Showcase

Sandy Bartell am learning to find the balance between study Communication (co-authored with Mark Zachry). and family. My biggest wish is to finish my My dissertation research involves an exploratory I was a given a mandolin just before I was dissertation soon! study examining some of the sociocultural accepted into this program. My goal on finishing and linguistic variables that might affect the my dissertation is to change the strings (they are credibility of online medical information. Kathleen Gygi too old to hold a tune) and finally learn how to play it. These days I am looking forward to two things: While I spent almost a year as a PhD student (a) the day I will be able to wear my funny on leave to be with my husband and dog in little medieval cap at Husky Stadium and New Mexico, I hope to finish this summer. My Natasha N. Jones (b) getting back to fishing, camping, scuba research includes the epistemology of practice, I am interested in the cultural aspects of TC diving, skydiving, and taking lots of naps. international technical communication, and and how TC can help empower and educate the scholarship of teaching and learning. I have underrepresented minorities and marginalized Colin Birge investigated professional practice in diverse communities. Most recently, I have become domains, including community-based researchers, interested in the rhetoric and discourse of I’m working with Beth Kolko on the intersection designers, engineering educators, post-secondary cyber social movements, and how information of security, privacy, and usability of interaction teachers, and software engineers. My dissertation technologies have influenced changes in design, especially in mobile computing scenarios. involves an ethnographic case study of coding traditional social movements. I’ve also worked with Jennifer Turns on questions practices in credit-based collaborative research about engineering and design education. groups. This year has been an intensive period of I love watching movies (NOT films), reading very unacademic novels (like Stephen King), Of all the things I enjoy most about living in reflecting, taking stock, and creative positioning, and being silly with family and friends (by silly I Seattle, I appreciate the fact that it’s been over 20 and last November, I was extremely fortunate mean the goofy laughing until I’m crying kind of years since I’ve fallen into a prickly pear cactus. to participate in the doctoral symposium at the Computer Supportive Cooperative Work silly). Though I want to go into academia, I don’t conference in San Diego. One of my goals is ever want it to take over my life. I never want to Elisabeth Cuddihy to challenge the ideas of where learning and be one of those academics who sits around and My research includes engineering and design knowledge creation occur. My ongoing work talks about scholarship and theory over beer on education, empirical investigation of information with Jennifer Turns and the Lab for User Friday nights. I want my leisure time to be as design, and Internet-based methods for studying Centered Engineering Education has helped mindless as possible! user behavior on informational websites. Before me position my dissertation in the scholarship coming to UW HCDE, I worked in artificial of teaching and learning. I have pursued topics Steve Lappenbusch intelligence and intelligent user interfaces. I My research focuses on understanding how came to this program because the quirkiness of users in non-traditional work (law enforcement, people’s intelligence is much more interesting. “ I use the humanitarian relief, etc.) combine or recombine I am an annual supporter of the Seattle different technologies to create emergent, International Film Festival, and I am a big fan of intellectual tools user-generated systems to make sense of and video games. accomplish their work. More importantly, I gained at UW the research seeks to understand how those Zhiwei Guan user-generated systems can impact success in systems implementations. For example, I am interested in studying how people almost daily.” humanitarian users in the field will choose to communicate through technologies, such as use Groove for document development and online chat and online community. My areas Skype for communication, but HQ users will of expertise are quantitative and qualitative use simple email attachments for document that bridge traditional HCDE research areas user research, specifically using eye tracking and development and face-to-face, email, or the and emerging areas in computer supported rich statistical analysis techniques. In my PhD phone for communication. These two different collaborative work, as well as digital humanities. dissertation, I am investigating the design and sets of choices coalesce into different systems that My participation in the design of a workshop for usability of online social systems, as well as the map roughly to distinct user groups. Often the Chinese software engineers and a UW research validity of usability approaches. In particular, I different systems are in some ways incompatible, group looking at teacher decision-making allowed am studying how community technologies affect, so when users from different systems attempt me to explore the intersections between user- shape, and promote people’s social needs. I am to communicate or work together, systemic centered and learner-centered design paradigms. using a combination of ways including surveys, complications arise. Understanding how to I am examining the implications of this work for interviews, and eye tracking to study how people identify, analyze, and suggest solutions is the core the field of TC, and am interested in distributed use Facebook to promote their friend association. of my research. work in an article accepted for publication in a I am the mother of a 7-month-old little boy. I special issue of the Journal of Business and Technical (continued on page 12) re:Design \ 11 Students & Alumni

(continued from page 11) Jonathan T. Morgan inclusion. I am looking at the particular challenges for resource-constrained populations I am affiliated with Dr. Sarah Kriz’s Human- I live in Portland, OR, with my wife and two and how these challenges can be accounted for Robot Communication Laboratory (HRCL), children. They’re awesome. I work for the within the design process. Past projects included Dr. Mark Zachry’s Communicative Practices LexisNexis Advanced Government Solutions looking at the role of mobile phones as a tool to in Virtual Workspaces research group, and Group. I wear many hats but spend a lot of time overcome barriers of everyday life in Kyrgyzstan. the Design, Use, Build group (DUB). My onsite with customers doing needs analysis, My dissertation research will focus on the use interests include human-computer interaction, training, and workflow documentation and and design of technology in delivering social computer-mediated communication (especially analysis in investigative government agencies. services in Washington State. Many colleagues think working with law in cooperative online settings), and machine enforcement is the most exciting part of our jobs, learning. I am working on several research I’ve taken the last couple quarters off to embark but my favorite is child support enforcement. I projects concerned with how Wikipedia editors on a project almost as challenging as the PhD; use the intellectual tools I gained at UW almost talk to and interact with one another online, and that is parenthood. Oliver was born in November daily: seeing larger patterns in user behavior, how their discourse and behaviors might reflect 2008 and is keeping me smiling and sleepy. analyzing data, and accounting for my audience their cultural identities, implicit motivations, when presenting results, uncovering systemic roles, and values. My work with the HRCL Rebecca Walton issues, and helping systems designers and involves similar considerations in a different My research interests center on information and management understand the importance of users’ genre: how does the way people interact with a communication technology for development experiences. Government users are not used to robot reveal their expectations and assumptions (ICTD), particularly information systems design anyone advocating for them when it comes to the for robotic behavior? and process improvement. My research has technology they use to do their jobs, so I often In my (ever-diminishing) spare time, I am involved designing systems for international receive a warm welcome. a voracious and omnivorous reader, and an humanitarian and nonprofit organizations, enthusiastic singer and guitar player. I also enjoy focusing on human and contextual factors that Jerrod Larson a good game of racquetball. affect project success and design strategies to I am working on a project to design an support decision-making at multiple levels. environmental impact labeling system for Cynthia Putnam I am primarily a qualitative researcher with extensive field experience, having designed semidurable and durable consumer goods. The After earning my MSTC, I began my dissertation and participated in research projects in regions label is meant to indicate the life-cycle costs of a investigating how design teams leverage user including Africa, Central Asia, and the United product, including its materials, manufacturing, experience (UX) research, concentrating on States. My research experience involves ICTD use, and eventual disposal. This project includes two common encapsulation/communications projects to support public health, microfinance, several threads, including empirical research into tools: personas and scenarios. I hope to identify and emergency logistics. how people interpret certain rating symbols and variables that affect how useful, actionable, and environmental phrases. usable these tools are from the perspective of I’ll be lucky enough to travel to Kyrgyzstan, When not at school or work, I’m dreaming of Kauai design team members. Other research interests Georgia, Bolivia, Myanmar, Turkey, Sweden, and (which I do at work and school sometimes too). include investigating information technologies Denmark this year for research and conferences. for resource-constrained environments. The only thing better than traveling is coming Kate Mobrand As a research assistant, I have investigated home again. technology proliferation and use in Central Asia. I am very pleased to be back pursuing my third Additionally, working with a team of researchers Kejun Xu degree from UW HCDE program. My MS who have ideated several tenable technology thesis work here with Professor Jan Spyridakis products and services, I have identified specific I am specializing in information architecture focused on text comprehension in the online user requirements for those concepts through and UX research at UW HCDE. My focus is environment and the adaptation of print-based quantitative methods (statistical analysis of a on user interface information architecture and signaling strategies to writing for the web, as well broad social survey) combined with qualitative website localization and internationalization. I as the use of Internet-based research methods research (design ethnography and structured received my MS in technical communication to assess users interacting with materials from interviews). I also am interested in investigating and information design at the Illinois Institute their natural environments. In my current PhD method modifications needed when conducting of Technology (IIT), and I also hold the China research with Dr. Spyridakis, I am combining UX research for people with cognitive disabilities, National Certificate of Interpreting, Advanced these past interests with a new focus on concentrating specifically on people with autism. Level. My involvement in LUTE (Laboratory pedagogical and communication issues in a User interface design is another area of interest, for Usability Testing and Evaluation) at UW centralized service course. I have the distinct specifically, exploring alternative user interface and UTEC (Usability Testing and Evaluation pleasure of working with our talented graduate design and interaction, including the use of Center) at IIT give me a clear notion of user- students who deliver these technical writing and 3D space. As part of my MSTC, I investigated centered design. By employing various user oral presentation classes to undergraduates in the alternative shopping experiences that promoted research methods—e.g., lab-based usability College of Engineering and related fields. serendipitous findings; I used Amazon.com as studies, field studies, heuristics—I am obsessed my prototype mockup for usability. with the delicacies, challenges, excitement, and Some favorite UW moments of mine include fulfillment that usability testing, user research, studying in the reading room in Suzzallo, I love baseball and beer, only barely better than and interactive design bring to me. strolling through the quad early in the evening biking. when the cherry trees are in bloom, soaking in I am a big fan of traveling, sleeping, cheesecake, and chocolate! the energy on the first day of autumn quarter Emma J. Rose each year, attending a former student’s naval graduation ceremony, and getting my BS from My general research interests are in human UW the same day that my son did. computer interaction and designing for digital 12 \ re:Design Students & Alumni Beth Kolko Takes Research Group to Kyrgyzstan by Theresa Maramba

magine a day without your cell phone getting this information through Iand all the things it does for you. Your SMS was easy and useful,” says phone allows you to check movie times, Walton. Students also conducted update your status on Twitter or Facebook, interviews with bus riders and or text a friend “hello.” While we can do drivers. The group also conducted these activities daily, many countries are a technical deployment of the still building their Internet, let alone their system to see how it worked with mobile Internet. And while we enjoyed the infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan; our spring break, Associate Professor Beth they discovered a variety of Kolko took ten people, including members different technical issues, and of her research group, Design for Digital the trip included some outings The Design for Digital Inclusion research group in Kyrgyzstan Inclusion (DDI), to Kyrgyzstan. There, to run around the city looking they successfully conducted three research for capacitors and resistors to reengineer and perceptions of the Internet. People projects incorporating interviews, usability the Starbox. Lecturer Ruth Anderson, think they don’t need it or it’s too slow.” testing, and technical deployments. The undergraduate Anthony Poon, and former Kolko adds, “We also interviewed them projects were a transit project (Starbus), a CSE student Waylon Brunette were part of about people in their lives who don’t use mobile information directory project, and the team that went to Bishkek. the Internet and asked, ‘Why haven’t you a project to better understand why large introduced it to someone else?’ Since people segments of the population choose not to The next project was the MoSoSo (Mobile often learn about new things through their use the Internet. Social Software) Directory, which gives social network, we wanted to talk to people users access to business reviews through who have members in their network who Kolko received the Central Asia Information their phones. The software was developed don’t use the technology to understand why and Communication Technologies by HCDE PhD student Cynthia Putnam, the people who do use the technology don’t (CAICT) Grant in 2003 from the National based on research from the group over think it’s important enough to introduce Science Foundation. The grant was the years, including work by HCDE into others’ lives.” Walton and Driesbach originally for five years, but Kolko received a PhD student Emma Rose. Users can were assisted on their project by a Master’s no-cost-extension year for the grant. either access a main directory or create student from Israel, Aidai Seidakmatova. one to share with their friends. “It’s nice “We are focused on Central Asia because to have this information available,” says Now that the team is back, Walton is they are still at an early adoption stage,” says Kolko, “but what makes it better is that focusing on the qualitative research and Kolko. “Many people are seeing and using you can share your directory and make comparing the interviews about what these technologies for the first time.” recommendations to people you trust, like people do online. Putnam is working on the friends and family.” Political science PhD directory software, and the Starbus project Rebecca Walton, an HCDE PhD student student Erica Johnson assisted with both the leaders are talking to other funders to expand who went on the trip, adds, “We used Starbus and the MoSoSo project, and UW the concept to different countries. As for interviews, design ethnographies, surveys, graduate and former CAICT RA Odina Kolko, she’s still busy with this project: “The and usability tests to conduct our research. Salikhbaeva joined the group in Bishkek as Central Asia project had a really productive It’s about how people adopt and adapt well, traveling from Uzbekistan to provide year. I am excited about looking at the rich technology.” research assistance. data and sharing our findings.” The Starbus project was a collaboration The last project was part of a continuing In closing, Kolko says of the trip: “It was with another research group from CSE, quest to understand why people don’t use a really great opportunity for the students led by Professor Gaetano Boriello. The the Internet, even when it is available. who have been working on the project to Starbus project is a grassroots transportation Most studies of non-use focus on the get their hands dirty and experience the information service. It includes a student- expense or availability of Internet use. For difficulties and excitement of doing onsite built GPS/GSM module to track buses, this interview study, conducted by Walton research.” Walton adds, “We want people an algorithm that predicts when the bus and HCDE student Chad Driesbach, the to think more deeply about the connections will reach its next destination, and server team focused on talking to people who do between culture and technology usage. software so users can find out bus arrival use the Internet but who have family and Technologies are not the same everywhere. times via a text message. “We conducted friends who don’t use it. Walton explains, Even if there is Internet/mobile, people do feasibility and usability testing to make sure “We wanted to understand people’s usage not use it the same way.” re:Design \ 13 Accolades Matt Shobe’s Daring Adventure by Tiffany Rooney

ife is either a daring adventure, or ten years of career experience “Lnothing.” These eloquent words by tackling design and ease-of-use Hellen Keller have influenced the life of challenges in web-software design. Matt Shobe, an MSTC alum and very In his own words, Shobe’s mission successful entrepreneur. Since graduating, is “to create enticing yet hassle- Shobe has made his way from the central free user experiences through UWTC Alum Matt Shobe Usability Group at Microsoft to his current observant evaluation and design.” position as a Senior User Experience One of Shobe’s first designs was called the t-squares and slide rules required to Designer at Google, leaving in his wake a Spyonit, a web-based alerting service that make it happen.” He himself continually string of startup companies that certainly Yahoo! Magazine ranked in the “Top 50 communicates with FeedBurner’s million- cannot be called ‘nothing.’ As Shobe’s Most Useful Sites” in July of 2000. Spyonit plus publisher base, providing technical LinkedIn page reads, “myself and three provided seeds for concepts that ultimately support, giving advice, and conducting other colleagues... created, nurtured (and launched FeedBurner, the latest and most interviews. in some cases, survived) various Internet famous startup of which Shobe was officially startups in Chicago.” This spring, the named Co-Founder and Chief Design FeedBurner was acquired by Google in College of Engineering recognized Shobe’s Officer. June 2007, but Shobe’s ‘daring adventure’ accomplishment with a Diamond Award in doesn’t stop there. Shobe continues to work the “Early Career” category. FeedBurner provides tools for everyone with Google, spearheading various efforts from individual bloggers to major media to incorporate the key parts of FeedBurner’s The College of Engineering Diamond outlets, letting them measure their audience, capabilities into the Google product mix. Award recognizes the outstanding then distribute and earn money from their He has also earned his FAA pilot’s license achievements, ingenuity, and content published online. Its purpose is to and completed the Chicago Marathon— entrepreneurship of all engineers. HCDE, make feed-based content more accessible twice! According to Shobe, “FeedBurner’s one of the smallest departments in the to end users and more effective for the success has inspired a few others here in College of Engineering, has been honored publishers that provide it. Shobe is deeply Chicago to try to make their own startup with two Diamond Awards in two years; committed to cultural value in his business, plans and execute them in the Midwest, BSTC alum Donna Sakson won a Diamond and it shows. As stated on his LinkedIn realizing that you don’t absolutely have to be Award in 2008 for Distinguished Service. page, he “maintains an unwavering devotion in the Valley to build a web-based product to the FeedBurner fan club. If publishers that makes people happy and has a daily Although Shobe’s award is for “Early and advertisers want it, his team brandishes Career” achievement, he already has over impact on their lives.”

NCTE Honors Mark Zachry by Sophia Fong

was thrilled!” That’s how associate professor Mark Zachry felt The collection, entitledCommunicative Practices in Workplaces and “Iwhen he learned that a collection of essays he co-edited with the Professions: Cultural Perspectives on the Regulation of Discourse Western Michigan professor Charlotte Thralls would be honored and Organizations, was published in 2007 as a 12-chapter book. by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). NCTE Many prominent authors were invited to contribute original offers awards in many fields including technical and scientific research, including JoAnne Yates, Wanda Orlikowski, Catherine communication, within which are six categories with one work Schryer, and Clay Spinuzzi. The project took five years from start to chosen for each category every year. This last fall, Zachry found publication but was well worth the time and effort. Zachry received out that his work was nominated and was chosen for the category this prestigious award at the March 2009 Association of Teachers of of “Best Original Collection of Essays in Technical or Scientific Technical Writing conference in San Francisco. Communication” for 2008.

14 \ re:Design Accolades Information Design Class Goes Green by Kyle Hurt

he mayor of Lake Forest Park (LFP) Within weeks of receiving the completed Trecently issued a proclamation documents, the City of Lake Forest Park acknowledging the contribution of HCDE distributed some of the materials at its Earth students to LFP’s environmental outreach Smart Fair in the Towne Centre, with up to efforts. These are the students in the evening 800 in attendance. According to the city’s Master’s program who were enrolled during website, “The materials were amazingly winter quarter in Professor Dave Farkas’ helpful and will be used in future events course Information Design (TC 510). In to promote stormwater quality awareness.” part because of Environmental Protection Many of the documents are available for Agency regulations, LFP needed a wide download from the site. In addition, LFP range of educational documents to explain is now distributing brochures to local and promote good environmental practices, businesses and will soon be working with in particular preventing pollution from science teachers in the LFP schools. Because stormwater runoff. the students submitted source files as well as ready-to-print PDF files, the documents can As it happens, Farkas is a member of the be readily updated and shared with other LFP Environmental Quality Commission, communities. and he volunteered his class when the city was wrestling with the problem of acquiring For more information, visit http://www. the needed material. The students produced cityoflfp.com/city/engineering/stormwater/ A poster created for the City of Lake Forest Park booklets, brochures, posters, engineering default.html#residents. Scroll down to by Information Design students fact sheets, web pages for the LFP website, “2009 Earth Smart Fair—Stormwater and self-running PowerPoint presentations, and NPDES” to see a list of documents available more. Sammy the Salmon and Artie the for download. Raindrop show up in activity booklets for K–6 students. posTComm Wins Merit Award by Jonathan Morgan

he Puget Sound Chapter of the Society for Technical this year—the fourth year in a row that posTComm has been TCommunication (STC) recognized the 2008 issue of posTComm recognized by STC. However, while manning the posTComm with a ‘Merit’ award for demonstrating a commendable level of booth, project manager Jonathan Morgan found himself fielding technical communication competence in the publication category. as many questions about the department’s name change as about the magazine itself. This can be seen as evidence of the STC Every year, STC solicits submissions from academic institutions and community’s high level of interest in HCDE, and bodes well for industry professionals of works representative of the field. Submissions re:Design’s chances of continuing its run to a fifth straight year! are judged in a peer review forum, and awards are given based on the merits of the individual work. Judges volunteer their time to evaluate 2008 posTComm team: project manager Jonathan T. Morgan; entries based on criteria including writing, graphics, copyedits, and writers and editors Shalina Bajracharya, Juliana Chaumette, Sarah organization. Jamaludin, Amy Monroe, Julia Ricketts, and Eliot Yamaguchi; contributing writers Amanda Ahn, Maggie Bardacke, and Kirsten The 2009 STC Competition Showcase saw entries from big local Gantenbein; “In the Real World” editor Devor Barton; and advisers names such as Boeing and Microsoft and a variety of smaller Kate Long and Judy Ramey. companies, as well as HCDE. Several members of the 2008 posTComm team attended the showcase to present the latest issue re:Design \ 15 Accolades Department Updates

HCDE Awards Congratulations compiled by Sophia Fong HCDE Graduates! Bachelor of Science Students Alumni Soyo Ahn Shalina Bajracharya Katie Derthick Matt Shobe Chris Brooks Max E. Gellert Fellowship in Engineering 2009 College of Engineering Early Career Franics Cortez Diamond Award Renae Culala Hannah Getachew David Hanson Sakson Diversity Scholarship James Humphrey III NSBE Turner Construction Scholarship Faculty and Staff Calvin Kaiser Alicia Kellogg Natasha Jones Cynthia Atman Reshma Kooner Society of Women Engineers Outstanding 2009 David B. Thorud Leadership Award Taylor Langford Student Award Natalie Kay Lindner Gian Bruno Dwight Joseph Lyle Phun Lang College of Engineering Community of Theresa Maramba Sakson Diversity Scholarship Innovators Award Katherine Nguyen Society of Women Engineers Outstanding Niklas Patrick Nordlof Student Award Mark P. Haselkorn Eric Nordlund Visual Analytics Pioneer Award Cyril Tiglao Theresa Maramba Cedric Wong PEMCO Foundation Scholarship Mark Zachry Michelle Yee 2008 NCTE Award for Excellence in Kejun Xu Technical and Scientific Communication, Master of Science Best Original Collection of Essays in Technical STC International Award Brandi Arnold or Scientific Communication Devor Barton Michael Berg Jennifer Becker Juliana Mione Chaumette Charles Claxton On the Road... Ryan Collier David Dye by Kate Long Randy Dowell Marita Graube CDE’s student travel fund helps Jaayden Halko (GNM): $500 for IPCC Kyle Hurt Hreimburse expenses for students Kenneth Ray Jelinek traveling to present at conferences. The Irini Spyridakis (MS): $500 for IPCC Brett Masker following students received travel stipends Sajanee Halko (PhD): $500 for IPCC Breanne Miller in the past academic year. Amy Monroe Natasha Jones (PhD): $500 for Angela Moulden Lorna Chong (Evening MS): $500 for Yana Myaskovetskaya ASSETS (ACM SIGACCESS Conference Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Garrett Nakamoto on Computers and Accessibility) Loraine Renee Rohrback Sella Rush Katie Derthick (MS): $500 for Cynthia Putnam (PhD): $500 for ASSETS Yasmeen Sharlicia Sands International Professional Communication Ramsey Tesdell (MS): $500 for Digital Elly Searle Conference (IPCC) Media & Learning Competition Winner’s Carol Taylor Matt Eliot (PhD): $500 for Computer- Showcase at HASTAC III Ramsey Tesdell Human Interaction (CHI) Conference David Thompson Alex Thayer (BS, MS and PhD in fall James Wachai Marita Graube (MS): $500 for Computer 2009): $500 for IPCC Robert Watson James Williams Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) Robert Watson (MS): $500 for IPCC Conference Kejun Xu (PhD): $500 for Association Doctor of Philosophy Kathleen Gygi (PhD): $500 for Association for Business Communication (ABC) Kathleen Gygi of Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW) Conference Conference; $200 for CSCW Conference

16 \ re:Design Department Updates Judy Ramey’s Long Deserved R & R by Sophia Fong

fter being chair of UWTC for 11 years, Holland, had lunch Ait would seem like Judy Ramey would in Germany, and prefer her year-long sabbatical to be filled ended the afternoon with relaxation and hard-earned quiet time. back in Holland. Ramey, however, doesn’t seem to be able to That was great,” said slow down. “My term ended July 31st, and Ramey. While there, August 1st I was on an airplane to England,” Ramey also had the she said. During her sabbatical, Ramey chance to take a few traveled through England, The Netherlands, Dutch lessons. Belgium, France, Spain, and Peru. After Holland, After visiting friends and historical sites Ramey continued in England, Ramey went to Enschede in traveling through The Netherlands, where she spent two several cities along the months visiting HCDE’s sister department west coast of France at the University of Twente. “I had a great and toured chateaus time. I talked to students and visited with including one, she all the faculty,” she said. She also had the pointed out, that opportunity to give a couple of presentations. was the last home of At the University of Twente, she talked about Leonardo Da Vinci. the mobile user experience, and in Utrecht, Judy Ramey on sabbatical in Peru for STIC (the national Dutch chapter of While in Bordeaux, Ramey watched the the Society of Technical Communication), mobile web. The article will be published 2008 presidential elections over the Internet. she talked about the future of technical in the International Journal of Mobile HCI She continued down to Spain, studying some communication. She also went to the in October 2009. Ramey also authored Spanish in Madrid and visiting several other workshop papers with former students for cities including Seville. both the Mobile HCI conference and the “It’s been very “I came back on December 15th, just in time CHI conference. Currently, she is working for the Seattle blizzard,” Ramey recalled. She with colleague Dennis Wixon of Microsoft stimulating. It’s has been busy ever since. In early April, she on a book about usability engineering. attended the CHI conference in Boston, been very busy but Ramey’s sabbatical ends September 15th, where she was able to attend a mobile user and she plans to remain busy. In addition to experience workshop. “I had a great time. It a different kind of working on her book and preparing for next was a really good conference,” she said. busy...” year’s classes, she is planning to put some In April, Ramey went to Peru for two weeks time into her garden at home and do some on a trip organized by Global Partnerships, a cooking. Seattle organization that funds micro-finance Next year, Ramey will teach usability testing University of Antwerp in Belgium, where she organizations. While in Peru, she was able while also managing several components of talked about usability testing. to meet management teams of two different the HCDE program including the speaker micro-finance organizations, as well as some In September, Ramey attended the Mobile series, the internship program, and LUTE. micro-loan recipients. During her trip, Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Speaking about her sabbatical, Ramey says Ramey also visited Cuzco and Machu Picchu. conference in Amsterdam and took the she feels renewed and excited. “It’s been very opportunity to visit friends in nearby cities. Beyond her extensive travels, Ramey also has stimulating. It’s been very busy but a different Even with friends, she kept busy. “I went been working on several projects. She worked kind of busy….” on an all-day bicycle trip. Enschede is close with two former students on an article enough to Germany that we set off in about mobile HCI, specifically focusing on re:Design \ 17 Department Updates Department Updates

Staff Updates by Kate Long

here have been some big changes in in very useful when making design and students navigate all that UW has to offer. THCDE, and that holds true for the staff aesthetic decisions in our new space! Jeff Babauta and Susan Raub continue side of the house as well. The department Kate Long moved to yet another position to work hard to keep HCDE on track welcomed Julianna Jones as Assistant and is now the department’s Publication financially—not an easy task in these to the Chair in December 2008. Jones Coordinator. She has been very busy with financial times. Secretary Carolynda brought UW administrative experience the new name and new location. Gian Valerio-Lucas and student assistants Albert and an art background to her position as Bruno and Maggie Bardacke, HCDE’s Kang and Mohamoud Mohamed are the Jan Spyridakis’ assistant. She also brought advising team, have been shepherding in hub of the HCDE main office. Thank you, a graceful sense of style, which has come the new curricular changes and helping HCDE staff! Part-Time Lecturers by Kate Long

CDE thanks our guest lecturers for Karen Kurt Teal of UW Law School, 521 Seminar: Current Issues in Technical Htheir contributions in the 2008–2009 Affiliate Lecturer for TC 333 Advanced Communication academic year! Technical Writing and Oral Presentation and TC 400 Scientific and Technical Spring 2009 Autumn 2008 Communication Chris Holstrom of Google, Lecturer for TC 426 Introduction to Computer Software Jennifer Blackburn of Click User Experience, Winter 2009 Lecturer for TC 517 Usability Testing User Assistance Tracy Freel of Pen to Paper, Affiliate Tracey Freel of Pen to Paper, Affiliate Pamela Johnson, Lecturer for TC 427 Lecturer for TC 423 Introduction to Lecturer for TC 401 Style in Scientific and Production Design and Visual Media Editing Technical Writing and TC 422 Introduction Kelly Page (née Showalter), Lecturer for TC Jim Kramer, Lecturer for TC 424 The to Style in Technical Communication 412 Print Production Computer in Technical Communication Tina Loucks-Jaret of UW Engineering (with Alex Thayer) Araba Sey of UW Information School, Dean’s Office, Affiliate Lecturer for TC 421 Lecturer for TC 505 Computer-Assisted Ulrike Irmler of Windows International, Introduction to Technical Communication Communication Affiliate Lecturer for TC 512 International Kate Mobrand of UW Engineering Technical Communication Communication Program, Lecturer for TC 597 Approaches to Teaching Technical Mark Polyak of Veratect Corporation, Communication Lecturer for TC 598 Special Topics Charles Sheaffer, Lecturer for TC 333 Alex Thayer of Microsoft, Affiliate Lecturer Advanced Technical Writing and Oral for TC 424 The Computer in Technical Presentation Communication (with Jim Kramer) and TC

Record Year for Grants and Contracts by Devor Barton

CDE received a record amount of funding this year from grants Grants and contracts from proposals prepared by department faculty Hand contracts. Over $1 million has come from extramural and staff and submitted to a peer review. Due to the stringent national sources for research projects conducted by faculty and students. To competition, it is an honor to receive these awards. Most funding is quote HCDE Administrator Jeff Babauta, “Our research efforts have provided by federal sources like the National Science Foundation, been highly successful.” These resources are advancing knowledge the Department of Defense, and the National Endowment for and supporting UW’s educational mission by facilitating research the Humanities. UW receives more federal funds for science and in topics such as national security, the development of Information engineering than any other public institution, and has been among Technology in Central Asia, social translucence in Socially the top five federally funded research institutions for 25 years. HCDE Mediating Technologies, and the effectiveness of creating portfolios is helping keep UW on top. The economy may be experiencing a as a learning tool for engineering students. Additionally, the downturn, but as Babauta points out, “We have more funded research department finances an average of 13 research positions per quarter. than ever before.” 18 \ re:Design Department Updates HCDE Welcomes Cindy Atman by Catherine Treadgold he UW At the graduation ceremony from West students from freshman year to graduation. Tengineering Virginia University, a professor told Atman, Surveys were also completed by 5,000 faculty has up- “We need you in academia.” At the time she students at 24 other institutions. to-the-minute wasn’t interested. She went on to earn an MS knowledge of the from Ohio State (in industrial engineering, CELT receives some funding from CAEE most effective same as her BS) and a PhD in engineering and benefits from CAEE’s valuable data. classroom and public policy from Carnegie Mellon. Although their goals and activities overlap, techniques, thanks Between degrees, she worked for several years CAEE and CELT are distinct. In September, to Professor Cindy in the public and private sectors. She missed CELT will begin its tenth year, with no end Cindy Atman Atman and her research and teaching, so when the University in sight. The CAEE grant ends in December, colleagues at the Center for Engineering of Pittsburgh offered her a position, she which will allow Atman to return to teaching. Learning & Teaching (CELT). accepted. A National Science Foundation CELT’s mission is to collect data on (NSF) Young Investigator Award enabled engineering education and counsel the UW Atman moved to HCDE from Industrial her to explore the differences in the way engineering faculty on classroom technique. Engineering in January, 2009. The change engineering students and professionals design. was natural for Atman, whose doctoral News of success has spread, and Atman thesis was titled, Network Structures as a responds to a steady stream of requests to Foundation for Risk Communication. “In my present papers and lead workshops. academic growing-up, I was already doing “Pick your head Faculty development is handled by Jim research on communication,” she says. “The Borgford-Parnell, CELT’s assistant director focus in HCDE is on design and the user. up from the paper, and instructional consultant since 2005. I do research on design processes, and the and analyze the Borgford-Parnell counsels teachers on how users are people learning to do design. So to engage students more actively. CELT’s there are a lot of reasons why there’s synergy problem.” reputation is such that one of his recent between me and my HCDE colleagues— workshops took place in Taiwan. our research methodologies and the way we look at problems.” Atman was recruited from Pittsburgh The challenge facing all engineering in 1998 to direct CELT, but she also programs is how to balance learning Atman is no stranger to honors and directs the Center for the Advancement of fundamentals, such as the concepts of statics distinctions. Most recently she received the Engineering Education (CAEE)—a $12 and dynamics, with actual designing. Far UW David B. Thorud Leadership Award. million grant funded by NSF since 2003. too often students get bogged down by Besides being named a fellow of both the Although UW oversees the grant, the core requirements and drop out. A school’s American Association for the Advancement funding is shared with four engineering success in ferrying students through to of Science and the American Society for schools: Stanford, Howard University, graduation can hinge on how early and Engineering Education, she is the first Colorado School of Mines, and Minnesota/ skillfully they integrate the creative with the appointee to the new Mitchell T. Bowie and Purdue. Using surveys, interviews, and nitty-gritty. Leila Blanche Bowie Endowed Chair. design tasks, the five schools tracked 160 (continued on page 20) Visiting Professor Seeks to Close the Gender Gap in Engineering Education by Catherine Treadgold

hy do women engineering graduates fear they don’t measure data while at Olin, but the interviews really opened her eyes: Wup? This is the burning question for Visiting Professor “Women spontaneously say things…such as ‘I wish I were more Debbie Chachra, on sabbatical from Olin College of Engineering confident’ or ‘I wish I could be like guys and ask questions.’” near Boston, a young school with a total enrollment of 303. She hopes her research will yield practical benefits for engineering Chachra received a BS in Engineering Science and an MS and PhD schools across the country. “Courses are increasingly project- in Materials Science from the University of Toronto. Afterward, she oriented and team-based, and if women are less confident in their was a postdoctoral associate at MIT. skills, they’re less likely to volunteer…. That confidence gap might turn into a real experience gap.” Chachra knew about the crisis of confidence from analyzing CAEE re:Design \ 19 Department Updates Department Updates

(continued from page 19) of the engineering curriculum better.” standards. Findings from these studies will soon be published on a CELT website. “The question is how?” Atman says. “You One of the ways she and her team study can’t ignore the analysis part. You really hope design processes is through scenarios. Simply sharing results of these experiments the engineers who built the bridge you drive Freshmen, seniors, and professionals are alerts many students to the importance of over got the load calculations correct. If observed designing a playground or finding pondering the task at hand before diving in not, you’re the one who plummets into the solutions to Midwest flooding or dangerous headfirst. As one student put it, “Pick your river…. So what I’m passionate about is two crosswalks. The good news is that seniors head up from the paper and analyze the major things: one is trying to figure out how perform better than freshmen; however, problem.” The hope is that every engineering to teach engineers to think broadly before they often overlook disability and safety, student will experience a similar burst of they get into analysis, and the other is to help which means they fall short of professional insight before collecting a diploma. our engineering faculty teach all the aspects Bucky to the Rescue by Catherine Treadgold

CDE has a new a mascot: Bucky the you can do with programming.” HPeopleBot robot. PeopleBot is a trade name of Mobile Robots, Inc., which builds Kriz studies how test subjects’ robots for research and industry. preconceptions and attitudes color their interactions with robots and what it is about Assistant Professor Sarah Kriz oversees a robot’s voice or manner that attracts or the Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) repels. Her educational background—a study, assisted by PhD candidate Jonathan PhD in Cognitive Psychology and a Bucky the robot and friends Morgan, freshmen programmers Ian Finder Bachelor’s and Master’s in linguistics— and Eli White, and Master’s student Priya makes her well qualified to pick up nuances in human factors to really know what a Guruprakash Rao. in human expression and behavior. The goal good robot is for that population,” Kriz says. is to improve human/robot relations: “You Bucky’s keepers affectionately refer to can make robots do amazing things, but Bucky’s mellow, baritone voice inspires trust. “it” as “him.” The robot and his human what behavior will make them acceptable to In a recent workshop, a group of high school crew were the first to settle into their new humans?” students helped enact a rescue scenario, with HCDE quarters on the largely vacant Bucky as hero. The result was immortalized fourth floor of Sieg Hall. Bucky’s namesake In the not-too-distant future, service ‘bots on DVD, complete with music and an and screen avatar is twentieth-century will become commonplace. Kriz has applied interview with the student actors. They liked inventor Buckminster Fuller, one of the for funding that would allow her to analyze Bucky’s voice and friendly screen image, most prominent leaders of human centered how Americans 60 and older respond to which morphed from Buckminster Fuller’s design. Kriz’s earlier HRI experiments were robots. If frightened or annoyed by a robot’s to a smiley face after the rescue. Bucky even with Sony’s robot dog, Aibo. “This robot has manner, people are less likely to welcome its earned a hug for his troubles. a lot more power,” she says, “and a lot more help. “I don’t think there’s enough research From GUI to NUI “HCDE students build systems On the Frontier of Human-Robot Interaction that play nice with humans.” by Jacob Warren

STC graduate Douglas Pyle, a robot enthusiast and User command, or an indication of need. This human-machine relationship MExperience Program Manager at Microsoft Robotics, believes is described as NUI, or natural user interface. HCDE graduates are well equipped to contribute to robotics, a fast- growing industry. HCDE students can influence the design of NUIs. “HCDE students build systems that play nice with humans,” says Pyle. At Microsoft The robots of tomorrow will be dynamic, unlike modern computers’ he focuses on human-robot interaction, a field that is based on GUI (graphical user interface), where users interact with machines communication theory and rhetoric. He credits his UW courses in using physical devices and on-screen elements. Armed with information design and human-computer interaction with preparing knowledge of users’ context and environment, robots will be able him to think broadly about designing interactive systems. to engage them directly and intuitively—with a gesture, a spoken 20 \ re:Design Department Updates Charlotte Lee Gets Her Ducks advanced technological infrastructures prefers qualitative research to quantitative such as supercomputers and high-speed because it allows her to ask the questions in a Row networks. The Lab is currently performing that interest her most, such as the social by Devor Barton cutting-edge research on two projects for implications of various technologies and the National Science Foundation, studying how social norms get encoded. “Qualitative cyberinfrastructure development. One research is so powerful for uncovering how he Computer Supported Collaboration project compares two supercomputing things get done, how processes change, and T(CSC) Laboratory was launched this centers, the National Center for for uncovering tacit knowledge,” Lee says. year to research the design of information Supercomputing Applications and the San systems shared by multiple groups of users. Diego Supercomputer Center, while the It takes a lot of time and coordination to Charlotte Lee established the lab as a way other project involves the metagenomics equip and configure a lab. Now that the to investigate the development and use of Marine Microbiology. The time space is set up on the third floor of Sieg Hall, of information infrastructures in science environment is very different for these Lee is eager to get started and involve more and engineering, computer supported types of projects, as it can take 15 years to students. Opportunities include taking part cooperative work, and computer supported develop a system designed to last 100 years. in research groups, conducting independent cooperative leisure. Recent projects explore Says Lee, “The technology is changing fast study, or becoming a research assistant. these themes with regard to environmental enough that it enables different scientific microbiology, functional brain imaging questions to be asked. The challenge is to research, museum exhibition design, and design for innovation and design systems even hobbyist rubber duck collectors. that are modular or flexible or somehow malleable enough to keep up with the The CSC Lab’s research will help computer rapid pace of science.” scientists, engineers, domain scientists, and social scientists aid collaboration using Lee, who holds the Guinness World Charlotte Lee cyberinfrastructures. Cyberinfrastructures Record for largest collection of rubber are large-scale, data-heavy, geographically ducks, learned qualitative research For more information on the CSC Lab, visit diverse scientific enterprises supported by methods while studying Sociology. She https://depts.washington.edu/csclab. CHiLLin’ with Julie Kientz by Devor Barton

background in computer science and an involved, but also their doctors and teachers. optimum balance between efficiency and Ainterest in the broader societal impact Current CHiLL projects include working data awareness. Kientz hopes this study of Health and Education led Professor Julie with pre-school children with special needs will make health-based technology more Kientz to create the Computing for Healthy through the Experimental Education Unit empathic toward patients by conveying Living and Learning (CHiLL) Laboratory. at UW and coordinating with the Seattle accurate health information with an The CHiLL Lab is a collaboration between Children’s Hospital to bring developmental appropriate “bedside” manner. HCDE, the Information School, Computer record-keeping technology to lower-income Science & Engineering, and the Design, families. Although most studies take place in the Build, and Use Group. Researchers from field, there is also a physical lab on the all perspectives, abilities, and disciplines One of the goals of the CHiLL lab is to third floor of Sieg Hall. This lab consists work together using User-Centered Design motivate record keepers by improving of two offices: a student workspace and a processes like data gathering, focus groups, efficiency, accuracy, and ease-of-use...and general research space. Kientz points out iterative design, prototyping, and evaluation also, if possible, to make record-keeping that two things help when starting a lab: a to determine if technology performs as fun. Because records in the health field are sense of humor and enthusiastic students. expected in a real-world environment. predominantly stored on paper, Kientz Students can assist the CHiLL Lab as part feels technology can improve the process, of a directed research group or through Kientz draws research topics, identifying giving doctors more time with their independent study. These could lead to a problems to be addressed, from personal patients and parents more time with their research assistantship and more in-depth experience and consultations with experts in children. One project involves researching research on projects that can make a Health and Education. Laboratory findings the effects of automated record-keeping to difference to society. benefit not only the patients and students find out if it makes people less conscious of the actual process, and to identify the re:Design \ 21 Department Updates Careers Celebrating Change Change Hosts Poster Session Event by Kyle Hurt hange is a group of UW faculty, students, and staff who are exploring the role of Cinformation and communication technologies (ICT) in improving the lives of underserved populations. This past February, members of Change hosted a poster session event, bringing together individuals from the UW iSchool Center for Information and Society (CIS), HCDE, and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE). The following is an abstract for a poster by the UW HCDE group Modifying Methods for Persona Creation: Bringing User-Centered Approaches to ICTD Research, with members Cynthia Putman, Beth Kolko, Emma Rose, and Erica Johnson. As part of the research involved in the Central Asia and ICT project, we have had many potential product ideas emerge from our findings, one of these products being a mobile social software (MoSoSo) directory. While the application of common user research communication tools, such as personas, typically requires researchers to interact with potential users in the context of a potential product, it was not financially feasible to conduct these kinds of studies for the MoSoSo directory. Consequently, we used the data we had—data collected for other purposes. We argue our method is applicable to other geographically distant audiences where user research in the context of a particular product is not always possible.

A complete list of abstracts are available at change.washington.edu. The Change poster session event

E-Health in a Global Context: Designing Solutions Internet Growth in Central Asia: Why So Flat? Information Technology, Gandhinagar, India; Rabin that Span Geographies Chad Driesbach, Rebecca Walton, UW HCDE Patra, TIER Research Group, University of California, Rebecca Walton, Beth Kolko, UW HCDE Berkeley; Joyojeet Pal, UW iSchool CIS Integrating Projects with Tribal College Curricula E-Skills and Employability: Getting a Job in the David Broderick, UW CSE Promoting Interaction in Video-Based Agricultural 21st Century Extension The Global Library: Responding to Information Christopher Coward, Jay Freistadt, Michele Frix, Maria Natalie Linnell, Richard Anderson, UW CSE; Kentaro Needs in a Globalized World Garrido, Andrew Gordon, Phil Neff, Joyojeet Pal, Joe Toyama, Rikin Gandhi, Microsoft Research India Rucha Ambikar, Ricardo Gomez, Elizabeth Gould, Sullivan, UW iSchool CIS UW iSchool CIS Computer Games in the Developing World: The Building a Better Clinician Experience in OpenMRS Value of Non-Instrumental Engagement With ICT, Building a Universal Translation Service Yaw Anokwa, UW CSE; Christian Allen, Chase or Taking Play Seriously Susan Colowick, Utilika Foundation; Jonathan Pool, Yarborough, Partners in Health; Hamish Fraser, Beth Kolko, Cynthia Putnam, UW HCDE Turing Center, Utilika Foundation Brigham and Women’s Hospital Multimath: Numeric Keypads for Math Learning Building a Transportation Information System A New Generation of Open Source Data on Shared Computers Using Only GPS and Basic SMS Infrastructure Collection Tools Sunil Garg, Charlotte Robinson, Clint Tseng, Heather Ruth E. Anderson, Anthony Poon, Caitlin Lustig, Yaw Anokwa, Brian DeRenzi, UW CSE; Carl Hartung, Underwood, Richard Anderson, UW CSE; Joyojeet Waylon Brunette, Gaetano Borriello, UW CSE; Emma Gaetano Borriello, UW CSE, Google; Adam Lerer, Pal, UW iSchool CIS Rose, Cynthia Putnam, Erica Johnson, Beth E. Kolko, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Google UW HCDE Digital StudyHall Chinhat Evaluation Study Does Public Access to ICT Have a Development Richard Anderson, UW CSE; Urvashi Sahni, StudyHall RuralScope: An Information System for Tracking Impact? Educational Foundation, Lucknow, India Rural Disbursements Chris Coward, Chris Rothschild, Rebecca Sears, Araba Sai Gopal Thota, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Sey, UW iSchool CIS

HCDE Diversity Board by Theresa Maramba

he HCDE Diversity Board comprises alumni, faculty, staff, everyone comes with the same preparation; students don’t always Tand friends of the department in the industry. This year, the have equal access to education or tools for success. The board wants chair is Carolyn Wei, the first PhD student to graduate from the to provide opportunities to students who didn’t have these tools.” department. The other two executive members are PhD student The mentorship program would pair students with alumni or people Sajanee Halko and evening MS Student Ona Anicello. The board in industry. “We’re going to be looking beyond professional goals meets quarterly to improve the diversity of the department. In the and looking at what type of person students want to be paired with, past, its focus was on the Sakson Diversity Scholarship. This year’s whether it is a person of color or gay lesbian bisexual transgender.” recipients are Phun Lang and Hannah Getachew. The board is also brainstorming projects for the upcoming academic “We have been working on creating a mentorship program,” said year. It hopes to build a professional development program, hold HCDE Adviser Gian Bruno, who moderates the Diversity Board social events, and focus on recruiting students. “Once a student is email list. “We want to show that the board recognizes that not here,” said Bruno, “it’s about what we can do to support them.” 22 \ re:Design Careers Economy Got You Down? by Jacob Warren TC Alumni Offer Advice

any students are anxious about the an increased appreciation for usability in her Students may not be able to land a job Mcurrent economy, wondering what the company, and she is invited into the design they are passionate about straight out of job prospects will be after graduation. They process earlier and more often. By actively college—but they can come close. In the may ask, “How do I get an interview when promoting the value of her field, she has early days of her career, van Spronsen knew job availability is low?” or “Once I have a increased her value as an employee and her she wanted to work in information design, job, how can I avoid getting laid off?” In job security. so she began by taking a coordinator role in these uncertain times, students are seeking an information design department. There practical advice about how to prepare, get To HCDE students facing a tough job she was able to learn the work—the skills, noticed, and be competitive. Fortunately, market, Snee suggests three strategies: language, and business factors—“by proxy,” three TC alumni—Eva Snee, Ariel van “network, network, network.” Network absorbing information from her coworkers Spronsen, and Doris Minor—are pleased by getting to know your fellow students, until, with a bit of gumption, she became to offer their unique perspectives on how to who may eventually be your colleagues. one of them. If students can’t land that dream thrive in the workforce. Network by getting to know faculty and job off the bat, they can strive for something staff both inside and outside of the HCDE on the periphery and work their way in. Snee earned department. And most especially, network her MSTC by by attending events such as the following: Minor, a nuclear engineer with an MS taking a highly • Puget Sound SIGCHI meetings (www. in Engineering with a nuclear emphasis, interdisciplinary pssigchi.acm.org) has been both a student and a teacher in assortment of HCDE. She has advice for engineers who classes, sampling • Information Architecture Meetup want to augment their degrees but are not offerings from (http://ia.meetup.com/57/) sure how: “If I am competing for a job with Psychology, • Girl Geek Dinner (http://www. another engineer of equal technical skill Industrial seattlegirlgeekdinners.com/) but my technical communication skills Engineering, distinguish me, I will get the job.” • STC Puget Sound Chapter meetings the College of (http://www.stc-psc.org/) Education, and Minor believes the most successful engineers the iSchool. She • Interactive Design Association face-to- back up technical skills with well-developed recommends the face meetings (www.ixda.org) communication skills. She recalls a time when engineers rounded themselves out by Eva Snee interdisciplinary approach, van Spronsen holds an MSTC and works as taking business classes; however, she believes saying, “it gives you a more well-rounded a User Experience Architect at ZAAZ. Like their time is better spent these days pursuing perspective and looks good on a résumé.” Snee, she emphasizes the marketability of a minor or a certificate in HCDE. interdisciplinary skills, particularly in today’s Snee applies her knowledge as a user- economy. She Although Minor advises engineers to experience researcher at Tyler Technologies. senses employers develop communication skills, she also Despite the economic downturn, she are looking for advises HCDE students to develop technical believes plenty of usability-related jobs are professionals who skills. “Focus on the form,” Minor says, available, particularly in Seattle’s many have a broad set of “but also on the content.” In other words, software and web-development companies. skills and can take HCDE students should study rhetoric on various roles. and design while also learning the subject Even so, usability researchers must be matter they will communicate. Students prepared to sell skeptical employers and What does this who immerse themselves in technical topics colleagues on the value of their work. Snee mean for HCDE that interest them will be more competitive has a few tips. First, she shares collected students? Job for specialized entities, such as Boeing or data during meetings. Video footage always availability for a Ariel van Spronsen Zymogenetics. goes over well. Second, she strives to make given student will depend on his or her a strong case for usability to her coworkers, spectrum of skills. For instance, students As these three alumni can attest, students educating them about its benefits until might broaden their appeal by showing can take heart, but they should also take they “see the light.” Finally, she involves aptitude in project management, design, initiative. The jobs they want are still out coworkers by inviting them into the lab science, and research. there, but getting and keeping them will to oversee and help out with studies. After require the courage to be known, to be employing these strategies, Snee has noticed van Spronsen advises students to enter noticed, and to be knowledgeable. the workforce with realistic expectations. re:Design \ 23 Careers Looking for Work? by Tiffany Rooney Make Your Portfolio Work for You

f you’re applying for a job, a professional others so you can draw up storyboards, pieces on a thumb drive. It’s quicker Iportfolio is a must. Even if you already create prototypes, and design navigation, than presenting from your website—no have one, the next guy in line does too. So you should highlight your design work. Internet-connection problems and less how do you get noticed? Take the advice of Whether you choose from these categories text. Present your strongest pieces first, three MSTC alumni who have successfully or invent your own, make your portfolio memorizing your story for each and the done just that. shine in that area; don’t try to prove order in which you will present them. that you can ‘do it all.’ Snee shared her Also, print pieces for employers to flip In a recent presentation, Matt Carthum, experience with this: “My first portfolio through; they may be more impressive Ariel van Spronsen, and Eva Snee divulged wasn’t very focused. It said, ‘Look at all the on paper. their secrets about creating effective things I’ve done,’ but only three or four of • Be proud of it! Show your personality portfolios. Because deliverables are the my 12 pieces showed what I wanted to do and spend time on it—but not all nature of the work, they said, you have instead of what I could do.” at once. Carthum dedicated entire to show employers your skills as well as evenings to one project telling them. A portfolio not only proves Finally, what’s your passion? writeup. Rather than (or disproves!) everything in your resume, This is the thread that ties 30 straight hours at it gives employers evidence of your process your portfolio together. As the computer, he says, and thinking—which is the real value. the alumni put it, “What do let it come organically And while a portfolio typically defines you you geek out on?” Whatever over time. Snee’s first for others, it can also define you for you. it is, potential employers portfolio took her Take to heart the advice of Carthum, van want to see it—even if it lies about a month. “The Spronsen, and Snee, and your portfolio will outside the field. hardest thing was have employers fighting over you. As you piece together your Matt Carthum finding pieces and The biggest takeaway from the presentation portfolio, there are some putting them into a is that your portfolio should showcase— general guidelines to follow: format for employers, not professors,” she said. Or like van Spronsen, you well—you. Specifically, three aspects of you: • Create a thesis. This is where you really your situation, skill set, and passion. These can spend 15 minutes each morning define yourself. Your thesis should be writing out thoughts, or even five aspects embody who you are, which is what apparent in your situation, skill set, and employers want to see in your portfolio. minutes whenever you think about it. passion. How do you know when your portfolio First, ask yourself what situation you want • Express your skill set. Show off what rocks? Have others review it—in fact, to be in. You can either be employed by the you’ve done (it’s okay if you only have have them tear it apart! company that produces your projects, or samples from class!). Give employers you can be a consultant working on projects details about how you did it. Post Spend a few hours each quarter updating another company produces. In other words, pictures, early concept sketches, your portfolio with recent projects. Rather are you an “innie” or an“outie”? Innies anything that shows your process. than building up a store, replace pieces prefer the slower, more stable road, working Carthum’s advice is to carry a camera when you produce a similar one that’s better. with fewer clients and delving deeper into with you all the time; snap pictures of Video highlights and links to LinkedIn or projects. Outies like life in the fast lane, whiteboards as you work. Explain your similar professional sites (not Facebook) working with many clients on different jobs, role—how did you contribute to the are good to have in your portfolio. It shows and they love the competitive race to snap overall project? What did you learn? employers that you know the field and are taking advantage of the tools. Writers, up clients. Either way, make your portfolio • Practice what you preach. All of the reflect your desired situation. expose chunks of your documents on the skills you’re selling must be evident in website (maybe two pages of a 24-pager), As for skill sets, the alumni outlined three your portfolio. Your message must be then have a PDF of the full piece. And just broad categories: research and analysis, communicated effectively. You cannot because you’re a writer doesn’t mean you synthesis and strategy, and design. Research claim to be an expert in usability and shouldn’t have graphics on your site. and analysis covers surveys, usability studies, design with a portfolio that is neither and heuristic evaluations. If you love usable nor well-designed. Ready to get started? “Google ‘professional creating personas and scenarios, analyzing • Be ready to present. Don’t assume portfolio’ with a keyword from the field you site landscapes, or mapping out tasks, you employers have seen your portfolio want to work in, and see what comes up,” should showcase synthesis and strategy when you walk into an interview. van Spronsen advises. Snee agrees: “That’s projects. If you’d rather leave research to Instead, bring a slideshow of your where I got a lot of my good ideas.” 24 \ re:Design In the Real World Each year the magazine invites alumni to submit an update regarding professional and personal pursuits. Below are this year’s responses. All photos courtesy of alumni; edited by Devor Barton.

In the past few years, I’ve finally had time to spend on creative pursuits. I do a lot of textile art, dyeing and painting fabric, which I then use to 1983–1995 make art quilts. I’ve also gotten back into photography, which I’d like to incorporate into textile and mixed media art. And thanks to my stepson, I’m now a grandmother of three! Carol Robinson, ’83, ‘92 BS in General Studies with concentration in STC, MSTC Gary Faircloth, ‘94 [email protected] BSTC UX Consultant [email protected] Volt Software Engineer IBM I have been contracting at Microsoft for the past two years. Like everyone, http://www.arkadianriver.com I’m doing my best to weather the recession. I’ve been spending most my time lately hacking code and helping provide the Heather (Larson) Beebe, ‘88 infrastructure necessary for our writers BSTC [email protected] and translators to make the most of all the Lead Technical Writer authoring and publishing technologies that GE Healthcare keep sprouting up. I love working on a multidisciplinary team with user experience The projects I’ve been working on professionals, writers, translators, software include involvement in planning toward developers, support folks, and of course implementation of a content management the customers themselves. Also, I really dig system for our documentation, and hacking away at the software applications work on various departmental subteams that help all these people be more dedicated toward quality improvement productive. of documentation set. Receiving an assignment for new software development IBM is truly an international company. It has, thus, maintained the is a lot of fun for me! I get job satisfaction out of learning how the pieces of infrastructure needed to bring its global employees together. After the puzzle fit together, trying to break the software, planning what needs to much negotiation, I’ve recently been able to take full advantage of this be written, and (finally) the actual writing. infrastructure to work remotely from home. I enjoy quality health insurance and, of course, getting paid to do what I love rather than paying for it. From my time in the TC program, I gained a thorough grounding in best writing practices, including usage, grammar, and basics. These laid the Every single TC class taught me something I use nearly every day. Seriously. foundation for the success I’ve had in my career. Also, the introduction to From editing to project management to the multidisciplinary projects in project management from Mike White and the bits and pieces from that Dr. Furness’ human factors class, it’s all there in the software industry. class have helped immensely throughout the years. Jason Black, ‘95 Lorraine Edmond, ‘89 BSTC MSTC [email protected] [email protected] Book Doctor (self-employed) Geologist/Environmental Scientist http://www.PlotToPunctuation.com United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) I’ve been establishing myself as a freelance I co-authored the Columbia Basin State of the River Report for Toxics and “book doctor.” Novelists, especially first- the USEPA Region 10 Mercury Reduction Strategy. Since then, I’ve been time novelists, are still learning the ropes working on a monitoring strategy for toxics in the Columbia Basin, ways of what it takes to put together a winning, to reduce mercury, and mining projects in Idaho and Alaska. I have a great and publishable, story. They make a lot of job that combines my Earth Science knowledge from my first two degrees mistakes. A good book doctor can help them and the communication skills from my TC degree. I apply these every find and fix those problems to elevate their day as I work with an extremely diverse group of people with a common story into a form that is engaging, fun, and goal. I appreciate that UWTC was so extremely interdisciplinary—little lively. I still write novels, and enjoy that did I know how that would become an ongoing theme in my career. immensely, but as a book doctor I find it very And as much as I sometimes hated “group projects,” everything I do is a rewarding to help other people realize their own goals in writing. While my collaboration. My recent projects have been extremely interdisciplinary and specialty is in “book doctoring” for fiction, I have extensive background in collaborative. I’m happy to be applying my knowledge to the type of work I technical writing and software documentation, so I am also happy to help believe is important. with non-fiction book doctoring as well as Master’s and PhD thesis editing. re:Design \ 25 In the Real World In the Real World

I had my first novel published, and am still working on getting the other Gerald S. Ferry, ‘96 three finished and published. It’s hard to beat deciding to make a career BSTC out of using the skill I best enjoy practicing; if you can’t find a boss to pay [email protected] you to do what you love, you just have to be your own boss. Working on Content Publishing Manager my own time, to my own schedule, and being the master of my own fate is Microsoft challenging, but it feels great. After some adventures in the upper ranks of the ISV community, I’ve moved I have strong native writing skills, but without doubt I would not be nearly on to my next challenge. I’m now at Microsoft leading content development the writer or editor I am now without the skills I learned at UWTC. It is, and related usability initiatives on the Windows Mobile platform in in Isaac Newton’s immortal words, like standing on the shoulders of giants. commercialization. I’m having a blast! I especially like the challenge of I can scarcely begin to list all the crucial writing lessons I learned at UWTC working with highly motivated and focused people and projects. I also like that I did not, thus, have to discover for myself the hard way. the fact that my team has a direct impact on the quality of a product that goes out the door, and on the quality of service experienced by our customers. I’m Bread for the Pharaoh (Long Tale Press, 2008) looking forward to a fun time growing my career at Microsoft, helping shape the future of information flow and management.

Norm Ely, ‘95 My family is growing another node, with son 2.0 on the way, due around MSTC May 5, 2009. Current son 1.0, born on June 11, 2006, is pushing the [email protected] Website Maintenance (self-employed) three-year mark. For anyone that might be interested in talking about career http://www.NormEly.com moves or other “real world” events, just give me a shout.

I’ve been working on product naming: “Veganize It,” a feature in VegNews Dan Jones, ‘96 magazine—I came up with that name. It is a column about taking favorite BSTC food dishes and making them vegan. I hope to move into more copywriting [email protected] and naming work in the future. I’m in training to hike the John Muir Trail Programmer/Analyst this fall (around 200 miles), and I spent two days at Infineon Raceway last Cornell Law School fall learning to ride motorcycles at high speeds. I’ve also been working on http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/ optimizing Pay-Per-Click ad campaigns and optimizing websites for search engine ranking, as well as website maintenance, copywriting, and product I’ve been working on a lot: online reunion photography. Being self-employed, I enjoy working at home in warm fuzzy registration, the new Avon Center for clothes! And there’s no driving. I have two amazing two-year old girls in my Women and Justice site, producing and life that I’m really enjoying hanging out with. One is my granddaughter. consuming RSS feeds, online student course evaluations, online applicant status Thanks to my time at UWTC, I now know how much I don’t know. checker, integrated room reservation, Seriously, that is important in this fast-paced field. Also, the idea “Who is the event calendar, and Audio-Visual audience?” has been profoundly helpful in every facet of what I do. But now support request site—lots of fun projects! that I’m out in the “real world,” I enjoy that I no longer have homework! Planning and implementing complex interactive sites is oddly enjoyable. I really enjoy being part of a world-class school that produces world-class lawyers. Continued gainful employment is a plus, too. From my time in UWTC, I’m glad that I learned user analysis—it’s still paying dividends.

Recently, my father and I took a 3,000 mile road-trip in a 53-year-old Austin-Healey 100 (a classic British convertible sportscar). I had a great 1996–1997 time but got very sunburned.

Tamara Adlin, ‘96 Ross Junkin, ‘96 MSTC BSTC [email protected] [email protected] Partner Engineer Technician III Fell Swoop, LLC City of Covington http://www.fellswoop.com http://www.corporateunderpants.com In early 2009 we completed a $4 million capital improvement I have been busy with lots of client work, giving project for the City of Covington. talks and seminars on personas, founding Fell As the resident engineer for the Swoop (my new partnership!), etc. I love the project, I oversaw all aspects of work. I especially enjoy user-centered strategy the construction phase including work, which involves wrangling stakeholders. inspections, negotiations, It’s amazing how much great design depends on payments, material testing, clarity from the top—and amazing how seldom payments, and design changes. I there IS clarity at the top! truly enjoy being outdoors, and being able to do that during work hours makes going to work even that more enjoyable. Teaching was a big deal for me during my time at UWTC. It made me super-comfortable giving presentations and running workshops. The “real world” presents its own set of challenges that most of us couldn’t anticipate as we left college. I remember my first few years upon graduating 26 \ re:Design In the Real World and being free from studying and homework. Wow, what freedom! So, what I enjoy most about being in the “real world” is the lack of homework. For me, the biggest thing has always been the long journey of finishing what I 1998–1999 started. I have definitely applied the understanding of perseverance in my daily life after graduation. Scott Mogull, ‘98 After I graduated with my degree and finished playing baseball at UW, I MSTC signed a contract and played professionally. After a few seasons, I retired [email protected] from baseball and came back to the Seattle area to begin my career. My wife Editorial Assistant, Technical Communication Quarterly and I have two wonderful children, one boy (age three) and one girl (age Adjunct Associate Professor one), both of whom keep us on our toes and in shape. Texas Tech University/Austin Community College http://www.mogullonline.com Anita Salem, ‘97 I am finishing a doctoral degree in TC MSTC [email protected] and Rhetoric at Texas Tech University. My Researcher research explores the effect of pharmaceutical SalemSystems marketing (“direct-to-consumer advertising”) http://www.salemsystems.com on healthcare consumers from a technical communication perspective. I am specifically I’ve been working at the Federal level interested in the use of new media, such as Web 2.0, and the impact this recently and co-authored two white has on traditional patient-physician relationships. I really like being in papers in 2008. Recently, I’ve applied my academia, which enables me to continue to read, learn, and teach. Also, I experience in human experience design to like the opportunity to work from Starbucks. ;-) the public policy arena. Projects include a process for the sharing of maritime I’ve been out in the “real world” for eight years as a technical writer, threat information with the private sector information designer, product manager, and marketing manager. The (which includes some studies at the Port real world is certainly exciting, but now I’m looking forward to getting of Seattle), communication audit for the back into academia and applying my experience from the “real world” Business Transformation Agency, stakeholder analysis and design of strategic to teaching and research. When I was a student at UW, I did not communication surrounding the US Navy’s energy reforms, and facilitating fully understand how universally useful the skills covered in technical strategic communication, risk management, and leadership workshops. As communication would be in professional settings. The degree is something a consultant and researcher, I’m really grateful that I’m able to interact with that all employers have been interested in learning more about and have such a wide variety of people and businesses. In 2008, I became a research asked me to describe in my interviews. I’ve found the education and degree associate for the Naval Postgraduate School and am now looking more from UW has been very lucrative. Applying these skills enabled me to broadly at change management and organizational behavior issues related to quickly move into management in the biotechnology industry. the design of new business policies and processes. Online pharmaceutical marketing & health care consumer empowerment. From UWTC, I gained a fundamental understanding of audience, context, Annual Conference of Association of Teachers of Technical Writing. (March and the rhetorical nature of design. Now that I’m in the “real world,” I 2009). enjoy simply being. A call for new courses to train scientists as effective communicators in Salem, A., Walsh, W., and Doherty, O. (2008) Industry and private sector contemporary government and business settings. Technical Communication cooperation for information sharing. Maritime Information Sharing Task (Special Issue on Qualitative Research in Technical Communication), Force Symposium, Kings Point, NY, Aug. 20–Aug. 21, 2008. 55(4), 357–369. (2008).

Candreva, P. J., CDMR Research Team (2008). Transformation in transition: Chronology of direct-to-consumer advertising regulation in the United States. Defense management reform and the 2008 Election. American Medical Writers Association Journal, 23(3), 106–109. (2008).

Michael Stivers, ‘97 Douglas Pyle, ‘98 MSTC MSTC [email protected] [email protected] Quality Analyst User Experience Program Manager QAD Microsoft http://dougpy.googlepages.com After many years of technical writing, I decided to try something new: quality assurance. Testing software has a lot in common with writing about I’ve been working at Microsoft Robotics, where I envision how people will software, although as a technical writer you are really not supposed to break interact with a new product. What I like about being in the “real world” is things (are you?). It’s fun to explore the outer limits of the code. I’m glad that there’s even more diversity of people and ideas, which makes for a truly for the time I had at UWTC to study theoretical issues that widened my challenging and fun career. From UWTC, I appreciate gaining the ability perspective. to think across disciplines, and the ability to think of the larger context regarding how people interact with things made by others.

I recently took my daughter to the zoo. It was great!

“The Coming Robotics Revolution and what it means for User Experiences,” UX Leadership series presentation. re:Design \ 27 In the Real World

Ted Boren, ‘99 and productivity strategies at American Medical Writers Association MSTC conferences. My “real world” involves working independently in my office [email protected] in rural Kitsap County, WA, as well as collaborating with a diverse spectrum Interaction Designer of amazing people. I think this situation provides a wonderful balance. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints my spare time I enjoy reading, hiking, creating handmade glass beads, and http://www.northtemple.com pampering my two cats. I am designing mapping applications to help members, Church leaders, and friends of other faiths locate meeting houses and other Church resources. Denise D. Pieratti, ‘99 Additional scenarios we are trying to support are boundary decision-making MSTC and emergency response planning. I love digging into the requirements, [email protected] conducting field observations, and designing solutions to match. Engagement Manager Element K I appreciate the variety of skills taught at UWTC. I got to improve my I manage quality, cost, and delivery of custom e-learning development for communication skills, learn to be a responsible consumer of formal many different clients. I enjoy all three aspects of my job: client contact, research, dabble in interface design, work in teams, and really focus on creative, and project management. performing my own user research. This prepared me in many ways for the cross-disciplinary world I live in now. I can wear many hats, in part because The greatest gift from UWTC was an understanding of, and appreciation UWTC prepared me for that. for, rhetoric. It has helped me immensely in every job since I left UW. I turned 40 and now have a teenager almost old enough to drive! I, my wife Kelli, and our seven kids are mostly healthy and happy, with the Karen Sharkey, ‘99 usual sprinkling of sick and ornery. We are active in our local Mormon MSTC congregation, with Kelli leading the children’s music each Sunday and me [email protected] serving as an executive secretary to local Church leaders. I love working on Senior Technical Author Micro Focus, Ltd. projects that help people with things I really care about. Most recently that means using maps that help them get to Church, making good decisions, I’ve been working on the conversion of legacy documentation to XML, and planning for emergencies. Last year, it meant designing a system for then to our Content Management System. I enjoy working with a world- about 40 people to use in planning missionary assignments for senior class (not to mention world-distributed) group of technical writers. We couples. As it turned out, my own parents were called this year to serve a have stimulating discussions about style, grammar, and who won the World mission where they will be using that very system. The old adage “design it Cup. Also, I enjoy the challenges and excitement of applying what I learned so your Mom can use it” now strikes very close to home! at UW to real projects for real customers. UWTC helped me develop the expertise to work at what I most enjoy doing. Roberta Connelly, ‘99 Certificate of Technical Writing and Editing, BS, MS I became a grandmother to a delightful little boy, Quinlan. This is truly the [email protected] most significant event of my life! He’s almost four now and already showing Medical Writer signs of a potential engineer. Ridge Rim Associates, LLC (self-employed) http://www.ridgerim.com

Working in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, I write regulatory documents for submission

to the FDA and assist authors in 2000–2001 developing clinical publications. Because the format and general content of clinical documents are predefined, Julianne (Fondiller) Bryant, ‘00 much of the challenge comes from MSTC synthesizing massive amounts of data [email protected] Senior User Researcher into concise reports. My work is a great fit for me. I enjoy a steep learning FTI Consulting curve, which is easy to attain when writing a variety of documents in multiple therapeutic areas. My work in Research & Advanced Development at FTI Consulting has been extremely interesting. Our software products, including Attenex I entered the certificate program with a strong scientific background Patterns, draw from the fields of information visualization, machine but without formal training in writing and editing. The UWTC training learning, and computer supported cooperative work with application to the enabled me to develop the first user guide for a fledgling biotechnology legal domain of e-discovery. software company. Although I’ve since focused on clinical communications, I’m still grateful for the skills and confidence I gained from my UWTC I now have two amazing, energetic boys, ages three and five. While it’s studies. challenging to balance motherhood and a career, my boys remind me to slow down and make time to laugh and play. The past year has been exciting! My husband and I became grandparents, traveled to Peru, and formed a joint limited liability corporation (he writes and consults for the medical device industry). This year I’m giving back to the community by leading discussions on project management

28 \ re:Design In the Real World

Amii LaPointe, ‘00 care exhibited by the superb faculty. I also BSTC learned to keep things clear, concise and [email protected] lean—a great exercise not just in human Intranet Manager centered design, but in life as a whole. Northwestern Mutual As a side music project, I produce The I am in the process of managing and Fringemunks, who recap each episode leading a redesign of Northwestern of the FOX TV series Fringe with a song Mutual’s sales force corporate intranet. parody. It is a good exercise in music The goal of this project is to redesign the production/marketing, and has helped field-facing intranet to be field-centric by give my website a worldwide fanbase. I am using and applying usability best practices, also involved with the communications standards, and guidelines. The redesign ministry at my church. was driven by an extensive nationwide user research study. I enjoy educating coworkers about usability and applying my usability Sally Abolrous, ’01, ‘02 BSTC, MSTC knowledge/education to all aspects of my [email protected] work. I also really enjoy working on Search Engine Optimization and other User Experience Consultant (self-employed) opportunities which my degrees have afforded me both professionally and http://www.abolrous.com/sally personally. I was at T-Mobile for five years as a UX At UWTC I was given a solid foundation in a field that is narrow, but Manager, managing both interaction design broad enough to apply to pretty much any industry. I really appreciate and user research. I led the design efforts for that I was able to receive a formal education in human centered design in myFaves, messaging, Wave Hello, and other the College of Engineering. The human centered design certifications and T-Mobile applications. I enjoy every aspect degrees available outside of UW are not as rigorous as one needs to be a of the field I chose, from coming up with usability expert. Additionally, the UWTC faculty is top-notch and well new product ideas to sketching out designs respected in our industry. and testing with end users. I like to be part of the entire user-centered design process I received my Master’s in Technical Communication Management from and enjoy working with creative people with the goal of creating compelling Mercer University in Macon, GA in 2006, and will be celebrating my 12- and easy-to-use products for the end users. UX is a very rewarding career. year wedding anniversary in May. Whenever I design a good solution or discover and solve a design issue, I feel like I did a great thing (and I really did!). Jamie Myxter, ‘00 MSTC I love my TC education. I think that the TC courses really gave me a strong [email protected] foundation that allowed me to pursue any area I wanted to in UX, whether Consultant it’s user research, interaction design, visual design, or technical writing/ Precision Communications, Inc. editing. I also believe that strong writing skills, presentation skills, and http://www.precisioncommunications.org attention to detail are critical in any work environment.

I help groups improve their I left T-Mobile in December 2008 to pursue some freelance opportunities communication by watching leaders and and spend more time with my family. Craig and I had our second baby, groups change while trying different Sofia, on April 30, 2008. Dylan, her older brother, is now 2.5 years old, so behavior. Teaching ranks as my most we’re staying quite busy. significant and useful experience at UWTC, particularly experiential learning models and application. Scott Bush, ‘01 BSTC My first girlfriend in high school married me in December 2007, a full 20 [email protected] years after we dated. We hadn’t spoken in 15 years until she sent an email in Web Computing Specialist Office of the Registrar, University of Washington the summer. Some things take time. http://www.scottbush.net

David Wu, ‘00 I enjoy design in all its forms, and I often blog about that topic on my BSTC website. Before coming to UW, I managed Quadrant Homes’ corporate [email protected] website. Here at the Registrar’s office, I’ll be helping implement student Product Data Management Specialist web services as well as maintaining the Registrar’s web presence. I enjoy The Boeing Company identifying issues and finding innovative ways to resolve them, whether that http://DavidWuMusic.com innovation is through new technology, improved processes, or just a little cleverness. The new job has been a significant change. It’s a lucky one, too, Here in the “real world,” I enjoy every opportunity for victory and self- given the current economic conditions. improvement, whether that be in career, hobbies, or just in the process of keeping life balanced. At Boeing, I appreciate how integrity and quality are From my time at UWTC, I remember an adage from Professor David encouraged and expected in every aspect of what we do. Looking back at Farkas: “Leave your ego at the door.” I take that to mean what you do at my time in UWTC, I appreciate the interaction among students, and the work is for your employer, and any changes, criticism, or even praise should

re:Design \ 29 In the Real World

be seen through that lens. Be passionate, but don’t let that get in the way of Electronic Medical Record to better accommodate physicians’ workflows. I professionalism. love working on a high-profile project where the value of my work is really appreciated. Marita Stevens Graube, ’01, ‘08 Last year, I finished an MLIS degree from UW’s Information School and BSTC, MSTC [email protected] I finished an MBA at Portland State. My boyfriend and I are working on Principal refurbishing a run-down little house in a great neighborhood of Portland. Pixel Theory Inc. http://www.pixeltheoryinc.com

I’ve been working full time under my own company, mainly with biotech clients in the Seattle area. My projects include scientific and technical content development and design for brochures, posters, and websites. 2002–2003 Lately, I’ve applied my usability skills to work as the lead UX designer for a new web application at Merck. I really enjoyed the Master’s program at UWTC, and I use those skills in the real world every day. In my personal Tanner Taylor, ‘02 life, Dean and I married last September after ten years of dating. BSTC [email protected] Paula Roberts, ‘01 Technical Communications Specialist BSTC Expeditors [email protected] High School English Teacher In additional to traditional tech writing, Riverview School District I recently had the opportunity to work http://www.chs.riverview.wednet.edu/LanguageArts/Roberts/index.htm on a video for the IT department. The goal of the video was to give people in As a teacher, I am continually creating and our company (over 11,000 employees) modifying curricula. Unlike other subjects, a humorous glimpse into how the there is no “canned” curriculum. Students IT department functions, what some read novels, and I create the materials of the major projects are that we are and learning experiences that facilitate working on, and how the field will be comprehension and meaning. I also teach impacted and benefit from these efforts. writing—including grammar and sentence It was a challenging project because we diagramming—which requires weaving incorporated high definition video footage with PowerPoint and Flash together multiple curriculum sources. This animations to communicate the message. I learned a lot and hope to was the first year of a new year-long class work on similar projects in the future. I’m learning that I like video to focusing on American Literature. I have communicate a message, even though it can be more difficult. I’m also been working closely with my colleagues to working on collaborating with the Support department more so we can design a curriculum we’ll use in subsequent make sure they have the tools and information they need to efficiently years. Unfortunately, all the books are new answer questions from our customers. to me except one—Tennessee Williams’s play A Streetcar Named Desire—so I’ve had to do a lot of reading! I’ve continued to enjoy working at Expeditors because they’ve given me the opportunity to work on a variety of projects and initiatives, whereas at other I love the students and interacting with them on a daily basis! High school companies I might just work on Help documentation. I enjoy working with students are extremely funny and sweet. It helps that my sense of humor is other disciplines and using the skills I learned while at UWTC to come about as mature as theirs. I was hired the year I graduated by an engineering up with creative solutions for real problems that exist in the workplace. firm as a technical editor. While I loved the people I worked with, I didn’t UWTC gave me the foundation needed to excel in the “real world.” After find the work to be particularly rewarding. I went back to school and that, it was up to me to continue learning more about the TC discipline earned a MS in teaching; I’ve never looked back. and improve my skills.

I realize the path I chose after the program was not traditional, but I I got married in 2006, bought a townhome in 2007, and watched our couldn’t be happier! I use a great deal of what I learned in UWTC every home value decline in 2008. I’m taking a vacation to Cancun in 2009 to day. From Mary Coney, I learned how to teach grammar and the “objective forget it all! :) style.” From Judy Ramey, I learned how to analyze a student’s strengths and weaknesses, and provide the best possible learning experience. From Tom Michael LeBoeuf, ‘03 Williams, I learned how to design visuals that optimize mental processing. BSTC [email protected] Tristan Robinson, ‘01 Senior Systems Analyst MSTC Boston Scientific [email protected] Senior User Experience Engineer Since arriving at Boston Scientific, I have been tasked with reconfiguring GE Healthcare the DTD and FOSI files that drive our XML output to support additional languages, and redesign one of our product containers. My long term goal I’m running customer collaboration groups on a GE Healthcare project is to move our XML authoring environment from FOSI to XSL-FO. In my called “Physician Experience Initiative,” which aims to redesign our new role, I am directly responsible for designing and developing the systems

30 \ re:Design In the Real World

architecture that our team of 25 writers Rachelle Vela Rabago, ‘03 depend on each day to quickly create and BSTC generate their technical content. [email protected] Product Manager One thing UWTC best prepared me for ATT Interactive was working with diverse groups of people while delivering my writing projects. I work I’ve been working on Sales-facing software development, Yellowpages.com with software developers, business analysts, Online Product Management, writing software specifications, User Interface, regulatory personnel, and engineers. Project Planning, and Technical Writing. I enjoy actually using what I Each group has its own culture and set of learned in school in my job! I didn’t understand before why the curriculum priorities. Trying to persuade each group on was so diverse; now I know that when managing projects you have to know why our department provides value in the everything from writing to research to designing to development! I appreciate engineering process is sometimes difficult, the professors, the research and reading, and the projects at UWTC! I have but without the ability to work with them and provide support for our used everything I have learned and expanded on it. writers, our projects would certainly cause delays in the process. Now that In my personal life, our second baby boy was born in August 2008. I’m in the “real world,” I enjoy reading about former students and how the department has continued to evolve and provide students with the necessary tools for entering the post-college world.

I recently married my fiancee Jessica March 14, 2009, in Minneapolis, MN.

Merlla McLaughlin, ‘03 2004–2005 MSTC [email protected] Senior Business Process Analyst Jay Barker, ‘04 T-Mobile USA BSTC [email protected] In the past couple of months, I’ve been implementing MOSS 2007 Consultant SharePoint for our library users and converting their process document Slalom Consulting development into it. I’m the process librarian/change manager for Business http://www.jbarker.com Operations, and on an ongoing basis, I manage change to process documents. I really like mentoring peers and library users as writers. I also appreciate the I’ve been creating a software platform for a lead-generation company that value of supporting best practices through documentation. At UWTC, I helps prospective students find educational programs. I’m glad when I can gained many specific skills, but also the general skill to abstract information build user experiences that delight customers. In the undergraduate TC in order to analyze it. In the “real world,” I love being able to pay the bills. I’ve program, we learned to focus our work for the audience, the customer. also been discovering the richness of coworkers’ experience and knowledge. As That perspective has been especially valuable in my pursuits at work and a result, I’ve enjoyed forming a wide variety of work relationships. elsewhere.

My stepdaughter moved out on her own recently, so my husband and I are Mary Deaton, ‘04 “empty-nesters,” although we see more of her now than when she still lived MSTC, Certificate of Technical Writing and Editing, User-Centered Design with us! Black, fuzzy Riser dog (whose picture stayed up on the break room Certificate bulletin board for a few years) finally passed away, but our young hound [email protected] mix Willow amazes us daily with her capacity to snuggle and willingness to User Experience Specialist (self-employed) please. In another lifetime, I would train her as a rescue dog. http://www.mmdeaton.com In June 2008, I was elected as Manager of the Society for Technical Connie Missimer, ‘03 Communications Usability and User Experience Community. The MSTC community has over 2,000 members. In this economy, having a network [email protected] to learn from, get support from, and perhaps get job leads from, is worth User Researcher the cost of membership. I launched a manager’s blog to fill the news void Microsoft between quarterly newsletters and set up a Twitter that follows all of the I’ve been working on multi-touch, pen, and other very cool features for UX Rock stars. It is tempting to spend more time blogging and tweeting Windows 7. I enjoy coming up with new insights from the data and than doing work for clients. Additionally, it was exciting to work with the sharing them with my teams. At UWTC, Erin Schultz’s class on research International Institute for AIDS Vaccine this year; I designed and facilitated methods gave tremendous insight into the ways you can investigate a remote usability testing of their redesigned site. The biggest challenge was problem and the data required. Now that I’m in the “real world,” I enjoy including participants in Africa and other countries where Internet access is the independence. On a side note, our daughter started her freshman year limited and, as we found out, not very stable. at UW! I enjoy working for myself, working part time, not working in the summer Fourth edition of Good Arguments, published by Prentice-Hall. Featured on and moving to my house in the mountains to garden, and the checks from Microsoft’s website during women’s history month http://www.microsoft. clients. As for being in the “real world,” the whole world is real, even grad com/about/diversity/women. school. But the part of the world that is not grad school pays much better.

re:Design \ 31 In the Real World

Kathryn Grainger, ‘04 Craig A. Allen, ‘05 BSTC MSTC [email protected] [email protected] IBM Desk Developer http://www.ibm.com/software/data/infosphere/warehouse/ UBS

I’ve been leading the InfoSphere Warehouse information development I currently work as a desk developer for the Interest Rate Derivatives team as we expand our product to support additional data servers and trading desk at UBS’ Investment Bank in Tokyo. In my job I work closely integrate with other IBM solutions. Our team is mainly based out of Silicon with Interest Rate Derivative traders to analyze their risk, profit and loss, Valley, but we also have team members in Germany, India, and China. It’s pricing, etc., and build tools to help them trade more efficiently. I recently been great working with information developers and product developers completed a three-year post-graduate program in Finance, earning a around the world. I love working with such a dynamic and diverse team. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. I also studied a shorter Telecommuting full-time has allowed me the flexibility to communicate program in Financial Risk Management and Mathematical Finance, all of with my global team and maintain work/life balance. Working on class which helped me obtain the job. projects in groups readied us to take on the leadership that’s required when you get out into the “real world.” I’m very excited about the department name change as I believe it much better reflects what I actually studied while at UWTC. I would like to Cory R. King, ‘04 thank UW HCDE for the Master’s degree, the computer programming BSTC, User-Centered Design Certificate skills, and the introduction to IBM, all of which helped me get started. [email protected] My advice to students: the two most important things for your career Founder are finding something you are very interested in so that you can be fully Mozi Media Group, LLC. devoted to it, and building a strong network in your area of interest. http://www.coryking.com Shirin (Tabrizi) McConaghy, ‘05 I’ve been working on contract jobs for various websites and clients, as BSTC well as on Mozicode, a web publishing toolkit that makes community [email protected] easy. I enjoy finishing a project then looking at what was there before and Media Specialist wondering how anybody managed to use the old design. After taking Tom Microsoft Williams’s Visual Media class, I now critique pretty much every sign I see. For example, if I was taking that class now and we were going over icons, I love client interaction. I work with about I’d bring in a snapshot of those “Traffic Light Photo Enforced” signs. 60 different advertisers. Each of them Personally, I think the picture of the old-school camera is too detailed and has a different business model, different cultural for most people. On the other hand the tiny new no-parking signs priorities, and different goals. That keeps with no writing on them are pretty well designed—they are even, dare I say, things interesting and keeps me on my cute. toes. Being in the “real world” means new, unexpected challenges all the time. As soon Now that I’m in the “real world,” I appreciate the ability to work full-time, as you think things have calmed down, and that there are no tests to study for. Also, we recently re-graveled our fish something new pops up—especially in this tank—pretty exciting! economic environment. Honestly, having a BS really means a lot in the real world. Even Raina Richart, ‘04 if you are not in a technical role, having that BSTC background/experience creates instant credibility in my industry. [email protected] Consultant I got married in August of 2008 to Brian McConaghy. It was a spectacular The Mosaic Company day that I won’t forget.

Alex Thayer, ‘04 Ariel van Spronsen, ‘05 BSTC, MSTC, User-Centered Design Certificate MSTC [email protected] [email protected] User Experience Architect I think all of the time I spent with the ZAAZ faculty and staff at UWTC was well worth http://www.zaaz.com it. I learned something new every day from each person I interacted with, and I At ZAAZ I work on multiple projects and enjoy missed that experience after graduating. So getting to think in diverse ways. Most recently I I’m starting in the HCDE PhD program, completed the redesign for www.becu.org. I love which is very exciting. I’ll be trying to problem solving with other creative passionate balance work, school, and life outside of minds. A room, a whiteboard, and a few brainy both. I expect to have plenty of free time. folks is heaven for me. It always comes back to Otherwise, I enjoy the lack of homework audience and purpose, and that is fundamental to and the fact that I no longer need to sell any design endeavor. I always bring our work back my possessions on eBay to survive in the to this and it really helps to focus. Puget Sound area. I moved back to Capitol Hill, and the return to a walking neighborhood has been such a great quality of life improvement! 32 \ re:Design In the Real World

I appreciate the variety of ideas we were exposed to in UWTC. The program offered both breadth and depth. In several of my classes, we were 2006–2008 assigned projects for which we chose the subject, so it could be very relevant to our real lives and something we were innately interested in.

Christal Jenkins, ‘06 The professors in the UW Master’s program were passionate about their BSTC field and our learning, and the students were incredibly intelligent and [email protected] interesting. Product Manager Nuance Communications, Inc Feiya Wang, ‘06 BSTC While working at Nuance, I have [email protected] worked on many user design and Technical Communications Specialist experience research projects all over Expeditors International of WA, Inc. the world in addition to designing http://www.feiyawang.com marketing and sales collateral and developing core product strategy and I really enjoy the amount of control I initiatives. Aside from my work as a have over all of the help documentation product manager and entrepreneur, at Expeditors. The variety in what I do I have written my first inspirational every week is what keeps it interesting. book, Discovering the True Love Within—Uncovering a Secret Never Meant to In May 2009 I married Zachary Cook. be Kept Unknown, which will be released in bookstores this year. The second For our honeymoon we went to Jamaica. book is in the works. :)

I currently own two other businesses. Soulful Designs, LLC is a design Ario Jafarzadeh, ‘07 solutions firm that does consulting, design, and maintenance for businesses, BSTC community organizations, and academic institutions. The other business I [email protected] Interaction Designer am partnering in is a company called “My 3D Yearbook.” We design online Google Inc. interactive flash yearbooks with audio and video capabilities for schools. http://cerealrobots.com, http://toolbar.google.com, http://google.com/chrome The company will be launching this year. I love traveling around the world to work with customers and end users to determine what aspects of our I’ve worked on Google Toolbar as the UX products best meet their needs. I also enjoy working with all facets of the lead and Google Chrome as the designer on organization to drive the product strategy and key marketing initiatives the New Tab Page feature. I love collaborating that help our product grow within the marketplace. I enjoy that there are with engineers and brainstorming solutions no bounds to success. What I put into it is what I get out of it! There are so to thorny UX challenges, and am hoping to many opportunities for personal and professional growth. :) ship a new and exciting project in the coming months! I enjoy applying knowledge I gained At UWTC, I learned that it’s okay to think beyond what has been given to in the TC program to “real world” projects and you or what is written. I learned that we are the bridge between technology passing it along to others. and the world. We must think beyond the scope and be effective in our communication and design. This educational influence has supported me in I think the diversity of subjects is key to my personal and professional endeavors. The world is yours for the taking. UWTC. At the time, it wasn’t apparent how a background in rhetoric may come in handy on the job, but it’s amazing Lori Salmonsen, ‘06 how helpful some of those introductory courses were. In particular, I refer MSTC back to things I learned in Tom Williams’s visual systems class and Beth [email protected] Kolko’s CMC class. The best is yet to come! :) Curriculum Developer Vertafore Steve Lappenbusch, ‘07 http://www.amsservices.com/readyspot MSTC, HCDE PhD Candidate [email protected] I’ve been working on the Ready SPOT, Solutions Consultant which is a web-based training course LexisNexis Risk & Information Analytics Group that introduces new users to our AMS http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevelappenbusch 360 software application. It can be viewed on the Vertafore website. I’ve also I just finished site visits to every field office for the Washington State been developing application training Division of Child Support Enforcement. I collaborated with the senior for Vertafore end users, including ILT support enforcement officers to generate a statewide workflow for DCS. We curriculum and web-based training, will use this to find points where we can improve their system’s performance evaluating LMS tools, and creating in getting kids and parents the money they need. Every once in awhile I get templates for our trainers and others to use. I enjoy designing information to be at the desk of an investigator who learns something critical about their and graphics that are aesthetically pleasing and easy for the user to subject through Lexis services. understand, seeing opportunities where I can make something better and At UWTC, I’ve gained the ability to formally define and describe different taking the initiative to make it happen, and completing my work in visual ways people interact with technology. And I’m not actually in the “real formats such as workbooks and online training. world” yet. I’m still working on my PhD, so I’m half-in, half-out. re:Design \ 33 In the Real World

Sean Norsworthy, ‘07 Diana Widjaja, ‘08 BSTC BSTC [email protected] [email protected] IT Specialist Content Specialist Weyerhaeuser CBS Interactive http://www.dianawidjaja.com I’ve had three different positions in my professional career. First I was a I work with the ZDNetasia.com production tech writer, then I was an e-business team where I manage the content development analyst, and now I’m a system engineer and localization of online campaigns for Asia specializing in platform support for Pacific. Topics revolve around server and Business Intelligence and other IT storage systems, software, and IT management applications, where I provide ongoing issues. support of existing applications and implementation of new ones.

We’re currently busy getting a new release of Business Objects ready for production use. I enjoy the opportunities and continual learning. You can Lorie Whitaker, ‘08 spend a lifetime learning and not even scratch the surface of all there is to MSTC know. It’s exciting being new to your career and not knowing what [email protected] you’ll be doing in 10, 20, or 30 years. I recently got back from a trip Usability Analyst to China. I wish I could travel more! Usability Sciences I have conducted usability studies for a variety of clients including: Charles Claxton, ‘08 American Heart Association, Sony, Dell, Grainger, Eli Lilly, NineWest, MSTC ScottTrade, Bayer, and Capital One. I still get a kick out of seeing [email protected] participants using a site or product for the first time. I’m intrigued when Principal/Director of Information Architecture Produxs users do something in a way different than I would, and I immediately start asking them questions about it! I feel fortunate that I can do this http://www.produxs.com for a living. I enjoy talking with my colleagues about usability and some I specialize in information architecture and user experience design of the harder tests they have run and how they went about gathering the for web-based applications, and have more than 11 years of defining, information they needed. designing, and delivering interactive experiences for end-user consumer I really appreciated being around so many UX professionals during my time products and corporate audiences. Throughout my career, and further in class. They always added a “real world” feel to class discussions and now enhanced by my studies, I have built a deep understanding of user-centered that I’m a UXer myself I really miss some of their insights! I graduated in design methodologies and cultivated an ability to facilitate seamless Spring 2008 and took a usability analyst position with Usability Sciences product introduction and integration. I enjoy taking projects from ideas in Dallas, Texas. I drove 2,300 miles to my new job and started the week through fruition and have had the good fortune to play leading roles in after July 4th. I’m renting a house now and have planted my first vegetable several successful product development initiatives with industry-leading garden! organizations.

I am currently a partner at Produxs, where we provide strategy, design, and marketing for interactive products, platforms, and applications. We

offer UX design, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, eCommerce, Affiliate Marketing, Analytics, and Social Networking. We focus on measurable outcomes and offer specific expertise in transactional optimization.

34 \ re:Design Donors Thank You to Our Generous Donors! compiled by Kate Long

Individual Donors

Mr. Daniel Ahlstrom and Ms. Roxane Neal Prof. and Mrs. David K. Farkas Anette E. and Patrick R. Olney Mr. Peter N. Allison Mr. and Mrs. Rey Ganir Bernard C. Ortman, R. Ph. Dr. and Mrs. Paul V. Anderson Ms. Linda D. Gault Mr. and Mrs. Mark S. Parris Mr. Wesley A. Bafus Mr. and Mrs. J. David Gilmore Ms. Anna L. Parsons Ms. Shalina S. Bajracharya Mr. Eli B. Goldberg Mr. and Ms. Robert W. Pendle Mr. Jay C. Barker Ms. Lynn D. Gottlieb Ms. Pondra Perkins and Mr. Scott Roesch Ms. Annalise M. Beck Ms. Marita A. Graube Mr. and Mrs. Glenn J. Pruiksma Ms. Christina S. Bottomley Prof. Mark P. and Dr. Jodie K. Haselkorn Prof. Judith A. Ramey Suzanne G. Brainard, PhD Mr. Jonathan P. Hoerlein Mr. Michael D. Rathjen Mr. Fred March and Ms. Rebecca Bryson Ms. Stephanie L. Hoerlein Ms. Wairnola M. Rhodriquez Mr. Mike and Ms. Shawna Burkey Ms. Eileen Shan-lin Hsu Mr. Scott Roesch and Ms. Pondra Perkins Ms. Dale P. Callison Mr. Noah Iliinsky Ms. Donna Sakson and Mr. Jonathan Mark Ms. Monica Carstens Ms. Christal Maria-Nicol Jenkins Mr. Mark M. Shimizu John Alvin A. Castro Mr. and Mrs. John F. Kasonic Mr. Kent Sullivan and Ms. Julie Solon Mr. and Mrs. Carl S. Chatfield Mr. and Mrs. James R. Kasper Dr. Jan and Dr. Dimitri Spyridakis Dr. Deborah Woo-Chinn and Mr. Darryl Chinn Ms. Marie H. Kotowski Mr. Gerald M. Tennery Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Cook Ms. Yen B. Lam Mr. Matthew P. Tevenan Mr. and Mrs. Monty L. Correll Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lashley Prof. and Mrs. Michio Tsutsui Mr. and Mrs. Stanton L. Cox Mr. and Mrs. Donald W. McKee Mr. Gordon M. Turner Mr. Matthew E. Dallas Ms. Ellen M. McKinney Mrs. Julianne Versnel Ms. Toni K. Davis Ms. Ann E. Miller Ms. Feiya Wang Mr. and Mrs. Scott De Ridder Mr. Daniel Ahlstrom and Ms. Roxane Neal Ms. Carolyn Wei and Mr. John Gleichman Mr. Duncan West and Ms. Mary Deaton Mr. Christopher M. Niccoli Mr. Thomas T. Wilson Ms. Mary Deaton and Mr. Duncan West Mr. Sean T. Norsworthy

Corporate Donors

Battelle Memorial Institute InfoSpace, Inc. Sorenson Communications The Boeing Company McKesson HBOC Foundation, Inc. Schwab Fund for Charitable Giving The Borman Family Foundation Microsoft Corporation Veratect Corporation Center for Humanitarian Cooperation Nintendo of America, Inc. VillageReach Citi Global Impact Funding Trust Parametrix, Inc. Wells Fargo Foundation Google Inc. RealNetworks Foundation

re:Design \ 35 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED