Ah, yes, here we are: the part of any website that almost always comes off as self-serving. Well, fine, I’m not one to break traditions or rock the boat….
Actually, I am, now that I think about it. Not much, but enough to make everyone else in the boat slightly queasy. I’ve not broke many traditions, but certainly have strained myself from time to time trying…
Rocking the boat, breaking traditions, burning bridges… Of all those cliches, I have never done the last one. I have seen what has happened to those who do… And I’d rather learn from other people’s mistakes than my own (though… “mistakes, I’ve made a few..”).
Anyway, enough about me; let’s talk about me for a minute (“I’ll take obscure Alan Parsons references for $200 Alex”).
I started out in creative design years ago, having created my own magazine/fanzine in junior high. I turned my passion for design into a job, designing advertising and magazines for Vulcan Publications in Birmingham. Then a brief career in journalist, reporting on pop culture on TV and in print (this is when I frightened Richard Simmons on a TV show we both appeared on – long story I CANNOT post here… ever… Well, maybe after he dies).
Then, I saved Timothy Leary from assault… Again, long story, BUT one I may eventually relate here.
After meeting the woman who eventually became my wife (I KNEW those incriminating photos I took of her would come in handy someday), I moved to Atlanta to build a future with her, and started designing print catalogs. In between photographing forestry equipment and doing page layouts in Quark Express, I convinced the management of the 40-year old mail-order company I worked at that they needed to put their product line on this new thing called “the Internet” (which I then helped them do). This was around 1990.
As I shifted my focus into web development I joined a web start-up, working in application design as well as product development. After the opportunity presented itself to become a Creative Director at another start-up, I was able to expand my skills into User Experience Design (title case, emphasis added).
Then the bubble burst.
I ended up at another start-up and designed a human resources management application. Then THEY ran out of money (this is known in baseball as strike three) and I ended up working for the CDC in UI design and human factors for several years. From there, I landed at Cingular Wireless, now the New AT&T, where I happily worked until a better (at the time, at least) opportunity came along… Designing banking and mobile payment apps for Fiserv. If you’ve paid a bill online, you’ve probably seen some of my work.
Now, after six years of working for a Fortune 500 company, and six more years of designing applications and solutions for Microsoft, I’m on the next step of my career journey
I also have three wonderful sons, Chip, Ernie and Rob (my wife is a VERY patient woman).
I’m blessed beyond reason.
MORE ON ME (as if you care):
Joe’s YouTube channel is here.
Photos (family and otherwise) are available here.
And, I’m sure you are wondering, what is Joe’s interests? Well, I’ll tell ya:
David Lynch, Florence + the Machine, Daft Punk, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, jazz, ELO, movie scores, St. Francis Albert Sinatra, Kate Bush, They Might Be Giants, Peter Gabriel, The Rutles, prog rock, Warren Zevon (RIP – enjoy every sandwich), Patrick McGoohan, Harry Nilsson (RIP), MST3K, Getting Things Done, The Holy Bible, Watchmen, Ian Fleming’s Bond novels, Information Technology, Disney, G.I.Joe, The Godfather, Scrooge, A Christmas Story, Jaws (Most. Perfect. Movie. Ever.), Star Trek, Battlestar: Galactica, The Office, Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Prisoner, Twin Peaks, Mythbusters, Dr. Who, Firefly, Homicide, Star Trek (KHAAAN!), comics, , American Dad, Futurama, Apple, computers, usability, shameless link bait, twitter, interaction design, Disney, Micronauts, Firesign Theatre (“Oh, you mean Nancy!”), little baby ducks, old pickup trucks, slow moving trains, and rain.
Oh, and finally, I LOVE any show that had a talking car that helped solve crimes with the help of a super cyborg monkey from the future. Talk about a can’t-lose premise…
Contact Joe at josephcdickerson@gmail.com