Information Architect at Orbitz - downtown location! Start 2012 off right!

Job Title: Information Architect

Location: Chicago, IL

Department Name: Information Architecture

An Information Architect at OWW will work closely with multi-disciplinary teams in planning, designing, defining, testing and advancing the user experience for web-based travel booking, management and marketing products. Information Architects at OWW will work in a highly collaborative environment to ensure that OWW’s user experience adheres to industry best practices, is highly usable, reflects internal standards, utilizes advanced interface concepts, and
is in alignment with OWW’s business goals.

Responsibilities:

·         Lead and promote the user experience process.

·         Create, maintain and continue to evolve the user experience and interactions for OWW
online products.

·         Evaluate the scope of projects and provide high-level and detailed estimates for the IA
portion of initiatives.

·         Identify, track and recommend solutions for project related issues.

·         Generate detailed project plans for IA portions of initiative in which tasks are
appropriately categorized and prioritized.

·         Stay abreast of technical and functional dependencies across multiple initiatives.

·         Develop a broad understanding of OWW’s and the competition’s business, technologies and products.

·         Work closely with internal teams to ensure that user experience best practices are
promoted.

·         Work closely with internal teams to ensure that they are aware of what is being
proposed and that their expertise is utilized when necessary. 

·         Work closely with Product Marketing teams to ensure that product requirements are
understood, complete and then transformed into user experiences that are
sensitive to the user’s needs, the business goals and any the constraints of
technology.

·         When necessary, work closely with Product Marketing and Technology teams to develop
requirements and use cases through ideation, visual concepts and prototyping.

·         Effectively present proposals, concepts and solutions to internal stakeholders.

·         Work closely with Product Marketing and internal research teams to understand
consumer needs prior to efforts and evaluating usability of designs that are
both in progress and final.

·         Work with IA team to establish and continue to evolve documentation standards and
internal processes.

·         Present finalized and in progress designs to designers, editors, user interface
engineers, QA and back-end developers to gather feedback and to assist the
efforts of these teams in the development of their project plans, estimates,
feasibility assessments and risk assessments.

·         When necessary, create or assist in the creation of both low and high fidelity
prototypes for usability evaluations and as a means to gather feedback.

·         Create and maintain documents such as wireframes, flow charts, site maps, screen maps,
functional specifications, project plans and template trackers.

·         Plan, participate in, observe and report on usability studies.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years experience in the design and development of the user experience for large-scale, dynamic Web sites, intranets or web based applications.
• Must demonstrate direct involvement in the creation of artifacts such as wireframes, process flows, flow charts, functional specifications, prototypes scenarios, personas and use cases.
• Will have a thorough understanding of how technologies such as browsers and scripting languages can impact, enhance or constrain potential solutions.
• Will have experience working closely with multi-disciplinary teams.
• Must have a thorough understanding of Information Architecture, Interaction Design and User Experience Design concepts combined with strong practical, creative and analytical skills.
• Must demonstrate experience in disciplines such as Information Architecture, Interaction Design, User Experience Design or related fields in the development of large-scale, dynamic Web sites, intranets or web based applications.
• Must have strong conceptual skills, a critical eye for detail and the ability to translate complex concepts into visual and interactive representations that are accurate, detailed and clear.
• Will have experience with and an understanding of Human Factors and Usability methodologies, protocols and processes such as analysis, prototyping and participation in studies.
• Must have excellent communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills.
• Must be organized, self-motivated and highly adaptable.
• Must have a high level of proficiency in Visio, Word, Excel and Windows.
• Axure experience a big plus!

Candidates submit your resume and portfolio link to Frank Gruger frank.gruger@orbitz.com