James Hatfield
Functional (Hiring) Manager for Global User Experience and UI Architecture team at Fossil Inc.
About Me top ^
I love Product Design. Form meets function. I specialize in Human Computer Interaction. I also love software, hardware, and Human to Human communications, including messaging, fine art (esoteric messaging), advertising and multi-media. I love technology, science and culture. I read science, tech and society news on a daily basis looking for ideas in disparate places that I can incorporate into my work. It's a passion that I can barely control long enough to keep my family happy ;-p Well I do a good job of it I think.
HCI and computer science are topics which truly interest me - more than just a job. I spend a good portion of my personal free time reading about, learning and experimenting with a variety of programming languages and platforms. My natural eye for composition and asethetics continues to provide a welcome balance by affirming a user centered focus in all of my interests. Product Design in my opinion is a harmony of art and science, asethetics and statistics – beauty is in the eye of the beholder but with the right tools it can be measured and thereby improved upon.
I have a wife, Lisa, and 3 daughters, Camille, Chloe and Juliet. We live in Plano, Texas and we spend most of our free time playing with the kids, teaching them life lessons, and trying to keep the house clean. My me time is spent reading books on my iPhone, writing a children's book and working on personal websites and open source software projects.
Experience and Capabilities top ^
Project Leader
Ability to lead and delegate responsibilities. Communication and organization. Team building. Client communications. Executive communications.
- MS Office: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Project, Exchange
- Online tools for collaborative work
- Brief writing, memo writing
- Accurate Estimate development including timelines, project plans, task descriptions, budget and resource planning
- Agile methodology. Iterative development, SCRUM, Story writing, Product Ownership, Facilitating Communications within and between teams and stakeholders.
- Willing and able to travel for client meetings or strategic partner meetings
- Results driven
Project Architect
Knowledgeable in a wide variety of platforms, technologies and service offerings in the web media industry
- Able to architect, document and direct implementation of web applications from business requirements through final QA and launch
- Experienced in managing development teams on long term and short term projects, establishing work schedules and goal oriented timelines with phased development and testing
- Process oriented
Developer
Ability to innovate while providing quality controlled deliverables
- Platform / Framework Experience: LAMP, Microsoft Technology Stack (.Net/MSSQL/IIS/MOSS), Liferay, IBM Websphere, CakePHP,
- Software Design: MVC, Object Oriented, Other Design Patterns (Value Object Factory, etc)
- Programming: PHP, Javascript, .Net, Java, Perl, HTML/XHTML, CSS, SVG, XMl, Actionscript 2 and 3, SQL, JSON
- Software Architecture: Visio, OmniGraffle, UML, BPMN, Client <=> Server modeling, SOA, Site Maps, Content Maps, DB Schemas
- User Experience + Prototyping: Axure, iRise, InDesign+Acrobat, Balsamiq
- Standards and Accessibility: W3C, WAI, WCAG, ARIA - applications within a variety of media, interactive, digital A/V
- Security and Quality Assurance: Unit Testing, Regression Testing, Writing of Test Scripts and Test Suites, Automated Build with CI servers
- Development Lifecycle: Subversion, GIT, CVS, Version Cue, Bugzilla, Trac, ANT
- Team communications: IM, Email, Skype, Work Orders, Blogs, Lunch and Watercooler
- User Interface Best practice analysis and recommendations per project based on User studies of existing applications as well as prototypes of proposed new improved applications.
- Usability Assessment as well as resulting Interface Design
- User Interface Widget library creation utilizing best of breed AJAX/DHTML javascript libraries (Yahoo UI, JQuery, Prototype/Scriptaculous)
Visual Designer
Ability to create compelling communication oriented designs on budget and on time
- Adobe: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat, Flash, Flex, Dreamweaver
- Classic Art/Media Painting, Drawing, Photography, Illustration
- Concepting skills Graphic Design, Color Theory, Copy Writing, Stock imagery selection, Fonts and Typography
- Audio/Video Storyboards, Encoding, Premier, Flash A/V
- 3D modeling Maya, StudioMax, Blender, Collada, Flash Papervision, Flash Away3D
Recent Work History top ^
Fossil Inc. - Global User Experience and UI Architecture Manager
March 2012 – Present (3 months)
Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; FOSL; Retail industry; Richardson, Texas
My team is currently transitioning into a stronger position to provide leadership on core strategic initiatives within the Ecommerce department. Our focus is on extending User Centered Design into the organization at an institutional level and championing a shared User Interface Architecture based on Service Oriented Architecture methodologies.
As part of this process I am actively encouraging an adjustment to a more Agile approach to planning, design, development and testing. The goal is to create cross-functional teams with a focus on continuous improvement rather than annual redesign and/or reengineering.
Team of 2 UI architects, 2 UX designers and 6 UI developers
Currently working on:
- Skagen brand commerce website (US, UK)
- Michele brand commerce website (US)
- Client side, service based, commerce architecture implemented using Javascript, JSON and MV* architecture, javascript templating and HTML5 enhancements.
- Comprehensive wireframe library of UI assets for use in iterative planning and design
- Product level documentation for all UI assets
- Service Level Agreement for UI products
- Automated test coverage for all functionality agreed to in SLAs and a commitment to test driven development
- Cross brand commerce enhancements
- On-going A/B/MV testing, moderated usability testing
Fossil, Inc. - User Interface New Development Ecommerce Manager
December 2009 – March 2012 (2 years 3 months)
Fossil
Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; FOSL; Retail industry; Richardson, Texas
My team architects, develops and supports UI and front end web technology for ecommerce websites. We work closely with a team of Java developers, QA, Translators, Creative designers, Merchants and Project Managers to rapidly build and deploy ecommerce solutions for Fossil business interests.
Team of 8 UI developers
My portfolio of products managed from requirements through deployment (waterfall with development sprints) includes:
- Fossil commerce websites in 10+ countries, 6 languages (US, DE/AT, UK, IT, FR, AU, SA, CN, KR, JP)
- CN and KR are commerce enabled but awaiting in-country business support
- Fossil mobile commerce websites in 4 countries, 2 languages (US, DE, UK, AU)
- Watchstation commerce website
- Diesel TImeframes commerce website (US, DE, IT, UK)
- Relicbrand commerce website
- WYSIWYG Translation editor
- Automated build/test/deploy for front end web technologies via SVN, ANT, JSLint and Jenkins/CI plus lots of custom glue code and unit tests.
All of the above are team efforts. My big contribution was building an awesome team and consistently pursuing strategic and tactical goals on a daily basis.
Additional responsibilities include:
- Business Process Modeling
- Solution Architecture
- User Experience Design
- Use case and wireframe development
- Usablity testing in lab and remote
- A/B and multivariate test setup and analytics tagging
- Capacity planning, resource allocation budgeting
Budgeted projects directly managed (~500k) include:
- Usability and Localization Analysis with Human Factors International
- iOS catalog application leveraging Adobe Scene7 catalog merchandising tools
- Usability studies for Fossil global design update with 3 agencies in US, Germany and China
- Mobile design update with Usablenet
Personal deliverables included:
- Functional Requirements and Wireframes for Relicbrand.com (10/2010) and WSI (8/2011)
- Researched and defined the UX for all major features for each website.
- Defined estimates and a task backlog for all UI components for Relicbrand.com
- Delegated and supported the definition of estimates and tasks for Watchstation.com
- Pitched and championed UX for each project with C level executives and all Brand managers
- Functional Requirements for WYSIWYG Translation editor, March 2011
- UXD for Fossil 2010 Summer Charmbuilder, a Flash visual product builder for Charms and Bracelets
- Actionscript development for Charmbuilder internal shopping cart, guided other developers on using OO-Class based architecture for Flash applications.
- UXD and prototyping for Fossil 2010 Holiday launch featuring event driven video story-telling.
- UXD and final development for Fossil 2010 Wishlist enhancement
- Fossil mobile site UXD improvement over existing (within limitations set by vendor) and extension to DE and UK regions
- UXD and development of javascript based Fossil online catalog viewer
Past accomplishments top ^
I have 10+ years as a designer and developer, starting as a production artist at Bates USA West in 1997 (working on Souza Tequila and Hyundai campaigns). I began designing and developing for the web in 1998 when a software developer friend of mine asked if I wanted to start a partnership creating commerce web sites using the Yahoo Stores interface w/ custom skins.
Artifice Interactive
February 1998 – February 2000 (3 years 3 months)
Privately Held; 2 employees; Internet Services industry; Irvine, CA
My friend and I continued creating small business sites for 2 years, adding in some identity work for several Non-Profits, Concept proposals for the Pirelli Calendar, and a fateful web and identity package for a startup company called NTD systems, which later was renamed Avamar Technologies.
Avamar Technologies - http://www.avamar.com
February 2000 – April 2003 (3 years 3 months)
Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Computer Software industry; Irvine, CA
Avamar hired both I and my friend to come in-house. I was offered a position as Art Director where I worked closely with Marketing and Business Development as well as all Executives and later Board Members to create a full Identity & Brand for the company.
Avamar later received a total of 65 Million in Venture Capital and I continued my position there for 4 years working as Art Director and Web Master on a variety of projects.
- Identity & Brand
- Industrial Design
- Environmental Design
- Software User Interface
- Intranet and Extranet (including www) Design and Development
After leaving Avamar I decided to take time off and plan my wedding with my beautiful fiance, now my wife.
Creative Productions and Toyota Parts & Service - http://www.creativeproductions.com
Jan 2004 - Mar 2004 (3 months)
Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry
While taking time off from full time employment, I freelanced for a while and had the pleasure of Art Directing a new website for Toyota through a contract position with Creative Productions in Longbeach CA.
http://www.toyotaownersonline.com or http://www.toyota.com/owners/
- Identity & Brand
- Developed a unique usage of the Toyota logo mark in combination with a distinctively personal 'Owners' mark. This logo is used nationwide in all collateral and media targeted at current owners of Toyota vehicles.
- Established a warm, personal brand for Toyota Parts & Service "Owners" marketing campaign through use of color, photography, mood and usage guidelines.
- Tried to update aspects of the standard Toyota online look and feel without losing consistency with the parent brand.
- Interactive
- Worked closely with developers to create a genuinely engaging experience for owners who register with the site. (you must be a toyota owner to get access VIN # required). I sponsored the concept of a simple dashboard for owners with quick access to special offers, service offers, news and updates on the member's vehicle as well as a variety of optional content the member could add in.
- Proposed a campaign "Stories from the Road" which became one of the most successful and interesting aspects of the site.
Brilliant Blue
May 2004 – December 2009 (5 years 8 months)
Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry
While at Brilliant Blue http://www.brilliantblue.com I worked on a wide variety of projects; from email campaigns for Perfume distributors to JD Edwards driven B2B commerce applications; Panasonic In-Flight SkyMall touchscreen interfaces to Glamour sites for Plastic Surgeons.
Some examples of websites/RIA projects I personally directed interactive on while at Brilliant Blue:
-
Panasonic In Flight Entertainment GUI
A presentation of this demo system and a code review are available by request due to contractual obligations.
Full working demo application for installation on Panasonic X Series IFE touchscreen devices
- Supports AVOD streaming media w/ purchase option
- Launch/Play/Pause/Stop/FF/RW
- Supports Games on Demand w/ purchase option
- Supports USB media reading via XML generating shell script on media insert
- Supports iPod media streaming via specialized powered connector
- Provides device support for volume and brightness w/ flash based feedback overlays
- Flash based application using Actionscript 3 with full Class based modular construction utilizing some MVC patterns
- Papervision 2.0 3D menu system configured from XML
- XML driven content for all individual applications
- PageFlip catalog shopping w/ purchase option
- Custom Flash and XML based shopping cart system demo (no transactions)
- Custom My Account section with support for opening/closing a "Tab" to support the shopping cart.
- Custom My Playlist functionality for adding tracks from available albums
- Support for generating music listings and photo galleries from USB media
- Support for custom Panasonic Avionics iPod connections to allow for personal media streaming through the IFE
- First Team Real Estate
- http://www.firstteam.com
- Real Estate Agent websites
- RETS/IDX connections to SoCalMLS as a contracted vendor of services to Realtors®
- Synchronized data for individual agents: Active, Sold and Open House listings
- Customized data visualizations for mapping and demographics information.
- Additional use of the Zillow API for further demographics charting and graphing.
- Cadbury Schweppes and Cadbury PLC
- Sourpatch Kids website, http://www.soursweetgone.com
Demographic driven brand awareness website - Green And Blacks website, http://www.greenandblacks.com
- Sourpatch Kids website, http://www.soursweetgone.com
- Santa Ana Police Department
- Rollcall Briefing and Intra/Extranet Application to replace paper based bulletins and notifications (Stolen Vehicle reports, Wanted Person bulletins, Patrol Check assignments, other unofficial reports)
- Provides integration with Computer Aided Dispatch system, several external web service APIs, a stolen vehicle database, a vehicle image library and a custom multi-screen presentation system.
- Provides a dashboard view of recent criminal activity for the last 72 hours, mapping tools with radius overlays showing crime relationships, wanted persons, stolen vehicles and Homeland Security Terror threat news services.
- .Net, MSSQL, Active Directory
-
SourSweetGone.com for Cadbury PLC
http://www.soursweetgone.comInteractive direction from start to finish.
- Flash development, CMS development
- Information Architecture including: technical specification, functional specification, wireframes
- Mobile platform support using WURFL mobile system database with support for both WAP+XHTML and WML
- Media streaming server using Darwin Streaming server to server H.264 and 3GP video to both web and mobile devices
- Integration with ModX Content Management System for text version of site as well as for generating XML to feed into the main Flash website.
Flash development using Actionscript 2. Including:
- XML based content and configuration of the site via a CMS backend (PHP and MySQL) with full administrative toolset and custom content variables
- Modular Flash application utilizing some MVC patterns
- Custom application development using upload/download of images
- Image distortion on server using Flash and PHP
- Emailing of uploaded images using Flash, PHP and CURL
- Database storage of images using Flash PHP and MySQL
- Customizable eCards using multiple layouts and font selections with Flash, PHP and MySQL
- Integration with 3rd part data collection service using Flash and PHP
- Integration of web traffic statistics using Urchin, Google Analytics and Omniture - including tracking video views and length of view.
- Deep linking and back button support using SWFAddress actionscript and javascript library
GreenAndBlacks.com for Cadbury Schweppes and Cadbury PLC
http://www.greenandblacks.com and http://www.greenandblacks.com/ukInteractive Direction from start to finish. Web development, CMS development, Custom UI enhancements using Javascript (JQuery)
- ModX CMS site with integrated product information database and recipes database
- Custom fuzzy radius search for Stores search, using Google Maps API
- Urchin, Google and Omniture site traffic tracking
- 3rd party data collection integration using CURL and PHP with API
- 3rd party eCommerce integration and support
- Full WAI accessibility support
St Jude Medical Professionals Website
http://www.sjmprofessional.comMicrosoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007
- This site has been featured in several Microsoft case studies for it's use of MOSS 2007 technologies and customization of the platform for a public facing websites
- Developed MOSS 2007 Technical and Functional specifications including Site Map, Information Architecture, Content Maps for MOSS, Wireframes, Security Maps for MOSS
- Worked directly with Microsoft and the Client to create many of the custom application features such as the User Sign in, Advanced Search, Public document repositories for Drs to upload case studies and public personalize home pages, forums and other tools for Doctors and Medical Professionals
Education top ^
Years of hard work and experience.
High School
Graduated from University High School, Irvine CA
Additional Education
Summer of 1995, life drawing and rendering classes at Laguna Art Institute, Laguna Beach, Ca
Working internships during 1995 and 1996 with The Graphix Zone Multimedia formerly of Irvine Ca. and as a production artist at Bates USA West (now a part of The Ogilvy Group).