Recommendations from LindedIn and several other sources: Donald Rickert, Ph.D., IDSA (Product Design, User
Interface Design and Musical Instrument Design Expert)
Designated EliteXpert by IMS ExpertServices
Download Professional Recommendations for Donald Rickert, PhD, IDSA
[email protected] 404-828-0136
Recommendations from Attorneys for Whom I have Worked as an Expert Witness and/or an Expert Consultant
Jon Hokanson
Partner at Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith LLP
“Don is very knowledgeable in the field of interface design, particularly as in relates to control devices and systems for televisions. He is personable, a hard worker and very focused. He has actual industry, as well as academic experience, both of which combine to imbue his testimony with a high degree of credibility.”
Jon was Don's client.
John Evans, Ph.D.
Attorney at Jones Day
“We hired Don as an expert witness and consultant in the field of graphical user interfaces for on-demand television technology. Working with Don was instrumental in achieving game-changing results for our client. Don was an enthusiastic and thorough partner in uncovering and developing the facts, willing to beat the bushes and draw on all his contacts in the field, even generating a substantial and detailed declaration. In short, Don delivered timely results that made a difference in our case, which is exactly what every attorney seeks from an expert. Don is also a pleasure to work with, very friendly and personable. I look forward to the chance to work with him again in the future.”
John was Don's client.
VP, Legal Affairs for large U.S. Consumer Electronics Manufacturer
Name and company confidential, Protective Order from a U.S. District Court still in effect, pending possible appeal
The Consumer Electronics Manufacturer was the Defendant on a patent infringement case on which I served as testifying (lead) Expert Witness. Due to the active Protective Order, a written recommendation from the VP for Legal Affairs was not prudent; however, I have reliable information directly conveyed to me from Counsel at two law firms that he recommended me orally at least to Steptoe Johnson, Jones Day and Akin Gump, and possibly other firms.
The key points of the recommendations of me as an Expert Witness:
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- Integrity
- Thoroughness
- Focused
- A “powerful and authoritative presence” in the courtroom
- He specifically mentioned my gentlemanly “Southern charm” as an important attribute in communicating and connecting with the Jury.
Don represented the company for whom the above-recommender serves as VP for Legal Affairs as Defendant in a major patent infringement lawsuit.
Recent Recommendations from Consulting Clients and Professional Colleagues that Specifically Refer to My Expert Witness Expertise
Noah McNeely, IDSA
President and CEO at Slingshot Product Development Group
“I've had the pleasure of working with Don over the years since 2005, and I would like to stress that we are both colleagues and friends.
Don is a top notch consultant with considerable experience as a patent litigation expert witness, human factors/ergonomics/human-computer interaction expert, professional industrial designer, and design researcher.
Don is highly knowledgeable in the areas of patent infringement litigation, design research, product design, and product development. Additionally, Don is an active and respected member of the new product development community, and is an active member of IDSA (Industrial Design Society), PDMA (Product Development Management Association), AMA (American Marketing Association), UPA (Usability Professionals Association), and SIGCHI (Association for Computing Machinery for Computer Human Interaction).”
Noah worked with Don at Don Rickert Research & Design.
Jeff Jones
Management Consultant at Daugherty (a top Management Consulting Firm in the Technology Arena)
“Don is an expert in his field who delivers results and a consummate professional. I recommend him without hesitation and I will hire him again in the future. Expect similar feedback from all of his clients.”
Jeff was Don's client.
Steve Kutzer
Sr. Director of Information Technology at Zoo Atlanta
“I have known Don for 25 years. He and I worked at George Washington University together and then crossed paths at James Martin & Co. Don has an outstanding combination of technical, legal, and communication skills. Beyond that, he is a warm and empathetic people-person with tremendous interpersonal skills. This is why I have maintained a decades-long friendship with Don. He is someone I can turn to for council and advice and feel safe doing so.”
Steve worked with Don at Don Rickert Research & Design and at the George Washington University.
Kevin Hale (via Facebook)
Customer of D. Rickert Musical Instruments, an affiliate business of Don Rickert Research & Design
“One of my favorite instruments, a prototype of one of his great travel fiddles (reminder to self: play more often!) , comes from the creative genius of Donald Rickert and his newly named Wildrock Studios. Not only a truly inspired luthier, he's also one hell of a product designer and a patent litigation expert.”
Kevin was Don's customer (several custom violins)
Recommendations from Executives to Whom I Reported
Ken Van Meter
Energy executive
“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.”
Ken managed Don indirectly at Bell Atlantic Video Services.
Ron Young
SVP, Global Product Management at Aon eSolutions
"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."
Ron managed Don at S1 Corp.
Mark Tarlton, Ph.D.
Leader: Client Applications Research
“I worked with Don over a period of 3 years while at AT&T. Don was responsible for conducting ethnographic 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.”
Mark was Don's client.
Jeff Jones
Management Consultant at Daugherty (Top 1% Viewed 2012 Profile, 72 Recommendations, 6,700+ Connections)
“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!”
Jeff managed Don indirectly at Don Rickert, Ph.D., Consumer Research Consultant
Recommendations from Colleagues and Peers
Ruth Wasem
Specialist in Domestic Policy
“Don Rickert has all the attributes you want in a colleague. We worked together early in our careers, and it proved to be a wonderful and formative experience. He is razor-sharp smart and creative, as well as organized, productive, collegial. There is a consensus that he is unmatched in his knowledge of human factors. He has an instinctive ability to integrate the sciences, humanities, arts and technology into his work. Indeed, Don is a "Renaissance Man" for the 21st Century.”
Ruth worked directly with Don at United Way of America.
Niall Fallon
Front End Architect at Prime Revenue (Ireland)
“Working with Don was a uniquely positive experience. His encyclopedic knowlege 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.”
Niall worked directly with Don at S1 Corp
Tom Chmielewski
Vice President of Product Management
“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 ‘useable’ products. Don worked with us to gain insight and deploy products that were more customer intuitive, and as a result, more profitable products.”
Tom worked with Don at S1 Corp.
Bill Forsyth
CEO at AppPax
“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.”
Bill worked with Don at S1 Corp.
Jim Combs
Executive for Digital & Traditional Brand/Product/Service Strategy, Design, & Marketing
“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.”
Jim worked with Don at Bell Atlantic Video Services.
Daniel O'Callaghan
Principal Member of Technical Staff
"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.”
Daniel worked directly with Don at Bell Atlantic Video Services.
Laurence Kirsh
Director, Product Management at VBrick Systems
“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.”
Laurence worked directly with Don at Bell Atlantic Video Services.
Paul O'Dwyer
Managing Director at Finnua Ltd (Ireland)
“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.”
Paul worked directly with Don at S1 Corp.
Ed Tsang
Director of Software Engineering at ACI Worldwide
“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 mockup 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.”
Ed worked with Don at S1 Corp.
Robert Lewkovich
Systems Analyst at GE Energy (Software Solutions Group)
"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."
Robert worked directly with Don at S1 Corp and at Eggs Overnight, a supply chain/logistics/shipping firm.
Jerry Farinola
Department Manager at Jos. A. Bank Clothiers
“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!”
Jerry worked directly with Don at S1 Corp.
Ted Prindle
Contract Manager - Contracts and Negotiation
“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”.
Ted worked with Don at S1 Corp
Recommendations from Former Direct Reports Who are Now Colleagues
Jesse Zolna, Ph.D.
Marketing, Experience and Usability Researcher
“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!”
Jesse reported to Don at S1 Corp
Derek Bambach
Product Manager at Virtustream
“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.”
Derek reported to Don at S1 Corp
