Lynda Chiotti is president of Chiotti Inc.

Chiotti Inc.

About Lynda

Lynda Sez

To inspire desired human responses to your digital and print media, you need to understand what will be effective, efficient and satisfying for your target audience. I can help you with that.

My professional experience includes Information Design, Content Development and Management, and Presentation and Facilitation activities.

Information Design

Consider the value of using an expert in user-centred design principles:

  • Improved user experiences for Internet sites, intranets, e-learning courses and web applications.
  • Internal teams who are mentored so that they understand key usability concepts and can apply them every day.
  • Cost-effective, carefully planned and conducted user research activities including persona development, user interviews, usability testing, prototype walkthroughs and heuristic evaluations.

I design and document information architecture and user experience functionality for web sites including Internet and intranet sites, e-learning courses and permission e-mail programs, plus web applications, including database  interaction, e-commerce functions and other interactive elements.

Information Design Examples from Recent Experience

  • Heuristic evaluation as a basis for redesign of a secure preferred-customer web site for luxury automotive products.
  • User testing of a web site providing pharmaceutical product information for healthcare professionals.
  • Research into business information needs and processes, via stakeholder interviews, to develop information architecture recommendations for an intranet site supporting thousands of technical documents.
  • A process guide for expert walkthrough of a technical e-learning course prototype, plus coaching support for the facilitator and supervision of implementation of the findings.
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Content Development and Management

To be effective, your technical, instructional or marketing information must be written and edited by someone who values precise language, context and clarity of expression.

Whatever your editorial need, I will bring experience and focused attention to your project:

  • Content development, from writing and editing to production (including print layout) and quality assurance for online or print delivery, including supervision of cross-discipline teams.
  • Development and application of editorial style guides appropriate to business objectives and target audience.
  • Development of practical processes, such as team workflows, for production and maintenance of content assets, with or without content management system software.

I especially champion web development based on industry-supported standards to provide accessibility to disadvantaged individuals.

Content Development and Management Examples from Recent Experience

  • A series of online learning modules for sales and service skills development for financial institution employees.
  • Supervision of content development for several consumer health  information web sites, including personal profile interactivity.
  • Revision and production of online help, plus a printable manual, for a secure e-commerce site for business products for corporate  customers.
  • Revision and editing of online help and all instructional content for an e-commerce grocery site.
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Presentation and Facilitation

Public and corporate seminars, coaching sessions, professional development debriefings, and semester credit courses -- I welcome these opportunities to present ideas and engage people in meaningful communication.

Need brainstorming or research sessions to bring stakeholder and user groups into collaborative development? Let me plan, facilitate and document these events for you.

Presentation and Facilitation Examples from Recent Experience

  • Facilitator of a stakeholder brainstorming session to develop an online resource centre for drug information, designed exclusively for psychiatrists.
  • Instructor of Applied Psychology of Technical Communication, a mandatory credit course taught for technical writers and editors in the George Brown College  Technical Communication certificate course.
  • Presenter of Web Content and Information Architecture for Professional Editors, a seminar for the Editors’ Association of Canada (Toronto and Ottawa).
  • Guest speaker for the Ryerson Publishing Certificate Program in addition to presenting corporate seminars on web content and information design.
  • A national competition judge for the Outdoor Writers of Canada.
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Recent Professional Experience

Prior to 1996, my professional focus for many years was in editing, writing and prepress production and management for consumer, professional,  educational  and technical publications, providing services as a freelance contractor.

Selected clients: Consumers Gas, George Brown College, Ryerson University,  Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto  Star, Maclean-Hunter, Canadian Cable Television Association.

Beginning in 1996, I was an independent and in-house consultant on web and print projects providing services to clients in information design, content development and management, and usability.

Selected clients: Bank of Montreal, BASF, Canadian Chemical Producers Association, CANCOPY,  Harris  Bank, ITP Nelson, Performx.

Beginning in 2000, I was Content and Information Design Manager for an award-winning Internet communications company.

Selected clients: Aird & Berlis,  Bayer, BMW, CIBC, Corning, E & J Gallo, GlaxoSmithKline, Grand & Toy,  Hay Group, Hershey, Hewlett-Packard, Loblaws, Novopharm, Ocean Spray,  Pfizer, Schering Plough, Scotiabank, Ufile, Unilever, Worldsource Wealth.

I am currently an independent consultant providing services to clients in e-commerce, financial services, municipal government and other sectors.

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