SHANNON LEE HALGREN______________________________________

Education
Work Experience
Publications & Presentations
Teaching Experience
Professional Affiliations

EDUCATION

Rice University, Houston, TX
Doctor of Philosophy Degree- May 1993, Human-Computer Interaction major
Masters of Arts Degree-May 1991, Human-Computer Interaction major

Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN
Bachelor of Arts Degree- May 1988, psychology major, graduated Cum Laude

WORK EXPERIENCE

Usability Consultant, Sage Research & Design (6/96-5/00, 5/01-present), Boulder, CO

• Independent consultant specializing in user research and user centered design techniques spanning the entire product development cycle. Practiced methodologies include usability evaluations (high and low fidelity), usability walkthroughs, journal studies, user experience surveys, natural use observation, ethnographic interviewing, competitive usability testing, and rework and recall exercises.
• Client list includes Netscape Communications, Sun Microsystems, Macromedia, Compaq Computer Corp., Old Navy (Gap, Inc.), and CNET.

Senior Usability Engineer, Macromedia Inc. (5/00-5/01), Palo Alto, CA

• Helped the usability group get established, grow and become fully integrated with the product teams at Macromedia.
• Was responsible for incorporating usability research into all phases of Macromedia products' and web sites' development lifecycle.

HCI Research Specialist, Claris Corporation (9/93-6/96), Santa Clara, CA

• Was sole manager of user research and usability testing for all Claris domestic and international products built for both Macintosh and Windows platforms.
• Established a respected user research process at Claris which goes beyond standard formal, in-lab usability testing. Computer and paper prototyping, field testing, user interviews, heuristic evaluation, and competitive usability analysis techniques are all part of my user research "toolbox".
• Developed methodologies for testing software built for unique user populations including Japanese users and children.
• Worked closely with interface designers to improve interface designs based on user research.
• Was responsible for defining, staffing, and overseeing all user research positions at Claris.

Acting Manager, Interface Design Group, Claris Corporation. (7/95-10/95), Santa Clara, CA

• Managed the seven person Interface Design Group comprised of interface designers, visual designers, and user research specialists through a difficult time of change at Claris.
• Prepared the headcount plan, which due to its logical arguments and detailed content, succeeded in securing an unprecedented six new positions for the Interface Design Group.
• Developed and justified the group budget for the new fiscal year.

User Interface Engineer, GO Corporation (5/93-8/93), Foster City, CA

• Worked as a member of a small User Interface Design group responsible for designing and testing the interface for PenPoint, an operating system for mobile, pen-based communication devices.
• Designed the PenPoint, DOS, and Macintosh interfaces for a connection application which provided a method for connecting a PenPoint machine with a desktop host.
• Developed a functionality specification document for the Japanese version of PenPoint which required the integration of user interface design, Japanese localization, and engineering expertise.
• Designed and conducted usability studies of PenPoint which were used to make design recommendations.

Human Factors Psychologist, Compaq Computer Corporation (5/91-10/91), Houston, TX

• Conducted a series of studies to investigate the optimal method for teaching users through interface design how to navigate through a windows-based environment using only the keyboard for input. Recommendations resulting from these studies were implemented into all Compaq software products.
  

Associate Engineer, Lockheed Engineering & Sciences (6/90-5/91), Houston, TX

• Studied various methods for displaying medical procedures online. Acted as the chief HyperCard programmer of the experimental program for this study. Results of this study were to lead to interface guidelines for the Space Station Freedom's Health Maintenance Facility.
• Helped initiate a study to find how complex system operators' knowledge changes with expertise. The results of this study may lead to suggestions for improving the interface display used by NASA flight controllers responsible for the shuttle's robotic arm.

Usability Lab Intern, IBM Corporation (6/89-8/89), Roanoke, TX

• Assisted in all phases of conducting usability studies on to-be-released software including the presentation of results and suggestions for interface improvement to department representatives.
• Composed a lengthy report based on library research and hands on experience which identified seven competitive software packages currently on the market and critiqued them in terms of usability.

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Galdes, D.. & Halgren, S. L. (2001). "Collecting Usability Data Through Customer Journals, a Successful Technique for Feature-Rich Applications." Paper presented at Usability Professionals Association (UPA) Conference, Las Vegas, NV.

Darnell, E. & Halgren, S. L. (2001). "Usability Throughout the Product Development Cycle." In R. Branaghan (Ed.), Design by People for People: Essays on Usability. IL: Usability Professionals Association.

Smilowitz-Darnell, E. & Halgren, S. L. (1998). "Usability Throughout the Product Development Cycle." Common Ground, 8 (1), 14-17. Usability Professionals Association.

Halgren, S. L, & Smilowitz, E. (1997). "Usability Throughout the Product Development Cycle: A Toolbox of Practical Techniques". Full day tutorial presented at Usability Professionals Association (UPA) Conference, Monterey, CA.

Bauersfeld, K. & Halgren, S. L, (1996). "You've Got Three Days!" Case Studies in Field Testing for the Time Challenged. In D. Wixon & J. Ramey (Eds.), Field Testing Casebook for Software Design. NY: John Wiley & Sons.

Halgren, S. L., Fernandes, T., & Thomas, D. (1995). Amazing Animation: A Movie Maker for Kids. Design Review presented at Computer-Human Interaction Conference (CHI), Denver, CO.

Halgren, S. L., (1995). Usability Testing in Japan: Lessons Learned form our First Time Over. Paper presented at Usability Professionals Association (UPA) Conference, Portland, ME.

Rowe, A., Lowry, T., & Halgren, S. L., (1994). A Comparison of Usability Evaluations Conducted by Different Teams. Poster presented at Computer-Human Interaction Conference (CHI), Boston, MA.

Halgren, S. L. (1993). In Search of Optimal Human-Expert System Explanations: Empirical Studies of Human-Human and Human-Expert System Interactions. Ph.D. Dissertation. Rice University, Houston, TX.

Halgren, S. L., & Cooke, N. J. (1992). Towards Ecological Validity in Menu Research. International Journal of Man-Machine Studies, 39, 51-70.

Halgren, S. L., Flowers, K. A., & Cooke, N. J. (1991) The Effect of Explanation Type on Human Expert System Interaction. Poster presented at the Human Factors 35th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Halgren, S. L. & Purvis, C. J. (1991). A Mouse is Worth a Thousand Keystrokes: Teaching Mouseless Windows-Based Program Users Keyboard Navigation. (Report No. 38-91). Houston, TX: Compaq Human Factors Department.

Gugerty, L., Halgren, S. L, & Gosbee, J. W. (1991). Using GOMS models and Hypertext to Create Representations of Medical Procedures for Online Display. Paper presented at the Human Factors 35th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Gosbee, J. W., Halgren, S. L., & Gugerty, L. (1991). Using GOMS models and Hypertext to Create Representations of Medical Procedures for Online Display: A Demonstration. Demonstration presented at the Human Factors 35th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Halgren, S. L. (1991). Information Displays: The Effects of Display Organization and Category Distinctiveness on User Performance. Masters Thesis, Rice University.

Halgren, S. L., & Cooke, N. J. (1991). Towards Ecological Validity in Menu Research. Thesis abstract, Computer Systems Technical Group Bulletin, Human Factors Society, 18(1), 9-10.

Halgren, S. L., & Cooke, N. J. (1991). Towards Ecological Validity in Menu Research. Poster presented at Computer-Human Interaction Conference (CHI), New Orleans, LA.

Gosbee, J. W., Gugerty, L., & Halgren, S. L., (1991). Cognitive Modeling of Medical Checklists for Space Missions. Poster presented at Aerospace Medical Association, Cincinnati, OH.

Halgren, S. L., & Cooke, N. J. (1990). Searching for an Implicit Needle in a Fuzzy Haystack. Poster presented at Computer-Human Interaction Conference (CHI), Seattle, WA.

Halgren, S. L. (1988). The effects of personal distancing rules on seating choices. Paper presented at the Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Primary Instructor, Psychology 101 Honors Discussion Group (fall, 1992), Rice University

Organized course content and requirements and led discussions on current controversial psychological issues.

Teaching assistant, Social Psychology (fall, 1991), Rice University

Graded essay exams and mid-length papers.

Teaching assistant, Computer Applications (fall, 1990), Rice University

Assisted professor with teaching HyperCard to graduate and undergraduate students.

Teaching assistant, Cognitive Psychology (spring, 1989 and spring, 1990), Rice University

Graded essays, labs and tests of two cognitive psychology courses each containing 90 students and ran labs required for the course.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

BAYCHI member, 1994-present
Usability Professional Association (UPA) member, 1993-present
ACM SIGCHI member, 1989-2000