Usability Group UAE

a forum of usability professionals in the UAE

In the real and virtual world we create environments or products that demand a response and leave an impression. Neglecting human needs tarnishes the impression and diminishes the value of the experience.

We are a platform that brings together like-minded people who understand human responses. This empowers us to design experiences that are efficient, effective and enjoyable.

Goals & Benefits

The idea behind the formation of this group is to offer people with the same interest to come together regularly to share their experience and to encourage each other in the usability profession. The focus is on truly local activities connecting usability professionals with each other. Business meetings with invited speakers, Usability lab tours and Usability roundtables, where you can bring interesting usability problems to be solved jointly, are some examples of what a Local Chapter may offer.

To know more about usability and user centered design (UCD), please visit the Usability Professionals' Association Web site.

Members

Ali Bin Yahia Al HashmiInformation Analyst
Ali Bin Yahia Al Hashmi

Ali possesses comprehensive skills and a solid eight years experience in usability and user experience; he works as a “Front-End Developer” and a “Web Graphic Designer” with expertise in Web Services Development and managing web projects . He has a successful track record of translating clients insights into actionable user interface that improve business metrics. He has deep knowledge in web standards compliance, usability, accessibility issues and search engine optimization standards.

Currently Ali is working for Inajzat Data systems as a "System Analyst" and "Usability Expert", he is responsible for applications' interfaces and creation of efficient UI designs to increase ease of use and the productivity of the applications for the users.

Ali is:

  • A member of Usability Professionals Association (UPA)
  • A member of Board Member of Emirates internet group (EIG)
  • A Founder Member of Arab Internet societies Union
  • A Certified Master CIW Designer
  • A Certified E-Commerce Professional
Husain HakimUser Experience Specialist & Web Project Manager
Husain Hakim

Husain Hakim is a seasoned user experience specialist, with over 10 years of experience in interaction design, information architecture and project management.

He has delivered user experience strategies and digital design solutions that have resulted in successful initiatives for renowned entities in the UAE like Majid Al Futtaim, Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), NASDAQ Dubai, Al Habtoor Motors, Dubai Police Department, Dubai Municipality and Tameer to name a few.

An advocate of Web standards and usability, he has created favourable digital experiences for brands like Nissan & Infiniti Middle East, Mitsubishi Motors, Aston Martin, Air Arabia and Lenovo.

Husain is a member of the Information Architecture Institute (IAI), the Interaction Design Association (IxDA) and the Usability Professionals’ Association (UPA).

He lives in Dubai.

Detailed Profile

Husam JandalInternet Business Consultant at WSI
Husam Jandal

Working as an Internet Business Consultant at WSI, equipped with more that 10 years of experience in the internet industry, and with main focus on Internet Business Consulting and Internet Marketing (SEO, Affiliate Marketing, PPC, Web Analytics), management and implementation of large size online projects, search engine marketing (SEO and PPC), web usability, web accessibility, and social media optimization.

Location: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Website
Profile

Accreditations

  • Certified Process Master by Hammer and Co – Boston, MA, USA
  • Certified Internet Business Consultant by WSI – Toronto, Canada
  • Certified Ad Words Professional by Google – San Francisco, CA, USA
  • Certified Ambassador of Yahoo Search Marketing – London, UK
  • Member of SEMPO (Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization)
  • UPA (Usability Professional Association)
  • Member of the Web Analytics Association

Specialties

  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
  • Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
  • Email Marketing
  • Web Analytics
  • Social Media Optimization
  • Online Advertising
  • Web Usability
  • Web Accessibility
  • Business Process Reengineering
  • Cross-functional team formation, training and coaching
  • Customer Relationship Management
Indu Rupa VaranasiArchitect, Designer
Indu Rupa Varanasi

Indu Varanasi is an award winning architect and designer with her own offices in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

She studied at the college of Fine Arts and Architecture in Hyderabad before receiving her Masters Degree in Design and Architecture from New Delhi’s School of Planning and Architecture in 1993.

After a years work for one of the leading architectural bureaus in New Delhi, Indu moved to Dubai, where she has worked on the Emirates Towers and other exclusive be-spoke, customize, user-defined design assignments.

With IR Design, Indu has designed several prestigious projects that were awarded prizes in the Retail Awards Middle East 2006 and the Commercial Interior Design Award 2007.

Indu is married with a son and a daughter and lives in Dubai.

Jeswin LopezUser Experience Practitioner
Jeswin Lopez

Jeswin is a trained HFI Usability Analyst and has been working in the web industry for the last 10 years. He currently works for CACTIMEDIA, an online branding & web design company in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

He has a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engg. and is an active Member of the Usability Professionals Association (UPA), the Information Architecture Institute (IAI), and the Interaction Design Association (IxDA).