Product Designer

What would I be doing in this role at Desire2Learn?

Desire2Learn creates industry-leading web-based enterprise Learning systems as well as direct-to-consumer web and mobile apps. Our applications engage millions of users worldwide every day.  Located in Kitchener, Ontario, we are one of the fastest growing companies in Canada with a track record of strength and success.  Recently, Desire2Learn was awarded one of Waterloo Region’s Top 15 Employers in 2012. 

You are an experienced co-op ready to connect the business to the technology.  Your team will rely on your ability to speak-geek and non-geek when required.   You possess keen software design skills and have a love for designing software to meet the business needs of our clients. 

Desire2Learn can offer you the opportunity to exploit the latest software technologies, while at the same time design products that are going to have an impact on improving teaching and learning.  You can gain experience with a variety of technologies including enterprise .net, mobile, cloud computing, developer toolkits, analytics, webcasting, or whatever new technology we are working on during your co-op term.

What would my main duties be?

We are looking for exceptional intermediate and senior students to create functional specifications and product designs that are consistent with established design patterns, and meet with usability and accessibility standards. We do our best to match co-op candidates based on their education, experience and their technology and product design focus, such as:
Technical Business Analysis

• analyze and write technical business specifications and user stories for complex systems
• perform gap analysis by assessing cross product and operational impacts of proposed development projects
• apply creative problem solving to address software issues

Software Design

• Take market requirements from product planners and functional requirements from the technical product manager, consolidating them into software workflows that meet client expectations
• Assist with managing the product backlog
• Work with Architecture and Quality Assurance to ensure feasibility of detailed designs
• Transfer knowledge and review documents with internal teams

User Interaction Design

• Utilize mock-up tools to prepare product prototypes
• Facilitate user-centered design process by conducting focus groups, running surveys and interacting with our user community and our internal staff
• Work with Usability Specialists to ensure adherence to best practices, define usability testing requirements and make appropriate design changes based on design reviews

Enhance the experience through graphic design

What is Desire2Learn looking for from me?

The Product Designer Co-ops support Development and Quality Assurance to ensure that the requirements and designs are implemented and any changes are reflected in the documentation. 

For this position, we are looking for knowledge or previous co-op experience in one or more of the following:

• Superior technical writing skills
• Strong analytical, communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge of software development life cycles including Agile or other project methodologies
• Familiar with leading web and/or mobile technologies, eg.web services, distributed web-based systems, Web 2.0, JavaScript, AJAX, XML, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, etc
• A proven facilitator of people and software projects
• Superior data visualization and communication skills
• Knowledge of web/mobile user experience design principles and accessibility standards
• Graphic design is considered an asset

Education Recommendations

Enrollment in a Bachelors degree program with exposure to Systems Design Engineering, Human Computer Interaction, User Interface Design or equivalent in Computer Science or related technical field preferred