Resume of Darren Hassin

Resume of Darren Hassin
W http://dhassin.info
P 512 919 6417
E [email protected]
L linkedin.com/in/darrenhassin/
I am a multi-disciplinary professional with a strong background in compelling usability design solidified with focus
heuristic research. This passion for human-centered design and focus user design research are facilitated
through the use of best practices and the latest in new technology.
My intuitive designs of accessibility for simple to complex user interface decisions are created by functionality in
interaction user design with the latest use of CSS3 and HTML5 for multi-platform responsive design and
technology, plus the efforts in creating design elements and widgets fun and accessible.
Strengths:
UX design, design research, human-centered design, interaction strategy, industrial design, experimental
interaction, human factors, interactive wireframes, user personas, prototype development, and design resource
creation. Those attributes are enhanced by my desire to apply my knowledge and skill set strengthened by the
latest in proven technology and the opportunity to offer something new and different.
Specialties:
Experience managing in-house creative designers and developers, user research, creation of personas, user
testing, heuristic research, front end development and editorial teams as well as offshore teams and third party
vendors for both small and large companies. Able to build an innovative, cohesive user experience teams that
collaborate and communicate effectively with the user, business stakeholders.
Focus:
1. Skilled Adobe Suite Usage and Creative Interpretation
2. Best UX Practices and Methodologies
3. Front and Backend Applications (html/css/java/jquery/flex)
4. Wireframe Prototyping and Interactive Test Models (All Platforms/Responsive Design)
5. Creative Direction and Marketing Insight
6. UX Design/IA UI Creation (Print/Web)
8. Scrum and Agile Environments
Intific, Inc.
Sr UX Designer
2014 to Present
Overview: Our innovative talented team of gaming and interactive designers have produced many DARPA
projects afforded to them because of our insightful knowledge and experience in creating new means of user
interactive interfaces for our troops. This drive to provide a meaningful platform of learning tools for combat
simulators to actual user interfaces for DOD tools in the battlefield has established our products as essential.
Our team works along side insightful scientists and technicians, combat veterans and DOD personnel, plus
industry experts to provide contextual knowledge transfer in creating the next evolution of designs for combat
readiness.
Role: I create a complex interaction of touch points for a new cyber warfare platform where a single soldier can
view, interpret, and facilitate a complex inter-connected environment to conduct a meaningful analytic view of the
cyber world to facilitate a strategy against possible aggressors. The user flow and interactive designs patterns I
create work with that knowledge set to provide a meaning experience that is simplistic in nature, but provides the
user with intuitive tools to engage and conduct a multitude of tasks. I work along side the other design teams to
coordinate that knowledge to the dedicated dev team to produce a valuable combat readiness tool for cyber
warfare.
SoftServe
UX Director
2014 to 2014
Overview: I lead on-site and remote design groups to facilitate UX/UI interaction with clients with an on-site
presence that help drive that creative collaboration through effective architecture, heuristic research, wire
framing, visual designs, prototyping and user testing. These efforts will also be leveraged by the large off shore
SoftServe workforce providing streamlined tandem ux/ui design with devoted development teams.
Role: My design team work in tandem with our clients to help in the creative efforts to reach their intended goals.
We will work on-site with their designers and architects to produce needed design attributes contributing to the
overall efforts. These efforts will lead to effective use of resources and timing to achieve the client's goals. My
access to the large eastern european design and development teams adds to streamline the efforts where I can
direct the focus of the group and produce designs to guide the dev teams internally and abroad.
DrillingInfo Lead UX Designer/Project Manager
2012 to 2013
Overview: Drillinginfo provides a collection of mapping and analytical geological oil and gas data that provides
insight for their users to help guide their decisions for drilling applications. They serve small to large industry
decision makers by facilitating the documentation needed to move forward with mineral rights, land ownership,
and analytical oil/gas data backed by propriety information in drilling for oil and gas. They serve loyal customers
globally with interactive illustrative maps, informative schematics, analytical data and geological flow charts to
educate and guide their users choices.
Role: My main task was to facilitate the vast resources of data in land management, geological interpretations,
rig location, based in an interactive mapping platform with an integrated data table. These two portals provide a
visual illustration of schematics and charting information into a holistic user interface design that will help guide
the user in providing the ability to see all of their collective information at once. The portals grow at the users will
to preview other sources of visual data such as well logs, gridding and contouring. These goals were
accomplished by utilizing proven interactive applications that are used to display visual data and analytical
information displayed on a responsive template utilizing Bootstrap as a main resource library. I aligned this effort
with my dev team to create a UI that forms to the users needs and goals. This combined rigorous heuristic
practice and research to understand the users, their intended workflows and data gathering methods, and how
each would facilitate that dat to their research. Now users can truly search and collect specific data points in
making those important educated decisions before drilling.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy,
HTML5, CSS3, jQuery Widget Creation, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Photoshop,
Dreamweaver), Wireframes with Functional Annotations, Interactive Prototypes, UX Patterns, UI Storyboards,
Bootstrap Resources, Element Creation, UX Interpretation, UI Design, User Testing, Client Interface,
Development Alignment, Executive Engagement
Dell UI Analyst and Creative Liaison
2011 to 2012
Overview: I am the main liaison between the UI Framework, which develops the main functional shared
controls for the eDell Global website, and GSD (Global Design Group) that leads the global design wires/comps
for all work proposed. I work with each individual developer on the UI side supplying them with needed input on
pixel perfect designs and functionality. This is managed by gathering in-depth requirements from the business
side, facilitating the business analysis iterations, and satisfying the needs of the group as a whole.
Role: My skill set as a design/art director, and as a front end dev, I understand the needs of the project/s by
contributing my design experiences to help guide both teams on project requirements and deliverables and
design interpretations. This is balanced by many inter-team meetings and reviews where requirement gathering
is essential, and projects are brought into scope for each launch. Each directive encompassed in-depth user
personas, user workflows, heuristic analysis, and focused user testing that applied to individual project
incentives.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy,
HTML5, CSS3, jQuery Widget Creation, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Photoshop,
Dreamweaver), .Net, MVC, Wireframes with Functional Annotations, Interactive Prototypes, UX Patterns, UX
Interpretation, Development Alignment.
AsiaInspection UX Design Manager
2010 to 2011
Overview: AsiaInspection is a leader in the quality control inspections of products for a list of global clients. Our
website is the only online resources where a customer can create a booking order where they can provide
specific information for our inspectors. We have relationships with a variety of clients in various industries across
the globe. We have established that because of our commitment in facilitating the needs of clients production of
products and our history of success in making sure their products are produced correctly.
Role: My main goal was to focus on the revision of the company website, especially with the user interface of
the client facing interactions. I facilitated the needs of a global community to help guide the user to book their
inspections of the products produced in Asia. The information they provided and collected helps our inspector
with conduct a more thorough inspection. My background in creating a better user experience addresses the
users main focus of a product inspection creating a simplistic process that's easy to understand and work. This
is accomplished through heavy use of iconographic and pictorial designs aligned with descriptive text that helps
guide the user through the entire process by use of Flex styled portals and various action displays. The main
goal of this user portal was to provide a simplistic platform for global users to interpret, engage, and complete
their intended tasks. My knowledge and due diligence in collecting a variety of user from around the globe
helped in defining user personas within the BR, and resulted in user access of data and applied workflows.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy,
HTML5, CSS3, jQuery Widget Creation, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Photoshop, Flex),
Wireframes with Functional Annotations, Interactive Prototypes, UX Patterns, UI Storyboards, UX Interpretation ,
UI Design, User Testing.
Adobe Systems UX Design Lead (Professional Contractor)
2010 to 2010
Overview: Adobe and Deloitte have partnered in the creation of the new Sysco Foods company portal, internal
order management intranet system with menu analysis components. I am acting as a user experience design
expert for this project. This is the largest SAP business component initialized to populate the entire e-commerce
infrastructure. This will enable the entire Sysco sales force to interact and fulfill their customer orders more
efficiently and effectively. Facilitating the global re-design, the new interface (powered by Flex) will provide a
larger window of opportunity for the internal sales team to streamline their massive inventory to their clients with
instant on command delivery of their products. On the customer facing side, this new project will enable them the
ability to pre-order, ship and manage their inventories instantaneously, enabling more time devoted to their
restaurants and customers.
Role: As the UX Design Expert, my design implementation has enhanced the user experience by translating the
numerous wireframe designs to deliver a user focused, all-encompassing web interface that is intuitive and
customized specifically for Sysco Foods and their client base. My tasks are to evaluate, provide expert feedback,
and design static and working prototypes of the various views for the management team. These designs are
then translated into working elements where the Flex team delivers dynamic choreography of design
functionality. Truly, coordination is key in the delivery of specific components of our teams combined work. The
finished product will continue to make Sysco Foods the largest player in food service industry. I provided my
knowledge to help drive persona creation that helped expedite the revised BRs, and also helped in focusing the
efforts in designing an intuitive interface.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy,
HTML, CSS, Flex Widget Creation, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Photoshop, Flex), Wireframes
with Functional Annotations, Interactive Prototypes, UX Patterns, UI Storyboards, Bootstrap Resources, Element
Creation, UX Interpretation , UI Design, Client Interface, Development Alignment, Executive Engagement.
Interfusion Solutions Design Director
2008 to 2010
Overview: The main focus of the company is to create customized interactive and intuitive portal designs that
allow the users in higher education to act as their own content manager/administrator. The interface blends
harmoniously within the main website, and focus the efforts of the user with their administration of records, view
of their degree progression, class evaluation and selection, project tasks, personal workload, project obligations,
project milestones plus social aspects. The main page allows the user to centralize their key interests, to connect
internally, or externally - it's their choice.
Role: As the Design Director, I drive effective and timely management of designers and developers to deliver
important connectivity of the PeopleSoft backend with Vignette Portal attributes that populate portal fields with
real-time, instantaneously delivered data. The secondary role focused on the face-to-face meetings with
partners, and new/existing clients, plus conducting usability and persona studies. My experience with related skill
set in web design and customer fulfillment strengthened the overall development of the custom portals designs.
My tertiary role was to facilitate the overall strategy of the creation of personas, heuristic analysis, and business
requirements helped drive this project to fruition.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy,
HTML, CSS, jQuery Widget Creation, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Photoshop, Dreamweaver),
Wireframes with Functional Annotations, Interactive Prototypes, UX Patterns, UI Storyboards, Element Creation,
UX Interpretation , UI Design, User Testing, Client Interface.
Good Goliath Creative Manager/Designer
2007 to 2008
Overview: I brought accessible skills and expertise into action to help guide two companies with their customer
perception in the creation of their website presence and marketing collateral. These efforts started with the initial
business strategy and market share they were trying to acquire. The reachable nature of my designs
encompassed the true goal of attracting their intended audience and new customer base.
Role: As a creative collaborator I used my working knowledge and experiences help paved the way in creating
a interactive marketing plan and UX design structure to complete an important and vital aspect in attracting new
customers. One such company was Good Goliath. I worked my design strategy around their existing Red
Labrador Retriever logo. I used the brilliant primary red coloring as a basis for my color pallet, combined with
other complementary colors, I planned a clean design sense of presentation to build upon their company is
overall presence. The website now exhibits their philosophy and working examples very clearly by reinventing
the look and feel establishing a fun side of this small marketing company.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy,
HTML, CSS, jQuery Widget Creation, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Photoshop, Dreamweaver),
Wireframes with Functional Annotations, Interactive Prototypes, UX Patterns, UI Storyboards, Client Interface.
AT&T Creative Director (UX Team)
2006 to 2007
Overview: As the creative lead of AT&T’s user experience team, I focused the teams sites on delivering/fulfilling
company strategy through great usability design, and how we can channel that ideal throughout the company
website. Key principles of design and user interface methodology worked symbiotically to create a pivotal
resource for users to gather and interact by my clear understanding of web technologies and trends, usability
techniques, new media, color and text hierarchy, plus scalable usable interface solutions. The other side of this
role is the internal client relationships in working on specific segments of the site: residential, small business,
enterprise, and wireless.
Role: Daily interaction with executive directors, project managers, and team members of each segment
providing creative direction on the corporate web site that included living wireframes, user task flow diagrams,
static storyboards, physical and interactive prototypes. The direction of these and other resources for our team
were used as a roadmap that created a functional living environment through each project in large or small. We
worked harmoniously in making the site serve as a resource for product overview, service information, billing,
and customer support.
My secondary role encompassed the creative direction of internal web portals focused on individual product
campaigns. My guidance served as the team lead through my leadership on the AT&T Governance Team. My
tertiary role acted as a main liaison to the various vendors in the creation the company website. I established
personal relationships with key members at Avenues-Razorfish, Digitas, Fleishman-Hillard, and with AT&T's ad
agency Intrabrand. Together, we continued to make AT&T a global brand leader that reflects our efforts, plus
attracts, retains and grows their customer Links to My Work at AT&T Main AT&T company web site and U-verse
from AT&T.
The inherent tertiary role was to facilitate the goals of heuristic strategy, user centric persona creation, design
strategy, user testing and refined revisions of the multiple projects in the timeline. That helped drive project
launches on time.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy
HTML, CSS, Javascript, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Photoshop, Dreamweaver), Directing
Wireframes with Functional Annotations, Interactive Prototypes, UX Patterns, UI Storyboards, Element Creation,
UX Interpretation , UI Design, User Lab Testing, Executive Engagement.
Harcourt Achieve Design Project Manager
2005 to 2006
Overview: My creative project design direction solidified the development of the “heart and soul” of the world
recognized education publication company. My effective conceptual rendering, design management, publisher
overview, and vendor management and provided the creative spark that helped drive the international collections
to print.
Role: By merging the visual design and content effectively for the younger reader, the creative development of
the project’s conceptual and aesthetic approach worked seamlessly by my approach in leading scalable multiple
projects from conceptual to print. My strong storyboard development skills help others to conceptualize my
creative process in formulate the spark of thought into tangible materials. My art direction and skill set included
working closely with the internal/external designers, their marketing team, and attributing members at Harcourt in
providing direction to use in telling the Harcourt story in the retelling of international publications to the US
educational marketplace.
Skills: Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Fireworks, Photoshop, Dreamweaver), DesigningI Storyboards, Visual
Resources Allocations (Illustrators, Copywriters, Models), Directing Photo Shoots, Executive Engagement.
Austin Business Journal Designer to Art Director
2004 to 2005
Overview: This nationally acclaimed business news franchise channeled my design/direction talents in
providing them with design management and coordination of resources to produce award winning designs with
incisive marketing communication focus for them, and external clients.
Role: I work directly with the editors, writers, the marketing team and the sales force in producing internal
marketing materials and advertising to promote the communicational needs of the company with content, special
publications and marketing collateral, plus the new company web site collaborating with the corporate side with
my user interface design experience. My proficiency with design and prototyping helped in driving the overall
design experience nurtured by my design communication background.
Skills: Abobe Apps (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, Dreamweaver), HTML, CSS, Wireframes with Functional
Annotations, Magazine Layout/Design, Newspaper Story Design, Cover and Ad Creations, Client Interface,
Executive Engagement.
Aquent (Austin Office) Designer to Art Director
2000 to 2003
Overview: The International creative resource company effectively placed me into freelance situations where I
was able to blend into existing internal teams and make the necessary decisions in producing results for their
marketing/company collateral and website incentives. Listed are two of the companies that I had the privilege to
work for in Austin: Various Roles & Assignments:
Tokyo Electronic Limited Senior Art Director (print & web)
I designed, wrote, and directed the creative efforts of individual designers and marketing managers in creating a
new collection of marketing collateral for this international semi-conductor giant. I coordinated a complex set of
materials for a new warranty department within TEL to educate the client of their new multi-million dollar
purchase. I also art directed and coordinated the newly established intranet web site that ties into the marketing
materials for client and internal education of the new semi-conductor products.
Metrowerks Senior Art Director (now part of Motorola) (print)
The marketing managers used my design skills to re-develop the Codewarrior packaging and overall design
sense of the brand. I produced a number of pieces that were used to present to the President of Marketing for
their latest upgrade launch. They presented me with other items to redesign including internal communications
newsletter, while trying to keep the overall prior messaging/brand compatible with the new launches in the
coming year.
Drkoop.com Creative Manager
1999 to 2000
Overview: I lead the participation of product conceptual development and helped manage the corporate
communications designs that effectively communicated product functionality and brand identity for the website
and company branding.
Role: My creative direction of design specifications, storyboards, scenarios, and design prototypes created a
successful cohesion that communicated the conceptual ideas through detailed design and design rationale, both
verbally and visually. My participate as a contributor to an interdisciplinary team that includes creative leads,
other designers, project management, writers, business and brand strategists, and hardware and software
developers paved the way to the successful launch and start of this medical web information giant. User centric
stories had to be envisioned and created, plus the use of group and individual user testing facilitated to ensure
we had the proper strategy going forward.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy,
HTML, CSS, Java Widget Creation, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, Quark, MX Flash, Photoshop, Dreamweaver),
Wireframes with Functional Annotations, UI Storyboards, Element Creation, UI Design, Client Interface,
Development Alignment.
National Instruments Design Manager
1997 to 1999
Overview: I managed the collective energy of hardware/software product managers, editors and design teams
to collaborate in producing high quality branded advertising and marketing materials for the numerous
international offices with direct mail, advertising, tradeshow materials, brochures, the annual report, and the
annual catalogue.
Role: Each managed role enhanced my efforts and decision making in controlling costs, retain competitive bids
from vendors, plus budget the expenses while playing a integral role as the lead channel in setting up the
marketing and advertising collateral within the various NI departments. The conceptual design of the marketing
collateral, ongoing development and launch of the NI web site, plus the coordination with product managers
helped my team in producing elements for the various products coming to market. My duties also included
producing and coordinating stimulating presentations for the numerous global tradeshows that enabled the
various product managers to reach their customers with better web-based interactions and sales. Our individual
teams practiced the creation of user personas that help drive the project manager in the creation of their BRs
that reflected their client n a global scale.
Skills: Heuristic Research, User Persona Creation, Business Requirements Validation, User Workflow Strategy,
HTML, CSS, Java Widget Creation, Abobe Apps (Illustrator, Quark, MX Flash, Photoshop), Wireframes with
Functional Annotations, Managing and Execution of UI Storyboards, Element Creation, UI Design, Client
Interface, Development Alignment, Executive Engagement.
Aquent (Houston Office) Sr. Designer to Art Director 1995 to 1996
Overview: The International creative placement firm effectively placed me into situations where I was able to
blend in and make the necessary decisions in producing results for their marketing/ company collateral and
website incentives. Listed are five of the companies that I had the privilege to work for in Houston - Various
Roles & Assignments:
BMC Software Senior Designer (print)
There was a need for re-designed pre-existing software marketing materials that included packaging and related
ads for this software giant. Many other items came across my desk directly from the creative director to give my
conceptual input for later continuity of the brand, and the look and feel of the company packaging.
Texaco (Science and Development Division) Senior Designer (print)
Their geologists conveyed their surveys and findings to me for internal presentations to illustrate new sites of oil
exploration through graphical representation by illustrative means in print and electronic media. I would develop
technical schematics, topographical and mechanical illustrations, slide show procedure presentations, and
brochures to illuminate this company’s resources in finding the next big oil or gas reserve.
Sun and Ski Sports Senior Designer & Marketing Coordinator (print and web)
The production, development and coordinated of the marketing, advertising and direct mail pieces for this
nationally recognized sports equipment retailer evolved in the President’s office, directly into my creative domain.
I worked side by side the president in recreating his vision by my designing and art direction. I scheduled the
photo shoots of merchandise and models, worked directly with the manufactures and internal sales force, and
coordinated with the product managers in creating vivid pieces that stand out from their competitors in their
advertising and web presence.
American General Senior Designer
This national insurance company used my keen sense of corporate design to recreate a number of marketing
materials for their internal sales force that were clearly dated. I developed and produced new look for their
existing folders, brochures, and sales pieces to bring in new and existing customers.
ConocoPhillips Senior Designer (print & web)
They needed a designer that had experience in the sales and marketing realm to produce new marketing
materials and branding for a new line of products describing their new technologies and solutions. Working
directly with the Creative Director and Communications Manager, I produced a variety of marketing materials
that were used for product labels, internal logos/icons, and a line of new brochures describing their new
products.
Skills: Abobe Apps (Freehand, Quark, MX Flash, Photoshop, Dreamweaver), UI Storyboards,
Element Creation, UI Design, Client Interface.
Museum of Natural Science Houston Exhibits Designer
1994 to 1995
Overview: I worked cohesively with a creative team, which reported directly with the museum director and the
individual curators of the museum, in designing and fabricating individual exhibits. I help produce the illustrated
informational graphics and descriptive text/imagery for the specimens and dioramas used with each new or
redesigned display.
Role: My creative skills facilitated the production of various mammoth displays and artifacts for
the exhibits at the museum by my conceptual designs and artistry. These exhibit designs
climaxed into a successful re-opening of the new wing of the museum that included the Cockerel
Butterfly Center, the Dinosaur Hall, and the Weiss Energy Hall. These monumental exhibits are
still in the top 10 list of the numerous attractions in Houston.
Skills: Abobe Apps (Freehand, Quark, Photoshop), Static Kiosk Creation with Illustrations and Annotations,
Specimen Layout and Display, Specimen Environment Creations.
Hargrove Design Group Designer
1989 to 1993
Overview: I was personally responsible for the initial client meetings in producing creative design solutions from
concept to the final product. This entailed managing multiple projects and individuals at one time, including
vendors and maintaining client relationships and in acquiring new venues of revenue.
Role: I coordinated the many talents of internal/external designers, editors, photographers, and printers as a
cohesive working team. I was responsible for my own accounts, which include the typesetting, freelance,
copywriters and printers.
U.S. Army Communications Specialists/E4
1985 to 1989
Overview: My explicit orders were to install and operate a continuous network of radio and telephone
communications between the ground and air defense units. These vital links of military combat intelligence were
a key factor in the defense of Europe.
Role: I was in charge of a team of soldiers responsible for coordinating surface-to-air defense units and NATO
aircraft that protected this region from possible aggressors. My duties also required me to train, educate, and
mentor these enlisted men for combat readiness.
Skills: Daily Operations and Equipment Validation, Consistent Radio Tower Alignment and Maintenance, Radio
Checks and Operator Verification, Radio Equipment Maintenance, Vehicle and Generator Maintenance, Soldier
Leadership and Training, Upkeep of NATO Standards, Working Along Side International Soldiers, Armaments
Distribution and Maintenance.