Using Things

Job: User Experience Design Lead

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:45:16 -0500

House Party is looking for a user experience designer or information architect to take the lead in the UX department.

It’s a small, vibrant company with a start-up spirit and fun atmosphere where people are genuinely friendly (and funny) - and can have a great time while getting a lot of great work done.

Trust me, I know. I was the UX Design Lead until my life circumstances took me away; living in Queens, I couldn’t do the commute anymore. I really miss my buddies at House Party and hope they find an outstanding UX lead.

Could it be you? Read on for the job description and perks.

(I’ve gone from the best way to market a product to the best way to lose weight: Weight Watchers International. And I’m a lucky lady that their creative team is talented and friendly, too.)

At lunchtime you could stroll around one of the parks next door:

And have the best corporate parties you’ve ever been to, and ride the train with awesome, adorable, smart people like Sarah and Jared:

And maybe bask in the sunshine and huge monitor at my old desk (bare on my last day, but with flowers a friend brought for me):

Job Opening: User Experience Design Lead

House Party, Inc. (north of NYC in Irvington, NY)
Full-time on-site job

Do you love making people happy and giving them delightful online experiences? We’re looking for a User Experience Design Lead to conceptualize, design, and deliver a top-notch experience for users of our consumer site, corporate site, and upcoming mobile app. We’re a small, growing company where UX is highly valued and you’d have a big impact.

As the lead, you’ll be relied on to:

Work independently to research new business and user requirements, analyze UX issues, map out experiences, develop information architecture, design elegant page layouts and delightful interactions, and perform usability testing

Manage and mentor the visual designer

Creatively direct the work of the visual designer, and play a key role in the visual design of new features

Create flow diagrams, functional requirements, use cases, sitemaps, wireframes, prototypes, design specifications, and PowerPoint presentations

Work closely with the development teamto assess feasibility, come up with optimal solutions, and ensure quality throughout development, launch, and iterations

Present ideas to stakeholders and clients

Advise on content strategy and nomenclature

Guide the mobile optimization of our site

Spearhead the creation of our first mobile app

Keep up with design, tech, and social media news, finding ideas, techniques, and services to improve our website and our business

Qualifications

We’re looking for someone who entered UXD after working in visual design for websites. Experience with mobile site and app design is highly preferred. Other expectations:

2-4 years of experience in developing websites as an interaction or experience designer (or information architect)

Demonstrated experience using web analytics and usability testing to inform design decisions

Understanding of front-end technologies, like HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, jQuery

Proficient with Omnigraffle (or Visio), Photoshop, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

Conscientious and self-motivated, with a positive, can-do attitude

Passion for usability and user-centered design, and ability to convey those concepts and best practices to stakeholders and clients

Ability to solve design problems

Ability to manage multiple tasks across multiple projects

Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills

Bonus points:

Great with Axure RP or other prototyping tool

Experience with content strategy and/or writing

Some experience managing others

Ability to think at a high level about product strategy and vision

About House Party

House Party is the leading social media company that combines digital, word-of-mouth and experiential marketing to build brands and drive sales. We generate millions of consumer conversations and recommendations, online and off, through our passionate community of social influencers, proprietary digital platform, and memorable in-home events for the world’s best-loved brands.

Our site provides hosts with an invitation tool, party favors and tips, and places to post photos, videos, conversations, and comments.

Benefits

House Party employees enjoy a fun and friendly environment filled with talented, hard-working teammates – and a great view of the Hudson and adjacent park. Generous benefits include medical, dental, vision,life, disability, 401(k),stock options, pre-tax commuter benefits, thousands of ebooks, User Interface Engineering webinars, and online training from Lynda.com, Insperity, and ThinkVitamin. Opportunities to attend conferences and to be published on the blog. No travel required.

How to Apply

Please contact liz.cuccinello@houseparty.com. Send examples of your design accomplishments and why you want to join the House Party team.

YES. Intellect, passion for knowledge, boundless wonder at the...

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:21:57 -0500

YES.

Intellect, passion for knowledge, boundless wonder at the universe… plus charisma and charm. Who doesn’t love Neil?

ryanjdavis:

Carl Sagan + Lando Calrissian = Neil Degrasse Tyson

Stolen from my cousin Brendan, who is currently getting his PHD in Condensed Matter Physics.

Kittens. What every desk should have. Particularly nice when you...

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:54:00 -0500

Kittens. What every desk should have.

Particularly nice when you need to stop and analyze something, or when there’s stress. Just reach over and pet the kitten. Voila.

(I love my home office.)

Holiday sweets and greetings from wonderful House Party sales...

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:44:39 -0500

Holiday sweets and greetings from wonderful House Party sales folks and other great colleagues. :-)

Happy Holidays, everyone! Smile, reflect, renew, reconnect.

“Dear Escher”Barcelona’s Museum of...

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 14:20:46 -0400

“Dear Escher”

Barcelona’s Museum of Contemporary Art ca 2009.
http://www.macba.cat

The first photo in my new Flickr account.

Got grit? And the other 8 Things Successful People Do Differently? http://ow.ly/4w7cr - Great...

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:20:23 -0400

Got grit? And the other 8 Things Successful People Do Differently? http://ow.ly/4w7cr - Great article by @hghalvorson

Got Green? Honestly? Great marketing tips by our very own @mlperryny : MediaPost: Insights...

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 07:47:58 -0400

Got Green? Honestly? Great marketing tips by our very own @mlperryny : MediaPost: Insights Gained from a Host of Events http://ow.ly/4sTyv

Four-Letter Words in Interface Copy

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:16:52 -0400

Have you noticed that there is a lot of inappropriate language in interfaces?

Websites, desktop apps, and even ATMs are using a four-letter word:

wait

(Yes, I’m a New Yorker, but this isn’t the only place where “wait” is a four-letter word.)

It doesn’t matter that it’s preceded by “please.” It still only serves to make me aware that I am waiting for something. Why point it out?

Alternative

Please just tell me what’s happening. What’s being processed or installed? Those status messages are much friendlier than, “Please wait while we…”

If you’re feeling spunky, add a fun tone of voice to the copy and show a new message every few seconds to inform me during a long process.

K thnx.

(And, yes, I’m finally on Tumblr! Liking their UX! Such a sweet personality. )