hfes student lounge talk - kli
TRANSCRIPT
Kelley S. Parsons, Senior Usability Researcher Key Lime Interactive
Introduction
2007 U.C. PhD – Human Factors Psychologist
Clearly not 25 years old, so why such a late start?
Key Lime Interactive (Senior Usability Researcher)
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AND TAKE ACTION: • What do I want my OUTCOME or result to be • Take the appropriate ACTIONS to achieve that outcome
• If your game plan isn’t working, CHANGE APPROACH (multiple ways to achieve desired OUTCOME)
Tony Robbins: Formula for Success
THOSE CRAZY EARLY YEARS
Those Crazy Early Years
Early college years
Outcome? Action? Game Plan?
Quit school and went to work (Vocational Rehabilitation)
Why am I NOT being promoted?!?!?!?!
V.P. “Kelley, I want to see you in my office” YIKES
Those Crazy Early Years
“Kelley, you MUST go back to school” BUT WHY???
“School isn’t for me… • I don’t need my degree” • I am super skilled without it!!!
Very simple: No Degree - No Promotions
Those Crazy Early Years
‘Outcome’ (uncertain) ‘Actions’ (weak, went back to school) No game plan to ‘Change’
Those Crazy Early Years
The course ‘game changers’ for me Statistics, RM and HF
‘Outcome’/Direction Knew what ‘Actions’ needed to take ‘Changed my Approach’ – studied hard
Those Crazy Early Years
Graduate studies: • Sustained Attention / Stress and Workload
Sounds like a drag…….
I loved it and thought that the world would be my
Career Path (Grad Student)
Musculoskeletal Disorders HHCW NIOSH
Pilots of UAV’s
WPAFB – ORISE Fellowship
CAREER PATH
Career Path
Things have certainly been interesting
Career Path
Long distance relationship last 2 years grad school
‘Outcome’ I wanted ‘Actions’ Changed my ‘Game Plan’
Career Path
Post Doctoral Fellowship at Cornell
Excessive walking miles upon miles daily
Physical layout of nursing stations and nurse job satisfaction and stress Temporary
Career Path
Burned out
Decided to teach for a semester &
Then find full time employment
A semester turned into 6 months Difficulty finding work in CNY
Panic began to set in
Career Path
• Posted on every job board imaginable • Called department heads at local universities
• Contacted contacts of contacts
When it rains it pours - 3 Job Offers: 2 professorship offers
Kodak: HF Usability Specialist
Crossroads and Decisions
Much teaching experience The Kodak Difference:
• New way for me to apply my HF skill set • Challenging • Seemed interesting
Go with the known and familiar or
Take a chance on something completely unfamiliar
Crossroads and Decisions
Major Decision
Oh what to do, what to dooo?
Crossroads and Decisions: Kodak
HFES Met Ania Rodriguez Founder and CEO Key Lime Interactive
Crossroads and Decisions: Kodak
Decision to go with Kodak altered the direction of my life
4 years = Major Layoffs
NO REGRETS I Discovered that I LOVED USABILITY!
Crossroads and Decisions
Trouble finding employment in CNY
Many offers on the coasts
Remain in CNY
Couldn’t sit idle… $$$$$$......Independent Consulting (Remote Work)
Crossroads and Decisions Independent Consulting –
Began bringing in work from various vendors
Recall while at Kodak: HFES Met Ania Rodriguez Founder and CEO Key Lime Interactive
Crossroads and Decisions: KLI (Sr. Usability Researcher)
Key Lime Interactive full time since January 2014
All because of a chance encounter and networking
Crossroads and Decisions: KLI (Sr. Usability Researcher)
Crossroads and Decisions: KLI (Sr. Usability Researcher)
Exciting Unpredictable Crazy Interesting
Do your best to make a thoughtful decision at EACH key decision point
Key Lime Interactive (Senior Usability Researcher)
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AND TAKE ACTION: • What do I want my OUTCOME or result to be • Take the appropriate ACTIONS to achieve that outcome
• If your game plan isn’t working, CHANGE APPROACH (multiple ways to achieve desired OUTCOME)
Tony Robbins: Formula for Success
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Great Human Factors Practitioners:
Are well versed and broadly read
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Are NEVER sheep
Great Human Factors Practitioners:
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Know that there will be frustration
Great Human Factors Practitioners:
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Know that their professional opinions will be challenged
Great Human Factors Practitioners:
“Expert Opinion”
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Find ways to think BIG (beyond your current considerations)
EXPLORE NEW & DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE!!!!
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Learn to learn outside of your immediate expert domain
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Social Media: Facebook Twitter
Google + Instagram
YouTube Tumblr LinkedIn
Pinterest Vine Snapchat Vine + Twitter
……
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
WORD OF CAUTION: Web Persona! Everyone can see you!
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Exude CONFIDENCE (NOT ego….fine line but critical one – Don’t Cross it!) • Stand Upright (head upright / eyes forward)
• Eye Contact (don’t stare them down….gets creepy)
• Firm Hand shake (not bone crushing / clammy and limp)
• ‘I CAN AND WILL DO THAT’ mentality
Final Words (Some Things I have learned)
Questions