PCW's Test Center Director Remembered

Ulrike Diehlmann, PC World's Test Center Director, passed away January 17 after a long battle with cancer. She was 46.

The countless people who have read, enjoyed, and trusted a PC World review have Uli to thank. She diligently protected the integrity of PCW's product testing and rating systems.

Uli joined PC World in 1992 and became director of the Test Center in 2000. She was part of the team that in 1996 developed the first WorldBench, PC World's testing benchmark, which is used around the globe. She oversaw development of five more versions of the benchmark during her PC World career.

Uli helped PC World establish ranked performance charts of comparable hardware and software products--and later of Web sites and services. In addition, she oversaw testing development of new product categories such as high-definition TVs and digital cameras.

"A testing organization is about creating results that are objective, fair, accurate, repeatable, and relevant, and Uli was utterly dedicated to making sure that our tests met all of those goals, every time," said Harry McCracken, PC World's editor in chief. "Uli was a kind soul, a loyal coworker and boss, and a very funny person," he said, "but when it came to getting things right and serving readers, she was obsessive and relentless. You can ask no more of a Test Center leader than that."

Also See Our Photo Tribute to Ulrike Diehlmann

German Native

A native of Landau, Germany, Uli studied English and French literature at Mainz University. She had always dreamed of living in the United States, and realized that goal in 1986, when she moved to Portland on an education visa. She received a degree in software engineering from Oregon Polytechnic Institute, and then landed a job at Motorola. She eventually made her way to the Bay Area and began working at PC World as a performance analyst. Uli became a U.S. citizen in September 2007.

In her role as Test Center Director, she oversaw the testing staff, spent countless hours leading manufacturers on tours through the Test Center facility and explaining procedures, and did her best to smooth the ruffled feathers of vendors whose products didn't perform well.

"I once sat in a meeting with Uli and a large group of people from a company who insisted that our tests of their product were faulty and implied that it was because of sloppy work," recalled Ramon McLeod, editor of PCWorld.com. "Uli calmly defended every procedure and explained that we would not alter test results. Then, they said we should use a different set of tests--of their choosing. Uli told them she wouldn't rig a test to favor any manufacturer. She later told me it was perhaps the greatest insult she'd ever heard. A few weeks later the company quietly fixed the product."

Jeff Kuta, data manager of the Test Center, remembers his first job interview at PC World. "Uli was present, and boy, was she intimidating! But over the past 13 years that I worked with her, I got to know the real Uli behind the tough facade. When I started, she showed me kindness and a welcoming heart. My twins were born only about two weeks later, and I always felt like Uli was part of my extended family."

William Wang, Test Center performance analyst, recalled Uli as a great boss and a loyal  friend. "When Uli hired me three years ago, she patiently showed me all the testing procedures and alerted me to any problems during testing. She taught me how to prepare testing reports and to make sure all the data was accurate and repeatable."

A Beloved Boss

Greg Adler, an assistant editor and former Test Center employee, recalled Uli as a selfless person who went out of her way to be a great boss. "She was constantly cracking the whip about getting projects done and working hard, but she always made sure the work was fun and enjoyable at the same time."

"Every Tuesday, per tradition, the whole lab would eat lunch together and we would talk about what was going on in our lives, or tell stories about our past," he added. "Whether Uli was talking about her childhood years, or how she met her husband, or her mischievous dogs, Uli always told the best stories."

Uli's devotion to her Rottweilers, which she showered with affection, was well-known. Her office walls were covered with dozens of photos of the dogs.

"One of my fondest memories of Uli is the day I met her dogs," said Narasu Rebbapragada, senior editor. "I had heard so much about them--how big they were, how there was no way in the world that I was big enough to walk them for her. So when I rang her doorbell one day and heard their deep, resonant barking, I was a little nervous. But when I saw them, I just started laughing. They were like two huge balls of happiness jumping up and down at me. A smiling Uli stood behind them and ushered them outside. That's when I saw their expansive dog house--essentially an at-home, off-leash dog park that took up Uli's back yard. You could tell how much Uli loved those beautiful dogs by the thoughtful home she had built them."

Contributing Editor Carla Thornton recalled Uli's dedication to the Test Center and to "her boys" in the lab (as she affectionately called them). "I rarely got her out of her cubicle for lunch (she usually ate at her desk, glued to her screen). But we often sat and talked about the difficulty of balancing independent lives with being long-distance daughters of older mothers who we constantly worried about (and hers was still in Germany)," Thornton said.

A Caring Workplace

"I loved the atmosphere she created in the Test Center," said Senior Editor Denny Arar. "You always felt like you were in a place where people loved what they were doing and cared about each other, and I believe that she cared a lot about creating that kind of workplace."

"In my first encounters with Uli, I was a little intimidated by her--she could be a formidable opponent if you were arguing with her," remembered Ed Albro, PC World editor. "But I came to realize that what I was seeing was not orneriness, but protectiveness. She cared deeply about the results that came out of her lab and she cared about the people who worked for her and ensuring that they weren't driven into the ground."

Alan Stafford, executive editor, noted that PC World operates on a complicated editorial schedule, "and no one knew the schedule better than Uli."

"The deadline for product arrival in the Test Center was rigid--it had to be, because so many products went through the lab, and managing the flow required a tough traffic cop," Stafford said.  "So, as an editor, if you didn't get your products in by the deadline, they didn't get tested. That's not to say Uli was a tyrant; on the contrary, she'd bend over backward to help you out and slip a product or two in after the deadline--as long as you asked her before the deadline."

Contributing Editor Laura Blackwell noted that Uli's sharp perception helped her assemble a team that has kept things humming even while she was absent during her long illness. "The lab's ability to do this is a testament to Uli's superb work as director, and their dedication to her is a testament to the brilliant, strong, good-hearted person she was."

"When I was an editor at PC World, Uli and I talked about animals, men, and kids--in that order," remembered Karen Zuercher, contributing editor. "Sharing dog stories was the highlight of our hangout sessions, because Uli always had funny stories to tell about her pups (and her cats and any other animal that happened to be living in her house). The stories about men changed over the years as we both got married. She and I commiserated about the long distances our husbands' jobs required. As for our own jobs at PC World, Uli was a beacon of reason. I always knew that I could ask her the stupidest question and she'd answer it with patience and kindness."

"Uli was an amazing person," added Kellie Parker, online community manager. "One day, when I was a fairly new employee, she invited me down to the Test Center to have lunch with her team and have a tour. I really appreciated that she took the initiative to reach out to me, and I enjoyed the time that I spent learning about the Test Center and getting to know everyone better. She made me feel welcome, and she will be greatly missed."

A memorial service is scheduled Saturday, January 26 in Pleasant Hill, California.