User Experience Strategist – HFI – New York City Area

Looking for a job outside the Triangle? HFI is looking a UX Strategist near New York City:

As a User Experience Strategist with Human Factors International you will apply your expertise in usability and interface design to solve mission critical issues and facilitate solutions with worldwide Fortune 500 clients.

Job: Visual Designer

Visual Designer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Please visit http://www.bcbsnc.com to apply.

Responsible for creating and managing interactive design elements, page level layout, task fulfillment and consistent visual treatment of web sites, email campaigns and web applications.  Participate in concept development of design solutions and provide input in how the visual interface should be designed.  Ensure that the application of visual assets and realization of information design efforts support the users’ needs and align with the design and brand strategy.

Major Job Functions/Components

• Create innovative designs for web sites, email campaigns, web applications and other digital platforms across the enterprise.
• Works as an integral member of project teams with user experience designers, content strategists, usability analysts and other visual design team members.
• Produces multiple design concepts that engage with users and fulfill project goals and requirements.
• Works closely with team members on the creation, design and implementation of approved projects.
• Identifies interaction and visual user interface requirements and develops design approach.
• Produces multiple concepts that engage users and fulfill project goals and requirements.
• Develops design prototypes, story boards and written visual user interface specifications.
• Collaborates and shares expertise with our creative studio, user experience designers, content strategists, developers and other team members.
• Ensures consistency with BCBSNC brand guidelines and adheres to visual guidelines, CSS standards, UI library components and defined design language for the Web.
• Works with information designers and developers to integrate visual and interaction design artifacts into functional prototypes or production ready pages.

Hiring Requirements/Qualifications

Education/Experience	Bachelor’s degree and 5 years experience designing Web based interfaces and applications. Experience with Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash and other digital design software Proficient in  HTML / CSS
Professional Certification

Hiring Preferences

Additional Education/Experience Preferences	Bachelor’s degree in Web visual design, graphic design, communication arts, or fine arts preferred Work experience demonstrates formal understanding, training or experience with user centered design principles and information/interaction design Web consulting or services firm experience a plus
Soft Skills/Abilities	Understanding of how comps translate to code Well-rounded design skills with a solid foundation of fundamentals Overall understanding of Web production Understanding of Web best practices for visual design and digital branding Formal design training with direct experience designing for the Web, from producing basic wireframes to extensive design processes Passion and curiosity about contemporary design culture Can work independently or collaboratively as part of cross-functional teams An eye for detail Excellent interpersonal skills Ability to juggle multiple project responsibilities Strong oral communication skills and presentation skills
Professional Certification	Any certifications in visual design, graphic design, Web interface or software interface design, human factors, user interaction design, computer interaction design, information design or related fields a plus

Job: User Experience Designer

User Experience Designer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Please visit http://www.bcbsnc.com and search for 8083BR to apply.

Responsible for designing user interfaces, interactions and information architectures for Web sites and applications and validating that those designs meet both business requirements and the needs of end users.   Act as a critical link between the end user, business owner and the web office team to ensure that user-centered design principles and best practices are applied to all web experiences.

Major Job Functions/Components

• Represent the voice of the user
• Be an advocate for user needs throughout the development lifecycle
• Raise/escalate issues that could impact the usability of proposed designs
• Effectively explain and sell design recommendations
• Plan, coordinate and conduct user research
• Conduct site visits, contextual inquiries, lab-based and remote usability tests, surveys and/or other research to identify, understand and prioritize user needs and workflows
• Research and analyze industry trends and competitor sites; and prioritize and promote design recommendations based on research findings.
• Design user interfaces
• Translate business requirements, use cases and functional specifications into information architecture, user interface and interaction design for optimal user experiences
• Develop user experience documentation (wireframes and flows) detailing proposed solutions and revise as necessary to achieve stakeholder approval
• Evaluate proposed and existing designs
• Evaluate User Interface design at all stages of the development lifecycle (in wireframe form, in development and after implementation)
• Plan, organize and conduct usability testing sessions with both internal and external users
• Work collaboratively with Web Experience team members to ensure that visual design is user-friendly and consistent, and that copy is clear, concise, and user-friendly

Hiring Requirements/Qualifications

Education/Experience	Bachelor’s degree 3 years experience in information architecture/usability engineering of web sites and applications in a professional environment Experience in the organization, execution and analysis of usability testing (both on prototypes and live systems)
Professional Certification

Hiring Preferences

Additional Education/Experience Preferences

BA/BS in Information Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Social Science or Information Science is preferred. Experience with large-scale/complex web applications Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively through various formats (both oral and written), both individually and in groups Experience working with project teams to accomplish aggressive goals within short time frames Knowledge of capabilities and limitations of current internet-related technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Flash and CMS Demonstrated expertise in user experience design and usability research methods Demonstrated ability to document designs in both flow chart and wireframe formats Demonstrated commitment to user advocacy Experience in the healthcare and/or health insurance industry

Soft Skills/Abilities

Excellent analytical, organizational, collaboration & relationship building, facilitation, interpersonal and communication skills Critical eye for detail and ability to translate complex concepts into clear visual representation Ability to understand the needs of end users and customers and integrate those needs into design Proven ability to work and coordinate with multiple groups, including business owners, creative designers, technical teams, etc. Must be able to learn quickly and deal well with ambiguous situations Must be self-disciplined, flexible and innovative Exceptional attention to detail Polished, professional demeanor Positive and constructive attitude Ability to manage multiple projects and consistently deliver quality work in a fast-paced environment Ability to clearly articulate ideas and achieve buy-in from project stakeholders Ability to quickly adapt to changing schedules, requirements and new technologies/methodologies Ability to take ownership of tasks and drive them through to completion

Job: Sr. User Experience Designer

Sr. User Experience Designer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina

Job Purpose

Responsible for designing user interfaces, interactions and information architectures for Web sites and applications and validating that those designs meet both business requirements and the needs of end users.  Act as a critical link between the end user, business owner and the web office team to ensure that user-centered design principles and best practices are applied to all web experiences.

Major Job Functions/Components

• Represent the voice of the user

• Evangelize the importance of usability and drive user-experience design principles within the organization, and effectively present recommendations at the Director and VP level
• Lead the user experience design on multiple large-scale projects or complex applications

• Plan, coordinate and conduct user research

• Proactively identify and communicate issues and opportunities
• Conduct site visits, contextual inquiries, lab-based and remote usability tests, surveys and/or other research to identify, understand and prioritize user needs and workflows; and prioritize and promote design recommendations based on research findings.

• Design user interfaces

• Translate business requirements, use cases and functional specifications into information architecture, user interface and interaction design for optimal user experiences
• Develop user experience documentation (wireframes and flows) detailing proposed solutions and revise as necessary to achieve stakeholder approval

• Evaluate proposed and existing designs

• Proactively drive UXD standards and process improvements on all projects
• Evaluate UI design at all stages of the development lifecycle (in wireframe form, in development and after implementation)
• Plan, organize and conduct usability testing sessions with both internal and external users
• Work collaboratively with Web Experience team members to ensure that visual design is user-friendly and consistent, and that copy is clear, concise, and user-friendly

Hiring Requirements/Qualifications

Education/Experience

Bachelor’s degree and 7 years experience leading information architecture/usability engineering activities for web sites and applications in a professional environment OR 5 years above defined experience with a Master’s degree in Information Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Social Science or Information Science 3+ years experience in the organization, execution and analysis of usability testing (both on prototypes and live systems)

Hiring Preferences

Additional Education/Experience Preferences

BA/BS in Information Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Social Science or Information Science preferred. Leadership experience Advanced degree in Information Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Social Science or Information Science Must have demonstrated successful customer-facing experience in all phases of the design and testing of user interfaces Thorough grounding in industry best practices for user-centered design Understanding of accessibility topics, standards, and solutions Demonstrated competence in presenting findings and recommendations to senior-level executives Deep technical understanding of current internet-related technologies

Soft Skills/Abilities

Ability to work with a minimal amount of direct supervision Ability to clearly articulate ideas and achieve buy-in from project stakeholders and executives Ability to quickly identify solutions to complex technical and political challenges Ability to effectively estimate and plan for resource needs

To be considered for this position, please visit bcbsnc.com/careers and apply to 8076 BR.