Education
Research Interests
I am interested in human-centered approaches to design. My framework for this field is informed by over ten years of working as an information architect and interaction designer prior to working towards the PhD. Specifically, my research has concentrated in two areas:
Publications
Articles Appearing in Refereed Archival Journals
Fully Refereed Conference Proceedings
Current/In press
Presentations
Invited talks and lectures
Conference Presentations
Posters
Research Experience
Teaching Experience
Industry (Design) Experience (see the design area for more)
Sr. Art Director: True North Consultants Inc. (Hasbro Corporation): 2004-2007
Designer/3D Animator: Microsoft Corporation : eHome Group (contract): 2004
Product Designer: Microsoft Corporation : Works Group (contract): 2002- 2003
Senior Product Designer: Pacific Edge Software: 2001 - 2002
Awards
Outstanding Female Graduate Student Award: University of Washington Society of Woman Engineers Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering,2010.
Outstanding Female Graduate Student Award: University of Washington Society of Woman Engineers Department of Technical Communication, 2007.
Excellence Award: Puget Sound chapter of the Society for Technical Communications. Microsoft Works Tutorial, 2004
Service and Community
Professional memberships
Software
SPSS, ATLAS ti., Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Flash, Director & Dreamweaver, Newtek Lightwave 3D, Discreet 3D Studio Max, Alias Wavefront Maya.
PhD Human Centered Design & Engineering: University of Washington:(defense expected spring quarter 2010)
M.S. Technical Communication: University of Washington: 2006
B.S. Industrial Design: Western Washington University: 1984
Thesis title: Bridging the gap between user experience research and design:
An analysis of two common communication tools – personas and scenarios
Advisors: Dr. Beth Kolko and Dr. Jennifer Turns (co-chairs)
Advisors: Dr. Beth Kolko and Dr. Jennifer Turns (co-chairs)
M.S. Technical Communication: University of Washington: 2006
B.S. Industrial Design: Western Washington University: 1984
I am interested in human-centered approaches to design. My framework for this field is informed by over ten years of working as an information architect and interaction designer prior to working towards the PhD. Specifically, my research has concentrated in two areas:
(1) Adaption and use of human-centered design (HCD) methods in design for diverse communities.
I have directly investigated: (a) children with autism and their families/support structures; (b) technology use and diffusion in Central Asia;(c) attitudes and behaviors regarding water usage in the Andhra Pradesh region of India.
(2) Bridging the design/research dialogue gap which entails improving how designers access, utilize and integrate user research in their work; this is the central theme of my dissertation.
I have directly investigated: (a) children with autism and their families/support structures; (b) technology use and diffusion in Central Asia;(c) attitudes and behaviors regarding water usage in the Andhra Pradesh region of India.
(2) Bridging the design/research dialogue gap which entails improving how designers access, utilize and integrate user research in their work; this is the central theme of my dissertation.
Articles Appearing in Refereed Archival Journals
Putnam, C., Johnson, E, Rose, E.& Kolko, B. (2009).Adapting User-Centered Design Methods to Design for Diverse Populations.Special HCI4D Issue of Information Technologies and International Development(ITID),5 (4), 51-73.
Walton, R., Putnam, C., Johnson, E.& Kolko, B. (2009).Skills Are Not Binary: Nuances in the Relationship Between ICT Skills and Employability.Special ICT Skills and Employability Issue of Information Technologies and International Development (ITID), 5,(2), 1-18.
Fully Refereed Conference Proceedings
Putnam, C and Kolko B. (2009).Getting Online but still living offline: the complex relationship of technology adoption and in-person social networks. In Proceedings of Advances in Social Networks and Mining, ASONAM ’09, Athens, Greece, July 20-22.
Putnam, C., Rose, E.,Walton, R. & Kolko, B. (2009).Mobile phone users in Kyrgyzstan: A case study of identifying user requirements for diverse users In Proceedings of IPCC 2009 ,Honolulu, Hawaii, July 20-23, 2009.
Kolko, B. & Putnam, C.(2009).Computer Games in the Developing World: The Value of Non-Instrumental Engagement with ICTs, or Taking Play Seriously.In Proceedings of International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and DevelopmentICTD ‘09, Doha.Qatar, April 17-19, 2009
Putnam, C. and Chong, L. (2008).Software and technologies designed for people with autism.In Proceedings of the 10th Annual ACM Conference on Conference on Computers and Accessibility, ASSETS '08, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 13 - 15, 2008, ACM Press, New York, NY.
Current/In press
Rose, E., Putnam, C. and Kolko, B. (2010). Design for Inclusion: Using Familiar Methods in Unfamiliar Contexts. Submitted to Proceedings of in the Conference Designing for Interactive Systems, DIS '10, Arhus, Denmark, August 18 - 20, 2010, ACM Press, New York, NY.
Putnam, C., Rose, E., Johnson, E and Kolko, B. (2010). Design for Inclusion: Lessons learned in Central Asia. Special Issue of Personal and Ubiquitous Computing.
Invited talks and lectures
“Bridging the gap between user experience research and design: An analysis of personas.” Puget Sound SIGCGI, Seattle, Washington (scheduled) March 25, 2010.
“Using the data you have for persona creation.” Presentation and workshop designed for a graduate class in Computer-Assisted Communication, University of Washington, January 2010.
“Design for Inclusion: Using Familiar Methods for Unfamiliar Contexts.” Presented with Emma Rose and Beth Kolko as part of the seminar series: “Current Issues in Human Centered Design & Engineering”, University of Washington, January 2010.
Conference Presentations
“Getting Online but still living offline: the complex relationship of technology adoption and in-person social networks.” Advances in Social Networks and Mining, ASONAM '09, Athens, Greece, July 20-22, 2009.
“Software and technologies designed for people with autism.” Conference on Computers and Accessibility, ASSETS '08, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, October 13 - 15, 2008.
Posters
Kolko, B. and Putnam, C. “Computer games in the Developing World”. Change conference, University of Washington (October, 2009).
Putnam, C. and Kolko, B, “Modifying methods for persona creation”. Change conference, University of Washington, (October, 2009).
Rose, E. J., Putnam, C. and Birand, G. “Designing for Digital Inclusion: Investigating social networks within resource constrained environments.” Society for Technical Communication: University of Washington Research and Design Showcase (May 2007)
Research Assistant: Central Asia + Information & Communication Technologies: 2007-current
University of Washington
I project manage and participate in this research group which is focusing on a five year investigation of internet, mobile phones, and related technology developments:
University of Washington
I project manage and participate in this research group which is focusing on a five year investigation of internet, mobile phones, and related technology developments:
- Collaborated in coding ethnography data from study participants
- Conducted extensive quantitative statistical analysis of a data-set created by a yearly survey of 1000 participants in four Central Asian Countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan)
- Created prototypes for products/services ideated from research
- Performed usability testing for research-based products
- Created personas, high level scenarios and user requirements for mobile-based service
Research Assistant: College of Engineering: 2007
University of Washington
University of Washington
- Led several focus groups and created multiple online surveys for the college’s diverse user groups to determine their website needs.
- Information architecture of the college’s website
- Created a web-based prototype for usability, designed and managed and performed usability testing.
PATH - Safe Water Project / Gates Foundation grant: 2008-2009
Statistical analysis of survey data. Respondents from the Andhra Pradesh region of India were questioned about behaviors and attitudes regarding safe/clean water including collection, storage, and preferences.
Statistical analysis of survey data. Respondents from the Andhra Pradesh region of India were questioned about behaviors and attitudes regarding safe/clean water including collection, storage, and preferences.
- Analysis resulted in several synopses in the form of visualizations and personas
- Consulted on methods for an additional user research to assess usability issues of current water systems
Introduction to Communication Design: Instructor of record: 2006-2007
Designed and presented lectures and tutorials to instruct junior level students through many commonly used software packages in the field of technical communication. The students are expected to create artifacts in each software package from a user-centered perspective culminating in a web-based professional portfolio they wireframed, designed, and coded.
Designed and presented lectures and tutorials to instruct junior level students through many commonly used software packages in the field of technical communication. The students are expected to create artifacts in each software package from a user-centered perspective culminating in a web-based professional portfolio they wireframed, designed, and coded.
Technical Writing and Oral Presentation: Instructor of record: 2007
Instructed junior and senior level engineering students in design and production of professional documents and presentations they might be expected to create in the workplace.
Instructed junior and senior level engineering students in design and production of professional documents and presentations they might be expected to create in the workplace.
User-centered web design: Teaching assistant: 2008
Instructed graduate students in how to create standards-compliant web sites using CSS and XHTML
Instructed graduate students in how to create standards-compliant web sites using CSS and XHTML
Sr. Art Director: True North Consultants Inc. (Hasbro Corporation): 2004-2007
Flash games and web sites supporting Hasbro’s toy brands including My Little Pony, Furby and G.I. Joe. Responsibilities included both the visual and interaction design of Flash games, web sites, illustrations and animations in 2D and 3D. Managed outside vendors and internal designers through multiple projects.
Designer/3D Animator: Microsoft Corporation : eHome Group (contract): 2004
Collaborated on the 3D user interfaces for the multiple devices available in Microsoft's “Home of the Future”. Responsibilities included working with internal developers and outside vendors, managing and creating assets in 3D Studio Max for use in the live presentation engine, and creating videos in After Effects for the linear portions of the demonstration.
Product Designer: Microsoft Corporation : Works Group (contract): 2002- 2003
User interface/ product design of the task launcher for Works Suite 2004.
Created all final art and icons. Working closely with the usability engineer, I created several DHTML and Flash prototypes for usability studies. Developed a design documentation specification site.
Flash Product Tours: Interaction design and all art for the Flash product tour which included managing all localization through use of XML driven text content.
Flash Product Tours: Interaction design and all art for the Flash product tour which included managing all localization through use of XML driven text content.
Senior Product Designer: Pacific Edge Software: 2001 - 2002
User interface and interaction design for the company's web-based project and portfolio management software products. Created HTML and Flash prototypes for internal usability testing and sales. Responsible for all design, art, icon illustration, and style guide documentation.
Outstanding Female Graduate Student Award: University of Washington Society of Woman Engineers Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering,2010.
Outstanding Female Graduate Student Award: University of Washington Society of Woman Engineers Department of Technical Communication, 2007.
Excellence Award: Puget Sound chapter of the Society for Technical Communications. Microsoft Works Tutorial, 2004
Professional memberships
- Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
- Puget Sound SIGCHI
- BRIDGE program co-organizer (2009).
- Provided housing for visiting potential PhD students (2009).
- Demonstrated the department’s usability lab and eye tracking system for high school students considering the College of Engineering (2005 and 2006).
- Created the logo, identity, and multiple web-based and print materials for the department to support the department’s name change from Technical Communication to Human Centered Design & Engineering (2009).
- University of Washington’s Experimental Education Unit (EEU) working with children with autism (2006-2007).
- Ivanhoe Performing Arts Theatre designing and creating sets/props with participants. The theatre has an inclusive philosophy and is committed to working with both typically developing children and children and adults with disabilities (1997-2002).
SPSS, ATLAS ti., Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Flash, Director & Dreamweaver, Newtek Lightwave 3D, Discreet 3D Studio Max, Alias Wavefront Maya.