Hi
My mission is to uncomplicate the life we have designed. It doesn’t matter if it is software, hardware, or a even a business process, I use my understanding of humans and technology in order to break down and then rebuild new or existing things to be easier and more valuable to use.
More specifically, I am obsessed with behavioral design for positive change. I think the ability to design products and systems that positively influence how we act and live is one of the most rewarding endeavors. For me, it’s more than a job, it’s why I’m here.
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Work (8)
For a deeper dive, please visit my LinkedIn profile: linkedin.com/in/dsharek
Director of User Experience
Horizon Performance
(2014-present)
I lead the UX vision, strategy and design of GideonSoft, a web / mobile SaaS product that measures and visualizes human performance and character for the selection and development of elite teams such as the Navy SEALs, and NASA Mars-mission astronauts.
User Experience Consultant
Playgraph
(2008-present)
Founder
Rompn Inc
(2012-2014)
Visiting Instructor, Human Factors Researcher
North Carolina State University
(2008-2013)
Multimedia Programmer
Cisco Systems
(2007-2008)
Manager, Multimedia Development
Mindcrossings
(2006-2007)
Senior Multimedia Developer
TRG
(2002-2006)
Multimedia Lead Developer
IBM
(2000-2002)
Education (3)
Doctorate: Human Factors and Applied Cognition
North Carolina State University
(2010-2012)
Dissertation: “Investigating Real-time Predictors of Engagement: Implications For Adaptive Video Games and Online Training”
Advisor: Eric Wiebe
Master's: Human Factors and Applied Cognition
North Carolina State University
(2007-2010)
Thesis: “The Influence of Flow in the Measure of Engagement.”
Advisor: Eric Wiebe
Bachelor's: Communications, Minor: Graphic Design
East Carolina University
(1996-2000)
Projects (3)
With Rompn, I am exploring ways to easily broadcast and digest location-specific information in real-time. One of the interesting things that I've discovered is that by allowing people to add an emotional valence to their messages, people are more likely to stay engaged in the app and search for other locations that are either "happy" or "unhappy".
This is an ongoing solo project.
Technologies used: HTML, JavaScript, jQuery, JSON, CSS, Google Firebase, Google Places API, Foursquare API, Darksky API
UX.guide is a public, User Experience, Slack community with over 1400 members. It exists to provide a collection of useful information for people interested in User Experience, Product Design, and the general art and science of improving the human condition through making things of value.
I created UX.guide for a few reasons. I was interested in exploring alternative approaches to online community building, and the idea of "hacking" Slack for this purpose was appealing. The other driving reason was that I wanted to connect with other UX practioners as well as help those just getting started.
This is an ongoing solo project.
Technologies used: Slack
I'm currently re-designing my online version of the NASA-TLX, a subjective, multidimensional workload assessment tool. I built the first version back in 2006 using Flash and it probably goes without saying that it's time for a major overhaul! However, despite the outdated design the requirement of the Flash plugin, it is still being used daily by thousands of researchers worldwide.
The NASA-TLX rates perceived workload on six different scales: Mental Demand, Physical Demand, Temporal Demand, Performance, Effort, and Frustration. It was originally developed by the Human Performance Group at NASA Ames Research Center over three years and more than 40 laboratory simulations, and is thought to be one of the most validated workload measurement tools in Human Factors Psychology and Engineering.
I created the online version of the TLX because I needed it for some research I was conducting at NCSU. After I built it, I realized it would be useful for other researchers so I decided to release it to the public.
This is an ongoing solo project.
Technologies used: HTML, CSS, XML, JavaScript, MySQL, Flash
Publications (21)
Refereed Publications (6)
Sharek, D., & Wiebe, E. (2015). Investigating Real-time Predictors of Engagement: Implications for Adaptive Videogames and Online Training. International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations (IJGCMS), 7(1), 20-37. doi:10.4018/IJGCMS.2015010102 [download]
Sharek, D., & Wiebe, E. (2014) Measuring Engagement Through the Cognitive and Affective Dimensions. Simulation & Gaming. doi:10.1177/1046878114554176 [download]
Wiebe, E., Lamb, A., Hardy, M. & Sharek, D. (2014). Measuring Engagement in Video Game-based Environments: Investigation of the User Engagement Scale. Computers in Human Behavior, (32), 123-132.
Behrend, T., Toaddy, S., Foster Thompson, L., & Sharek, D. (2012). The effects of avatar appearance on interviewer ratings in virtual employment interviews. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(6), 2128-2133.
Behrend, T., Sharek, D., Meade, A., & Wiebe, E. (2011). The viability of crowdsourcing for survey research. Behavior Research Methods, 1-14. [download]
Barger, P., Behrend, T., Sharek, D., Sinar, E. (2011). I-O and the Crowd: Frequently Asked Questions About Using Mechanical Turk for Research. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 49 (2) p. 11-17.
Book Chapters (3)
Wiebe, E., & Sharek, D. (2016) eLearning. In H. O'Brien & P. Cairns (Eds.), Why Engagement Matters. Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives of User Engagement in Digital Media (pp. 53-79). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. [Amazon]
Sharek, D. (2003). The Wonderful World of Color: Applying Materials. In L. Thevathasan (Ed.), Foundation Swift 3D (pp. 245-265). Birmingham, England: friends of ED. [Amazon]
Sharek, D. (2003). The Art of Motion: Keyframe Animation. In L. Thevathasan (Ed.), Foundation Swift 3D (pp. 329-349). Birmingham, England: friends of ED. [Amazon]
Peer Reviewed Proceedings and Presentations (12)
Horn, R., Karim, M. N., Behrend, T. S., Sharek, D., & Wiebe, E. N. (2013). Mechanical Turk: Compensation rate and data quality. Poster presented at the 25th annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.
Sharek, D. & Wiebe, E., (2012) Embedding Secondary Tasks in Video Games to Measure Real-Time Cognitive Load: An Approach to Developing Adaptive Video Games. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 56th Annual Meeting. Boston, MA: HFES. [download]
London, J., Wiebe, E. N., Sharek, D., Boyer, K., & Lester, J. (2012). Self-Report of Engagement: Analysis of Two Scales. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting. Vancouver, BC: AERA.
Sharek, D. (2011). A Usable Online NASA-TLX Measurement Tool. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 55th Annual Meeting. Las Vegas, NV: HFES. [download]
Sharek, D. & Wiebe, E. (2011). Using Flow Theory to Design Video Games as Experimental Stimuli. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 55th Annual Meeting. Las Vegas, NV: HFES. [download]
Sharek, D. & Wiebe, E. (2011) Measuring Learner Engagement: Understanding the interplay of awareness and cognitive load. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting. New Orleans, LA: AERA.
Behrend, T. S., Sharek, D., Wiebe, E. N., & Meade, A. (2011). The Viability of Crowdsourcing for Survey Research. Paper presented at the 26th Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Chicago: SIOP.
Sharek, D., & Wogalter, M. (2010). Show-all-Links: Identifying Hyperlinks in Websites that use Non-Standard Formatting. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 54th Annual Meeting. San Francisco, CA: HFES. [download]
Sharek, D. & Wiebe, E. N. (April, 2010). Game Play: Rethinking How We Look at Learner Engagement. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO: AERA.
Behrend, T., Toaddy, S., Foster Thompson, L., & Sharek, D. (2010). Attractiveness bias in immersive web-based interviews. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Montreal, QB: AOM.
Behrend, T. S., Wiebe, E. N., & Sharek, D. (2008). Implementation of the Virtual Computing Lab in Community Colleges. Paper presented at the 2nd Annual International Conference for the Virtual Computing Initiative, Research Triangle Park, NC.
Sharek, D., Swofford, C. & Wogalter, M. (2008). Failure to Recognize Fake Internet Popup Warning Messages. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 52nd Annual Meeting. New York, NY: HFES. [download]
Teaching (3)
Visiting Instructor Introduction to Human Factors
North Carolina State University, PSY 340
2012
Graduate Primary Instructor Introduction to Ergonomics
North Carolina State University, PSY 340
2011
Graduate Teaching Assistant Introduction to Psychological Research
North Carolina State University, PSY 230
2009-2010
Links (4)
Twitter
Username: playgraph
Medium
Username: playgraph
LinkedIn
Username: dsharek
Academia.edu
Username: DavidSharek