About

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Jon Ross in Rittenhouse Square Philadelphia

Conversation Design Engineer

Conversational A.I. Designer / Prompt Engineer - I am an extremely creative and highly-trained user experience interface designer plus UI developer with a track record of innovative thinking and creative problem-solving for a wide variety of clients, industries and work environments.

  • Email: jonross@jonrossdesign.com
  • Available for Consulting or Contract

  • Studied architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture   SCI-Arc 

  • Obtained a B.A. Degree in Design Science, the field of study created by R. Buckminster Fuller   BFI.org 

  • Developed a whole-systems, comprehensivist perspective related to human- and nature-centered design

  • Extensive background in Information Technology - building desktop PCs, servers, networks and websites

  • Recent work involves building Alexa voice-driven Flashcards for learning Conversation Design and Prompt Engineering, designing a voice assistant for setting a daily "top priority" task to accomplish, and also designing chatbots for websites

    Certifications:   Conversation Deisgn Institute    .  LinkedIn    .  M.I.T.    .  University of Pennsylvania  

  • Skills Summary: drawing / sketching  .  wire-framing  .  interface prototyping  .  front-end development ( HTML / CSS / JS )  .  user experience research  .  UX/UI design  .  increasing proficiency in conversational AI design technology and prompt engineering techniques

  • Career Interests: To work as a Conversation Designer  .  AI Trainer  .  UX Designer / Digital Transformation Design Strategist  .  Design Thinking Expert  .  Design Sprint and Workshop Facilitator

  • Recent Activities

  • AWS Summit New York City 2023   .   re: Imagine Education / Wharton Interactive   .   Singularity U. Global Summit   .   MIT Digital Transformation   .   Climate Reality Mentor Training

  • Favorite Projects List

  • Data Visualization Dashboard for Senior Executives at IBX  Video 
  • The TED Video Wall  PDF 
  • A Solar-Powered Space Shuttle Launch Site  Poster 
  • My Interests

    UX Design

    Conversational A.I.

    Voice UI Design

    Design Thinking

    Solving Climate Change

    Renewable Energy

    Electric Cars

    Smart Homes + Cities

    Quantified Self

    Neurofeedback

    Technological Utopia

    Preserving Nature

    Facebook Pages I Created to Share My Interests

    jonrossDESIGN - a conversation UX / UI design and development firm (including cognitive, graphical & voice interfaces). We strive for creating mind-blowing user-centered experiences across multiple digital devices.    link

    Jon Ross

    Jon Ross - UX Designer

    Created January 2014

    Posts and articles about the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence as we approach what Ray Kurzweil calls the "Singularity" (when A.I. surpasses all human intelligence COMBINED!)    link

    A.I. - Utopia or Obilion

    Created October 2016

    How do you design more engaging, more effective and more inclusive conversations for voice user interfaces? This page contains posts for Voice Assistant AI Designers and Developers, especially those in the VUI MeetUp Group of the Greater Philadelphia area.    link

    Amazon Echo Dot

    Voice UI Design

    Created June 2017

    Tesla Model 3 Guru is about the fully-electric Tesla Model 3. For potential buyers it has a loan and insurance calculator, maps of charging locations, even a CO2 emissions calculator for comparison with gasoline-powered vehicles.    link

    Tesla Model 3

    Created November 2018

    Tesla's A.I. chips have been called the most advanced in the world, and they'll power the company's new Dojo supercomputer set to become operational later this year (2022). This page contains articles and videos about Tesla's supercomputer for full self-driving vehicles.    link

    Tesla Dojo A.I.

    Created April 2021

    Gigafactory in general means really big factory! It is where Tesla manufactures its products. This page contains articles and videos about Tesla's many massively automated factories.    link

    Tesla Gigafactory - Automation at Scale

    Created April 2022

    Quantified Self Actualization happens when we discover our deepest selves by using advanced wearable technology, big data, machine learning and artificial intelligence to recognize patterns that uncover our actual performance as physical objects.    link

    Quantified Self Actualization

    Created August 2015

    Discoveries and Technology for Brain-Healthy Living and Optimal Mind-Body Performance.    link

    Brainwave Network

    Created October 2013

    "The metaverse is a hypothesized iteration of the internet, supporting persistent online 3-D virtual environments through conventional personal computing, virtual reality and augmented reality.    link

    Metaverse Explained

    Created November 2021

    Smart-green-renewable energy-powered cities and planet-wide infrastructure, ambient personalized A.I. assistance, self-driving vehicle fleets and super-fast rail transport are coming!    link

    Technological Utopia

    Created February 2021

    Originally, this page was for team members involved with the production of a proposed reality tv program - "The Rise of Sustainability". The first members were the cast, production crew, producers, directors, editors, and support staff.    link

    Rise of Sustainability

    Created January 2014

    Plastic is both one of the best and worst discoveries human-kind has ever made. Unfortunately, it breaks down until it is invisible to the naked eye and is being found everywhere on the planet.    link

    Plastic Covered Planet

    Created July 2019

    "Exploring the Universe at the outer reaches of the mind". We are developing immersive science education experiences created from science fiction thinking to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, designers and artists.    link

    Mind Academi of Space Science

    Created March 2017

    The purpose of this page is to inspire SpaceX and Elon Musk to convert the Kennedy Space Center launch site to using only renewable energy sources for all operations.    link

    Solar-Powered SpaceX Launch Site

    Created December 2014

    My "A.I. Powered" Research Method: Content found with Google Alerts  then categorized for posting on above Facebook pages.

    Resume

    Open PDF resume in a  new window  

    Check Out My Resume

    Summary

    Jon Ross

    From studies of architectural design -to- geodesics + synergetics + Whole-Earth systems -to- cloud computing and conversational AI,   Jon is an inventive, innovative, comprehensive and anticipatory designer with 15+ years experience in researching, designing and developing user-centered interfaces with a deep background in systems thinking, hardware networking and computer user education. His current interests include developing expertise in applying generative AI and cognitive science in conversation design and prompt engineering.

    • Philadelphia, PA, US (Birthplace and current residence)
    • (215) 873-0318
    • jonross@jonrossdesign.com

    Education

    Conversational A.I. Design

    January 2023 - present

    Conversation Design Institute (CDI) (online)

    Conversation designers make A.I. powered digital assistants more helpful and natural when they talk to humans. The conversation designer practices a workflow that makes best use of conversational A.I. technology, while at the same time ensuring a good user experience.  Conversation designers typically cover three kinds of roles: Chatbot / Voice Interface Designer, Conversational Copywriter and Artificial Intelligence Trainer.
    Link to certificates  |  Video about the program  |  CDI website

    Prompt Engineering

    January 2023 - present

    LinkedIn Learning and edX (online)

    “Prompt engineering refers to the process of designing or crafting effective prompts for generating desired responses from a large language model (LLM) or AI system.”- Source: ChatGPT

    Prompt engineers develop skills related to crafting high-quality prompts or inquiries for large language models to produce the best generative A.I. results:  zero-shot / multi-shot / tree-of-thought prompting and priming, simple/complex role-assigning, context-creation and output formatting.
    Link to edX certificate  |  Link to LinkedIn certificates

    M.I.T. Digital Transformation Executive Certificate

    2021 - 2021 (completed)

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (online)

    An immersive, intensive online program of hands-on, interactive learning experiences in five key technologies transforming industry and commerce: Blockchain, Cloud Computing, A.I., IoT, and Cybersecurity.
    Link to certificate  |  Online

    Executive Program for Social Innovation Design

    2019 - 2020 (completed)

    University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (hybrid online)

    Received an Executive Studies Certifcate in Social Innovation Design from an innovative design program at the University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design

    Developed skills that combine design thinking, user research, UX and UI design, design science and social impact innovation to create leading edge / breakthrough thinking solutions.
    Link to certificate  |  On campus  |  Online

    Web Developer Bootcamp

    New York Code & Design Academy, Philadelphia, PA

    Web Designer Bootcamp

    Full Circle Computing, Exton, PA

    Adobe Creative Suite Master Class

    FMC Training, Philadelphia, PA

    Earth and Space Science Masters Degree Program

    Temple University, Graduate School of Education,
    Philadelphia, PA

    Computers in Education Masters Degree Program

    University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education,
    Philadelphia, PA

    Energy Policy Doctoral Degree Program

    University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Fine Arts,
    Philadelphia, PA

    Developed computer model for transitioning the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Space Shuttle launch site to using only renewable energy and ocean water for fuel.  Unfortunately the department closed a year and a half into my research and my thesis project was halted (ie: research project was defunded).
    Simplified KSC Energy System Model  |  poster

    Bachelor of Arts Degree in Design Science

    International College, Los Angeles, CA

    Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science, a field of study created by architectural engineer R.Buckminster Fuller, inventor of the Geodesic Dome, Synergetics and the term - Spaceship Earth.
    Videos about Bucky  |  About International College

    BA Degree Thesis Project: “A Solar-Powered Space Shuttle Launch Facility”
    My Original Theory: "All advanced space-faring civilizations in the universe use their local star to power space vehicle launch sites on their planet's surface."
    Received (2) recommendations from Fuller. ( Last one )

    Undergraduate Studies in Architecture

    SCI-Arc, Santa Monica / Los Angeles, CA
    Southern California Institute of Architecture

    Current Projects

    Recent Certifications

    Professional Experience

    User Experience Designer-Developer /
    Independent Consultant

    2010 - Present

    Philadelphia, PA

    • Between contracts as a hired designer/developer, my role in this company is to contact clients, develop hand-drawn mockups and wireframes using reusable notebooks from Rocketbook and drawing tools from UI-Stencils, then create interactive layouts using Marvel, Adobe XD, Photoshop or Fireworks and build working digital prototypes using a web framework (Bootstrap: HTML5 / CSS3 / JavaScript) to produce responsive web sites and user interfaces.
    • I also provided video production services using Adobe Premiere Pro for numerous clients.
    • Responsibilities: Interact with clients regarding the design, development, and implementation of digital, graphical, layout, and production of business communication assets for their users and customers.

    Website Content Migration Developer

    2020 - 2020

    Siemens Healthineers, Malvern, PA

    • Collaborated with a global team of developers and designers to update and migrate Siemens.com websites to improve usability using Scrivito - a React.js based content management system.
      Siemens' new website

    UX Design Engineer

    2018 - 2019

    Wingspan Technologies / I.Q.via, Blue Bell, PA

    • Developed mockups and prototypes for user interface designs for multiple web applications. These prototypes were created with Adobe XD, Premiere Pro and Photoshop as well as HTML5 / CSS3 and JavaScript. Created and modified digital assets using Figma and Sketch.

    • Work samples:
      Adobe XD prototype  |   video of login interface

    User Experience / Data Visualization Designer

    Independence Blue Cross, Philadelphia, PA

    • Developed an internal web site for data visualization using responsive site technologies and Javascript libraries (amCharts and D3.js) and Bootstrap Web framework:
      link to video  |   link to documentation

    Web Content Developer

    Lincoln Financial, Radnor, PA

    • Collaborated with the team supporting the daily production of web content at a leading financial services firm using a custom content management version control system, XML / HTML / CSS / JavaScript editing applications.

    Responsive Website Designer / Developer

    Alvernia University, Reading, PA

    • Developed web page templates from Photoshop mockup layouts creating a responsive website for the university community. Developed this project using the Adobe Creative Suite and Bootstrap framework, HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript.
      site prototype  |   live site

    Intranet / Web Content Editor

    Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

    • Managed critical hospital intranet site with department staff publishers during a transition to Microsoft Sharepoint and distributed site administration.

    Previous Employment

    Network / Systems Administrator, Desktop Deployment Engineer and Computer Instructor in the Greater Philadelphia Region

    Title Defined

    What is a Conversation Design Engineer?

    Comprehensive

    Able to see human beings as a system, emerging from a planetary life-form. Able to see humans as one of nature's most advanced technologies for discovering and utilizing what Buckminster Fuller called
    "The Operating Principles of the Universe".

    Anticipatory

    Able to use "Future-Back" thinking which is similar to the "Seventh Generation Principle" of many indigenous cultures. Also understanding the implications of Ray Kurzweil's predictions of an inevitable "technological singularity" occuring when machine intelligence surpasses all human intelligence - COMBINED!

    UX Designer

    It's like being an artist and a cognitive engineer at the same time. My focus is on satisfying the needs and intentions of people using digital products as well as meeting requirements for success given by company stakeholders. I use a multidisciplinary approach for designing and developing interfaces, interactions and user experiences.

    References

    Comprehensive Defined


    Buckminster Fuller - "Earth's Friendly Genius"


    Buckminster Fuller on The Geodesic Life


    Ephemeralization - Doing More with Less


    "My Bucky Fuller" playlist
    References

    Anticipatory Defined


    Leading from the Future - Mark Johnson


    Seven Generations - Bioneers


    Ray Kurzweil - TED Talk about Singularity University


    "Law of Accelerating Returns" playlist
    References

    UX Design Defined


    Don Norman: The term "UX"


    What does a UX Designer actually do?


    Buckminster Fuller - Definition of a Design Scientist

    Website: Conversation Design Store

    Conversation Design Store

    The purpose of this website is to provide tools and resources to those interested in the field of conversational AI design.
    Live website: https://Conversation Design Store

    Alexa Educational Flashcards

    New Alexa Skills:   Conversaion Design Flashcards     .   Prompt Engineering Flashcards  
    - These voice flashcards allow the user to review topics or test their knowledge of terms used in the field of conversational AI design.
    * An Amazon Echo smart speaker is required for use of Alexa Skills.

    Voice Wireframe Design

    Open the interactive voice wireframe a new window  
    - Login for voice playback and sound effects

    Responsive image

    THE DESIGN PROCESS
    The Challenge: to create a visual step-by- step experience to test the user flow for a non- visual voice application that will run on a smart speaker.

    The Solution: a bare-bones wireframe with speech playback functionality in Adobe XD.

    Next Steps: build the Voiceflow version and then the Alexa Skill (voice app) in the Alexa Developer Console for publishing in the Amazon Alexa Skill Store.


    Conversation and UX Design Work

    PDF opens on a new window     (Best viewed on desktop or tablet screens)




    Contact

    Contact Me

    My Neighborhood - Google Earth

    University City, Philadelphia, PA 19104

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    Email Me

    jonross@jonrossdesign.com

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