Ashley McWilliams
User Experience Specialist
Brandon,MS
Summary
Over 20 years of experience in user experience design and research, specializing in user-centric solutions. Expertise in UX principles, usability testing, and interface design. Proven track record of influencing product strategy through data-driven insights from user behavior and feedback.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
5
5
Certifications
Work History
Product Designer
Law School Admissions Council
11.2022 - Current
- Designed user interfaces for online application platforms and resources.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to gather user feedback and insights.
- Created wireframes and prototypes to effectively visualize design concepts.
- Conducted usability testing to identify areas for design improvement.
- Facilitated design workshops to engage stakeholders in creative processes.
- Evaluated accessibility standards to ensure inclusivity for all users.
- Researched industry trends to enhance product features and user experience.
- Conducted user research interviews with stakeholders to understand needs.
Accessibility User Experience Engineer
Law School Admissions Council
08.2021 - 11.2022
- Coached HTML and React engineers alongside QA analysts on semantic coding for accessibility.
- Drafted compliance reports outlining remediation needs for various development teams.
- Conducted manual and automated accessibility reviews of websites and applications using keyboard navigation.
- Evaluated multiple screen readers to ensure adherence to W3C WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.
Senior Usability Engineer
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
10.2016 - 08.2021
- Led experience design for Hermes Platinum award-winning mobile apps on iOS and Android.
- Conducted user experience research and analytics to inform design decisions.
- Created wireframes and design assets for developers to enhance app functionality.
- Coordinated development timelines and conducted acceptance testing for quality assurance.
- Maintained and administered front-end coding standards for all company websites.
Lead User Researcher and Research Coordinator
Verizon Wireless
07.2014 - 09.2016
- Increased company visibility by expanding concurrent usability tests from three to twenty.
- Trimmed turnaround timeline to two weeks or less for test results.
- Conducted comprehensive education on user testing across the organization.
- Advocated for user-testing integration in all project phases to foster user-centered mindset.
- Collaborated with multiple organizational groups to enhance overall website experience.
- Led two in-house researchers and four external vendor researchers for improved testing capabilities.
- Developed research tools and optimized test request processes in an agile environment.
- Crafted test plans, analyzed results, and presented findings to business stakeholders while managing ten concurrent projects.
Front-End Developer
Verizon Wireless
03.2013 - 07.2014
- Partnering with design teams and product owners to guarantee optimal experience delivered promptly.
Lead Web Designer and Developer
PerfectVision Manufacturing
10.2011 - 01.2013
- Designed and developed new Web experience for global scale e-commerce through collaborating with business owners to determine audiences and needs.
UI Designer, Front-End Developer, User Experience Leader
Dillard’s
10.2004 - 10.2011
- Led design and UX of mobile application and website in agile environment, mentoring four UX designers on desktop enhancements.
- Conducted user research, conceptualized designs, created mockups, and guided developers.
- Independently tested websites for accessibility and usability, establishing company standards based on W3C WAI guidelines.
- Developed and enforced standards for product images, implementing processes for image databases and serving systems.
- Recruited and hired e-commerce team of copywriters, image editors, product owners, web designers, and front-end developers, expanding from five to 25 members.
- Managed resume reviews, initial interviews, onboarding processes, and provided advisory support for new hires.
- Instituted standardized processes for image management to enhance operational efficiency.
- Fostered a collaborative environment across multiple agile teams to drive successful project outcomes.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Management Information Systems
05.2004
Emphasis in Programming. Courses included web design and development, Organizational Behavior, Introduction to Psychology.
Skills
- Wireframing and prototyping
- Usability testing
- Accessibility evaluation
- User experience research
- Design thinking
- Front-end development; HTML, CSS, jQuery, JavaScript, Reactjs
- Project management using Trello, Jira, Azure DevOps, and ClickUp
- Web accessibility audits
- JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver
- W3C Web Accessibility Initiative standards
- Mentoring
- Process creation
- Workflow optimization
- User research
- Effective communication
- Critical thinking
- User empathy
- Information architecture
- Quantitative and qualitative analysis
Certification
User Experience Certification (UXC) from the Nielsen Norman Group with Interaction Design Specialty
Timeline
Product Designer - Law School Admissions Council
11.2022 - Current
Accessibility User Experience Engineer - Law School Admissions Council
08.2021 - 11.2022
Senior Usability Engineer - Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi
10.2016 - 08.2021
Lead User Researcher and Research Coordinator - Verizon Wireless
07.2014 - 09.2016
Front-End Developer - Verizon Wireless
03.2013 - 07.2014
Lead Web Designer and Developer - PerfectVision Manufacturing
10.2011 - 01.2013
UI Designer, Front-End Developer, User Experience Leader - Dillard’s
10.2004 - 10.2011
Arkansas State University - Bachelor of Science, Management Information Systems