Gordon Barlow — UX Designer
I am a user advocate. I design, develop, and own the user experience to serve the user best. I enjoy creating solutions and simplifying processes. My creative thinking, honest disposition, and persistent drive to unite all in a common vision shows in the teams I work with and in the results I produce. I take joy in converting complex, difficult experiences into clear, simple flows that users don’t even have to think about—they just use.
User Interface Engineer – AxisPointe and AxisFM – 2/2008 to 6/2009 (1 year 4 months)
AxisPointe is a SAAS home maintenance web application, and AxisFM is a SAAS facility management web application. I worked with programmers in XSLT, PHP, JavaScript, XHTML, CSS, Stoneware, maintained/created all graphics, flash sales and presentation applications, web application graphics, layout, branding, front-end coding, including the 6-7 public sites, and print work for the physical binders distributed to customers.
- Work performed at AxisPointe/AxisFM:
- Maintained branding across 6-7 public websites, by maintaining a consistent, visually related product branding online across products, franchise websites, and public facing websites.
- Maintained and updated company Wiki documenting intranet.
- Developed multiple versions of sales applications, including demo software for nation–wide sales staff.
- Designed and developed the interface, interactivity, and user experience of the AxisFM Enterprise Level Facility Management software version 2.0.
- Designed print material for client binders sent to home owners.
- Technologies used at AxisPointe/AxisFM:
- Development: architecture: HTML, PHP, XHTML, XML, and XSLT; best practices: clean coding practices, code organization, and W3C compliance; browsers: Internet Explorer 6-8, Firefox, Opera, and Safari; optimization tools: Firebug, image optimization, virtual machines, and Yslow; scripts: ActionScript, EXT JS, JavaScript, jQuery, MooTools, sript.aculo.us, and swfobject; software: MantisBT, Stoneware, SmartSVN, and Tortoise SVN; styling: CSS, and GIF animation.
- Design: digital: Adobe: Acrobat Pro, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Illustrator, ImageReady, Photoshop, and Streamline; best practices: icon/image/graphic organization, sprites management, and styling in CSS over images; modeling/animation: 2-D: Adobe: Flash and Illustrator, and GIF animation; Print: Adobe: Acrobat Pro, Illustrator, and Photoshop; Wire Framing: Illustrator and Photoshop.
- Management Tools: documentation: DocuWiki, intranets, and websites; office products: Macintosh: Mail, Pages, Keynotes, and Numbers; Microsoft Office: Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word; project management: Microsoft Excel.
- Operating Systems: Linux: Ubuntu; Macintosh: X; virtual machines: Parallels, Virtual Box, and VMware; Windows: XP Professional, and Vista.
- Selected projects and accomplishments at AxisPointe/AxisFM:
- Successfully interfaced 5 different applications into a cohesive, attractive, intuitive application for a presentation to a nation-wide, multi-billion dollar homebuilder. Worked directly with the CEO, the vice-president of technology, and the director of software development.
- Worked closely with the president of the company, the vice-president of sales, and the vice-president of technology, to gain and analyze the necessary requirements.
- Developed interfaces in Photoshop, Flash, HTML and CSS.
- Had regular client interaction throughout the life cycle of process to finalize the product. Our client (a multi-billion dollar company and one of the top 5 in the housing sales) received it very well, were impressed with the clean look, the integration of all their products, and the ease of use for them, their sales staff, and for their clients.
- The final mockup was a cohesive interface that allowed users that were using multiple interfaces, use one, users who were working with multiple companies to get their information, to work in one interface, it allowed for future rebranding, and was a well-synced product that impressed the president of the company, as well as the client.
- Developed a second software package by splitting a software application in to two to be used by the sales force to allow for a smaller priced, more flexible package for month-to-month terms to deal better with the changing economic times in two weeks.
- Pulled inline styling out of the code and rebranded the pages using externally loaded CSS.
- Technologies used: MAMP, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Firebug
- Simplified, created, lightened mobile interfaces for clients to work on any HTML enabled cell phone to manage Facility Management; it included a rebrand-able interface, allowing multiple customers to use the same code.
User Interface Engineer – AxisPointe/AxisFM – 2/2008 to 6/2009
AxisFM — Facilities Asset Management | Facility Management Software
AxisFM — Facilities Asset Management | Facility Management Software — Version 1
AxisFM — Facilities Asset Management | Facility Management Software — Version 2
AxisFM — Facilities Asset Management | Facility Management Software — software backgrounds for clients
AxisFM — Facilities Asset Management | Facility Management Software — login styled for BYU Idaho
AxisFM — Facilities Asset Management | Facility Management Software — ElevationFM facility management software conference mini-site
AxisFM — Facilities Asset Management | Facility Management Software — html user interface for html enabled non-smart phones
AxisPointe
AxisPointe — HomeProfile™ — print work for homeowner's binders
AxisPointe — My HomeProfileSM — site
AxisPointe — My HomeProfileSM — homeowner application
AxisPointe — HomeProfile™ — contractor view
AxisPointe — HomeProfile™ — ticket creation view
AxisPointe — HomeWorx™ — contractor view
AxisPointe — screens for K. Hovnanian® — homeowner view — Version 1
AxisPointe — screens for K. Hovnanian® — homeowner view — Version 1
AxisPointe — screens for K. Hovnanian® — homeowner view — Version 2
AxisPointe — screens for K. Hovnanian® — contractor view — Version 2
AxisPointe — ServiceIQ™
AxisPointe — ServiceIQ™ application
RECOMMENDATIONS for work at AxisPointe
“Gordon is an integral part of our application development at AxisPointe. Most designers I have worked with have a good eye for print design, but few have the mindset for UI development. Applications are interactive and need to be useful at delivering information dynamically to it’s end users. This is something Gordon understands well in addition to his design skills. He is a dependable hardworking employee and has added much value to our company.” – Brandon Pack, Vice President of Technology, AxisPointe
“Gordon has a fantastic eye for detail and has always gone the extra mile to ensure that the quality of work he produces is exceptional. He has always asked intelligent questions to understand the problems at hand. Gordon has a great personality and fantastic work ethic, he is easy–going and very easy to work with. He seeks out challenges in order to gain new knowledge and better himself.” – Travis Workman, Senior Software Engineer
“I have worked with Gordon Barlow for about a half of a year. He has extensive knowledge when it comes to user interfaces and a superlative command of graphic design layout. He has been an essential part of the AxisPointe work force. He strives to improve himself at every angle in order to achieve maximum results on any project. He is hardworking and loyal to the tasks he is given.” – Cortland Johnson, Graphic Designer, Axispointe
“I do not hesitate in recommending Gordon. He consistently does a fantastic job and has an impressive work ethic. I know of many weekends he sacrificed to make sure things were done right and on time. He is also a great communicator, always letting you know exactly where things are at. When you have a project with a lot of moving parts you want him on your team.” – Fred Chaney, Director, AxisPointe
“Gordon consistently exemplified an outstanding work ethic and willingness to do whatever was required to complete a task. Gordon has a great attitude and works extremely well under tight deadlines. He is an asset to any firm, not only professionally, but also personally by positively influencing a company culture.” – Cameron Stewart, EVP of Corporate Sales, AxisPointe
“Gordon is talented and skilled. He is attentive to detail, understands the nuances of good user–oriented design, and communicates well with all parties involved in order to achieve the desired objectives. His designs are aesthetically pleasing, technically correct, and user–oriented.” – Roberto Mello, Senior Systems Manager and Database Administrator, AxisPointe
“Gordon has been a great employee for AxisPointe, Inc. He is very responsive and gets his projects done in a timely manner while paying attention to detail. As a designer, he has helped to engineer a very inviting and easy to understand graphical interface for our clients and partners.” – Aaron Smith, Director of Client Services, AxisPointe