Welcome
Welcome to my portfolio.
My name is Nick Pausback and I'm a usability specialist and designer based in beautiful Austin, Texas. I have extensive usability design experience, ranging from classic industrial design projects while at NASA, to conceptual design work for Hollywood movies, to educational games, to working on enterprise big data solutions and complex financial applications.
Click a bubble to view a small sample of my work. Click the Resume link at the top-right to view or download a recent copy of my resume.
Compensation Ops Persona
Here is an example of a detailed persona developed for the Iconixx system. A Compensation Ops persona didn't exist prior to the research phase, but after multiple interviews across the user domain it was decided that is should be created. This new persona helped bring insights into the existing flows and identified areas for refinement.
Click to view: the Iconixx Compensation Ops persona document.
CFO Persona
This is an example of one of the detailed personas developed for the main Iconixx system. A Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key stakeholder in the Iconixx automated compensation system. Multiple interviews were conducted in order to derive this basic persona document.
Initial Workflow Design
This shows one page of a preliminary workflow wizard done for the Iconixx compensation webapp.
Mobile Dashboard App
A wireframe page from the Iconixx first-ever iOS app. All navigation, icons, and dashboards were extensively prototyped. I also managed the deployment of the app into the Apple Store.
CFO Dashboard
A typical dashboard wireframe for the new Iconixx dashboard module. Wires were extensively reviewed by target personas, then implemented by Dev in Logi.
Formula Editor Redesign
A typical wireframe page focusing on the redesign of the Iconixx Formula Builder interface. The Formula Builder allowed users to quickly created very complex compensation "macros" that determined sales and payroll payments.
Marketing Diagram
This shows a marketing/sales graphic created to show the basic Iconixx compensation process to non-technical users.
Plan Viewer Prototype
The Iconixx automated compensation engine has many module dependencies and is oftentimes hard for the user to understand. This prototype shows a planned Viewer tool that would allow the user to quickly see and examine the entire chain of modules in a compensation plan. Javascript and an open source widget.
IBM_Design
Screen State Matrix
This shows a typical screen state matrix with associated actions and modes for the IBM LegalIQ product (Cosmos internally). LegalIQ, based on the StoredIQ Workbench, allowed users to harvest large datasets and then quickly refine the results down to manageable views.
Overall User Flow for LegalIQ
This is an example of an overall user flow through the IBM LegalIQ product. A fairly complex webapp, there were many possible states and transitions to track and manage.
LegalIQ Personas
This shows a typical set of IBM LegalIQ users. LegalIQ allowed three main personas to communicate and interact as they gathered responsive files for a legal matter: the lead attorney, the paralegal, and the data ops tech. All personas were based on extensive interviews.
LegalIQ Carton Flow
These wireframes show a basic creation sequence for the IBM LegalIQ product. This webapp allowed users to harvest large quantities of data for a legal case and then refine the items down to match responsive queries via a wizard-like flow.
StoredIQ
Original StoredIQ Screen Map
This is one of many screen maps created to show the related screens and interactions of the legacy StoredIQ web application. This was done mainly to create a bird's eye view for developers to understand the overall usability issues. The maps (eleven in all) were printed out on a large format printer and hung on the walls in the Dev area in order to promote discussion and brainstorming.
Click to view: a graphic map of all related screens and interactions in the legacy Cisco portal.
Admin Responsibilities Diagram
This diagram captures the main dimensions of the legacy StoredIQ Admin persona. It supplements the main persona document by the responsibilities and modes of the day to day admin role.
Admin Overall Flow
Shown here is the overall flow for the Admin persona in the legacy StoredIQ product. Since the admin is an expert user, the main UI was not the focus of the initial UX redesign. Even so, some complexity was hidden to improve the usability.
Click to view: the overall Admin flow for the legacy webapp.
Functional Decomposition
This is a detailed list of functions and interactions in a legacy portal. Derived from the screen catalog and screen map, the decomposition allowed all stakeholders (PM, Dev, UX) to focus on pure functionality and not get sidetracked in screen layouts.
Click to view: a detailed list of functions and interactions in the legacy portal.
Data Workbench, Details UI
At StoredIQ, I was the lead UX designer and managed all aspects of the UX team including schedules and timelines. This shows a view of our main product, the Data Workbench.
Data Workbench, Refine UI
Another view of the Workbench product created by the UX team. The Refine UI allowed users to pare down very large sets of harvested data.
Data Workbench Reskin
These wires show a basic reskin of the StoredIQ Workbench, just prior to the IBM acquisition. The goal of the reskin was to more closely match the IBM "house style" and was well received.
StoredIQ User Testbed
An initial prototype of the StoredIQ "big data" tool, named DataIQ. This webapp would allow a user to remotely crawl huge (terabyte scale) data stores in many different formats (NFS, CIFS, FileNet, etc.) and quickly refine datasets (later called infosets) down to interesting views.
Click to view: an interactive user testbed for the StoredIQ DataIQ product.
Earlier_Stuff
Initial Wardroom Concept, NASA Space Station Mockup Facility
First-generation design of the Space Station Freedom wardroom. Functioning as a living/dining area, the wardroom had to accommodate 8 international crewmembers in a micro-gravity environment. This concept was meant to stow in a small volume. Full size model in the Johnson Space Center mock-up facility.
Second-Gen Wardroom Concept, NASA Space Station Mockup Facility
Second-generation design of the Space Station Freedom wardroom. Windows were mounted below the centerline for better viewing of the Earth; table and restraints folded and stored in a smaller volume. Full size model in the Johnson Space Center mock-up facility..
Wardroom Lower Body Restraint, NASA Microgravity Test Plane
KC-135 (micro-gravity test plane) demonstration of a lower body restraint "chair" designed for micro-gravity. This eventually flew on a space shuttle flight for long-term evaluation. Full size test equipment.
3D Study, NASA Space Station Crew Quarters, Interior
Second-generation design of the Space Station Freedom crew quarters. About the volume of a phone booth, each crew quarter provided stowage, sleeping, and private space for one crewmember. 3D computer model.
3D Study, NASA Space Station Crew Quarters, Overall
The overall configuration of the crew quarters. Eight crewmembers were accommodated by placing quarters in the ceiling as well as the floor, which is not a problem in micro-gravity. 3D computer model.
AARX: A Syd Mead Interactive Gallery, Main Nav
Interface for Kronolog 2: AARX, an interactive Syd Mead art gallery. Worked with renowned visual futurist, Syd Mead (key designer for Blade Runner, Tron, and many other movies-- click here for more information) on a CD-ROM based application. The user navigates a 3D space as they browse the artwork. Lower interface by Syd Mead.
AARX: A Syd Mead Interactive Gallery, View Mode
When the user clicks on a piece of artwork in either the 3D environment or the preview window, the viewing mode opens with text and audio narration by the artist. Lower interface by Syd Mead.
Schoolhouse Rock! Exploration Station, Main Screen
The main navigation/home screen for Schoolhouse Rock: Exploration Station. This released title used licensed Schoolhouse Rock characters, in this case, Interplanet Janet, to teach children science and logic concepts. My role as Producer involved managing teams of 12-15 (artists, programmers, and musicians) as well directing budgets, schedules, and client reviews.
Schoolhouse Rock! Exploration Station, Alien Genetics
Interface for the Gene Lab Game in Schoolhouse Rock: Exploration Station. Similar to Mastermind, the object of the game was to deduce the gene sequence of the alien shown in the upper right screen. Artwork by Scott White.
ShadowPact, 3D Nav UI
Global mode of the final Shadowpact interface. As cities are taken over, the globe view reflects overall status via the colored "petals" of each city. 2D artwork by Jeff Toney and Jason Findley.
ShadowPact, Details UI
The Buildings card open on the final Shadowpact interface. The 3D city view is shown on the right side of the screen, with various cyberspace representations of building resources displayed. 2D artwork by Jeff Toney and Jason Findley.
Freelance Consulting
I did freelance consulting in Austin for six years, handling all aspects of client engagement and management. Occasionally, I worked on-site for a client and integrated into an existing UX team. Sometimes this involved managing team members and resources and participating in Product Management planning and brainstorming.
Clients included Cisco, AMD, Zilliant, frog/Disney, SolarBridge, and many others.