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Information Architect (Contract), Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online
Sep 21 05
Source: CHI-Jobs
Job Description: Information Architect (Contract)
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online (WDPRO) is currently seeking full-time senior-level Information Architects to join our diverse, dynamic and dedicated Information Architecture team on a contract basis. The positions are located in Orlando, FL and North Hollywood, CA. There is the possibility of some travel if needed.
At WDPRO, Information Architects ("IAs") work closely with the Creative Director, Visual Designers, Content Strategists, Writers, Product Managers, Technical Producers, Engineers and other IAs as a part of a collaborative project team to create a "magical" experience that defines and fulfills guests' (users') needs while also honoring the business requirements outlined by the Business Units. We are passionate about what we do and are looking for people with the same degree of excitement and commitment.
Major Responsibilities
* Lead the Information Architecture effort for a specific business or interaction domain as well as the standardization and streamlining of IA documentation and processes overall
* Participate in design team and project team meeting, acting as an integration point/ liaison within Creative and between the Creative and Technology teams
* Understand guest needs by leading persona/ scenario workshops and participating in user research efforts
* Contribute to business requirement definitions, analyzing/ reconciling user, business, and technical needs
* Lead the creation of consistent information hierarchies for site navigation on both a system-wide level and a page-by-page or screen-by-screen level, while adhering to design uniformity within and across projects
* Evaluate existing and new designs for quality and consistency, ensuring scalability of design on projects
* Write or contribute to the development of use cases and business process flows
* Develop detailed navigation flows, site maps, wireframes and interface design/ functional specifications that capture site processes and all user interaction points with the system
* Define project process including but not limited to schedules, meetings, change requests, bug-tracking, deadlines, scope, resource hours, and deliverables, in conjunction with other project leads
* Accurately estimate effort required and manage resources per project, leading and mentoring other Information Architects
Required Qualifications
* Advanced degree in Human Computer Interaction, Library and Information Science, Interaction Design or related field or at least 5 years of experience in site/ system development with a minimum of 3 years as a web-based information architect, user interface/ experience/ interaction designer or analyst leading multiple projects simultaneously
* Experience working on large, complex sites that integrate database or CMS driven content, including enhanced media with application-like functionality, such as calendars and itinerary planners, personalization tools, account management and e-commerce transaction processes
* Solid background with the web and web technologies including a basic understanding of the technical systems and architecture which underlie dynamic websites
* Excellent visual/ verbal communicator with a demonstrated strong creative vision for organizing interactive information systems
* Comfortable with IA toolkit programs such as Visio and DreamWeaver, Microsoft office, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, etc.
* Extremely detail-oriented, flexible and able to work in a fast-paced, demanding environment with aggressive development schedules
* Familiarity with conducting or overseeing usability sessions, task analysis, heuristic evaluation, rapid prototyping, persona workshops, and other methods of user needs/ goals analysis
* Portfolio presentation is expected, to include URLs of websites or samples of user interface design that reflect candidate 's work as well as documentation that led to the site, including wireframes, site maps, navigation flows, interaction design specs, etc.
Additional Desired Qualifications
* Hands-on experience with web development (hand-coded HTML, with the ability to ramp-up quickly in DreamWeaver, CSS, JavaScript, etc.)
* Experience in media software applications such as Flash, QuickTime, and Director
* Professionally active (ongoing professional reading, association memberships, listserv participation and/ or conference attendance) in groups such as IAI, ASIST (SIG-IA), ACM (SIG-CHI), IXDG, AIGA, etc.
* Experience in storytelling/writing, film or video production, media design, theatre/performance, or physical interfaces for product design
If all of the above sounds like your dream job, we want to meet you! Please forward resumes and samples or URLs to Cathy Lawrence [Cathy.A.Lawrence (at) Disney (dot) com].