What I can do for you

Here's what I can do for you:
- Discover and understand user's requirements, goals and pains
- Design interfaces: wireframes, prototypes, interaction diagrams for mobile and desktop
- Build app interfaces using Web techniques
- Contribute new ways of thinking to the debate about the company and its products
- Build Information architectures and suggest simple ways of representing complex realities
A word about this app
Why the "mobile app" look for a portflio?, What tools did you use, and why ? What user research is it based on?
Systar Community Web Site
This was Systar's community site for 2 years before the takeover by Axway.
- Responsive design (changes layout to adapt between mobile and desktop)
- Open to both Systar customers and internals
- 7 different types of users, each with rights to different parts of the site
- Based on Drupal
Gathering information

1) Conducting Brainstorming sessions
People think brainstorming knows no rules, but in fact its methodology is quite strict.
I conducted several brainstorming sessions with Systar stakeholders. I enjoy the contributing towards an atmosphere where everyone participates in inventing something new.
2) Interviewing techies to understand how things work
Understanding technology is made easier by the fact techies (like most people) are happy to talk about what they do and pleased that someone is taking an interest.
Web site: MyDaysInTheWorld

A project that was going to bring me fame and glory... Unfortunately Google came up with a similar idea (they call it Google Stories).
The point is to make it easy for anyone to create their own travel blog.
I did learn a lot about web techniques, and also by comparing my isolated efforts to the collective work of the great giant.
Branding and storytelling

Apart from telling the occasional parrot joke, I'm a great believer in the storytelling approach to getting messages across and establishing identity :
- I created a cartoon character to illustrate the different features of an E-learning platform
- I created a video animation to illustrate the theme of digital enablement (drawings/script/animation).
- I proposed two metaphors to illustrate Axway's tagline "governing the flow of data"

User awareness

Before working on UX, design and Web dev I started out as a tech writer. Here are some of the human-oriented techniques that apply to all the above mentioned fields.
- Understanding the user context: Designing interfaces, writing documentation, product management, training, all have in common that they require a deep feeling for the users, their needs, aspirations, and their work situation
- Personas: example provided (Donald the Senior Business Line VP)

My Web site

I do art, I love web technology, I'm fascinated by complexity, and how to make it simple. In my web site I try to reflect all those things
- Technology: WordPress
- Theme, graphics: all done by me
Learning and complexity
I'm fascinated by complexity, and I love digging into complex fields when they appear worthwhile. Here are examples of what I have done that supports this claim:
- passed an adult education honors degree in IT (bac+4)
- spent years learning Chinese
- learned web development techniques
- read long books by Proust, Tolstoy, Joyce...
Maybe because I value the richness of complexity, I hate useless complication and enjoy tracking it down to uncover the elegance of simplicity.
(Another reason I hate complication is that - don't repeat this - I am not so good at applying procedures and I forget how to do things. This gives me a low tolerance for tools that don't make things as simple as they could be, which means I am demanding when it comes to usability)
Digital art

In the subway, I'm fascinated by people using their smartphone, the positions of their hands... As they are absorbed by their screen, I can draw them without being noticed.

That interest has combined with that for mobile UI design, and a fascination for the transformations of society that the Internet and mobile are bringing. I then developed the concept into painting and sculpture.
Simplicity, and the rest

This image summarizes my way of thinking about representing information:
- Simplicity: the ultimate goal that everyone wants
- Complexity: the reality of the world, to be studied and respected
- Complication: simple things masquerading as complexity. Concepts useless to the task at hand, added in to look important, or left there because they used to make sense. Rooting out complication to reveal the simplicity beneath is one of my joys in life
- Confusion: when you think you understand but get it wrong; or when conflicting ideas get superposed in the mind