Thom Verratti

Statement of purpose

I am seeking employment in the field of software usability evaluation, where I can apply my knowledge of human-computer interaction evaluation techniques (such as contextual inquiry and design, heuristic evaluation, cognitive walkthrough, human performance engineering models, think-aloud protocol, and lab and field experiment design), my 8+ years of full-time experience designing software user interfaces, and strong written and oral communication skills.

Summary of qualifications

I am a Windows developer who has programmed professionally in Visual Basic since its introduction, and an author with publication credits in both technical and creative writing. My employment emphasis since 1991 has been in two areas: advanced user interface design and implementation, and database-driven programming. I’ve recently started working at the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in order to further my user interface design skills and acquire evaluation skills and experience.

Work experience

Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Research Programmer
August 1996 to present

Designing and implementing a collaborative software environment in Java as part of the Icie Project Team (Dr. Dan Olsen, project lead).

Studying the feasibility and methods of adding an expert system engine to "synthetic interview" software developed by the Entertainment Technology Center (Dr. Scott Stevens and Don Marinelli, project leads).

Assisted with undergraduate classes as a Teaching Associate for the School of Computer Science; in fall 1996, these classes were Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction and Fundamental Structures of Computer Science II (taught in Java); in fall 1997, again assisted with Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction.

ANATEC (a Microsoft Solution Partner)
Indianapolis, Indiana

Consultant
May 1995 to June 1996

Consulted with the MIS department of ADESA, a national chain of dealer auto auctions. Designed and wrote production module of EASY (a client/server auction system delivered by ANATEC) which handles customer contact and telemarketing (in Visual Basic). This module was a direct result of object-oriented database ideas and research conducted by myself and Mike Watterud since our meeting in early 1994 at Boehringer Mannheim.

Designed and prototyped module of EASY system to handle factory sales. Wrote two extensive VB prototypes: completely data-driven approach to factory sale transmission interface, and management program to edit and manage this transmission data.

Performed initial two-week feasibility study with Hyster and Yale (materials handling equipment companies).

Boehringer Mannheim Corporation
Indianapolis, Indiana

System Integration Specialist
August 1991 to May 1995

Founding member of new department dedicated to software research with an expert system emphasis (as programmer/tech writer for a three-person group).

Designed and implemented over thirty prototypes demonstrating possible applications of new technologies for many disparate departments; led demonstrations, wrote white papers and reports, and did necessary research to support and promote said prototypes.

Spent 25-30% of time researching new technologies; to this end, explored multimedia technology by working with authoring packages such as Microsoft Viewer, testing concepts such as using Visual Basic as a basis for multimedia title creation, and working with the hardware used to create CD-ROM discs.

Chosen by Microsoft as a beta site for Windows 95 and Visual Basic 4.0; also assisted in betas of MS Project 4.0, MS Access 1.1, and MS Access 2.0.

Delco Electronics, General Motors
(contracted through ACA Calumet)
Kokomo, Indiana

Programmer
May 1990 to July 1991

Developed programs and reports to augment commercial project management software; worked with various departments to modernize then-current project management practices; researched conflicting data structures and terminology in an effort to simplify GM's corporate databases.

Education

Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
August 1996 to present

Degree candidate in the newly announced Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) working towards a Masters of Human-Computer Interaction (anticipated graduation date: August 1998).

Taylor University
Upland, Indiana
August 1986 to April 1990

BS in Computer Science/Systems, Artificial Intelligence cognate

24 hours of English and writing courses (minor)

Named Association of Systems Managers "Computer Science Student of the Year", 1990

Professional memberships

ACM (SIGCHI) since 1997

AFSM International (Association for Services Management) since 1993

Dramatists Guild (Associate) since 1992

Currently obtaining MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solution Developer) status;
Successfully passed Visual Basic and Windows Architecture I and II certification exams

Publications

Olsen, D. R., Boyarski, D., Verratti, T., Phelps, M., Moffat, J., Lo, E. Generalized Pointing: Enabling Multiagent Interaction. Accepted for CHI 1998.

Monthly columnist for Visual Basic Developer, Pinnacle Publishing, from Vol. 1 No. 2 (September 1994) - Vol. 3 No. 2 (September 1996), writing as "Dr. V.B."

Published articles in Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine (May/June 1996, July/August 1996), Developer Wire (1^st quarter 1996, 2^nd quarter 1996), others

Full-length play Cosmographicum performed at Taylor University in February, 1992 as part of regular season (Dr. Oliver Hubbard, director)

One-act play Stings performed at Indiana University in March, 1992 by p.s. send money productions (Tina Beck, director)

· References and reprints available upon request ·

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