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