Alex Piwtoratsky.

A Quest for Usability

May 4, 2020May 4, 2020by Alex PiwtoratskyLeave a comment

Usability is one of, if not the most, important feature of good website design. The internet has now become the primary touchpoint for both businesses and people, and one cannot ignore how usability enhances the experience, the depth of connection, and ease of transactions. As website tools continue to become more accessible, and users continue to demand more from digital experiences, small businesses can no longer ignore their badly designed websites. For Salon Elan, it became evident that their website was doing more harm than good.

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Snipping Split Ends

April 26, 2020April 26, 2020by Alex PiwtoratskyLeave a comment

Usability testing is all about collecting real data from real people. In a typical usability test, participants will interact with an app, website or other product while attempting to complete assigned tasks. The goal of these tests is to identify any usability issues, and collect qualitative and quantitative data. Ultimately, this data will help a team determine user satisfaction with the product and what needs to be improved or refined.

In this blog post, let’s take a look at how this method can be used to improve a local salon’s websites.

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We’ve Got to Split (Test)

April 10, 2020April 10, 2020by Alex PiwtoratskyLeave a comment

Usually when someone hears the word “split,” it often has negative connotations. Splitting up with your partner, running from the scene of a crime, a banana split (if you really don’t like bananas) or having to do a LITERAL split. But if you’re a marketer or a designer, the word can take on a whole different meaning.

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Exploring Business Origami

March 29, 2020March 29, 2020by Alex Piwtoratsky1 Comment

When solving a problem, it’s easy to get lost in the process. As more variables are introduced, it can be hard to keep everything straight and predict where you’ll end up. This is especially prevalent in UX or service design projects where astute organization and accurate documentation mean the difference between an innovative solution and absolute failure.

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Turning Red Flags into Wins

March 22, 2020March 22, 2020by Alex PiwtoratskyLeave a comment

It’s 3 months after your company’s new product launches and there seems to be an ominous feeling permeating through the cubicle walls. Then it hits your inbox, an email emblazoned with a red exclamation point and the subject line “ATTN Product Team: Staff Meeting.” Clicking in, you see the somewhat passive-aggressive message from your director stating that the team is about to get slammed. The product launch has been a near failure and changes need to be made ASAP. It’s crunch time.

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For the Future of Female Health

December 14, 2019December 14, 2019by Alex PiwtoratskyLeave a comment

All I remember is seeing blood. My heart beat faster as I tried to figure out what was wrong. Did I cut myself? Were my insides disintegrating? Tears started to fill my eyes as I did the only thing I could think of: shoving toilet paper into my underwear in the hopes it would stop the bleeding. Fifteen minutes had passed since I excused myself from a large state-wide standardized test due to intense pain. My guts felt like they’d been flipped to the outside and ravaged by a pair of garden shears. Shaking like a leaf, I managed to pull myself together and schlep myself back into my seat to make it through the rest of the test and the remainder of the school day. It wasn’t until days later that I was told that I had my first period at nine years old.

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Creating a Personal Brand

December 13, 2019by Alex Piwtoratsky1 Comment

When you go to the store, a bunch of flashy packaging and labels jump out from the shelves in unison. One box shows an enticing picture of the food inside. Another product has a big red “new” on it. A bottom shelf contains a package in an interesting shape. With all of this information blasting, how can you possibly pick an item to put in your cart and take home?

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My Professional Journey

December 11, 2019by Alex PiwtoratskyLeave a comment

In this Pecha Kucha Presentation, learn how I’ve developed my personal and professional self after graduating from TCNJ.

The Basics of Business Writing

December 7, 2019by Alex PiwtoratskyLeave a comment

Every morning at around 7.30 AM, I’m greeted by the friendly – although somewhat anxiety-inducing – ping of my Outlook inbox. As I struggle to keep my eyes open, around 35 new emails demand my attention with their little blue unread bubbles. While sifting through my inbox, I notice how different each piece is. From long, detailed notes to agency stakeholders to internal newsletters to large corporate announcements, each communication has a particular style. Some have a very stuffy and detailed voice while others are more conversational. Although all of these pieces have a different purpose and voice, they all are forms of business writing.

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Stretch Your Story

December 7, 2019December 7, 2019by Alex PiwtoratskyLeave a comment

Digital media has changed the way we create and communicate stories to one another. From Snapchat blips to WordPress blogs, content creators need to conform their message to the stipulations of the platform. Natively, shorter more impactful content has been shown to perform better with audiences. Although long-form pieces have been regaining their popularity and effectiveness, not every reader will want to dedicate the time to mull through a 1,500+ word article.

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