Some of the many endorsements and recommendations for Dr. Don Rickert in the areas of:
- User Experience (UX)
- Consumer Insights
- Design
- Design Research
- Product Development
- Prototyping
- Usability
- Human Factors
- Ethnography
- Leadership
- Management
- and more...
Wait, you're not finished. Click on the link below for the long list of endorsements, recommendations and raves for Don's work over the years from colleagues ranging from direct reports to the company President.
Recommendations For Don as Managing Partner and Owner, Don Rickert Research and Design, all "Supplier-Side" work
Note: Recommendations for out past several consulting engagements, all focused on Ethnography, Depth-Interviewing, UX, Usability, Design and Prototyping, for "back-office" transactional systems, are not possible, as these were highly sensitive projects for the very largest of financial super-institutions, as well as a major consumer electronics manufacturer, under security clearances with strict confidentiality agreements in place. Trust me when I state that these clients were very pleased with our services...we did REALLY good work!
"Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, Good Value...hired Don as a Research in 2007, and hired Don more than once" August 1, 2008
Jennifer Jennings
Senior Manager for a well-known large financial services institution that was a consulting client for Ethnography, User Experience (UX), Design and Usability services of Don Rickert Research & Design)
“I enjoyed working with Don on several products at two different organizations (S1, Eggs Overnight). Don used his wealth of UI knowledge and experience to improve the usability of our applications. He analyzed our UI and was able to suggest modifications that greatly enhanced the overall user experience, reducing confusion and speeding user task completion. Don was always able to explain the rationale behind his designs which helped a lot. Don takes ownership of his projects, works well independently, and has been enjoyable to work with.” July 23, 2008
Robert Lewkovich, Manager of Product Development, Eggs Overnight (a supply chain/shipping technology form for which Don Rickert Research & Design provided Usability, UX, Information Architecture and Design consulting services)
worked directly with Don at Eggs Overnight
“Don is a intelligent, responsible working partner on an Advisory Board where I work. His input on user design and evaluation is invaluable and he is very willing to work above and beyond the call of duty on the board. I believe his representation on the provides valuable insight for students as we continually assess our degree plans in the field of Informatics. He provides an "in-the-field" knowledge not easily found in textbooks. I recommend him heartily.” July 23, 2008
Brenda Turner, Professor of Informatics, Faulkner University
Recommendations For Don as Director, Human Factors & Customer Insights at S1 Corp: In-House or "Client-Side" work
“Working with Don was a uniquely positive experience. His encyclopedic knowledge of design and usability coupled with his infectious passion for the art inspired me and the entire team to deliver quality UI in our organization. Equally important, Don's affable personality always drew the team together and produced a lively and friendly working environment.” October 22, 2008
Niall Fallon, Senior Software Engineer, S1 Corporation, Dublin, Ireland Office
worked directly with Don at S1 Corp
“Don and I collaborated frequently in our roles at S1 on both client and internal projects. His work was always very highly regarded and I was always eager to bring him into clients. One of Don's strengths is his ability to make complex subject matter easily understood and turn it into actionable recommendations. Don was a pleasure to work with and I recommend him highly!” October 12, 2008
Jerry Farinola, Sr. Principal Consultant, Professional Services, S1 Corporation
worked directly with Don at S1 Corp
“If you have ever glossed over human factors when designing a product, you need to spend a few hours with Dr. Rickert. A remarkable practical practitioner, Don uses his extensive industry research and experience to present concepts via real world examples and stories to help product designers create truly USABLE products. Don worked with us to gain insight and deploy products that were more customer intuitive, and as a result, more profitable products.” August 20, 2008
Tom Chmielewski, Director of Product Management, S1
worked with Don at S1 Corp
“Don is an exceptional domain expert in human factors and customer interaction. He was very successful at S1 at building an internal community of people dedicated to delivering solutions with excellent usability and productivity. His ability to network people together and to build a team of people through informal influence was a great value to our group and all of S1.” August 5, 2008
Ron Young, VP, Product Management, Product Marketing, and Strategy, S1 Corporation
managed Don at S1 Corp
“In my 23 years in the software industry I've never come across someone as deep as Don Rickert when it comes to understanding the end-user's experience. A rare individual, he is expert in gaining an insight into what the user is *actually* experiencing versus what others *assume* they are experiencing. In addition, you couldn't find a person more enjoyable to work with. If you're looking to understand what the user is actually experiencing with your product and to enhance it, Don's your man.” July 29, 2008
William Forsyth, Senior Software Architect, S1 Corporation
worked with Don at S1 Corp
“From 2004-2005, Don worked closely with me on UI design patterns for the Enterprise Teller application. Don is extremely knowledgeable about Human Factors UI. He worked tirelessly with me and other development managers, promoting UI best practices and software usability. Don and his team reviewed our UI design during elaboration phase. He conducted focus groups with our end users, using both mocked up images and beta software. He also maintained UI best practices Wiki to keep everybody informed. With his help and guidance, we were able to deliver a finished product that has a very robust UI and navigation flow. Don is always very professional and he was a joy to work with.” July 24, 2008
Ed Tsang, Director of Product Dev, S1 Corporation
worked with Don at S1 Corp
“I enjoyed working with Don on several products at two different organizations (S1, Eggs Overnight). Don used his wealth of UI knowledge and experience to improve the usability of our applications. He analyzed our UI and was able to suggest modifications that greatly enhanced the overall user experience, reducing confusion and speeding user task completion. Don was always able to explain the rationale behind his designs which helped a lot. Don takes ownership of his projects, works well independently, and has been enjoyable to work with.” July 23, 2008
Robert Lewkovich, Sr Product Manager, S1
worked directly with Don at S1 Corp
“Don is a great researcher, adviser, and manager. He one of those people who sees big picture, and can get that across to anyone. He truly understands how to connect with users and how to figure out what that means for an application/product etc. I assisted him on several projects, all of which were well thought out, both in terms of research approach and planning for actionable results. I learned a lot working with him, and I would recommend him as a partner to anyone!” July 23, 2008
Jesse Zolna, Ph.D., Intern, Human Factors and Consumer Insight Group, S1
reported to Don at S1 Corp
“I worked with Don during his time with S1, and wholeheartedly recommend him as an expert in User Interface design. He cares passionately about ensuring the best possible user experience, and this passion rubs off on those who work with him to create a stimulating work environment. He is always approachable, and takes time to ensure those who seek advice get what they need. Overall, a great person to work with, and someone I would recommend to anyone seeking expertise in User Interface design.” July 23, 2008
Paul O'Dwyer, Manager / Director, Product Development, S1 Corporation
worked directly with Don at S1 Corp
“I had the distinct pleasure of working for Don in the User Interface Design Group at S1 Corp where he stepped into a leadership role after many of us were already working in the group. That might have been awkward for some (managers and employees alike), but Don's knowledge, experience, and demeanor made the moment effortless. He was an excellent manager who knew how to connect with his charges as well as the rest of the organization, and went out of his way to help people develop in their roles as well as to successfully deliver the work. From Don I was able to learn a great deal, both about software interface design and also about being part of a creative team. I feel lucky to have had a manager who was as aware of the people as well as the work, and have always tried to expand on that in positions I've had since. So much of the work we do in the technology field requires teams of people, and being able to develop solid team dynamics always increases the likelihood of success. I am a better contributor to whatever project I'm working on as a result of my time working under Don's direction.” April 5, 2007
Derek Bambach, Senior Interface Architect, S1 Corp.
reported to Don at S1 Corp
“Don's work on the internet banking usability was excellent. Don is an expert and clearly was a go to person to identify and resolve issues.” March 8, 2006
Ted Prindle, Senior Product Manager, S1
worked with Don at S1 Corp
Endorsements of Don as Owner and Principal, Don Rickert, Ph.D., Consumer Research Consultant: All "Supplier-Side" work
“Don is an acclaimed human factors and UX professional who possesses deep subject matter expertise. He has a long track record of delivering high quality solutions and leading very successful teams. Don also has great interpersonal skills and he is someone with whom you very much enjoy working. 4 Stars!” August 22, 2008
Jeff Jones, Executive Director, Engineering, iXL
managed Don indirectly at Don Rickert, Ph.D., Consumer Research Consultant
“I worked with Don over a period of 3 years while at AT&T. Don was responsible for conducting enthnographic studies and producing user-needs documents for medical education and online medical information delivery. He brought a wealth of experience and great enthusiasm to the project and delivered the results we needed. Additionally, Don supported the solution development tasks and represented the needs of the end-users in the process. He values creativity and original thinking and works hard to bring out those characteristics in others. He was a pleasure to work with and a valued member of the team.” July 22, 2008
"Top qualities: Personable, Expert, Creative"
Mark Tarlton, Ph.D.
hired Don as a Business Consultant in 1996
Recommendation for Don as Director, Human Factors & Consumer Research, Bell Atlantic Video Services (became Tele-TV): In-House or "Client-Side" work
“Don was the first person to show me the tools, techniques, and reasons for using human factors and human-centered design way back in the mid-'90s. For example, his use of a blank slate model for television set-top box remote control design and his explanation of the process with consumers has stayed with me over the years. I continue to learn the details around what Don taught me to this day. He is an expert and a pioneer in a subject area that is incredibly relevant today.” July 28, 2008
Jim Combs, Senior Producer, Tele-TV
worked with Don at Bell Atlantic Video Services
“Far too often marketing will make product decisions based on the personal opinions of those in the position. At Tele-TV, Don brought real science to making informed marketing choices. Science based on focus groups (which he orchestrated and ran) and the application of sound scientific principals in the fields of ergonomics, consumer psychology and product usability. As a technical lead and architect I have a distrust of most marketing people I deal with, but not so with Don, when Don took a position he was always able to back up his position with solid research. I highly recommend Don Rickert; he is a gentleman, a scholar and a professional in every way.” July 22, 2008
Daniel O'Callaghan, Distinguished Member of Technical Staff, Tele TV
worked directly with Don at Bell Atlantic Video Services
“Don is a clever, engaging fellow, and a pleasure to work with. In my experience, Don pursues research and design energetically, sweats the details, and delivers high quality results -- all with the highest degree of personal integrity.” July 22, 2008
Laurence Kirsh, Director, Product Design, Bell Atlantic (Verizon) & Tele-TV
worked directly with Don at Bell Atlantic Video Services
“Don is just plain brilliant. While many people can see the next steps of things, Don can also see the other side of them, the way others see them, or could see them, or might wish to see them. As we invented interactive television at Bell Atlantic, Don's insights, analyses and probing questions helped us craft a far superior offering that engaged not only the utility and functionality of what we wanted for our customers, but their hearts and their imaginations. Don has continued, over the years, to apply this unique genius to many different problems and opportunities, and will always have another inventive project in the works. He can take anyone's idea and add greatness to it.” July 22, 2008
Ken Van Meter, President, Bell Atlantic Video Services
managed Don indirectly at Bell Atlantic Video Services