Date and time:
June 7, 2006 (Wednesday)
7:00-9:00 p.m. Program
Dinner: 6:00-7:00 p.m. at La Madeleine for those who would like to join us (directions below)
Location:
Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center
4805 Edgemoor Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814
Description: Are you progressing down the right career path? Do you know what lies ahead in your professional future? Because usability is still a young field, and usability practitioners come from a variety of educational backgrounds, we can pursue a variety of career paths. Whether you are still new to the usability profession or have extensive experience, you may be thinking about the next steps towards your professional goals. In fact, many career experts agree that the best time to look for a new job is while comfortably in your old one.
This panel discussion will feature several speakers who have extensive experience in the usability profession, including managers of usability departments and independent consultants. They will share their experience and advice on career advancement, and answer questions from the audience, including:
What advice do you have for students who would like to get started in the usability profession?
How can people from related fields like technical writing and graphic design make the transition into usability?
What basic skills are most in demand?.
How important is a job candidate’s educational background?
What do you look for in resumes or portfolios when you are hiring junior usability professionals? Mid-level professionals? Senior people?
What advice would you give to job-seekers in the current market?
Should usability professionals specialize in a particular area, or should we be generalists?
How do we continue to grow and advance in our field?
Are usability professionals promotable? What job roles can we expect to be promoted to?
How can you break into independent consulting?
Are there opportunities to teach usability if you’re not a PhD?
Is managing a usability group a good career move?
What career options are available for usability professionals with more than 15 years of experience?
Speakers: James Melzer,
Senior Information Architect, SRA, manages a group of usability/user experience
consultants. He has experience in library and
information science, records management, taxonomy
development and other forms of information
organization. He also works as an interaction
designer. He is currently focusing his attention on
taxonomy development, content modeling, and metadata
registries.
Beth Toland,
User Experience Research & Testing Director, Revolution Health, a former manager of User Research at Marriott
International, is now forming a research team at Revolution Health. This new company
is dedicated to putting consumers at the center of their own
health and health care.
Christy Mylks, an independent consultant in user-centered design (UCD) and usability, has worked with numerous clients in the Washington, DC area and abroad. She currently manages the User-Centered Research Lab and advises program directors for the National Cancer Institute (NCI). She is also the past president of the UPA DC Metro Chapter.
Registration:
Advance registration is recommended. You can register using our
online registration
form.
After you have registered, we encourage you to pay in advance by using our online PayPal form or mailing a check.
Cost:
$5 for members of UPA-DC Metro
$10 for non-members
Directions to the Program:
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center is located at
4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814. The Center is in the two-story
County office building on the plaza level of the Metropolitan complex,
above a County parking garage. View
the MapQuest Map
By Car:
The entrance to the parking garage is marked with a large blue Bethesda
Center parking sign. Parking is available in the garage - $.75 per
hour short-term (3 hours or less), $.50 per hour for over 3 hours.
If you are coming south on Old Georgetown Road (from the Beltway
use exit 36), turn right on Woodmont Avenue and the parking entrance
is almost immediately on your left (second driveway). If you are
coming south on Wisconsin Avenue/Rockville Pike, turn right onto
Woodmont Avenue, go south for approximately one mile, cross Old
Georgetown Road, and the parking garage entrance is the second driveway
on your left. If you are coming north on Wisconsin or west on Rt.
410, take Old Georgetown Road north, turn left at the second traffic
light (Woodmont Ave.) and the garage entrance will be on your left
(it's the second driveway). Take the elevators from the parking
garage to the plaza level (P). The building is located at the center
of the plaza. County and American flags and a sign bearing the County
seal mark the entrance to the building.
By Metro, Bus or on Foot:
The building is located across the street from the Bethesda Metro
station. From the Bethesda Metro Station, take the escalator from
the bus bay to the plaza level, turn left, walk past the clock tower
and across to the Metropolitan plaza using the pedestrian bridge.
If you are walking from any other location, the Center's street
entrance is at 4605 Edgemoor Lane (corner of Old Georgetown and
Edgemoor) and is marked with County and American flags. Take the
elevator to level 2 for meeting rooms.
Directions to Dinner:
La Madeleine is located at 7607 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, MD
20814. The restaurant is a short walk from the Bethesda metro stop. View
the MapQuest Map
