Walter Ratzat Email & Phone Number

Natick

Silver Spring

• Conducted user interviews to collect qualitative data to guide decision making• Generated interactive customer journey map based on data gathered• Researched and developed expert review template• Built diary study protocol for tracking customer sentiment over time• Analyzed online traffic patterns and correlated it with user interview data• Tested competing IA structures to determine best candidate• Created personas to focus and enhance customer focus• Ran branding analysis to validate design choices• Gathered data and conducted best practices evaluation to guide naming strategies

Bethesda Md

• Conducted usability tests to generate recommendations• Created wireframes for testing, rapid iteration, and to guide development• Guided designers in creation of high resolution mockups and assets for developers• Wrote stories and epics in an agile environment for the rapid development and deployment of new features• Tested deployed features against requirements for release to production

Bethesda Maryland

Making cutting edge research accessible to everyone• Interviewed users to better understand them, their tasks, and their workflow issues• Analyzed log records to better understand user behavior • Generated a series of user personas to assist internal project owners in decision making• Designed a series of integrated tools to enhance user task workflow• Tested usability of designs and proposed design changes based on results• Gave presentations to explain usability issues and show best practices for addressing them• Created standards documentation to facilitate a more coherent internal design approach• Established a repository of page element templates to make standards implementation easy

Silver Spring, Maryland

Helping clients design and create amazing customer experiences• Researched competition and created an online user experience strategy for video startup• Developed iPhone application experience strategy and social media campaign• Created branding for Medical, Science and Computing Inc.,• Designed informational graphics for multi-million dollar proposal• Tested and iterated designs for a new product to minimize user error

Gaithersburg Maryland

Computer based medical simulation training for doctors and nurses• Managed marketing efforts and product improvements that grew sales from 6.5 million to 16.5 million• Collaborated with cross functional teams to migrate to a new core UI to leverage new identity across brands and create a more seamless user experience across platforms• Directed creation of new corporate and product identity systems to improve market position and brand recognition• Developed new product ideas from initial concepts to functional prototypes to extend brands and respond to customer demand• Worked with team to improve website position on key search words to 1st position in Google and Yahoo• Managed team responsible for tradeshow logistics• Interfaced with doctors from Duke, Yale, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, Bethesda Naval, Medical University of South Carolina to create cutting edge world class surgical simulators

Vienna Virginia

Educational software for training workers in the nuclear industry• Established an in house art department to ensure better quality and reduce reliance on expensive outside vendors• Reviewed product storyboards for clarity and consistency• Created and implemented company policies and procedures for asset production• Implemented a coordinated and cohesive look for product icons and interfaces

Washington Dc

• Led team of artists working on CD project for Terry Gilliam• Assumed leadership of the localization art production team within months of being hired• Supervised/prepared the art for all of the localization of products on or ahead of schedule• Organized an art asset database for localization efforts later adopted as a company wide standard

Mfa, Time Arts

Full Trustee Scholarship based on strength of portfolio

Bfa, Sculpture

Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Certification, Usability Analyst