Job: Usability Analyst

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Usability Analyst – 07002220
Job Field:  Software R&D
Locations:  Cary, NC
Organization:  SAS Institute, Inc.

Description:
As a member of the Solutions & Analytics Usability team, this person will design, prototype, and document SAS product user interfaces.
 
Duties will include producing wire frame UI concepts and detailed UI design specifications; supporting usability evaluations; ensuring user interface consistency within a multi-application suite; creating and maintaining usability standards; evaluating new technology, and other duties as assigned.

 
Qualifications –

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, or related field with 5 years of user interface design experience on web applications.
• Experience designing web applications using Web 2.0 interaction techniques and technology.

Additional:

• Excellent knowledge of design aesthetics and specifications.
• Excellent user-centered design knowledge and skills.
• Ability to translate user needs into functional requirements and use cases.
• Communication and presentation skills necessary to present, explain, negotiate, and monitor design solutions.
• Ability to produce UI prototypes of various fidelities with different prototyping tools.
• Ability to work effectively system architects, GUI developers, and product managers.
• Ability to work on multiple projects and assignments.
• Portfolio required at time of interview.

Preferences:

• Advanced degree in Industrial Design, Human-Computer Interaction, or related field.
• Experience applying 508 accessibility standards to web applications.

Additional Information:
To qualify, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and should not require, now or in the future, sponsorship for employment visa status.
 
The level of this position will be determined based on the applicant’s education, skills and experience.
 
Resumes may be considered in the order they are received.

How to apply:
Applications accepted online only.  All other forms of application may not be considered.  Please refer to job# 07002220 when applying online.

JOB: User Experience Analyst (Durham, NC)

If you’d like to join a team where people enjoy what they do and are given the resources to define their careers through opportunity and choice, then it’s time to build a career with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.  Our training and on-site degree programs are nationally recognized by ASTD and other organizations.  We are the first company in North Carolina to offer an on-site back-up child care center. And, we have an on-site nurse practitioner who can assist with your medical needs.

At BCBSNC, you will have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of both internal and external Web applications as well as our IVR system, while assessing and meeting the needs of our diverse target user groups.  Our User Experience Analysts are responsible for designing user interfaces, interactions and information architectures for applications that meet both business requirements and the needs of end users. 

Key Responsibilities:

· Conduct requirements gathering sessions with business owners and project stakeholders.

· Translate business requirements into information architecture, user
interface and interaction design for successful user experiences.

· Collaborate with developers to ensure proposed designs are technically feasible.

· Develop user experience documentation detailing proposed solutions.

· Work with graphic designers to ensure visual design is user-friendly and consistent.

· Work with copywriters to ensure that all copy (including navigation, button
and field labels) is clear, concise and user-friendly.

· Plan, organize and conduct usability testing sessions with both internal and external users.

· Plan, organize and conduct field research (contextual inquiry) with key user groups.

· Perform heuristic evaluations of Web sites and applications.

· Document and present research findings and recommendations.

· Communicate and integrate activities with business analysts, project team, business owners and other IS departments to foster good relationships and ensure success.

· Support the achievement of goals at the team, department, and company levels.

· Comply with all business and professional requests from management staff.

Minimum Hiring Requirements:

· Bachelor or technical degree required (advanced degree in HCI, information
design, cognitive science or related field preferred).
· One-year experience in information architecture/usability engineering or development of Web sites.
· Demonstrated knowledge of user experience design and usability research methods.
· Knowledge of industry standards and trends, platform standards and software development.
· Excellent analytical, organizational, collaboration, facilitation, interpersonal and communication skills.
· Experience working with project teams to accomplish aggressive goals within short time frames.
· Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively through various formats (both oral and written), both individually and in groups.
· Must have working knowledge of Microsoft applications.
· Experience with HTML and diagramming tools such as Visio.
· Able to work individually or in a team.
· Must be self-disciplined, flexible and innovative.

Apply online. Click “Search openings,” then enter keyword 5263BR.

BarCampRDU 2007

Registration is open for BarCampRDU 2007!

A Bar Camp is an unconference where people interested in a wide range of technologies come together to teach and learn. Unfamiliar with the un-conference format? Here’s the idea in a nutshell. Rather than having scheduled speakers, everyone pitches sessions the morning of the BarCamp. Those sessions are put on a schedule, and lots of little groups form for intense group learning. Everyone is expected to teach, to talk, to participate. Yeah, its different from a regular conference – but it works!

If you’re interested, I would head over and sign-up soon, it looks like it could fill up fast. BarCampRDU 2007 will be August 4, 2007 at the Red Hat Offices, Raleigh, NC.