The Portfolio of Dennis Nordstrom

Who am I?
I am a User Researcher with about four years of research-experience, who has worked with design research and user experience research in Denmark, Australia, and the US.
I hold a B.A. in Culture and Language Mediation and a Master's degree in User Centered Design from the Mads Clausen Institute of Product Design in Sonderborg, Denmark.
A copy of my master's thesis: "How Ethnography Informs Design" can be found in the Resume section.
Furthermore I am thoughtful, ambitious, and I approach any project with enthusiasm and interest.

What can I offer?
I can conduct and analyze research that will provide a product, service, website, or a process with competitive advantage. By observing users interact with a product (software or hardware), a lot of insights about usage, context, and relevance is gained. When used properly these insights can be utilized to highlight and leverage opportunities for how the product can be improved. By using human-centered-innovation this way, the end-product will be better, more usable, and more relevant than if no such research were provided.

Areas of Expertise:

    - Impeccable interpersonal skills, discussing design outcome with product users
    - Expert knowledge of observational and exploratory research methods such as: ethnographic             studies, video-ethnographies, participatory design sessions, cultural probes, contextual inquiry,           focus groups, surveys, user-observations, and diary-studies
    - Expert knowledge of evaluative research methods such as: usability testing, cognitive                       walkthroughs, evaluative scenarios, participatory design, and eye-tracking studies
    - Adept ability to analyze quantitative as well as qualitative research
    - Exceptionally skilled in developing concepts that are innovative and functional
    - Proficient knowledge of documenting design recommendations through creating prototypes                 such as 3-D models, wireframes, mock-ups, sketches, and more.
    - Strong interest in developing research-based "Design Tools" that inform and inspire concepts             that are relevant and usable to the end-user. Examples of these are: Personas,                               video-profiles, research cards, video wall, concept models, needs analysis, metaphors for                    design, environment maps, and social mud maps