

Laurie Ochsner
536 Heathcliff Drive
Pacifica, CA 94044
Cell 650-738-1740 * Laurie@ChaosMedia.com
* Home 650-738-1740
Table of Contents:
WORK EXPERIENCE:
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER ("TRAFFIC"), Brodia.com, SF
(2000 - present)
Managed Creative Services' projects from inception through launch for Brodia's
eCommerce/platform product, for Mastercard, Visa, Discover, MBNA, Providian,
Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Bank of America. Increased productivity
through procedures that streamlined the work process, allowing Creative
Services to deliver more work more quickly with a smaller internal staff,
and better job satisfaction. Took in project requests from all departments,
defined scope, held kick-off meetings, created schedules, assigned work
and shepherded projects through to final delivery, using both internal and
external resources. Designed and created an online job request and progress-tracking
solution in Filemaker Pro, cross-platform, which allowed internal customers
to input their job requests via a web page, allowed Creative Service members
to sort jobs to which they'd been assigned, and provided a big-picture tracking
table that provided a status summary for all on-going jobs. Created and
maintained MS Project Plans 500-1000 lines long; set up MS Project Central
(replaced by the online Filemaker database).
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER/ PRODUCER, Imagicast, Burlingame, CA (1998-2000)
Did concept-to-completion project management for Imagicast's interactive
point-of-purchase demonstration products (DVD, CD, and CD-ROM-based platforms).
Took in customer content and turned it into finished product, working with
internal and external video production and compression resources, graphic
designers, sound editors, printers, laminators, and CD-replicators. The
size of projects ranged from small, 1-week-turnaround re-orders of existing
content, to complex, 1-year-plus projects with budgets ranging up to $1
million. Managed project schedules and budgets, did project costing for
Sales, and conducted focus group testing.
GAME DESIGNER, PROJECT MANAGER, Silicon Gaming, Palo Alto, CA (1996-1998)
Had responsibility for maintaining a consistent look-and-feel across Silicon
Gaming's entire product line; shepherded 15 titles from concept through
final release. Increased productivity by creating documents and processes
that helped transfer information between departments much more smoothly
and efficiently: the Product Specification, the Asset Script, the Asset
List, shared online documents, and Change Protocols. Ran focus group testing
and evaluated results, revising gameplay and UI as necessary. Wrote marketing
messages, and all online help text; wrote Product Specifications/ Design
Documents, and Asset Scripts. Created Game Development's internal web site.
Generated new product ideas; designed Marketing's "PC Sheets,"
which served as a primary sales tool for Silicon Gaming games.
PRODUCER/ PROJECT MANAGER, Crystal Dynamics, Palo Alto, CA (Contract
- 1996)
Managed three Programmers, three Artists, one Game Designer and one Assistant
Producer, working on Sony Playstation/Sega Saturn games. Helped guide the
team through the cancellation of an existing title, and the development
of a new one. Led game design, level and title brainstorming sessions; organized
and led pitch sessions to upper management; created presentation materials.
Explored partnerships with traditional game companies, and managed schedules
and budgets.
PRODUCER/ PROJECT MANAGER, Gravity, Inc., San Francisco, CA (Contract
- 1995)
Managed the schedule, budget, project team and client relationship for "Dingbat!,"
done for Intel, to the project's successful on-time, on-budget delivery.
("Dingbat!" was a mini-app that showed off the real-time 3D graphic
and sound capabilities of Intel's Fall '95 Pentium line.) Wrote all game
design documents, and edited technical specifications. Also produced and
wrote the script for a project for Spectrum Holobyte, creating a version
of "Top Gun" for the 3DO M2 platform, through the delivery of
the final milestone. I was granted full admission into the Writers' Guild
of America on the strength of my scripts for this project. Work included
legal searches for title copyrighting, internal and external weekly status
reports, and pressing CD-ROMs.
PRODUCER/ PROJECT MANAGER, Sega Toy & Game Division, RWC,CA (1994-1995)
Produced the Pocket Arcade product line at Sega, which outsold the competition
5-to-1 in its first month of release, and the educational Pico Wonderbook
product line, a pioneer in its class. Responsible for developing and maintaining
the creative vision for both product lines. Managed the development of 15
products, which included hiring and managing programmers, artists, writers,
sound designers, testers and data compression engineers; creating and coordinating
budgets, schedules, milestone payments and a QA/testing programs; editing
and writing scripts and game design documents; booking studio time, casting
and directing voice talent; obtaining reference art for licensed properties;
and obtaining licensor approvals on art, stories, game play, and casting.
Job ended when the division was sold to Tiger Electronics of Chicago, Ill.,
who wanted the wildly successful Pocket Arcade line.
POCKET ARCADE TITLES:
- Sonic Blast - Action Game
- Columns - Puzzle Game
- Deion Sander's Baseball - Sports
- Deion Sander's Football - Sports
- Sonic & Knuckles - Action Game
- Sega Sports Basketball - Sports
- WildC.A.T.s - Action Adventure Game
- The Tick - Action Adventure Game
- The Spawn - Action Adventure Game
PICO WONDERBOOK TITLES:
- Simba's Dream (The Lion King) - Edutainment
- Bernstein Bears Visit Farmer Ben - Edutainment
- Smart Alex & Smart Alice - Adventure Game
- Winnie the Pooh - Edutainment
- Jack and the Beanstalk - Interactive Music
- The Muppet's Treasure Island - Adventure Game
PRODUCER/ GAME DESIGNER, The 3DO Company, Redwood City, CA (1992-1994)
Managed the design and development of "Worldbuilders," an educational
astronomy/terraforming game done for Electronic Arts. Wrote scripts for
gameplay and voice-overs; cast voice talent (Patrick Stewart). Contributed
to UI and gameplay for "TwisTed!", one of 3DO's most successful
games. Obtained legal permissions for the use of copyrighted material. Developed
proposals for new title development. Helped direct the design and development
of the U.S. West cable interface product for 3DO's TV set top box; designed
product's User Interface. Programmed game and set-top box prototypes using
Macromedia Director and Hypercard.
PRODUCER/ DESIGNER/ WRITER, Calif. Academy of Sciences, San Fran.,
CA (1992)
Coordinated the design and production of "Science Around the World,"
an interactive video kiosk about the research done by the California Academy
of Sciences. Designed kiosk's User Interface and program structure, created
all graphics, wrote all on-screen text, programmed context sensitive Help
and fixed programmer's bugs.
ASSISTANT PRODUCER, George Lucas Educational Foundation, Nicasio,
CA-Intern (1991)
Worked with George Lucas on an educational videodisc game; trained team
how to use and design for a voice recognition system integral to the project;
designed user interfaces, instructional interaction, and screen flows, and
assisted on video shoots (during the time that the "Young Indiana Jones"
TV series was in production).
TECHNICAL WRITER / DESIGNER, American Telecorp, RWC, CA (1986-1990)
Designed software User Interfaces; designed and programmed databases (4th
Dimension, Hypercard). Produced award-winning hardware installation
and PC software user manuals for telecom software and UNIX call distribution
systems, writing, illustrating, and doing the book and page design. Designed
and produced marketing brochures and presentation materials.

EDUCATION:
- Master of Arts in Film/Multimedia, Concentration in User Interface
Design,
San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California
- Management Certificate Program, Concentration in Documentation
and UI Design
University of California at Santa Cruz Extension, Santa Clara, California
- Bachelor of Arts in Science Writing (Astronomy)
University of Michigan Residential College, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Bachelor of Musical Arts - Music History/Composition
(Cognate in Oboe Performance)
University of Michigan School of Music, Ann Arbor, Michigan
TRAINED/EXPERIENCED IN:
- Windows 95/98/2000/NT & Apple Macintosh OS
- Microsoft Project & Project Central, Filemaker
Pro, MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Sourcesafe, Clarify,
Inspiration, Adobe Photoshop, Premiere, Pagemill,
Illustrator, Pagemaker, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Director,
Hypercard, Apple MPW, DeBabelizer, AfterEffects,
Digidesign Sound Designer II, Storyboard Quick, 4th
Dimension, Deneba Canvas, & others
- HTML, DHTML
- MS-DOS
- UNIX
- PostScript
- CD-ROM production (Asante's Toast)
- BASIC (wrote an RPG)
- PLATO (University of Illinois)
- MTS (University of Michigan)
MANAGEMENT/CREATIVE SKILLS:
- Experienced at scheduling, budgeting, and hiring vendors
- Good at managing creative groups to their own benefit as well as the
project's
- Good at writing game scripts, technical specs, & project plans
- Experienced at game design and setting up testing/QA
- Skilled at creating presentations and project materials
- Experienced in casting and directing talent
- Able to work effectively with difficult people
TECHNICAL SKILLS:
- User Interface Design
- HTML/Web Page Design
- Instructional Design
- Graphic Design
- Photo manipulation/processing (Adobe Photoshop, et al.)
- Sound processing, digitization and editing (mag. tape, DAT)
- Film/Video - camera work, direction, lighting, and sound
- Editing and looping (F/V post-production)
- Video digitization, compression and processing
- Macromedia Director programming and prototyping
- Hypercard programming and prototyping

AWARDS:
- Brodia CS Recognition Award, 2000
- Imagicast "Top Income Generator" Recognition, 1999
- #1 Game, Silicon Gaming, 1997
- 3DO Star Performer Award, 1993
- Interact Program Fellowship, John D. MacArthur Foundation, 1991
- Best Presentation of a Business Solution, TEXPO 1989
- STC Award of Excellence for The Flexible Reports User's Guide,
1989
- STC Award of Excellence for The CMS Operator's Guide, 1988
- Heirloom Books National Poetry Prize, 1984 - 1987
- Pushcart Prize Nomination, 1985
- Semi-Finalist, Writers of the Future Competition, 1985
- Hopwood Undergraduate Award for Poetry, 1984
- Class Honors, University of Michigan 62nd & 63rd Annual Honors
convocations
- National Merit Scholar, Academic Recognition Scholarship recipient
APPOINTED/ELECTED POSITIONS:
- Jury Chair , National Educational Multimedia Festival, 1991-2001
- Panelist for "Hypermedia: From the Dream of the Early '80's
to the World Wide Web," "The Sociology of SF Fandom," "Alternative
Lifestyles," others, Silicon/Baycon 1988-2000
- Director, Music, St. Patrick's Performance Guild (Renaissance
Faire), 2000
- Presenter, International Technical Communications Conference,
1991
- Speaker, Society for Tech. Communications, Silicon Valley Chapter,
1991
- Judge, Northern California STC Publications Competition, 1990,
1991
- SIG Chair, Desktop Media/Desktop Publishing, Silicon Valley STC,
1989-'92
- Vice-President, 2 yrs., University Lowbrow Astronomers
- President, 3 yrs., UM Strategic Gaming Club
- Convention Director, 3 yrs., Stilyagi Air Corps
- SIG Chair, 2 yrs., MacTechnics Music SIG (Ann Arbor's Mac User's
Group)


