SUNNYVALE, Calif.–Yahoo! Inc., a leading global Internet company, today announced the appointment of Larry Tesler as vice president of Yahoo!’s User Experience and Design Group. In addition to his product role, Tesler will serve as a Research Fellow for Human-Computer Interaction within Yahoo! Research Labs. Tesler, 60, will be based in Sunnyvale, Calif., and report to chief product officer, Geoff Ralston.
“Larry Tesler is one of the industry’s foremost experts on creating great user experiences. His keen insights into consumer behavior will be invaluable in helping Yahoo! continue to create the connected services of today and tomorrow,” said Ralston. “Larry has the ability to draw on his extensive knowledge of both computer science and user-centered design to help define and drive product strategy and innovation at Yahoo!.”
“I am extremely pleased to have Larry on board to help shape the future of Yahoo! Research Labs as we grow it into a world-class resource for technological innovation that is core to the future of the Internet”
In addition to leading the User Experience and Design group, Tesler will work closely with the Yahoo! Research Labs as they grow the body of scientific knowledge that will make future online products even more compelling and engaging.
“I am extremely pleased to have Larry on board to help shape the future of Yahoo! Research Labs as we grow it into a world-class resource for technological innovation that is core to the future of the Internet,” said Usama Fayyad, chief data officer at Yahoo! and head of Yahoo! Research Labs.
“The opportunity to lead the User Experience and Design Group while helping to shape the future of Yahoo! Research Labs is both extremely enticing and challenging,” said Tesler. “I’m thrilled to be part of a team that is truly dedicated to constantly exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the experience of the largest online audience in the world. I look forward to collaborating with each of the business units to ensure an efficient, effortless, essential and engaging experience each time someone uses Yahoo!, now and in the future.”
Tesler was most recently vice president of shopping experience at Amazon.com, where he worked from October 2001 to April 2005. Here, his team assessed customer satisfaction via web site usability and market research studies as well as assisted product design teams in creating exceptional user experience. Prior to joining Amazon.com, Tesler was President of Stagecast Software, developer and publisher of Creator, one of the most popular introductory computer programming tools in computer camps and many schools.
From 1980 to 1997, Tesler held a series of executive positions at Apple Computer, Inc., including chief scientist, vice president of engineering, and vice president of the advanced technology group. He played an integral role in establishing Apple as a leader in user interface, object-oriented programming, and multimedia technologies.
From 1973 to 1980, Tesler was part of the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, where he helped to develop several techniques such as “cut and paste” and “modeless editing” that have become common in graphical user interfaces. Prior to that, he held a research position at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and was president of Information Processing Corporation, an applications software development company.
Tesler was a founding director of ARM, the world’s leading provider of microprocessor intellectual property and served on the board for 13 years. He is a member of the board of the Gorilla Foundation (Koko.org), a non-profit conservation group, and of Stagecast Software.
Tesler received a B.S. in Mathematics from Stanford University in 1965.
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and the most trafficked Internet destination worldwide. Yahoo! provides online products and services essential to consumers’ lives, and offers a full range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users around the world. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.
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Source: Business Wire / PDF