Josh Cothran's Resume (Last updated March 17th 2008)

Resume builder

JOSH COTHRAN

Atlanta, Georgia 30324

-

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
User experience professional with more than five years of professional experience bringing websites and software from ideation to implementation. Strong track record designing and developing collaboration-oriented online experiences, rich internet applications, and websites making use of Web 2.0 technologies. Possess excellent communication and problem-solving skills, technical know-how, and an eye for design. Degrees in Computer Science and Human-Computer Interaction from Georgia Tech.

-

WORK EXPERIENCE 

Macquarium Intelligent Communications, Atlanta, Georgia

November 2006 - March 2008
Information Architect
  • Collaborated with business analysts, front-end developers, and graphic designers to develop first class user experience strategy and design solutions for clients' online needs.
  • Served as team lead for multiple engagements, including CITN, an internet television startup; Society for Information Management, a professional organization of CIOs and CTOs; and Sage Software. Collaborated on projects for a number of Fortune 500 clients, including the The Home Depot, UPS, IBM, and Yahoo!
  • Developed wireframes, personas, heuristic evaluations, concept models, taxonomies, content mappings, site maps, competitive analyses, opportunity briefs, and other documentation
  • Conducted stakeholder interviews, card-sorting exercises, brain-storming sessions, workshops, presentations, and other client-facing activities

-

Web.com, Atlanta, Georgia

August 2006 - November 2006
Web Developer (Contract)
  • Improved user experience for Web.com public-facing website
  • Implemented a flexible architecture to support upsells and cross-sells for online checkout process using .NET and AJAX technologies
  • Created landing pages for marketing partnerships

-

Georgia Tech Research Institute, Atlanta, Georgia

August 2003 - August 2006
Research Scientist
  • Responsible for UI design, prototyping, specifications, development, and testing
  • Developed a web-based interface to simulate smoke plume dispersion of controlled burns for the Georgia Forestry Commission using Microsoft .NET technologies
  • Storyboarded, designed, and implemented a Flash-based interactive multimedia presentation to assist in education, sales, and public relations for GTVC

-

IBM Research, Hawthorne, New York

May 2003 - August 2003
Web Application Developer (Intern)
  • Prototyped a web-based application using W3C technologies (XML, Javascript, DHTML) to assist IBM consultants in identifying solutions for clients of IBM's e-business on demand initiative
  • Conducted user tests and heuristic evaluations to improve prototype

-

Georgia Tech Sonification Lab, Atlanta, Georgia

May 2002 - June 2003
Research Assistant
  • Developed the Sonification Sandbox, a Java-based graphical toolkit for creating auditory graphs
  • Responsible for redesign and implementation of the website for United World Colleges, a group of colleges devoted to achieving world peace and cooperation

-

-

FREELANCE AND PRO BONO 
  • User interface and interaction design for Georgia Tech Alumni Association Campus Map, updating the application to take advantage of Google Maps API, AJAX technology, and client-side scripting libraries (pro bono)
  • Ongoing development and maintenance of Cheshire Place Condominiums website using Google Pages; implementation and management of CPnet, a broadband wireless mesh network serving over fifty community members (pro bono)
  • Basic eCommerce implementation using Shopify eCommerce engine for Elizabeth Talmadge, an Atlanta-based painter and photographer (freelance)
  • Custom template development and eCommerce implementation for INDIE Peace, an Atlanta-based organic cotton designer clothing line, using Shopify eCommerce engine (freelance)

-

EDUCATION 

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, August 2002 - August 2004

MS in Human-Computer Interaction

 

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, September 1997 - May 2002

BS in Computer Science

 

-

SKILLS 
Expert skills in many tools and languages relating to user experience design and web development
  • Adobe CS3: Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator
  • Wireframing and Diagramming: Visio, Omnigraffle, Whiteboarding
  • W3C Standards: XHTML, Javascript, CSS, Section 508 compliance
  • Web Debuggers: Firebug, Web Developer Toolbars for IE and Firefox
  • Programming languages/environments: Java, VB.NET, PHP
  • Content Management Systems: Drupal, DotNetNuke

-

AWARDS AND HONORS 
  • Macquarium Q2 2007 Tigershark: most billable employee of the quarter
  • Founder and moderator of hci-happy-hour, an active, five-year-old online forum with more than 200 members for facilitating interaction within the Georgia Tech HCI community
  • President's Scholar: Georgia Tech's foremost merit-based scholarship
  • Boy Scouts of America: Eagle Scout

-

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS 
CHI*A, IxDA, SXSW Interactive, Cheshire Place Condo Association Board of Directors

-