Hi my name is Levi McCusker I am a UX professional based in Sydney Australia

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Levi McCusker
UX Researcher

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Hello, my name is Levi McCusker. I am a User Experience Researcher based in Sydney, Australia.
I help creative and technology teams succeed by acting as the voice for the user at various stages in the product
development cycle.
I enjoy using evidence based methodologies grounded in science to help to create great user experiences!
Who am I?
“If the user can’t use it, it doesn’t work” – Susan Dray

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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My
Background
Experienced researcher.
UX Insights
Communicator.
Interests & Experience
Consumer Research Manager
2014 - 2015
Research Analyst – Human Computer
Interaction
2010 - 2014
Human Systems Group (Industry
placement) - Consultant
2013
Research Associate – Human
Computer Interaction
2008 - 2010

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Communicating
Insights
Journey mapping,
personas, basic
sketches, analytics,
presentations, reports,
stakeholder
engagement.
Unlocking User
Experiences
Knowledge of & ability
to execute a wide
variety of UX Research
Methods (Qualitative &
Quantitative)
Project
Management
End to End creation
and execution of UX
research programs
Variety of User
Platforms
Experience with Tablet,
Mobile and Web
technology in various
user contexts.
Agile
Environments
Working with multi-
disciplinary teams,
often as sole UX
Research Expert.
Skills Summary

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Understanding the Users
and their World
Discovery Phase
Testing the Experiences and
the Products Users Interact
With
User Testing
Research Methods
I have applied various research techniques in project work across the two main functions of UX Research

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Interviews
Surveys
Ethnography
Task Analysis
Diary Studies
Discovery Phase
Building an in-depth understanding of the User and the Context of User Experiences
Interviews and Workshops /
Surveys
Engaging with users in a variety of contexts
to collect data on needs, attitudes and
behaviours
Ethnographic Methods
Contextual Enquiry, Shadowing, Time in
Motion Analysis. Watching users perform
tasks with/without technology to understand
how they work and live
Task Analysis
Breaking down tasks into minute details to
identify areas where potential products may
be able to improve user experience. E.g.
Hierarchical Tasks Analysis, Applied
Cognitive Task Analysis
Diary Studies
Collecting data from people’s
experiences as they go about their daily
lives and determine where potential
products may help in their tasks
Journey Maps
Visual story-telling of a user’s perspective
of an experience
Personas / User Stories
Communicating the needs, goals,
thoughts, feelings, opinions and
expectations of key users
Data Reports
Summaries of any additional relevant data
to assist product development
Timelines
How and when tasks are performed and
the steps required.
Methods Example Outputs

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Jakob Nielsen principles based UI
Review. – I usually record using
screen capture software or POV /
Camera behind head
Designing questionnaires,
recruiting participants, online and
phone interviews, analysing survey
and other forms of quant data and
generating insight reports.
Incorporating Task Performance
metrics into user testing. Designing
and conducting Eye-Tracking
studies. Measuring Situation
Awareness and Mental Workload
while using technology
Heuristic
Evaluation
Quantitative Data
Objective
Measures
User Workshops, Single User Test
Sessions, Scenario Based
Analysis, User Diaries,
Ethnographic Methods
User Testing
Methods
User Testing
Understanding thoughts, attitudes and behaviours towards a specific product

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Note: As I spent 3.5 years working with Australia’s Defence Force, names of technology and some user descriptions have
been altered to maintain security and to ensure I do not breach NDAs.
Usability
Evaluation of a
UAV Control
System
Project Shadow
Tablet, Mobile
and Web on the
Battlefield
Battle Apps
Development of
an Electronic
Patient
Information
Sharing Tool
Clinical Handover
In-Cabin Train
Signaling
System
Train Radio
Case Studies

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Problem
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) procured a UAV for
operational use in the Middle East. The UAV had 2
separate control systems: Ground (GCS) and Portable
(PCS). The PCS (not seen in picture) had not been fully
tested for operational readiness from a usability
perspective on certain key mission tasks.
Objective
To determine if a selection of tasks that could be
performed on the GCS could be safely and effectively
performed using the PCS in an operational environment.
What I did
I was the sole usability researcher on the evaluation
team (there were various engineers in the team).
Understanding the Users
• Learn context from expert (trainers) and novice
(trainees) users
• Task analysis
• Cognitive walkthroughs
• Depth interviews
Testing the Interface
• Examine the interface myself
• Heuristic Review
• Watch it in use Ethnography / Shadowing
• Observed users performing missions (with various tasks and
scenarios generated from previous user interviews) in an
operational environment (the middle of the desert)
• Post mission interviews
• Quantitative measures
• User satisfaction scales
• Objective task performance (speed and accuracy)
Project Shadow
User Testing for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)!

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Outcome
After working with
Product Developers to
initiate user driven
changes the UAV was
declared safe for
operational use!
Project Shadow
Insights Provided to Developers
• User Satisfaction Ratings
• Interview Summaries
• User Stories
• Report from Heuristic Evaluation
• Performance Feedback
Recommendations
• Worked with developers
to make UI changes
• Finalised lists of tasks
that could be safely
performed using PCS
Example of Outputs and Outcomes for the Project
Mock Information Flow Chart for a Communication Task while
Piloting a UAV - Similar to what would have been provided to
client

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
PageBattle Apps
2 Stage Long-Term Project focusing on Developing User Requirements, Evaluating Prototypes
Multiple Projects – Slides contain 1 example of a sub-project of each type
Problem
Provide expert UX Research support to the Australian Army across a suite of applications as
part of the procurement process.
Approach
The approach consisted of two elements:
1. Development of User Requirements
2. Usability Assessment or User Testing
During Procurement Cycle
Objective
The Australian Army (Army HQ) want to procure the best technology for all of their employees.
They want to incorporate the needs of the user as much as possible during procurement.

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Objective
Ensure ADF has the best possible knowledge of user
requirements across a variety of work environments to enhance
the effectiveness of the technology procurement process.
Project Example – Information Management in a Multiple-
Screen Environment (UAV Operations)
What I did
Engaged with users to determine the optimal operating
environment (in terms of number of screens and information on
screen) to minimise workload and maximise efficiency for UAV
pilots.
Methodology
• Designed an experiment to determine optimal number of screens for key
UAV tasks
• Interviewed key Subject Matter Experts within UAV operators and
conducted Task Analysis to ensure realistic scenarios in experiment
• Users performed realistic scenarios in simulated environment (of
either 1, 2, 3 or 5 screens) and recorded using video and eye-
tracking equipment
• Objective task performance data was collected
• Subjective satisfaction scores and user interviews debriefing on
scenarios and experimental conditions were collected
Outcome
Presentation and written report delivered to Army HQ (3 screens
were the optimal condition) highlighting information
management requirements of UAV users.
1. Developing Requirements
Working with user groups to develop requirements for any potential new technologies – Example Project: UAV Pilots

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Objective
Conduct usability assessments of various products during the ADF
procurement cycle.
Project Example: Digital Co-ordination of Aerial Bombardment
What I did
Aerial bombardment of targets can be coordinated by troops on the ground,
usually by “talking on” an aircraft onto the target. The ADF wanted to test a
software platform that digitises this process.
I travelled to the USA for a military exercise on a team as the sole usability
expert. I conducted a usability evaluation using the following
methodologies:
To Understand the Users
• Depth interviews with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
• Included task analysis of “talking on” process as it was before digitisation
• Observed users performing “talking on” process without computer to
understand existing practices
To Test the Prototype
• Cognitive Walkthrough (Task Analysis) of UI with SMEs (both novice and
expert user)
• Shadowed the users as they performed “talking on” process with the new
technology
• Conducted follow up interviews and collected user satisfaction data
Outcome
Presentation and written report delivered to Army HQ on the operational
viability of software. Recommendations used to decide not to proceed with
purchase of relevant software until usability requirements were met.
2. Assessing Prototypes
Usability Assessments of prototypes during the procurement lifecycle. Example project: Digital Co-ordination of Aerial Bombardment
Mock user interview summary – Similar to output
from project

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Problem:
Emergency Department Doctors in a South Australian hospital were complaining about how the handover of patient
information from night shift to day shift (and vice versa) was time consuming and error prone.
The South Australian Government commissioned the development of an electronic tool to assist information sharing at shift
handover. My role was to ensure that the end users (i.e. Emergency Department Doctors) were engaged in the development
and testing phase of the tool.
Clinical Handover
Developing a tool to help Emergency Department Doctors Share Patient Information

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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• Interviewed potential users (identify the basic
tasks)
• Shadowed potential users on an overnight
shift
• Time in Motion Analysis (how long to perform
basic information entry tasks and end of shift
handover)
Understanding the Users Testing the Prototype
Clinical Handover
User Interviews & Ethnography (Shadowing and a Time in Motion Study) were conducted pre and post implementation of a prototype Clinical Handover Tool
• Prototype developed with end-user insights
from initial phase
• We then shadowed users of the prototype on
an overnight shift
• Time in Motion Analysis (how long to perform
basic information entry tasks and end of shift
handover) using the prototype tool
Outcome:
Effective incorporation of user research into the project resulted high levels of user satisfaction with the prototype during testing phase. Time in Motion and
Shadowing analysis demonstrated reduced workload and greater accuracy and efficiency amongst users both for inputting information during shift and the
coordination of end of shift information handover.
Mock Time in Motion Study summary – Similar to
output from project
Mock User Persona – Similar to output from project

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Problem
UGL wanted to implement a digital in-cabin signaling system for use by train drivers
and guards. They had been met with verbal resistance from target users during
initial discussions. They requested a clear program of user research to ensure
effective development of user requirements and enable user buy-in throughout the
product development process.
Train Radio
Usability Evaluation of a Digital Train Radio System.
Approach
I designed a two-stage process of research.
Discovery
• Interviews with both expert and novice level Train Drivers and Guards
• Task Analysis (ACTA) of key tasks to identify where a digital solution could be
most useful and receive most positive reception
Testing
• Workshops incorporating Scenario Based Testing for Drivers and Guards
• User Satisfaction Surveys
• Interface Walkthroughs

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Personas, User Stories, User Journeys
Understanding the Users
Workshops, User Testing Sessions,
Usability Scales (e.g. System
Usability Scale)
Testing the Prototype
Train Radio
Mock Examples of Work

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
PagePast Clients
A brief snapshot of some of the clients I have worked with in the past from both the Private and Public Sectors

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Levi McCusker UX Researcher
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Get in Touch!
https://twitter.com/LeviMcCusker
0434415799
levi.mccusker@gmail.com
http://au.linkedin.com/in/levimccusker
Thank You
I know you’re busy so thank you for taking the time to check this out!