Elizabeth Carpenter

421 Beloit

Forest Park, IL 60130

• Experienced in all phases of Usability Testing: scheduling resources, selecting participants, writing tasks and scenarios, and post-testing reports.
• Proficient in transferring product requirements into usable user interface designs.
• Skilled at weighing project requirements to select the solution which is best for the user, but still is economical to implement.
• Extensive knowledge in the creation of Web and online graphics.
• Specialist in analyzing software applications for Section 508 (Accessibility) violations.
• Expert in designing and retro-fitting desktop applications to ensure access to persons with disabilities.
• Knowledgeable in Section 508 guidelines for software applications and operating systems (section 1194.21) and Web-based intranet and internet information and applications (section 1194.32).
• Proficient with popular screen reading and magnifying assistive technologies.
• Experienced in performing usability testing with blind subjects using Assistive Technologies.
• Keen problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent research and communication skills.

• Adobe Photoshop - Highly practiced user of Photoshop for creating electronic graphics.
• Adobe Illustrator - Skilled user of Illustrator for creating electronic graphics, forms, and PDF documents.
• Microsoft Visual C++ - Skilled at using the GUI editor in Visual Studio to create application resources.
• Microsoft Visual Basic - Knowledgeable in Visual Basic for rapid prototyping of interface elements.
• Bi-platform - Knowledgeable in both Windows and Mac User Experience Standards.
• Relational Database - Knowledgeable in standard relational database principals for creating 3NF and BCNF databases.
• Familiar with ER diagrams and database modeling.
• JAWS for Windows - Proficient in the most popular screen reading software for blind and low-vision users.
• Assistive Technologies - Awareness of various other Assistive Technology software and hardware like screen magnifiers, Braille devices, OS-level accessibility functions, and alternative input devices.

1998 - 2003 SPSS Inc.

User Interface Design

• Created new dialogs for Mixed Models procedure in SPSS 11.0. These new dialogs allowed users, for the first time, to perform highly requested "nesting" operations from a GUI.
• Designed and prototyped a data-enhancement wizard, in cooperation with Acxiom Corporation, which would allow SPSS users access to valuable demographic data for use in Statistical calculations.
• Redesigned an existing Mac-based charting application to Windows standards allowing SPSS to capture sales in the Windows market.
• Successfully negotiated tradeoffs with other product team members to create cost-effective designs.

• Co-authored an SPSS company standard for assuring accessibility in new and existing desktop products.
• Analyzed existing SPSS applications for potential Section 508 violations resulting in approximately 150 reported, and fixed, accessibility bugs.
• Authored design plans to implement accessibility features in new SPSS applications preventing costly retro-fitting in later releases.
• Wrote VPAT documents for SPSS products allowing these products to be purchased by Governmental Agencies.

Accounting Assistant

• Implemented a spreadsheet front-end onto an existing database to automate royalty payments to Tribune Media Services Cartoonists and Columnists. This decreased the time to prepare checks from three days to one.
• Redesigned existing forms to match system input flow eliminating approximately 50% of data input errors, and subsequent corrections.
• Assisted in gathering requirements for accounting system upgrades which resulted in a more efficient Accounts Payable data entry system.

BS - Human Computer Interaction - DePaul University Chicago, IL
Fine Arts - University of Illinois At Chicago

Professional Profile

• Tutorial accepted for 2003 Usability Professional's Association: "The DADA Movement: Designing Accessible Desktop Applications".

• Nominated for Tribune Media Services' Quarterly Achievement Award.

• Participated in the 2001 "Take Your Child To Work" day by demonstrating a usability test to the children.
• Member of the SPSS Employee Activities Committee.