Ellen Thomson Email & Phone Number

Saint Paul, Mn, Us

— Develop high-quality, user-centered digital experiences across all digital media formsWork across mobile, website, app and social spaces — Generate information architecture, wireframes and user flow models to optimize user's tasks and design for multi-channel deployment, including mobile devices. — Work closely with Front End Developer and Back End Development team to ensure smooth implementation of design concepts— Collaborate with clients to define, produce and review digital creative and user experience assets:Work with cross-functional teams to define objectives, document requirements, produce concepts, receive feedback and gain approvals— Solve problems analytically and creatively, take constructive criticism and successfully sell creative work to a variety of audiences.Translate complex information needs into simple designs that customers can easily understand.— Maintain multiple projects simultaneously, balancing varying deadlines and changing prioritiesSwitch gears quickly to accommodate the shifting needs of a dynamic, operations-focused website whose main users are daily transit commuters. — Incorporate best practices to ensure highest levels of accessibility and usability — Maintain Section 508 compliance and other emerging accessibility standardsEngage in continuing education to ensure Metro Transit stays abreast of trends in accessibility.— Document business, functional and end-user requirementsEnsure complete and organized file maintenance— Conduct user research and evaluate user feedbackConstruct testing models for usability, accessibility and functionality; deploy and evaluate.— Perform regular site monitoring for quality and consistencyWorking with communications team and marketing project managers, monitor content for brand consistency and current messaging.Regularly review pages and troubleshoot problem areas.— Participate in customer events as needed

St. Paul

As a paid intern, I was hired to:● Update existing Web resources with new content or functionality● Contribute to the design of new resources when needed● Support the ongoing maintenance of both public Web resources and internal Google sites● Participate as needed in discussions as part of the creative process● Prepare multimedia assets for web delivery● UX and content strategy, including user testing● Create sitemaps and wireframes● Design web page mockups● Edit and layout content within various CMS platforms● Attend client planning meetingsSkills + tools used: Drupal 6/7, usertesting.com, GoogleDocs, Adobe Creative Suite, Slack, Treejack, Card Sorting,create wireframes, content strategy, hand-code HTML/CSS/Javascript, agile workflow, upload content, prepare contentfor web

Coco Northeast Minneapolis

● Edit and layout content within various CMS platforms● Provide design feedback and QA assistance on in-progress sites● Create sitemaps and wireframes● Design web page mockups● Plan and prepare for user testing sessions● Attend client planning meetingsSkills + tools used: conduct stakeholder interviews, Drupal(CMS), upload content, conduct user testing, Google Docs,InDesign, Slack, Toggl, graphic design

St. Paul, Mn

Take a complex internal communications system and identify UX problems with the help of DLA team members, including content strategy and user experience. Learn how to evaluate and manage the collection and curation of content used in existing google sites and make it more useful for team members. Research and master functions and abilities/limitations Google Sites application.● Work with team to define structure of Education Division and DLA Google Site● Work with DLA team to identify and define content for the DLA site● Work with DLA team to gather and synthesize DLA data● Design and implement the DLA Google Site design● Edit graphics of the site● Define and implement good interface design for users to be able to easily use and access the siteSkills + tools used: stakeholder interviews, content strategy,Google Sites, (CMS), upload content, Google Docs,graphic design

Eagan, Mn

● Story planning, art direction, layout/design● Digital publishing-iPad interactive designSkills + tools used: Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop), Adobe Digital Publishing System

St. Paul

Worked with editor to reinvent magazine in tight timeframe. Involved from the idea stage and selection of stories to the gathering of art, layout, design and production of the entire magazine.

St. Paul, Mn

● Designed covers and inside pages for Sunday Travel, Weekend Life and Sunday Life sections of daily newspaper● Worked on deadline with editors, writers, photographers and illustrators to generate ideas● Managed visual presentation of feature stories and covers from concept to production of pages● Collaborated with writers to create non-traditional ways of presenting information (charticles, infographics and other alternative story forms)● Led the 2004 redesign of content and visuals for new features sections (Daily Life, WeekendLife, Sunday Life)● Led design and redesign of Minnmoms website and other niche publications● Comfortable with wide range of software and technologies, including Quark Xpress, InDesign, Adobe Freehand, Adobe Photoshop, social media, iPad apps● Created illustrations using Adobe Photoshop and PainterSkills + tools used: Proprietary content management system, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator

Master Of Arts - Ma, Web And Graphic Design

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Design And Visual Communications, General

Studied Art, Photography, Painting and Visual Communications