Mathew Devey, User Experience Specialist based in Melbourne

Core strengths: The Employment of User Centred Design methodologies combined with an ability to translate complex business objectives into workable solutions.

Recent achievements:

Key Skill Set

User Centred Design
I am passionate about User Centred Design and take an iterative approach to solution design - based on a cycle of research and validation. I have been working in the specific field of UX for over 4 years, have a degree in psychology (a masters degree in business information technology) and take a data driven, common sense approach to interaction design.
Wireframing
I use a variety of tools for wireframing including Adobe Fireworks, Axure and paper (especially when facilitating collaborative deisgn sessions).
Prototyping
In addition to rapid prototyping software such as Fireworks, Axure and IxEdit I also (when necessary) hand code prototypes using HTML, CSS and jQuery
User Testing
I have organised, managed and facilitated many user testing sessions (including one on one sessions and focus groups). This includes logistics, participant recruitment, creating test plans / discussion guides, moderating sessions and authoring key findings reports.
Heuristic Evaluation
I have peformed many heuristic evaluations, developing a bespoke set heuristics that I adapt to suit.
Other Research
Alongside user testing and focus groups I have set up 'customer feedback panels' (to test assumptions and collect consumer data / feedback), consulted analytics tools such as Google Analytics and Omniture, mined available data sources (including search and customer data) and used multivariate testing tools
Agile methodologies
I've been fortunate to work in fully 'agile' environments and witness the benefits of successully integrating UX practices within agile. I recently attended the Agile UX conference (in Sydney) and constantly look for new ways to improve the product development process.

Employment details

Job Title
UX Specialist
Employer
sportsbet.com.au
Employment dates
Apr 11 to current day
Responsibilities
  • Producing wireframes and user flows
  • Conduct user requirements analysis and review current interface designs
  • Create prototypes (both high and low fidelity) for the purpose of user research and presenting product walk throughs to the business
  • Assist the development of specific usability guidelines
  • The presentation of ideas and recommendations to key stakeholders
Job Title
UX Designer
Employer
dodo.com.au
Employment dates
Nov 10 to Apr 11 (short temp contract)
Responsibilities
  • Design holistic solution for a completely new product/website
  • Conduct user research
  • Heuristic evaluation of current product offering
  • Interaction design
  • Prototyping
Job Title
UX Designer
Employer
99designs.com
Employment dates
May 10 to Nov 10
Responsibilities
  • Produce useable and compelling interfaces that assist and engage users.
  • Gather both quantitative and qualitative data to assist iterative solution design. This was in the form of user testing, multivariate testing and general research.
  • Design visual concepts
  • Produce high fidelity prototypes
Job Title
Visual Interaction Designer
Employer
Realestate.com.au
Employment dates
October 07 to May 10
Responsibilities
  • Create innovative yet functional visual interaction design concepts. This includes initial wire frames, final high fidelity mocks and the various stages in between.
  • Responsible for setting up and maintaining a portable HCI lab.
  • Plan, recruit, script and conduct User Evaluation sessions to understand the requirements and needs of our consumer base. Typically these sessions are run to either validate new product proposals or to inform improvements to existing products / interfaces.
  • Conduct Heuristic Evaluations
  • Author 'key findings' reports based on the outcomes of the User Evaluation session and feed this information back to stakeholders. Many of these reports have been used to inform key strategic decisions that affect the core product.
  • Project manage internal UX projects.
  • Code prototype pages / sites for user testing sessions.
Job Title
Design Manager
Employer
Sensis The Trading Post
Employment dates
December 05 To October 07
Responsibilities
  • Providing creative leadership and mentoring multi-disciplinary staff.
  • Setting and monitoring timescales to ensure the team is working efficiently and consistently meeting deadlines.
  • Translating business objectives (& rules) into workable solutions.
  • Designing and developing new interfaces from wire frame to final concept. During key stages I attend HCI (Human computer Interaction) labs to ensure the new UI is performing as expected and delivering a good user experience.
  • Ensuring brand consistency by authoring a comprehensive style guide (and accompanying digital templates / files).
  • Developing strong working relationships with stakeholders and other key departments.
Job Title
Interaction Designer
Employer
Enable Software
Employment dates
January 03 To December 05. Since March 04 I worked remotely as a contractor for Enable here in Melbourne.
Responsibilities
  • User Interface design for both conventional websites and online software applications.
  • Corporate identity design.
  • Hand coding (X)HTML, CSS, JavaScript, XML / XSL. Clients include 'Delphi, 'Sage', 'Collins' and many other high profile companies.
Job Title
Technical Designer (contractor)
Employer
Aro
Employment dates
March 02 To December 02
Responsibilities
  • Designing visual concepts for websites based on clients existing corporate identity / brand.
  • Hand coding HTML / CSS templates.
  • Training clients with the companies CMS software.
Job Title
Producer
Employer
Lycos (UK), the largest European web portal at the time
Employment dates
November 99 To February 02
Responsibilities
  • Managing the Lycos communities channel 'tripod.co.uk'. During my time at Lycos the 'Tripod' channel was a much larger stand alone site receiving close to 40 million visits a month.
  • Travelling to Germany to project manage a complete overhaul and redesign of the 'tripod.co.uk' site.
  • Key responsibility for creating and sourcing monetary opportunities through the development of new ideas and promotional activities.
  • Producing all the editorial content for the site, including the monthly newsletter.
  • Liaising with both the marketing and sales department to ensure an effective and appropriate marketing strategy and to maximise sales opportunities.
  • Creating banners and other promotional material for in house advertising on both Lycos.co.uk & hotbot.co.uk
  • To manage and recruit the 'Production Assistant' and several 'Link Editors'.

Education

1999 To 2000
Masters Degree in Business Information Technology at Middlesex University.
1993 To 1996
BSc (Hons) in Psychology at Middlesex University
1991 To 1993
4 A Levels
1986 To 1991
9 GCSE's

References:

References available on request