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About
In The Beginning...
After completing my A-levels in Graphic Design, Psychology and Business Studies in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, I moved to Leeds to study a Bachelor’s degree in Computing. I’ve been involved in the System Development Lifecycle for over twenty years now, starting out in Quality Assurance as a Mobile & Web Tester and then moving into User Acceptance Testing, User Experience Testing and finally into User Experience Design
Mobile & Web Testing
During my first role with B.T back in the year 2000, I was responsible for testing the process of sending & receiving emails via mobile WAP phones. Whilst creating test scenarios, the role allowed me to fully understand how users would carry out such tasks and examine all the possible scenarios they may encounter whilst trying to achieve their goals. I then moved into testing the O2 online shop which gave me exposure to working with E-commerce websites.
User Acceptance Testing
I later joined Sky, testing their online store which enhanced my experience with Ecommerce technology. Working within the media industry gave me exposure to digital media services and Video on Demand applications. I then moved further into the entertainment & media industry and joined the BBC to work on the launch of iPlayer. Roles within these large media companies allowed me to gain a wealth of experience in User Acceptance Testing and allowed me to work closely with End Users & Business Stakeholders. This lead to my fascination with the user’s journey & overall experience when trying to achieve their goals.
User Experience Testing
Over the next decade I worked on projects at Playstation, ITV and Channel 5. These roles allowed me to carry out User Experience Testing with a heavy focus on analysing usability issues and the steps users would take in order to complete certain tasks. I began to work very closely with UX & UI Designers and ensured all usability concerns were fed back directly to the Design teams. I took an active role working alongside these teams to help create solutions and ensure designs were reconfigured or enhanced in order to resolve any outstanding issues.
My Transition into UX
Being highly involved in User Experience Testing gave me a desire to move fully into UX Design where I could enhance the users experience and help them achieve their goals with minimum frustration. I personally struggle with new technology and unfamiliar interfaces myself, whether it's the heating thermostat at home or the on-board computer in my car. I can empathise with a user’s frustration and therefore wish to help create a world where technology compliments and assists our desire to complete certain tasks and achieve our goals. After completing projects at Channel5, I returned to Playstation to work with the design team. I created and proposed solutions for Playstation’s online store allowing customers to purchase games and hardware with an enjoyable and valuable experience whilst still meeting Sony’s business needs and requirements.
At Present
Over twenty years later and things have moved on rapidly from WAP phones to Smartphones. From analysing software and feeding back to development teams, architects, business analysts, products owners and designers I have now become fully involved in the research, analysis and design of mobile applications as well as desktop & mobile versions of large digital media, entertainment and ecommerce websites.