Patricia Hallstein—User Experience & Information Architecture
Resume

Summary — Professional Experience— Education — Software Skills — Language Skills — Professional Organizations

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Summary

User experience specialist and information architect who brings extensive experience in Web-based information systems, people management and project leadership.

Key strengths & skills:

• extensive people and project management experience, ability to manage a team across multiple products in multiple locations, demonstrated change management skills
• excellent information architecture skills, experience with advanced online information authoring and delivery mechanisms (content management, XML)
• solid understanding of user research and design
• proven analytical & problem solving skills, the drive to seek out and handle new challenges, strategic thinking & leadership, accountability & integrity, determination.

since Dec 2004: Sabbatical

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Professional Experience

Jan 2001- Nov 2004:
Microsoft Corporation (Redmond, Washington)
Information Design Manager, Mobile Devices User Experience Team

Mission: Design information for Pocket PC and Smartphone users and developers to provide high-quality, relevant content when and where they need it

Built the information design team for mobile devices (10 employees plus freelancers), within the inter-disciplinary user experience group, an international team supporting products in Redmond, Stockholm, and Cambridge. The team shipped: Pocket PC, Smartphone and ActiveSync 2002, 2003 and 2003 second edition, Mobile Information Server, Microsoft Mobile Explorer.
Deliverables included UI text and documentation for end users, developers, and IT professionals.

• Successfully managed and motivated the team through frequent organizational changes
• Coached new leads and project managers
• Defined and streamlined processes and developed tools and templates with the team
• Managed vendors and temporary personnel on tight budgets and under high workloads
• Developed a long-term Vision and Roadmap for end user information, leading to:
  • A new Pocket PC Help information and interaction model
  • More relevant and targeted deliverables: on the device, on the Web, and in print
  • A closed customer feedback loop
  • An XML-based single-sourcing tool set that allows the team to generate information for all SKUs and devices efficiently and timely
  • Optimized collaboration and process with internal and external partners

Lead the team to listen to customers and work closely with user researchers. Evaluated research results and initiated new research with end users, developers and partners

Developed a concept and resource plan for creating documentation for mobile operators

As a member of the Microsoft Content Leadership Team (CLT), actively participated in the CLT People working group--standardizing how Microsoft defines jobs, assesses talent and potential, and develops people in the content profession--, and engaged in planning the first Customers & Content conference (Mar 22, 2004).

Jun 1998-Dec 2000:
Fragment Art & Research (New York, NY)
Information Architecture & Technical Communication Consultant

Consulted to J.P. Morgan, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and other US and European organizations. Focused on the conceptual and technical design of information-rich Web sites and technical documentation.

Selected Projects:

• Architected and designed an intranet site for a global software development group in a Fortune 100 company, then helped manage the project through design, specification, reviews, implementation and first technical revision.
• Advised Web-based start-up in the financial derivatives domain on documentation. Prioritized projects. Worked with business requirements and development team. Designed, created and edited Help for customers and internal users, Administration Guide, Operational Guidelines & Procedures.
• Managed the re-launch of www.fpml.org, a public site and extranet for the Financial products Markup Language (FpML) standard development organization.
• Developed the Web presence for a small, international SAP consulting company, including an interface to a consultant database. Managed a virtual team based in the US, Canada, and Germany for the client in Sweden. Co-designed and co-implemented XML and XSLT.

Jan 1997-May 1998:
Web Design & Technical Communication Consultant
(Munich, Germany)

Specialized in consulting to small to medium sized companies on the use of Web technology in Web sites, intranets, extranets, and for marketing, as well as technical documentation.

• Designed and created sites with small teams; trained clients in web design
• Designed and wrote software documentation
• Developed concept on how to migrate the WinHelp documentation of a very complex software development environment to HTML-based help

Nov 1992-Dec 1996
Hackenberg & Partner GmbH-Software Concepts, Projects, and Documentation,
(Starnberg, Germany)

Jun 1995-Dec 1996:
Manager, Documentation & Marketing

Managed the documentation and marketing group with up to six people assigned. Recruited and trained new hires, appraised performance and set objectives, worked with outside vendors (technical communication, translation, and printing), and established administrative and technical guidelines. Acquired new customers and projects, budgeted, managed, and provided technical guidance for 12 projects, diversified in subject matter, scale (2-5 people), and duration (one week to several years). Selected projects:

• Designed and supervised the implementation of documentation, training, and in-house marketing for computer-aided sales application: user guide, help system, quarterly news­letter (all in German and English), and trainer’s guide (in German).
• Designed and implemented a corporate intranet for the Bavarian dentist organization.
• Developed a corporate design concept, working with a vendor. Authored the corporate design manual and supervised the development of all related templates. Designed and implemented the company Web site.

Nov 1992-May 1995:
Senior Technical Writer

Wrote, edited and updated both printed and on-line documentation for eleven software applications, taking them from research and planning to final implementation:

• Planned projects, analyzed target audiences, structured content, and designed layout
• Scheduled and tracked projects, consulted with customers and technical reviewers
• Collaborated with programmers on UI design and prototype functionality
• Produced films and prints or digital media in collaboration with outside vendors.

Drove the company’s first corporate design project and developed logo, stationary, business cards and document templates.
Gave talks both within the company’s internal training program and for clients.

1987-1992:
Comet Computer GmbH (München, Germany)
Freelance Technical Writer

Authored, translated, and contributed to user guides and reference manuals on subjects including the programming languages LISP and PROLOG, and a banking system.

Sep 1986-Jun 1987:
Siemens AG (München, Germany)
Technical Writer

Contributed to authoring a PROLOG user guide.

1993-1997
Freelance Technical Trainer .
Frauen-Computer-Schule (München, Germany)

Conducted classes and individual training: Basic Computer Skills; Introduction to MS DOS, Windows 3.x and Windows 95; MS Word for Windows; PageMaker; Understandable Writing.

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Education

Magistra Artium M.A. 1990 Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Major in German Literature, minors in Communication Studies and Theater Studies.
Teaching assistant (classes for foreign students).

Regular participation in and contributions to conferences and workshops.

Conferences: AVI (Advanced Visual Interfaces), forum, Gesture Workshop, Hypertext, Metastructures, Online, Silicon Alley, Software DevCon, STC (Society for Technical Communication), tekom (Technische Kommunikation), T.I.E.M. (Technische Information in Elektronischen Medien), XML Developers' Conference, XTech.

MMK 1987/92/94/95 (German Conference on Human Machine Communication) workshops on
Structuring and Presenting Information
Oral, Written and Electronic Language
Perception of Hypertexts
Manuals and Documentation.

Classes and Workshops:
NYNMA Building a Successful New Media Business (2000)
Preparing World Ready Information (1997),
Management Training (1995),
Electronic Publishing (1994),
Negotiating (1994),
Typeface & Typography (1993),
Speaking in Public (1992).

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Software Skills

Editing and publishing: Word, RoboHelp, PageMaker, InDesign and others.

Web publishing: FrontPage, Dreamweaver, HotMetal, HomeSite and others.
Office: Excel, PowerPoint, Visio, Project.

Graphics and photo editing: Photoshop, FireWorks, PaintShop Pro and others.
Programming skills (very basic): C, JAVA, LISP, PROLOG, PASCAL, and Script Languages. Basic SQL. XML/XSL. MS D OS, Windows/95/NT/XP, Novell Netware, UNIX.

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Language
Skills

German: native speaker.
English: fluent. French and Italian: basic.

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Professional Organizations

Current: ACM, STC, ASIS/T, UPA.

Gesellschaft für Informatik (German computer science association), tekom (German society for technical communication), NYNMA (New York New Media Association), tgm (Munich society for typography), Webgrrls NYC. Founding member of Webgrrls Germany: member of the steering committee, Web site architect & team leader (1997-2000).

Volunteer activities included active participation in STC and tekom work groups, as well as design and layout of programs, flyers and posters for non-profit organizations and contributions to women's studies research groups.