Samples of my recent work in UX

1. Karl G Vochatzer
karl.vochatzer@gmail.com
(512) 940 9392

2. Two decades of user-centered design utilizing broad expertise in research, design and evaluation
Emphasis on Browser-based and Windows-based enterprise-level applications
Working within Agile and interdisciplinary teams, start ups, large enterprise, consultancy, agency, and freelance
Founded upon research design methodology in Experimental Cognitive Psychology (MS degree)

3. User-centered iterative methods and techniques
◦Focus on actual users of the product and the tasks they do
Adaptive and evolving versus rigid and static
◦Suiting long or short time frames with full or light resources
Accommodates business needs, goals and outcomes
Involves:
◦Discovery Research and Ideation
◦Information Architecture and Interaction Design
◦Feedback, Evaluation and Iterative Redesign

5. The product
◦A data center application to gather, store and manage software update files and packages for all data center and client hardware
My role
◦The sole UX Designer, Researcher and Usability Engineer within an Agile development process
Challenges
◦Create new UX framework to eliminate design issues and solve usability problems while incorporating new business goals while reusing as much legacy code as possible for maximum efficiency

6. My high-level DESIGN APPROACH
◦Win over product owner, development lead and whole team
◦Assess issues and brainstorm solutions
◦Gather insights through user-based research studies and customer site visits
◦Iterate on the UX design framework by usability testing and validating design direction with existing users
◦Adapt to unexpected changes in direction, requirements and scope
◦Collaborate on new visual design style to complement my design, information architecture, and page-by-page layout
◦Exit: Leave team with a design direction

7. Snapshots of the LEGACY VERSION
◦Lots of room for improvement
The starting point of the app
An opened repository
A task wizard

8. Some ISSUES to resolve in old version:
◦Separate versions for data center hardware (server, storage and network) and client (laptop and PC)
◦No central storage of repositories (no database)
◦No clear starting point for the user
◦Poor layout and organization of interface elements
◦Lack of object and visual consistency
◦Filter pane issues
Always present even when nothing to filter
Poorly associated with objects being filtered
Often mistaken as navigation

9. First steps, some IDEATION:
◦Early whiteboard sketches of possible concepts and solutions
The beginning of something…
… that continued to evolve

10. Next, gather USER INSIGHTS through user studies
◦Results redirected team plans and ideas
◦Maximized success by involving team members
A page from my focus group results that tested assumptions and informed design

11. Define INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE for the Dev Team
A page from my high-level design doc that structured the app and guided sprint planning

12. WIREFRAME mockups:
◦Iterate on UX design as new insights learned, requirements and platform are set (and changed)
Snapshot views of my design as it evolved into a final design framework

13. DEMONSTRATE elemental changes from the old version to the new
A page from my documentation defining the refactoring of the UX

14. Refine the design based upon USABILITY RESULTS
(both quantitatively and qualitatively)
A page from my results presentation of an 8-participant usability test

15. COLLABORATE on visual design from layout to branding
A page from my wireframe…
… and the Visual Designer’s final treatment

16. ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT during sprint demos/reviews
◦Catch errant implementation during build releases and reiterate the design intentions
A page from my sprint review

17. ADAPT to new requirements and changes
◦A new Welcome page introduced users to the new version
A page from my UX design wireframe addendum

18. INVESTING in the future of the Repository Manager
◦Although reassigned to support other Dell products, I left the team with design direction for future improvements
Pages from my sketch notebook for the team’s next release

19. A success story:
◦Downloads went up 250% from the previous version
Second highest application download rate at Dell
◦Highly rated by customers
Qualitative feedback that it’s “much cleaner and easier to navigate” than previous versions

20. What worked well?
◦A good user experience design process
That included identifying problems, gathering insights with users, devising solutions, iteratively mocking-up and testing designs with users, and staying involved throughout the whole development life cycle to maintain the integrity of the design
◦Conducting research with the team’s involvement
That led to team cohesion and cooperation (i.e., less time justifying design and more time refining and implementing it)
◦Co-location within the marketing and development team
That facilitated close communication, shared vision, collaborative ideation and problem-solving

21. Lessons learned
◦Executives throw some wicked curve balls!
Expect the unexpected through strategic planning and prioritization
Fortunately, the requirements and the design held their integrity when an Executive mandate significantly scaled back the scope of the new version
◦Account Executives are guarded about their customers
When access to users at customer sites is essential for gaining insights, requirements and validating designs (and when is it not?!), win over AE’s early because old habits of guarded mistrust die hard and can slow down or block some of the feedback loops with users
Fortunately, I conducted ample research during the Agile Planning process with some key stakeholders and users

23. Dell Advanced Infrastructure Manager
◦Company acquired by Dell
◦Browser-based application to manage data center infrastructure (e.g., unified resource management, disaster recovery, failover protection and workload migration)
My Role
oUsability Program Steward of the acquisition
Challenges
◦Execute on a usability plan at a tactical and strategic level to alleviate usability problems and to refactor it into the Dell Enterprise family of products and brand

24. Conduct design reviews
◦Review evolving development builds for design issues and provide solutions to them
A page from my UX design review

25. Manage the usability process
◦Formulate plan of action for research and usability
The introduction to my usability research plan for the project

26. Facilitate brainstorm sessions
◦Concept ideation through team brainstorming
The session yields a dashboard concept for more exploration

27. Results
◦90% success rate of implementing usability solutions to improve the user experience of AIM
◦Kick-started the research process that led to the final designs of dashboard interfaces across all enterprise apps

29. Company acquired by Dell
Stand-alone software:
◦Browser-based application for back up, replication and recovery of enterprise data utilizing hardware systems across vendors
◦My role as Usability Program Steward
Establish a process of usability testing to uncover issues and to plan for future road map solutions
Appliance product:
◦The browser-based application modified and bundled with Dell hardware as an appliance
◦My role as UX Designer
Modify existing application by integrating new requirements for configuring the appliance system and provisioning storage

30. Dell AppAssureStand-alone Software
◦Conduct usability evaluations
A page from my usability test results presentation

31. Dell AppAssureStand-alone Software
◦Communicate detailed results for more in-depth analysis
A table of detailed results from my usability test presentation

32. Dell AppAssureAppliance
◦Design appliance specific GUI and define its behaviors
A page out of my annotated UX design wireframe for provisioning appliance storage

34. Create proof of concepts as research tools
A snapshot from my UX storyboard for testing a new product idea

35. Serve as a process leader within UX
◦Addressing variations in testing procedures within the department
A page from my presentation establishing a unified methodology

36. My detailed annotations of designs at LSI (circa 2008)
A page from my design specification for improving a storage application

37. iChimeInstant Messenger for the i-Opener Internet device (circa 2000)
◦The challenge: How to handle multiple IM sessions into a single-window interface [NOTE: I may have been the first to design IM conversations into a tabbed interface. Prior to iChime, all IM apps at that time used separate windows for individual conversations.]
My initial sketch of the i-Chime interface
My functional flow diagram

38. What a few colleagues have to say about working with me
◦Ray Hebert –Sr. Product Marketing at Dell
“As the Product Manager for a product that has a dated look and feel, it is always good to have someone on your team that hasthe experience and knowledge to lead the development of a new User Interface with an eye towards making the product more intuitive for the end user. Karl stepped in and took control, without his leadership the product would not be half as user friendly as it is now.”
◦Brian Taylor –Sr. UX Researcher and Designer at Dell
“Karl is a talented and highly knowledgeable user experience designer and researcher. As a colleague, Karl was skillful at developing and executing a user research strategy, interpreting the results, and creating impressive designs and well-thought out research read-outs. We worked together on several programs Dell, and I always enjoyed Karl's passionate and collaborative approach to improving the usability of even the most complex products.”
◦Jenny Loza–Principal UX Architect at Eucalyptus Systems
“Karl is a dedicated and passionate UX designer who works hard to achieve designs that are both easy to implement and easy to use. He works well in collaborative atmospheres and has an easygoing personality that makes him a pleasure to be around everyday. He was able to quickly grasp the intricacies of designing for a complex technology like RAID storage and turn out simpleyet meaningful designs. I would not hesitate to hire Karl to work on any UX design project.”
◦Matthew Weprin–Sr. UX Designer at HP
“Working at LSI (and prior at Prudential) with Karl I found him as a person with great skills and deep proficiency of UX and Human Factors. Karl is one of the most valuable people I have ever met and the second organization working with Karl. Insightful, result driven, user oriented and efficient designer -that's him! Loyal, honest, precise and great team player whom you can always trust. It's amazing to work with such a wonderful person and I was lucky enough to do so twice.”
◦Amy Van Wyngarden–Marketing & Customer Experience Consultant
“Working in a startup environment with Karl, I saw him deal very well with change, ambiguity, and aggressive deadlines. No matter how challenging the situation, Karl remained composed, professional and committed. And, he readily stepped up to take on more work and responsibilities. Regarding his approach to his work, he was very methodical and thorough despite the time constraints. The end results were always solid and based in sound UI principles. Karl is a great communicator and collaborator so working with him was always a pleasure. I would welcome the opportunity to work with Karl again.”