Louise Ventris

Work History

June 2003 – April 2007

Design Manager - BBC Radio and Music Interactive

Key Responsibilities:

Managing the recruitment, retention and development of a team of 10 Interaction Designers and Information Architects. Design sign-off on all BBC Radio and Music products, with responsibility for consistency and usability across all interactive output (including websites, iTV, mobile and internal and external software applications). Developing, prioritising and managing projects from concept to delivery - allocating resources most effectively. Commissioning and managing the deliverables for external design agencies.

Highlights:

I was the creative lead on several hugely successful products, including the BBC Radio Player and the award-winning Today website. I successfully built, managed and motivated, one of the most successful teams within the BBC’s New Media Division, and instigated the delivery of an internal usability lab. My strong communication skills (including presentations to the New Media Board) secured the future funding for a pan BBC Design Event that I initiated and organised. Recruiting the highest calibre international speakers, the one-day event won great acclaim across the organisation.

April 2001 – June 2003

Lead Designer BBC Radio & Music Interactive Key Responsibilities: Resourcing design projects across Radio and Music Interactive. Consolidation of the design resources, leading to an increase in productivity. Highlights: The instigation of a working process review, which influenced Senior Management’s view of the productions requirements of the whole Department. I established a successful User Centred Design process across the department which improved accessibility, increased customer satisfaction, reduced development costs and helped to drive site traffic. Completing the design of the BBC Radio Player v1 and the Radio Homepage. April 2000 – April 2001 Designer BBC Radio 4 Key Responsibilities: Delivering concepts and graphic design work for the station’s multiple, online offerings. Managing freelance staff, and client side developers. Highlights: Completing the redesign of the Radio 4 site, the Today Programme site, Woman’s Hour, Reith Lectures, and Go4it. March 1999 –April 2000 Interactive Designer Soholondon Key Responsibilities: Developing design projects from initial concept, through to the final production of graphics, interface and template design for the agency’s many clients (who included Nike, CDP and Coca Cola). Liaison with programming staff over technical and code design, and presentation of prototypes to internal and third parties. Highlights: The design of the award-winning Gardening e-commerce site: crocus.co.uk Sept 1998 - March 1999 Multimedia Designer Clevermedia Key Responsibilities: Working on designs and builds for a range of corporate clients. April 1997 - August 1998 Multimedia Designer/Developer General Interactive Key Responsibilities: Working as a designer, developer of websites and cdroms, Clients include Cadbury, Which Online and ICI. Nov 1996 - April 1997 Course Co-ordinator IDEA, Manchester Metropolitan University Key Responsibilities: Organisation and implementation of a new multimedia course. Teaching Photoshop, Director and general Internet skills and advanced level Photoshop to MA Interactive Arts students. Sept 1993 - July 1995 Teacher of Art & Design Broomfield GM School Key Responsibilities: Teaching Art & Design at A level, GCSE and Key Stage 3.

Design

• MRC - intranet induction site
• BBC Radio Homepage
• BBC Radio Player
• BBC Radio 4 website
• Today
• The Reith Lectures
• Talkingtrips.com
• Crocus
• WDPA
• dancinglikefools.com