Profile

User Experience professional with an MS in Information Architecture and Interaction Design with 4+ years of experience. Experience working for a technology startup in the Bay Area.

Work Experience

• AnswerLabSenior UX Researcher

  02.2018 – Present

  • Design and conduct user experience research projects using mixed research methodologies for some of the world’s largest and most innovative technology companies, in a wide variety of industries such as technology, finance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, retail, e-commerce, SaaS, and more.

• Overstock.comSenior Design Researcher

  08.2016 – 12.2017

  • Planned the UX research strategy and coordinated across all product teams to define needs, strategy, and successes. Trained all UX Designers and Product Managers on eye tracking and remote moderated and unmoderated testing methods.
  • Supported UX design and visual design efforts as well as product decisions in a new series of solutions in each product area including the AR space. Proactively turned open questions and curiosities into formal research plans using appropriate methods to gain meaningful insights.
  • Shared research results across the organization to generate empathy, emotion and engagement.
  • Introduced and incorporated lab-based user testing, remote testing, paper prototyping, iterative prototype testing, concept testing, field research, international research, AR research, eye tracking, web analytics tools, and survey design across all devices.
  • Built an on-site user experience research lab from the ground-up; including evangelizing UX research with the CEO of Overstock, overseeing the design of the lab, researching and adding research equipment, recruiting for onsite testers, and moderating research sessions for every product team.
  • Conducted site-wide heuristic evaluation reducing inconsistencies in the user experience of the site and mobile app.
    
    

• User TestingUser Experience Researcher / Lead Small Business Researcher

  04.2014 – 05.2016

  • Drove UX studies from start to finish; identified project objectives, developed screeners and test plans, monitored recruitment and data collection, analyzed user data, and created and presented reports to stakeholders.
  • Advocated for the end-user to UX managers, designers, and global teams to inform product design.
  • Discovered and utilized a passion for keeping clients up-to-date on best practices in user experience research and design, and held more than 30 trainings on research methodologies and best uses of the UserTesting platform.
  • Contributed to the UserTesting blog, and worked with 3 universities as part of the University Partnerships program.
  • Implemented various research methodologies on a monthly basis: unmoderated, moderated, longitudinal, preference, benchmarking, mobile, card sorting, and tree tests.
  • Worked with 200+ clients ranging in size from a handful of employees to Fortune 500 companies across many industries.
  • Managed all of the research projects for small business clients with contracts including professional research hours and 100% of those clients renewed their UserTesting contracts.
    
    

• ZirtualResearch Assistant

  08.2013 – 04.2014

  • Acted as a research assistant to the CEOs of startups. This position was the catalyst for sharpening research skills and the ability to speak confidently and efficiently to clients and stakeholders.
    
    

• University of Baltimore Research LabUsability Graduate Assistant

  01.2013 – 07.2013

  • Educated students, faculty and private renters on the University’s eye-tracking lab and usability equipment to enable the lab’s use for class projects, as well as student and consumer research.
    
    

• General Services Administration (GSA)Usability and User Experience Intern

  01.2013 – 05.2013

  • Interviewed members of the federal user experience community and contributed to the DigitalGov blog.
  • Assisted in workshops to help federal agencies learn how to conduct usability tests.
  • Created educational resources to showcase best practices in user-centered design.
    
    

Education

• University of BaltimoreMaster of Science in Information Architecture and Interaction Design

  2012-2014

• University of Nevada Las VegasGraduate Certification in Management Information Systems

  01.2012-05.2012

• University of UtahBachelor of English and Psychology

  08.2004 – 05.2008

Skills

Software		Axure, Balsamiq, InVision, Camtasia, Morae, HTML, CSS3, UserTesting, Optimal Workshop, Sketch, Qualtrics, Google, Trello, Slack
Design		Wireframe lo/hi-fidelity mockups, personas, task flows, journey mapping, storyboarding
Methods		Interviews, large scale surveys, field studies, heuristic reviews, competitor analysis, focus groups, remote and in-person usability testing, moderated and unmoderated usability testing, diary studies, longitudinal studies, tree testing, market research, card sorting