User Experience Architect

The UX Architect/ UI Designer will be creating instinctive, practical, scalable, visually appealing, user-centric RIAs, while working with internal and external clients to develop meaningful interactive experiences. This role requires strategic thinking and acute communication with all members of the project team, for all activities associated with user centered design, and functional requirements.

The UX architect conducts user, stakeholder and competitive research to drive personas and scenarios that will result in concepts, interactive models, prototypes and functional specifications. This role also: creates structures that help users accomplish their goals quickly and easily; works directly with the creative team to develop intuitive user interfaces; and works with the development team to develop wireframes, process flows, task paths, and schematics. In these roles, the person should be comfortable contributing to strategy sessions, conducting usability testing, and be willing to travel on rare occasion.

• Work with internal and external clients to develop meaningful interactive experiences.
• Provide strategic thinking and acute communication with all members of the project team.  
• Participate as a contributor to an interdisciplinary team that includes other user experience designers, project managers, business strategists, agencies, consultants and technical leadership.
• Effectively aggregate and communicate research findings, conceptual ideas, detailed design, and design rationale both verbally and visually.
• Shepherd the design process, drive decisions, track issues, and assist in estimating resource needs and schedules
• Wireframe and story board creation, and development for WPF and Silverlight based applications
• Graphics and animation design in XAML (MS Expression Blend and Design)

• Experience with activities and deliverables associated with user centered design, software development lifecycle, and functional requirements gathering.
• Professional experience as an interactive designer, user experience designer, information architect, and/or interactive architect.
• Strong knowledge of user interface design processes and methodology, particularly as applied to web-based applications
• Excellent communication and organizational skills - must be able to function as a thought leader as well as an individual contributor
• Professional experience leading a project team.
• Experience with Application Ergonomics and Human Factors Design
• Portfolio of work REQUIRED. Include examples of all areas of interaction design (user flows, wireframes, final graphical display).
• 8-10 years of design experience, with at least 6 years of user interface design experience
• Required experience, proficiency, and passion with and for WPF, .Net 3.0/3.5Microsoft Expressions Blend, Expressions Design, Silverlight, and XAML
• Working knowledge of .NET Framework 3.5 and Silverlight 2.0
• Proficiency with software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Visio, InDesign, and Dreamweaver
• Highly organized, strong attention to detail, excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to work well independently with internal clients, as a project lead/manager, and as an individual team member.
• MS Preferred, BA/BS required or years of professional experience in advertising, interactive firm, Human Factors, - Psychology, Design, user interface design, or related field.
• Previous experience in information architecture and user-centered design and theory