kate.dicesare@gmail.

com

kate varner*
917.536.1038
134 Huntington Street, Apt 2
Brooklyn, NY 11231

profile Innovative user experience designer with an arsenal of skills that employs proven methodologies and
best-practices to achieve effective user experiences in digital media. Highly skilled at identifying target
user segments and translating those insights into intuitive interactions that meet the intended user’s
needs. Produces detailed documentation that maintains the hi-level strategy of a project while also
focusing on the minutia of each process and interaction. Works collaboratively with stakeholders from
technical developers to creatives, blending the best ideas with practical solutions that meet the business
objective while engaging users.

experience The CementBloc Inc., New York, New York

Senior Interaction Designer (2009-Present)
• Leads user experience strategy and information architecture design for web sites and applications
• Designs wireframes including annotations and business rules for development
• Develops user persona profiles for pitches, strategy development and guidance of interactive media
• Designs process maps for multi-channel marketing campaigns
• Creates rapid prototypes for digital media and strategy
• Manages a team of rotating IAs and freelancers
• Leads QA acceptance testing for digital deliverables
• Conducts user testing and targeted market research with development of supporting stimuli
• Performs integration of Content Management Systems including Drupal, Django, Sitecore,
and Wordpress

Dicesare Design, Brooklyn, New York

Freelance (2008-2009)
• Worked with wide-range of clients to produce web, application and print solutions.
• Created user experience for interactive media including concept development, user requirements,
mapping process flows and information architecture
• Designed graphics for interactive media
• Created branding and collateral materials for clients
Clients include: Citibank, Novo Nordisk, T-Mobile, Pfizer, Astonfield Renewable Resources, Intellitoys,
Todd Street Productions, Noble Hill Winery and more.

Project Highlights
Novo Nordisk Multi-touch Training Application
Worked as IA and designer on team to create an integrated training media application for custom-designed
Perceptive Pixel multi-touch kiosks. My role included conducting user/client interviews, developing user
requirements, creating wireframe templates for multi-touch gestural interaction and designing the branded
interface for the application. The multi-touch kiosk plays media assets in playlists that are uploaded and
archived through a Media Management system.

Katzenbach Partners LLC, New York, New York

Senior Designer, IA, Experience Design Team (2004 - 2008)
• Worked on multi-discipline teams to develop internal applications and carry out user
experience strategies.
• Developed user requirements and wireframes for intranet, online and client applications
• Served as firm expert on design strategies and client projects
• Designed process maps and data visualizations for external clients

* Formerly known as DiCesare until 5/1/2010

 • Led team of three designers as art director
• Designed and managed company brand, marketing materials and collateral

Project Highlights
NYU Bobst Library
Used a holistic approach to help stakeholders envision the future state of the library. Designed large format
deck book based on interviews and research that visualized the future experience of the Bobst library and
its relationship with the NYU community through an ecosystem of touch points.

T-Mobile, Developing a new retail experience

Worked as part of an integrated team to apply a user centered design approach to redesign the retail
environment. Part one focused on identifying behaviors common to exemplar front-line employees. The
second phase focused on creating a new retail experience for the environment. I generated prototypes of
new solutions aimed at targeting customer behaviors through environment and interactions within
the store.

DiCesare Design, Philadelphia & Brooklyn

Freelance Designer (2003-2004)
 ffered full range of graphic design services with solutions derived from market & Ethnographic research.
O
Designed identities for start-ups, re-branded businesses, designed identities for large-scale events and
produced annual reports for non-profits.
Clients included: YWCA of Philadelphia, Johnson & Johnson and Village Wireless

education Maryland Institute College of Art (1998-2002)

Graduated Cum Laude (3.6) with a BFA in Graphic Design

Pratt Institute, Continuing Studies (2004)

Macromedia Dreamweaver MX

New York University, Continuing Studies (2006)

Writing for Business

Professional Practice through internships that focused on graphic design and interaction design
Human Brand Inc. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2002
Carton Donofrio Partners Inc. Baltimore, Maryland, 2001
Today Media Inc. Wilmington, Delaware, 1999

skills Tasks: Digital marketing strategy, Data visualization, Strategy and concept visualization, Multi-channel
campaign design & Process flows, User persona development, Market segmentation analysis
Development of processes and templates for digital media production, Website and application
architecture, Rapid prototyping of websites and applications and strategy, Heuristic evaluations,
Wireframes, Content strategy for digital media, Writing of business rules and documentation for
development, User testing, QA testing
Software: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Indesign, Acrobat Professional, Omnigraffle,
Microsoft Word, Visio, Excel, Keynote, Basecamp, Powerpoint and Basic HTML

professional affiliations Member of the Interaction Design Association

awards AIGA Poetry in Motion Design Competition, Winner- 1999

2006 Print Magazine Regional Design Competition, Katzenbach Design Team winner in NY region
BW 2008 International Wine & Olive Oil Design Award, 1st place in Olive Oil Category