Cathy Tiritoglu
887 Russet Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94087
Tel: 650-248-5963
E-mail: ctirit@yahoo.com
SUMMARY:
Cathy Tiritoglu is a user experience designer for web sites, web-based applications and wireless devices. She leverages user-centered design principles to provide effective interface designs and information architectures through low- and high-fidelity wireframes and prototypes. Cathy works collaboratively across multi-disciplinary teams to influence and envision product strategies that enable the user.
EXPERIENCE:
Yahoo, Inc., Sunnyvale, California—6/02-present
Roles: Senior interaction designer for Yahoo! Real Estate (6/07-present)
Balanced business, product and user requirements to create effective design solutions for the Yahoo! Real Estate site—the #1 single real estate site on the Internet, according to comScore for September 2008. Contributed to product strategy for development of homepage redesign, promotional pages for engaging listing partners, intranet for partner account management, and editorial content. Developed use-case scenarios, information architecture, flowcharts, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and functional Flash prototypes. Worked closely with usability researchers to design studies, create prototypes for testing, and distill findings into actionable design directions.
- Rolled out successful new site navigational structure.
- Redesigned homepage launch in March 2008. Overall click-through rate increased 9% from 86% pre-launch to 94% post-launch, with a home search increase of 15.9%.
- Currently designing new homepage with the main goal of increasing user engagement by highlighting personalization features, as well as simplifying the page content. Built multiple Flash prototypes for usability testing.
- Wrote usability test script and conducted one-on-one interviews with 13 real estate agents to measure effectiveness of paper prototype designs.
- Designed editorially-focused “Guides and Advice” section of the site. Created section architecture, detailed wireframes, high-fidelity visual designs and UI specs. Worked with development team in India to implement.
- Created a template design for various sponsored information centers, including the Refinance Center, Insurance Center and Mortgage Center.
- Redesigned existing intranet for real estate listings providers to upload data feeds, manage listings and view property stats. Project included overall visual redesign, site architecture, and adding statistics and other tools.
Directed strategic and creative initiatives to build effective design solutions for the Yahoo! Autos site. Influenced the product vision for an entire site redesign and major feature additions and enhancements. Deliverables included flowcharts, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, and click-through prototypes. Managed the design team schedule, providing project estimates for interaction design, visual design and front-end engineering. Worked closely with usability researchers to design studies, create prototypes for testing, and distill findings into actionable design directions.
- Designed the information architecture for the enhanced site when thousands of new car data points (specs, features, options, photos, rebates, etc.) were added in 2003.
- Designed the experience of grouped, categorized search results for Autos, which became a guide for other properties.
- Led the team that designed the interaction of the ratings stars commonly used on many Yahoo properties, such as Autos, Local, Tech and Shopping.
- Worked with product and business development team to define the scope for integration of AutoTrader used car listings into Autos. The information layout designed and implemented for the listings was so effective that AutoTrader has since borrowed the core design for their own presentation.
- Managed the design team, provided strategic input, and designed information architecture for Yahoo! Autos Custom-a side site for car enthusiasts who modify and "pimp out" their cars.
- Worked closely with the product team to ideate and scope the Yahoo! Autos Green Center. The integration of user generated network content (Answers, Flickr, Groups, and del.icio.us saved sites) on Green and the new Auto Shows section was widely praised throughout the company.
- Provided editorial content management by building articles and photo galleries, and designing effective partner integration experiences. The fresh content integration earned Autos increased featured placements on the Yahoo! front page and was instrumental in leading Autos to the number one position in online automotive research sites.
Cellmania, Inc., Mountain View, California—3/00-11/01
Roles: Senior interface designer, Project lead
Designed user interfaces and interaction for web sites, web-based applications, PDA applications, and mobile internet applications. Developed information architecture, navigational schemes and graphics for Cellmania's mFinder mobile internet directories, mStore web stores for wireless devices, mEnterprise mobile platform application, Cellmania's corporate website, and wireless product demos. Project manager for mFinder and mStore projects, and managed a junior designer on various web, Flash and print projects. Worked closely with product and marketing teams to develop requirements, developers to implement the designs, and QA to verify intended interaction. Created use models, paper prototypes, wireframes and HTML/JavaScript prototypes during design process.
Developed interfaces for two PDA-based web applications running on Microsoft's PocketPC browser. Studied interaction model and developed preliminary design for a RIM-based mobile application running on GoAmerica's GoWeb browser. Designed interaction for phone-based application to create and edit mobile web (WAP) sites. Worked on various interface aspects of Cellmania's mFinder application for the phone (HDML and WML), wireless device product demos and mFinder desktop simulators.
M.J. Harden Associates, Inc., Kansas City, Missouri—1/94-4/99
Roles: UI designer, Corporate communications designer
Designed user interface and interaction for various web sites, including the corporate web site, American Public Works Association (APWA) InfoLink, Kansas City Chapter of APWA, several Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad intranet sites, and a project binder intranet site. Worked directly with clients before and during development process to refine requirements. Designed graphics for multimedia demo CD of M.J. Harden software applications. Created prototypes to review with clients and to deliver to engineering team for implementation. Assisted senior designer in developing icons for toolbar for major software application.
In addition to UI design, also designed corporate communications. Redesigned and implemented new corporate identity for M.J. Harden Associates (MJH); designed trade show booth mural graphics; developed series of logos for suite of software applications developed by MJH. Created graphics for presentations and proposals. Planned advertising calendar; worked with ad agency to create ad campaign; designed ads; prepared digital ads for service bureau to output film. Coordinated trade show exhibits; designed and produced direct mail pieces. Wrote and edited copy for marketing material, including brochures, direct mail, and ads.
DESIGN CONSULTING:
User Interface Laboratory, LLC, Kansas City, Missouri—1998-2001
Roles: UI designer, Print designer
Developed promotions, information architecture, and visual design for various web, print and multimedia projects.
EDUCATION:
University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas—May 1993
Bachelor of Science in Journalism (Major-Advertising)
SEMINARS GIVEN:
Creating an Effective Web Site - presented at:
KCACM/KC Webmasters, September 24, 1997, Kansas City, Missouri.
KC-CHI (Kansas City chapter of the SIGCHI-ACM), June 3, 1997, Kansas City, Missouri.
DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENTS & TOOLS:
Operating Systems: Windows, Apple, some UNIX
Development Platforms: Web, PDA, RIM pager, mobile phone
Languages & Tools: HTML, JavaScript, CSS, CorelDraw, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Flash, Adobe Acrobat, Macromedia HomeSite, Visio, allCLEAR (use modeling tool)
LANGUAGES:
Basic conversational French
ACTIVITIES:
Member BayCHI - Bay Area chapter of the SIGCHI-ACM