Manager, User Testing

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive and leisure products. We are looking for a Manager of User-Testing to join our Corporate Studio and help take our current user-testing programs to the next level.  The Manager of User-Testing is responsible for managing all aspects of user-testing for one or more of Activision's franchises, working closely with the development teams and Activision Central Design to ensure top-notch, timely, and cost-effective user-testing. This includes creating efficient user-testing plans for a diverse range of titles, budgets, and schedules, and working with a range of developers to guarantee stellar user-testing coverage.   Responsibilities: Create a vision for user-testing specific Activision franchises, incorporating existing practices where possible and creating new ones where necessary · Audit developer user-testing practices and resources. · Work closely with development teams to help them understand user-testing and inspire teams to integrate user-testing into their schedules, their development cycles, and their code bases. · Determine and hire or train staff to support these efforts. · Determine equipment/facility needs and work to secure support and funding. Create and Maintain User-Testing Procedures. · Create user-testing standards and procedures for selected franchises, production schedules, and budgets. · Disseminate and help train teams (internally and externally) on these procedures. · Establish pipeline for efficiently sourcing and tracking participants. · Review procedures in action and update as required. Manage user-tests and provide expert feedback on games in progress · Create appropriate user-testing milestones and deliverables. · Effectively manage all aspects of user-tests, including vendor relations, managing testing staff, handling participants, creating surveys, moderating feedback sessions, and writing reports. · Provide timely feedback to stakeholders regarding ongoing user-testing issues · Review design and implementation of all games and provide usability feedback on potential issues. · Relevant College degree required. Relevant advanced degree preferred (branches of experimental psychology, human computer interaction, human factors, or related field). · At least four years industry experience conducting usability tests and related research for games, OR at least five years industry experience conducting usability tests on software products · Previous Management experience required · Experience designing in the games or entertainment industry highly desirable · Excellent interpersonal communication (both written and verbal) · Ability to influence people without breaking relationships · Excellent organizational and analytical skills · Extensive knowledge of research design, qualitative and quantitative methodologies · Proven ability to translate research findings into actionable product improvements · Experienced with applying advanced statistical methods to a wide variety of problems · An adaptable and quick learner that enjoys tackling a large variety of problems · Must have an interest in games and the people who play them · Must have a willingness to innovate in the interest of effective and efficient user-testing Company: Activision Location: Santa Monica, CA 90405 Job Status/Type: Full Time, Employee Job Category: Creative/Design Industry: Computer Software Occupations: General/Other: Creative/Design Career Level: Manager (Manager/Supervisor of Staff) Company: Activision Reference Code: GAM00003M