Hi there. I’m James Callan. I practice content strategy and user experience design, focusing on those spaces where the two dovetail and influence each other.
I’ve made it easier for people to buy gift cards, find spatulas, decide which frying pan they’d like to buy, visit Oregon, and reconnect with high school friends. (On that gift card project, I helped quintuple online sales year-over-year, which was a huge win.)
Portfolio pieces:
- Redesign of SurLaTable.com’s gift card selection page.
- Reworking of the global navigation and taxonomy on SurLaTable.com.
- Redesign of the product page template used on SurLaTable.com.
- Content and conceptual help on a bacon-themed trivia app for AllRecipes.
- Flashbacks trivia game, an interactive marketing piece promoting a new Classmates.com feature.
- An email campaign for Classmates.com using Mark Twain and humor to sell upgrades.
- A brand-appropriate (funny, nostalgic) message telling people Classmates.com was down.
I’ve given presentations on taxonomy and vocabulary work, and why self-proclaimed “grammar Nazis” are mistaken about how the English language works.
Podcast appearances:
- In the Making: “Vertical Transitions”
- Afoot (a podcast about mysteries): “Make Mine Marple” and “Good Eve-a-Ning”
- Random Trek (a podcast about Star Trek): “The Sword of Kahless”
Much of my recent work has been as the sole UX professional working with larger teams — designers, developers, QAs, writers, project managers, and stakeholders. I’ve addressed design problems with a variety of skills and tactics, including usability research, wireframing, writing, page tables, and content modeling.
Clients and employers have included Travel Oregon and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (as part of an agency), Sur La Table, Allrecipes, Maritime Training Services, Panopto, and Classmates.com.
I’d love to help you reach your business goals and solve your design problems.