Fischer Consulting Services is a state-of-the-art consulting firm specializing in the area of human factors, user interface design, and usability. We offer consulting and training services which enable companies to design the optimal user interface for their technology.  We utilize User-Centered Design (UCD) methodologies and have applied this successfully in the design of software, websites, web applications, hand held devices, telecommunications devices, and hardware.  We have helped many organizations through our interface design and UCD methods training seminars and delivered these concepts to programmers, technical writers, product managers, marketing personnel, and executives.  We also have experience in the areas of product management, business systems analysis, design, development, and project management. Fischer Consulting Services has affiliations with major training and consulting organizations throughout the United States.

Sue Fischer, the Principal Consultant and Trainer, possesses over 12 years of experience as a designer, consultant, and manager in the areas of user interface design, research, testing, human factors, and the overall “user experience”. 

 

Sue Fischer, ChFC, CLU Principal Consultant and Trainer "Enthusiasm in red locks!"

That's how one colleague described Sue. Clients say she "communicates information clearly, and is very knowledgeable, very organized, and marvelously patient!"

Sue has been the chief user interface architect for numerous projects, managed interface design teams, and led the usability process for large development efforts.  Sue possesses many years of experience in the definition, implementation, and management of user interfaces, and has unique and creative ways of approaching problems and finding appropriate solutions. Sue achieved high levels of competence and received financial performance bonuses for her superior work accomplishments at various large corporations. She has taught several interface design courses developed by Deborah J. Mayhew, PhD - an internationally recognized human factors expert. During the past 3-4 years, Sue has focused on web design and creating the ideal user experience through “empathic design”.

Background Summary
 

Work Experience: ·         Served as software interface designer and architect for companies and projects of varied sizes developing products in diverse markets or industries. ·         Improved user performance and satisfaction through user-centered design activities during the software and web development cycle. ·         Performed user research and task analysis of user work flow to determine requirements for system thereby improving business specifications, interface design, and user acceptance of system. ·         Managed and coordinated interface design teams, insured design consistency, made crucial design decisions, and provided guidance in implementation of business objectives. ·         Planned, scheduled and managed UI design and prototyping teams. ·         Taught interface design courses to software developers, specializing in Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs).  ·         Educated organizations on the importance of "user-centered" design methods and championed usability.

Sample of Projects: ·         JDA Software – design of web applications. ·         Motorola GSTG – user interface (UI) design of software for corporate & consumer use. ·         American Express – usability testing of websites, Internet applications, and software. ·         Intel – Ethnographic study. ·         AG Communication Systems – user research, user profiling, software and Internet UI design and consulting. ·         US West (Qwest) – usability evaluations of consumer software, usability testing of multi-function phone. ·         NetPro Computing – UI design and usability evaluations of software for network administrators, user surveys. ·         Sendero Corp. – interface design and evaluations of financial services software. ·         The Rouse Companies – design and evaluations of software for consumers, focus groups, UI architecture and usability goals.

Briefly, Sue's background includes a B.A. degree in Psychology with Honors from Brandeis University and years of work as a systems consultant and analyst for several large financial services companies. After starting her own company in 1993, Sue has helped many large and small software projects and companies in various industries.

Sue is a certified Quality Facilitator for Total Quality Management (TQM), a Conflict Mediator (Arizona Dispute Resolution Association certified training, 2002), and has also attained the highly-recognized competency-based, professional designations, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), in the financial services industry. She is the Correspondence Secretary for a local Toastmaster Club. Sue has a teaching certificate from the Arizona Board of Community Colleges and is a Microsoft Certified Professional. She was the Secretary for the Arizona chapter of the Human Factors & Ergonomics Society (HFES) and is also a member of the Association for Computing Machinery/ Special Interest Group Computer Human Interaction(ACM/SIGCHI), and the Usability Professionals Association (UPA).