Elizabeth has 32 years of experience in information systems, focusing on human-computer interaction (HCI) and user experience in Web sites, Web applications, desktop applications, and complex systems. She also has several years in system engineering, defining and analyzing system requirements and integrating the HCI process into the system life cycle. Elizabeth has master's degrees in mathematics and human development and is proficient in Italian. She served on the editorial board of ACM's <interactions> magazine and serves on the editorial board of the UPA's online Journal of Usability Studies.

Qualifications Summary

View Elizabeth's profile on LinkedIn.

Professional Experience

Luminanze Consulting, LLC

2007 -
present

Principal Consultant (Silver Spring MD)

Independent consultant in the area of user experience, user-centered interaction design, human factors, and usability.

Current projects
  • User-centered assistance to the human-computer interaction design of the US Patent and Trademark Office's Patent File Wrapper application (subcontract to InfoReliance).
  • Web site redesign for the American Library Association (subcontract to UserWorks).
  • Usability evaluation of the training workshop "Fundamentals of Title IV Administration" for the Office of Federal Student Aid, of the US Department of Education (subcontract to UserWorks, prime contractor Low+Associates)
Recent projects
  • Human factors study of the Web interface to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services's E-Verify application for verifying the eligibility of new employees to work in the United States (subcontract to eNTEGRITÍ, prime contractor CSC).
  • Online survey of web site users for American Chemical Society (subcontract to UserWorks)

UserWorks, Inc.

2005 –
2007

Principal Usability Specialist and Director of Interaction Design (Silver Spring MD)

Project management and technical leadership of a variety of projects in human factors research, usability assessment, and interaction design. Mentoring of colleagues in human factors principles and practices, interaction and interface design, and statistical issues affecting research projects. Writing of proposals for new business. Staff photography.

Key Projects and Achievements
  • Directed the usability assessment of the American Library Association’s web site. Was asked to design and facilitate ALA’s web planning retreat on redesign goals, process, next steps. Obtained a follow-up contract to redesign ALA’s site, and led the development of the information architecture and wireframes for that site.
  • Directed and conducted the usability assessment (both testing and expert review) of FedTraveler.gov, as part of a project to assess the U.S. Government’s three e-Travel services independently and in parallel. Worked with other teams to define common assessment methods and report structure/format without comparing the services or allowing the evaluations to bias one another.
  • Directed the conduct of a research project designed by the National Library of Medicine, to investigate the readability of health information by consumers with low literacy. Advised NLM on issues of experiment design, instrument validity, and statistical significance. The study validated NLM’s “Term Difficulty Test” concept as a measure of comprehension that is shorter and simpler than the Cloze test.

Computer Sciences Corporation

1977 -
2005

Senior Principal Engineer (Rockville and other locations in suburban Maryland)

User interaction/interface design and system engineering on dozens of projects. Analysis, specification, design, development, and evaluation of web sites, web applications, and desktop applications. Specification and analysis of system and software requirements; definition of HCI engineering role in system life cycle. Founder and cochair of CSC’s User Experience Community.

Key Projects and Achievements
  • Redesigned the interaction and interface of the touchscreen-based En-Route Information Display System (ERIDS) for the FAA. Designed new color scheme and layout; designed and produced on-screen buttons. Wrote style guide. Analyzed, designed, and prototyped new and revised screens; participated in software design reviews and build/release testing. ERIDS has received high approval from its users.
  • Provided usability and information architecture to the web site redesign for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Conducted user interviews, focus groups, usability testing, expert review for analysis of the existing design. Provided usability perspective to redesign effort. Analyzed user feedback on prototype and participated in development of Phase I site based on findings.
  • Technical lead, system engineering support for the Flight Operations Segment (FOS) of the Earth Observing System (EOS). Worked with NASA to review, guide, and assist the work of FOS development and testing contractors. Contributed to development of operations concept, provided expert review of HCI, designed and conducted usability testing.
  • Supported NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center on numerous projects, primarily involving spacecraft control centers.
  • Supported AERITALIA and Space Software Italia (Italy) on human factors and HCI for the Crew Work Station of the Columbus (European) laboratory of the International Space Station.

Æsthetic Images

1996 -
present

Photographer and Web Designer (Silver Spring MD)

Personal business in photography and Web design

Early professional work

1974 -
1977

Mathematics instruction and business-applications programming:

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Computer programming in COBOL
  • City of Durham, NC: Computer programming in COBOL
  • North Carolina State University: Teaching freshman algebra/trigonometry and calculus

Education and Affiliations

Education

Professional Affiliations

Important Past Projects

Publications

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