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Sr. User/Design Researcher / Information Architect Specialist

User Experience Designer

MAEd

Synopsis of Program

Education—Credentials—
Professional Qualifications

Graduate Degree
Graduate College of Education
Instructional Technologies (IA) *

◼ Master of Arts Education †
◼ IA Certifications
◼ Certifications of Approval and Abstracts
◼ Certificate (Completion of Program and Graduation)
◼ 4-Year Program, Combined University Programs/Degrees

† User/Design Research (UX), Information Architecture (IA),
   Interaction Design (IXD), Usability Testing,
   User-Centered Design, User Experience Design (UXD),
   Product Design, Project/Product Management

* MAEd / MAIA—Two graduate-level dissertations about:

   User/Design Research (UX), Information Architecture (IA),
   User Experience Design (UXD), Interaction Design (IXD),
   Navigation Systems Design (NS), User-Centered Design,
   Product Design, Project/Product Management,
   Corporate Training, Instructional Design,
   Cognitive Psychology, Usability Testing—
   IA Certifications; Certifications of Approval and Abstracts

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MAEd User/Design Research, IA/IXD/UXD Program Details

◼ About MAEd Program.pdf
◼ IA/IXD/UXD Professional Qualifications.pdf
◼ IA/IXD/UXD Focus for MAEd Program.pdf
◼ IA/IXD/UXD Textbooks & Learning Materials.pdf
◼ Psychology of Learning for Instruction.pdf
◼ The Systematic Design of Instruction.pdf
◼ How to Design and Evaluate Research.pdf
◼ Letters of Recommendations—Testimonials

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MAEd Deliverables

All of these components and deliverables are totally relevant to my current career path for doing user/design research, coupled with information architecture, user experience design, interaction design, product design, user-centered design, usability testing, technical writing, editing, document design, English, business English, grammar, corporate training, instructional design, ADDIE Model, IA Model, NS Model, design patterns, marketing, project/product management—all relevant skills for being a successful and intelligent director.

The extensive and robust MAEd dissertation and university program included doing:

User/Design Research, Written Thesis Report, Presentations, Annotated Bibliography, Glossary, Syllabus, and Online IA Tutorial; about information architecture, navigation systems design, interaction design, extended into user experience design, product design, mapping and diagramming, project/product management, and usability testing—a systematic and professional approach on IA/IXD/UXD projects.

Relevant professional portfolios were successfully completed, including an information architect and project/product management internships, supervised by Dr. Foreman, Ph.D. (Dr. Beatty, Ph.D., was my main professor for 4 years and worked with me on the MAEd dissertation for 2 semesters, including Dr. Hyun, Ph.D.)—in a high-tech environment.

“ Information Architecture is the structure of user-centered design and usability—it has to be strong. ”

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MAEd Dissertation

An Online Tutorial for Instructional Designers
to Learn about Information Architecture

About doing user/design research, Information Architecture, user experience design, user experience architecture, user-centered design, usability testing, project/product management—a systematic approach on projects (ADDIE Model used for report).

Dr. Hyun assisted me with putting together the thesis report proposal and research. It is all about the practical application of doing user/design research, information architecture, interaction design, product design, user-centered design, project/product management, and usability testing; we both worked together to think outside the box and come up with relevant and intelligent solutions, in a manner that could only promote greater usability and superior research for professional results.

Dr. Beatty and Dr. Foreman assisted me with their expertise and knowledge of user/design research, user-centered design, interface design, information architecture, navigation systems design, user experience design, user experience architecture, usability testing, instructional design, corporate training, multimedia, graphic design, technical communications, technical writing, project/product management, including putting it all together in a comprehensive technical report.

◼ MAEd About Dissertation.pdf

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MAEd Summary

Summary and synopsis of the MAEd Thesis Report: The Information Architect and/or user experience designer does user/design research and brainstorming to come up with high-level concepts. It is necessary to do this for an Information Architecture Design Plan Report.

Completing a competitive analysis and writing a report, documents requirements for Websites. This helps a client to define their end users and their business plans. Figuring out what the patterns will be, this provides clarity with regard to Information Architecture.

Enabling end users to stay found and wayfind on Websites, then implementing clear navigational systems. Building in affordances for end users, so they can navigate. Designing clear interfaces and for consistency in interface designs, this provides clarity for end users.

◼ MAEd Summary of Thesis Report   |   Synopsis

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MAEd Dissertation Expertise

User/design research, Information Architecture, user experience design, interaction design, product design, user-centered design, and usability testing improves an end user’s performance. The IA Model assists Information Architects and clients to design high-quality Websites.

◼ Sample of MAEd Thesis Report.pdf
◼ MAEd Thesis Report.pdf
◼ 759 pp.
◼ 60 pp. (HTML & Paper-Based/Oral Presentations)

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MAEd Online Tutorial and Presentation

The Online Information Architecture Tutorial:
The IA Model, Modules 1-8

Topic: User/design research, Information Architecture, user experience design, interaction design, product design, user-centered design, systematic approach, management, usability testing

◼ Research-Based Web Design & Usability Guidelines.pdf
◼ Online Information Architecture Tutorial.pdf

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Steven Heitman
Sr. User/Design Researcher
Information Architect
User Experience Designer
Interaction Designer
Product Designer
User-Centered Designer
Usability Tester
Technical Writer
Corporate Trainer
Project/Product Manager
Director

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MAEd Contributors

Dr. Hyun, Ph.D., Harvard University, assisted with relevant research parameters for the MAEd dissertation (additional research was used from the MAIA dissertation)—specific to and highly specialized for doing real-world projects, relevant to the IA/IXD/UXD industry, and leadership acumen appropriately implemented in professional environments, including Dr. Iandoli, Ed.D., Harvard University, Professor for School of Design Graduate Program (BAIA, MAIA programs; user/design research contributed to the MAEd Program).

Other contributing Professors were:

◼ Dr. Beatty, Ph.D.
◼ Dr. Michaels, Ph.D.
◼ Dr. Hemphill, Ed.D.
◼ Dr. Foreman, Ph.D.
◼ Dr. Cheng, Ph.D.
◼ Dr. Gates, Ed.D.
◼ Dr. Dierke, Ed.D.

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MAEd Additional Requirements

Five additional industry reviewers were required—for approval—for the MAEd thesis report and project, to name a few:

Mr. Crumlish, A.B., Director of Technology, Senior Information Architect, User Experience Designer, The Information Architecture Institute.

Ms. Buda, M.D., Director of User Experience, Senior Information Architect, Managing Director, Navigation Arts, as part of the MAEd program, including editors.

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Interdisciplinary University Programs

Information Architecture and Design

Primary Major/Emphasis:

User/Design Research (UX), Information Architecture (IA), Navigation Systems Design (NS), User Experience Design (UXD), Structuring & Organizing Web-Based Information, Mobile User Experience, Interaction Design (IXD), Product Design, User-Centered Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Human Factors, Visual & Web-Based Designs, Intranet Information Architecture, Designing Complex Applications & Websites, Interface Design, Social Media, Web 2.0, Computer/Web Programming, HTML5/CSS3, Usability Engineering, Usability Testing, Card Sorting, Usability in Practice, Guidelines for Web Usability, Usability Reports/Case Studies, Website Design & Management, and Project/Product Management; internships successfully completed.

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MAEd Other Concentration

Corporate Training

Secondary Major/Emphasis:

Instructional Design, E-Learning, ADDIE Model (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate), Technical & Professional Writing, Editing, Document Design, Adobe Creative Suite (design premium), Systematic Design of Instruction, Psychology of Learning for Instruction: Theories of Learning & Instruction, Learning & Behavior, Learning & Cognition, Meaningful Learning & Schema Theory, Situated Cognition, Learning & Development, Interactional Theories of Cognitive Development, Biological Bases of Learning & Memory, Learning & Motivation, Gagné’s Theory of Instruction, Constructivism, Personal Theory of Learning & Instruction, Bloom, Piaget, Vygotsky, Gagné, and Cognitive Psychology.

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MAEd Field Study Requirement

In order to complete the field study, students must design, develop, and produce an instructional design project, using the instructional systems process (ADDIE model), from needs analysis to formative evaluation. The instructional unit may be in any medium—print, video, multimedia, or Web-based.

The instructional design process must be described in writing and include a review of the instructional need and significance of the project, research review, description of the design process, formative evaluation (usability testing), and conclusions. Students must provide a CD-ROM which contains the instructional unit and the design documents.

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MAEd Culminating Experience

Portfolio Submission: Before undertaking a culminating experience, students must submit, for departmental review and approval, a portfolio of three instructional projects that demonstrate their technical skill and instructional design competencies.

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MAEd Program

→ San Francisco State University
→ Graduate College of Education
→ Department of Instructional Technologies

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MAEd Program Selective Process

Entrance into the ITEC program is a selective and competitive process.

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MAEd Graduate College of Education Core Values

→ Courage
→ Life of the Mind
→ Equity
→ Community
→ Resilience

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MAEd Professional Business Career Outlook

◼ User/Design Researcher
◼ Information Architect
◼ User Experience Architect
◼ User Experience Designer
◼ Navigation Systems Designer
◼ User-Centered Designer
◼ Product Designer
◼ Product Prototyper
◼ Research Technician
◼ Corporate Trainer
◼ Instructional Designer
◼ Technical Writer
◼ Editor
◼ Quality Control
◼ Mid to Upper Management
◼ Project/Product Management
◼ Product Development
◼ Field Service
◼ Technical Services
◼ Job Development Training
◼ Marketing/Communications
◼ Production Coordinator
◼ Computer/Web Programming
◼ Usability Tester
◼ Information Technology
◼ Professor
◼ Director

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MAEd Graduate-Level Dissertation

An Online Tutorial for Instructional Designer
to Learn about Information Architecture            The IA Model

→ 759 pp.
→ 60 pp. (HTML & Paper-Based/Oral Presentations)

→ Annotated Bibliography
→ Glossary
→ Syllabus
→ Online IA Tutorial

→ User/Design Research
→ Design Patterns
→ User-Centered Design
→ Usability Testing
→ Curriculum specific to Information Architecture and Design

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MAEd Program—Curriculum

“ The curriculum covers cognitive and learning theories, needs assessment, instructional design models and strategies, visual and web-based designs, information architecture, usability testing, knowledge and performance assessment, and project management. ”