Al Abut
Freelance interaction and UI designer

http://www.alabut.com
alabut@gmail.com
(858) 603-1820


EMPLOYMENT
----------
Interaction Designer
Ludic Labs
(October 2007 - November 2008)
* Designed new and existing features using task analysis diagrams, personas, iterative visual prototypes and other user-centered design principles.
* Conducted usability tests in the field with sample users and creating review documentation.
* Designed web pages and related creative assets using Fireworks, OmniGraffle and Photoshop.
* Coded web pages into HTML and CSS with Django templates.


Senior Designer
Social Media, Palo Alto, CA
(August - October 2007)
* Created prototypes, designs and markup of Facebook apps for an application network with millions of daily users.
* Projects included games, boutique sites, advertising banners and website redesigns.
* Worked closely with a cross-functional group from project inception to completion to define and create satisfying user experiences.


Web Designer & Flash/Flex Developer
Asterpix, San Jose, CA
(March - August 2007)
* Prototyped and built the UI for a Flash/Flex video-playing client, implemented with Fireworks, Actionscript 3.0 and Flex.
* Created website: logo design, branding, HTML/CSS and Django templates.

Flash Developer
Wagerworks, San Francisco, CA
(December 2005 - March 2007)
* Created online casino games for the UK market.
* Programmed in Actionscript using OOP (prototype-based classes) and XML.
* Worked on a multi-disciplinary team of artists, Flash developers and Java programmers.

Founder/Owner
alabut.com
(October 2004 - November 2005)
* Freelanced for a year, specializing in standards-compliant XHTML/CSS and Actionscript-heavy Flash.
* Companies included design firms and advertising agencies.

Programmer/Analyst I/II
University of California San Diego
(December 2000 -  October 2004)
* First webmaster of the Division of Biological Sciences, created and redesigned their websites, with XML/XSLT for data-heavy sections, and made Flash slideshows for special occasions.
* Lead web developer for an environmental research initiative, the Superfund Basic Research Program.
* Made Flash documentaries about scientists doing environmental research and used video, audio, pictures and text to tell engaging narratives.


SKILLS
------
Lots of experience:
HTML, XHTML, CSS, W3C standards, UI design, information architecture, iterative prototyping, usability testing, interaction design and task analysis, Fireworks, Flash, Actionscripting 1.0

Less experience:
Flex, Actionscripting 2.0/3.0, Javascript/AJAX, PHP, MySQL, Ruby/Rails, Python/Django, XML/XSLT


CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS
---------------------
* Adobe MAX 2006: large annual event focusing on upcoming Adobe developments, with an emphasis on Flash, Flex and AIR.
* DUX 2003: joint conference on interactive digital design (June 03)
* AIGA Experience Design: Sixth Advance for Design Summit (June 03, presented short talk on case study implementation)
* Adaptive Path: The Business of Experience Design (June 03)
* Edward R. Tufte: Presenting Data and Information (Jan 03)
* Adaptive Path: Designing for the User Experience (Oct 02)


EDUCATION
---------
Undergraduate: University of California San Diego, Political Science