Jessamyn Smallenburg

HCI Informational Resources

A List Apart
A List Apart explores the design, development and meaning of web content with a special focus on web standards and best practices.

Digital Web Magazine
Articles, tutorials, features, reviews, classified advertisements and other resources for webmasters.

The Journal of Information Architecture
just launched in spring of 2009.

Sitepoint Articles
This site contains a wealth of articles on computing topics from search engine optimization to data visualization.




Laguna Beach, California
My Nature Photography Portfolio



© Konstantin Sutyagin | Dreamstime.com

About Me

My Graduate Education
I recently graduated from the University of Michigan's School of Information with a Master's degree in Information Science, with a specialization in Human-Computer Interaction. Both the literature on HCI and the practical applications of HCI design and programming technologies lie within the scope of my interests.

My career interests pertain to Information Architecture, User-Experience Research and Design, and Web Development. I have completed research as well as projects involving practical applications of the current theories in each of these domains.

While my primary career goals are focused on User-Experience Research and Information Architecture, I am simultaneously pursuing an interest in Information Visualization. I may decide to pursue a PhD in InfoViz at some point in the future.

My Undergraduate Education
I graduated with a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2005. I majored in psychology and minored in anthropology. My associated interests lie in the psychology of Human-Computer Interaction and the role of anthropological research in HCI. My background in psychology directly merges with the HCI focus on the role of Human Factors in the design of usable software.

Hobbies
My hobbies are nature photography and classical piano.

Both contribute to my work as an interaction professional; the process of learning to read, memorize, and play music from an early age has helped my ability to visualize concepts and express them in meaningful ways, particularly through writing. The art of photography requires that an artist plan and visualize a final product before pressing the shutter control.

Both the thoughtful conceptualization of a photograph and the process of mapping out a piece of music for learning and engagement have contributed to my ability to conceptualize and creatively construct a project, and rapidly pursue its completion through that mental model.