The Search Is On...

By Sheri Bigelow
Tuesday, April 6, 2004

I have been working in web design and development since 1994 when I stumbled upon Netscape 2.0, Gopher and an active web development community at the University of Utah. Serendipity to be sure. I love the Web. Since discovering HTML, I continually found myself working on various web-related projects and work-study jobs. I subsequently landed a phenomenal job at Myriad Genetics where I am currently Webmaster. At Myriad, my worked has evolved beyond management of day-to-day internal and external web pages to encompass application programming, user interface design and online community building among other things. I also own and operate a business providing web design, database application programming and e-commerce solutions for small to medium sized businesses and non-profit organizations. Invariably, this experience allows me to stay current with a variety of consumer-driven sites leading to a diversified portfolio.

The Web in and of itself is a fascinating creature. The movement of knowledge and information through databases, libraries, aggregators and web pages has always fascinated me. I am passionate about and dedicated to my work. The search for Google Assistant Webmaster stops here.

How I meet the requirements for Assistant Webmaster

• Web design and HTML programming expertise extending back eight years with 3 ½ years full-time experience running consumer-directed websites for Myriad Genetics, Inc. Over a year of freelance experience keeps me on my toes when it comes to the constant flux of technology that drives the Web.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Chemistry Minor from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT.
• CGI scripting and database skills using Perl, PHP, MySQL and Oracle. I have had the chance to develop and adapt employee directory interfaces, content management for job boards, a directory-style approach to presenting information to employees, image collections and online stores over time using these technologies.
• Demonstrated knowledge in HTML, XHTML, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Perl, PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, Acrobat, UNIX, Linux, Open Office, Microsoft Office, content management, layout & design and navigation.
• A strong work ethic and detail-oriented individual with a firm/solid sense of composition and clean design. I believe in a work smarter not harder approach. I really enjoy my work and have always been interested in library science and knowledge management.
• Experience working in web design at a University gives me a unique insight into website usability issues including federal web accessibility standards such as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. And, working with a group of 500+ corporate employees has given me a valuable insight into Intranet usability.
• Web design best practices like meeting W3C standards, usability, speed, interface consistency, CSS and cross-browser compatibility are often key components of my work.
• My online portfolio further details my experience and past projects. Please visit www.designsimply.com/portfolio.

Life, work and the search for a perfect fit

Good design begets usability. Usability begets findability. Findability is what fuels the web. The web subsists on the whims of a capricious public. It will continue to evolve and the only constant is change itself. Consequently, I want to work with things I enjoy learning about.

I have two recurring hobbies that I love. I say recurring because my interest is often captive to new ideas and interesting innovations on the horizon, but the two things I continually return to are photography and web design. Photography because it's an escape, an intense visit into the life of another, a world of infinite detail, a focus on a moment or a tiny detail. This somewhat obsessive interest, however, compliments my long-standing relationship/love affair with the Web because a sense for clean composition transfers effortlessly into web production, design, user interface and navigation schemes. Photography is a hobby complimentary to graphic design and enhances my proficiency with Photoshop.

Google is the lens through which the world sees the Web, and I would love to be a part of it.