Joe Brachocki
(201) 362-8125
jmb23@njit.edu
OBJECTIVE: To secure a position that allows me to use my expertise in usability to bring to a company substantial revenue.
EDUCATION: New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Newark, NJ
B.S. Human Computer Interaction GPA: 3.617
B.S. Applied Mathematics Graduated May 2007.
HONORS: Pi Mu Epsilon Inductee, Dean's List, Best University-Wide Project Manager, Vector Certified Field Trainer
KEY COURSES: Human Factors, Research Methods, Application Evaluation, Human Computer Interface Design, Pervasive
Computing, Cognitive Science, Statistics in Behavioral Sciences, Perception, Social Psychology, Requirements
Analysis and Systems Design, Multimedia Information Systems, Intensive Programming Practicum, Java
KEY SKILLS: Usability: Interface Design, Heuristic Evaluations, Social Research Methods, Information Architecture
Languages: C++, XHTML, VBA, Java, PHP, SQL, JavaScript, XML, AJAX, WML, Perl, ASP, SVG
Software: Office, MySQL, Visual Studio.NET, Visio, Rational RequisitePro, StudioMX
Modeling/Diagramming: RUP, ER Model, IDEF1X, UML, Data Flows, CPM, Gantt Charts
TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE:
Viecore, Inc., Mahwah, NJ
User Interface Designer Aug 2007 – Present
Speech Engineering Intern Jun 2006 – Aug 2006
Took ownership and responsibility of the Voice User Interface (VUI) generator tool, a vital tool as it documented the VUIs that
we provided to all clients. Debugged/added features to it as per client/internal requests while performing everyday duties.
Enhanced the VBA/XML automated creation of VUI documentation to better map client IVR systems.
Analyzed call data from IVR and CTI systems and transcribed call utterances to contribute to client reports.
Participated in the Usability Testing of a client’s Prescription information retrieval IVR.
Commenced development of an application that parsed VUI Documents and created XML Files to be read by a GUI.
Provided tuning analysis for IVR systems using Perl and MySQL to analyze call data and create Excel Reports.
Morpholytics, Newark, NJ Jan 2007 – July 2007
Project Manager / Usability Engineer
Managed a team through the successful development of an automated Usability Reporting service. Instructed team members to proficiency in the areas of usability, programming, and presentations while also working on the implementation.
Assessed risks, developed a project plan, and created documentation, presentations, and marketing material.
Delivered Beta versions of products to clients in person, documented feedback, and continuously built client relationships.
Structured Usability rules and methods and integrated them into a usability reporting engine designed to analyze any website.
Developed an AJAX script to capture clicks as well as other information and overlay the information onto clients’ websites.
Achieved automated analysis of a website utilizing the Usability Engine that created PDF and HTML reports for clients.
BCT Partners, Newark, NJ Dec 2006– Jun 2007
Information Architect (Consultant) Mar 2007 – Jun 2007
Responsible for defining and documenting the information architecture of the new City of Newark website. Became a leader on the team by initiating action during a time of uncertainty and by leading by example.
Took a leadership role on the project by initiating the content categorization at a time when it was not clear how to proceed.
Translated interview data gathered from city officials into an audience-based organization scheme: Residents, Businesses, etc.
Integrated an alternative topical organization scheme into the architecture as per mayoral initiatives: Education, Family, etc.
Optimized balance of breadth and depth in the conceptual navigation structure by utilizing existing information relationships.
Uncovered additional site requirements by creating personas of typical constituents, based on City of Newark census data.
Documented the new information architecture with a Site Map, User Task Flows, Architecture Blueprints, and page layouts.
HCI/Usability Analyst (Consultant) Dec 2006 – Jan 2007
Directed the project to success by assuming a leadership role. Responsible for a technical audit of the City of Newark website and
recommendations on the layout of several pages. This deliverable was received and reviewed by Mayor Cory Booker.
Leveraged my usability expertise to assume a leadership role on the team throughout design, driving the project to success.
Recommended chunking links into user-centered categories on the left side of the site to match users’ mental model.
Suggested altering the global menu to be consistent across site and implement a more effective feedback loop.
Described necessity of a Search Feature, ‘How Do I’ and ‘Other Services’ drop downs, and removal of valueless content.
Designed a constituent feedback process allowing municipality members to manage/reply to constituent feedback.
Presented/Documented general Web Usability and Municipal Site Best Practices to the Technical Organization.
Created an interactive Site Map of the website for the As-Is specification in the Business Requirements Document.
Citigroup Global Corporate and Investment Banking Group, Warren, NJ Jun 2005 – Jan 2006
Software Architecture Intern – CitiTech Advanced Placement Program (CAPP)
Responsible for improving the Data Quality of my department’s software architecture documentation. Initiated/completed
the automation of current reporting processes as well as the development of a new reporting tool resulting in large savings.
Increased the completion percentage of architecture documentation from 2% to 90% in 3 months.
Developed an application using Excel VBA to reduce thousands of dollars worth of hardware billing errors.
Automated Architecture Weekly Report using Excel VBA and completed a Local Peer Review of an App.
Maintained a wiki site to assist managers in completing a Data Quality Review.
Participated in an on-campus interview to answer questions and help recruit for an IT Analyst Program.
PROJECTS:
Mathematical Model of Traffic Flow represented in a GUI May 2006 – Dec 2006
Project Manager / Mathematician / User Interface Designer/ JavaScript Developer
Responsible for using advanced mathematics to model the change in traffic density on a road in emergency evacuation
situations, specifically the effects that a gas station has on an evacuation route. Used coding skills to manage development
of the model into a GUI that showed the predictions of the model as the user changed various parameters.
Assessed risks, developed a project plan, and created documentation, presentations, and marketing material.
Improved Interface Usability by altering the widgets, labels, and information flow, making them user-centered.
Predicted future traffic densities and gas station effects on traffic using partial differential equations/numerical analysis.
Ported MATLAB code to JavaScript and integrated the results into a GUI that displays changing densities.
Heuristic Evaluation Oct 2005 – Nov 2005
Volunteer Usability/HCI Evaluator
Performed evaluation on a Toastmasters website and collaborated with other evaluators regarding Usability severity ratings
and the issues themselves.
Used Jakob Nielsen’s 10 Heuristics as guidelines to evaluate shivankz.m6.net/iutm.
Evaluated issues including misspellings, pages with no content, broken links, and distracting multimedia.
Geomemory Development Feb 2005 – Jan 2006
User Interface Designer / Database Developer
Responsible for directing users to appropriate homepage of the online application, depending on whether the user is a PC
user or a mobile user. Allowed users to add pictures/information to a database from their mobile devices.
Created an application that utilized PHP and HTML to update a MySQL Database.
Developed a browser redirection script to send mobile users and PC users to their respective sites.
OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:
Vector Marketing Corporation, Paramus, NJ Jun 2004 – Dec 2004
Sales Representative / Recruiting Assistant / Management Trainee
Responsible for maintaining a consistent schedule of appointments and increase of personal sales total. Took on
management responsibilities including recruiting and hiring of new representatives and motivation of current reps.
Scheduled and executed over 70 in-home, one-on-one presentations, generating over $12,000 in personal sales.
Developed a customer base exceeding 60 through referral generation.
Motivated / instructed reps through Field Training, 1 on 1 phone calls, personal consultations, and speeches.
Conducted segments of group interviews, a 1 on 1 interview, and established high repore with candidates.
Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions, East Hanover, NJ Jan 2006 – Present
SAT Test Prep Instructor
Educated students with Kaplan’s methods of test preparation for the Math, Reading, and Writing sections.
Utilized an interactive style and efficient board work to prepare students for the SAT.
GEAR UP Newark – Ridge St. School, Newark, NJ Jan 2006 – Apr 2006
Writing Mentor For Seventh Grade Students
Concentrated on the improvement of ‘main idea development’ and ‘writing for the intended audience’.
Emphasized specific concepts such as paragraph structure, spelling, and the use of commas.
NJIT University Learning Center, Newark, NJ Jan 2006 – May 2006
Tutor For College Students
Tutored Calculus I, II, and III, Differential Equations, Numerical Analysis, and Linear Algebra.
AFFILIATIONS: UsabilityNJ, NYC-UPA, SIAM, Pi Mu Epsilon
INTERESTS: Teaching, Usability, Public Speaking, Management, Team building, Applied Mathematics