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About CBS Interactive:
CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation, is the best online content network for information and entertainment. Its portfolio of leading brands, which include CNET, CBS.com, CBSSports.com, GameSpot, TV.com, BNET, and Last.fm span popular categories like technology, entertainment, sports, news, and business. With more than 150 million people visiting its properties each month, CBS Interactive is a top 10 web property globally.
Job Description:
The CNET and CBS News.com User Experience and Design team specialize in user-centered design, user experience thought leadership, visual design, user research and usability activities to support the company web-based initiatives. Practice members are responsible for cultivating and fostering a collaborative, innovative culture. You will work closely with user experience researchers, product managers and technologists to define the user experience strategy, spearhead a user centered design process and develop usable, useful and compelling online product experiences.
You will also rely heavily on actual site usage metrics, multi-variate testing and usability evaluations to ensure the CNET and CBSNews.com web experience achieves business goals and meets the needs of intended users. Additional responsibilities will include collaborating with Product Managers to define key metrics for site features success; use methods/tools such as multi-variate testing/site analytics to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of interface and flow level components.
You should be skilled at presenting work in an organized and articulate manner and be comfortable contributing in meetings with various cross-functional departments. You should also be self-directed and capable of working through priority issues with your main partners/stakeholders.
As a User Experience Designer you will design a compelling customer experience by: modeling the user interface (e.g., page-level schematics/wireframes, interaction design diagrams, site maps, etc.); working with Web Producers to create prototypes of the user interface (e.g., static and/or interactive web compliant formats: HTML, Flash, etc.,); producing interface design documentation (e.g., project specific design specifications, functional descriptions, and visual documents that convey user movement); and delivering visual design specifications for the final product that are based on the CNET and CBS News.com branded styles.
Responsibilities:
· Create user interface specifications for web development initiatives including site maps, schematics/wireframes, prototypes, use cases and interaction diagrams representing website user experience.
· Capacity to review the work of junior or contract experience designers and provide guidance.
· Deliver visual design specifications in addition to information architecture/interaction design specs.
· Research the competitive landscape and make recommendations relating to online product organization, information hierarchy, and user task flow.
· Partner with CNET and CBS News.com Research to define usability test objectives, test respondent profiles, scripts, conduct moderation and deliver summary of findings/recommendations as needed.
· Assess and communicate trade-off decisions impacting project scope/delivery.
· Identify opportunities or flaws in existing product features and make recommendations for changes, improvements or new features based on user feedback, statistical data on site usage and business owner feedback.
· Interpreting business goals and building actionable documents in all manner of formats (ppt, illustrator, visio, and excel) to move the strategy definition process towards conclusion and clarity.
· Collaborate with key subject matter experts/business owners to define clear web strategies that provide an action plan for business activities and growth.
· Assume ownership of the user experience across one or more particular products or functional business units.
Required Skills/Experience:
· Bachelor’s degree in either Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Industrial Design, Interface Design, a behavioral science or closely related discipline such as Human-Computer Interaction, Human Factors, Psychology (Cognitive or Experimental), or Computer Science. A Master’s degree is a plus.
· 6 years of experience as a user experience practitioner either “in-house” or an agency environment with a proven track record for successful delivery on high profile projects.
· Excellent consultative and/or group facilitation skills including the ability to lead stakeholder strategy, requirements gathering and design review meetings.
· Demonstrated ability to balance rigorous attention to detail with strategic “big-picture” thinking.
· Excellent oral and written communication skills for effective communication to stakeholders, senior management, technologists and outside vendors.
· Demonstrated experience thinking strategically and communicating those strategies for innovative web-based solutions to solve complex user and business challenges.
· Demonstrated ability to set clear expectations with business stakeholders; managing personal and or other UXD team member’s performance to exceed those expectations.
· Ability to prioritize and complete multiple tasks/projects within deadlines and with a high degree of quality.
· Conceptual level understanding of data modeling, relational databases, XML, content management systems, and taxonomies.
· Experience designing and refining search user experience a plus.
· Previous experience in the media & entertainment sector a plus.
· Proficiency in Illustrator, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, MS Office software, ImageReady, Flash, Visio, and Acrobat Distiller.
· Basic experience with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for prototyping a plus.
· A portfolio that shows an ability to deliver both traditional IA and visual design deliverables.
· Must successfully pass a background check.
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