Background

Michael is a human factors engineer with over 15 years of experience investigating and designing for human-machine interaction and usability. He is an inventive interaction designer, forward-thinking strategist and big-picture connector-of-dots who works with companies and organizations seeking to design, test and improve innovative devices, software applications, services and games for desktop, web and mobile platforms.

• Heuristic evaluations
• User testing, analysis and design recommendations
• Rapid prototyping and conceptual exploration
• Information design and data visualization
• Information architecture
• Wireframe development

Co-founded social intelligence company Networked Insights, Inc., serving as Chief Experience Officer from 2006 to 2009. Fast Company recently recognized Networked Insights as one of “The World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” for 2012.

Co-inventor on United States Patent 7,925,743, "Method and system for qualifying user engagement with a website."

Co-inventor on United States Patent 7,080,139, "Method and apparatus for selectively sharing and passively tracking communication device experiences."

Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering (Human Factors Option, Human-Computer Interaction Concentration) from Virginia Tech, and an M.S. in Human Factors Psychology from the University of Idaho.

Interests

Convergent interests center on personal and small-group situational awareness. Related interests include designing for challenged and at-risk populations, artificial intelligence, mirror worlds, human attention, pervasive gaming, unified profiles, augmented reality, augmented social networks, human information processing, compressed language, living timelines, relationship management, decision management, simulations, predictive displays and auto-animated stories.