The document outlines various user experience design projects completed by Melinda Poss, including analyzing and redesigning the Gmail user experience to better integrate Circles, conducting user research and designing mockups for a government website providing services to foreign workers, analyzing and redesigning online learning modules for an ergonomic equipment company, and designing a mobile app and wireframes for finding restaurants in Stratford, Ontario for elderly users. It also mentions designing a redesign proposal and mobile mockups for the University of Waterloo library website and creating perception infographics translating social media analytics data for a large company.

1. MELINDA
POSS
USER
EXPERIENCE
DESIGNER
Thoughtful, strategically executed design.

2. GMAIL MDEI UX
DESIGN PROPOSAL
Challenged with analyzing the user experience of a notable
player in clean design, Google’s gmail, to improve the design
from great to superb.

3. GMAIL CURRENT USER
EXPERIENCE ANALYSIS
CURRENT USERE EXPERIENCE
Analysis of regular user tasks, current system delights and
challengers was performed in order to properly asses goals between
system experience and user goals. The need to quickly comprehend
an inbox hierarchy was identified.
UX PROPOSAL

4. GMAIL PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Identification of main visual barriers related to cognitive processing
of current design layout and association revealed an opportunity to
better integrate a main feature, “Circles”, into the overall user
experience of Gmail. Basic cognitive processing and system features
were not currently optimized.
UX PROPOSAL

5. GMAIL CIRCLES INTEGRATION &
VISUAL CATEGORIZATION
CIRCLES INTEGRATION
The current Circles design does not fully integrate
into the organization of incoming mail. The redesign
proposal focused on allowing user to visually
associate and group circles members through a
designated colour.
VISUAL CATEGORIZATION
Users can visually prioritize and associate with
incoming mail based on their defined Circles groups.
Parents can quickly respond to family
communications as it is displayed in their colour of
choice, amongst a swarm of incoming mail.
UX PROPOSAL

6. OHCOW
CGM HUMAN
FACTORS CONSULTING
A government service sector requiring a usability assessment on
their web based services for foreign workers and their
employers.

7. OHCOW USER RESEARCH
USER INTERVIEWS
Communication with a variety of users were
conducted by phone to better understand their
current frustrations, motivations and needs.
Questions were drafted and provided to participants
12 - 24 hours in advance.
USER PROFILES
Data collected from user interviews was categorized
and visually displayed in a comprehensive and
appealing format.
USABILITY

8. OHCOW MOBILE MOCKUPS
MOBILE MOCKUPS
A mobile adaptation of the web based service was designed to address
the multi-lingual barriers, need for quick navigation, searchable content
and large tap buttons for on the go access. The mobile mock-ups were
designed to align with the company’s current brand image and web
design.
USABILITY

9. OHCOW WEB USABILITY
ANALYSIS & REDESIGN
WEB USABILITY ANALYSIS
The website was analyzed based on design, heuristic
and accessibility principles. Screen shots with
identification of problem areas were described in
depth.
REDESIGN
Design recommendations were created given the
scope of the project to improve the usability, brand
perception and navigation.
USABILITY

10. OFFICE
ERGONOMICS
CGM HUMAN
FACTORS CONSULTING
A leading provider of ergonomically designed products required a
usability analysis of online modules aligned to help users
understand initial setup and product use.

11. OFFICE
ERGONOMICS
RESEARCH &
DESIGN
EXPERT HEURISTIC
EVALUATION
HEURISTIC EVALUATION
A Heuristic evaluation based upon Jakob Nielson’s design & usability principles
was conducted to analyze the overall usability of the learning module.

12. OFFICE
ERGONOMICS
RESEARCH &
DESIGN
NAVIGATION
ANALYSIS & REDESIGN
NAVIGATION ANALYSIS
The module navigation was analyzed using design,
accessibility and usability principles. Primary
problems were identified in detail.
REDESIGN
The module was simplified to include intuitive labels,
navigation that allowed users to proceed in a paved
pathway or individual exploration and progress bar
for feedback on module completion.

13. STRATFEAST
STRATFORD / MDEI
MOBILE DESIGN
Challenged with designing a digital system that would benefit the
City of Stratford, a mobile application was designed to assist elderly
users in finding and reviewing the culinary experience that the city
prides itself on.

14. STRATFEAS
T
RESEARCH &
DESIGN
USER INQUIRY &
USE ASSESMENT
USER INQUIRY
Interview procedure materials, protocol and
question were prepared to address the target
market; elderly user of mobile applications.
USE ASSESSMENT
The inquiries were translated into quantitative and
qualitative data for analysis. Trends and variances
were identified to direct design requirements.

15. STRATFEAS
T
RESEARCH &
DESIGN
MOBILE WIREFRAMES
& MOCKUPS
Welcome to REAL
food
Post Personal
Pazzo Ristorante
Comments
search
spicy low sodium
Profile
Preferences
Connect
MOBILE MOCKUPS
The system was designed to accommodate prominent user needs and trends for elderly consumers.
Some design requirements included need for intuitive icons, large tap buttons with tactile feedback and
profile personalization to assist with system recall.

16. UW LIBRARY
JOINT UW / MDEI
REDESIGN
PROPOSAL
The University of Waterloo requested a redesign of their current
online resources in order to convey the library as a “cool” place.
After in depth research and analysis, it was identified that the
online resources and library space should be separated to
maximize student use, streamline navigation and optimize long
term site efficiency.

17. UW LIBRARY
RESEARCH &
ANALYSIS
ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE
& USER PERSONAS
USER PERSONAS
Personas were created to embody the student
demographic and direct design recommendations.
ONLINE QUESTIONNAIRE
Students were surveyed online to understand
their current use of the site, personal preferences
and lifestyle.

18. UW
LIBRARY
STRATEGY &
DESIGN
WEB REDESIGN &
MOBILE MOCKUPS
WES REDESIGN
Based on the usability challenges identified, long term solutions were
outlined and designed to showcase design potential to stakeholders.
MOBILE MOCKUPS
Mobile mock-ups were designed to address a growing student
need to book library rooms for study, group collaboration and
project work on the go.

19. SOCIAL MEDIA
BRAND AUDIT
DIGITAL MEDIA
MARKETING
Challenged with analyzing the online social media presence of a
large company using Sysemos analytics and translating the data
into infographics.

20. DESIRE2LEAR
N
DIGITAL BRAND
AUDIT
PERCEPTION
INFOGRAPHICS
INFOGRAPHIC DESIGN
Using the information collected through Sysemos, the data was categorized and related back
to marketing theories of perception, persuasion and social validation. This was translated into
infographics using graphic design theory and principles.

21. THAT IS JUST
A TASTE!
FOR MORE
DESIGN WORK OR
INQUIRIES CONTACT
MEmelindaposs@gmail.com