UX Research
My experience in conducting UX research has broadened my knowledge base in many areas within product, design, and technology. Research allows for my continued growth and learning of products and user behavior . Being part of user research helps me form deeper empathy and a gain a greater ability to design the right solutions for the right problems.
Working Experience | HomeAdvisor
With HomeAdvisor I have had the opportunity to conducted and assisted in many areas of user research.
Usability Studies
By conducting in-person and remote usability studies I’ve uncovered qualitative insights for design iterations and future products. When conducting usability studies I first ensure I have a clear understanding of the questions the teams are trying to answer. I then create task plans with various scenarios for participants to walk through within the product or prototype.
Creating Task Plans
Document the goals of the study
Determine a priority hierarchy for time constraints
Spell out items not being studied
Included pre-session questions to put the participant at ease
Write tasks to match the goals of the study
Include time for the participant to add any outstanding feedback they might have
Moderating Usability Studies
Create a comfortable and neutral environment
Encourage participants to speak aloud as they complete tasks
Avoid leading and binary questions
Direct participant’s questions back - “What about that makes you unsure you did it right?”
Follow the flow of the study, keep the participant on track but allow for unplanned insights
Observe more than talk
User Interviews
My experience conducting remote and in-person user interviews has given me a greater understanding of writing discussion guides, and how to best use them as a conversation starter rather than a script. Through interviewing I uncover meaningful insights for product iteration. Being flexible and allowing space for a user to tell their personal story can be very powerful.
Persona Interview Discussion Guide | HomeAdvisor
Information Synthesis
When creating consumable data from user interviews I utilize affinity mapping to group qualitative insights that I can derive quantitative visualizations from. I use these data points to back recommendations.
Insights were gathered from 12 participants via remote persona interviews. I synthesized the information in a digital affinity map to group data and find commonalities.
Personas
I was tasked with creating updated personas utilizing information and data I had collected in the persona interviews. I constructed a modern design for the new personas. I focused on telling a quick consumable story that included information useful in designing or iterating on product features.
Persona Design Update | HomeAdvisor
Competitive Analysis
My ability to evaluate competitors' strengths and weaknesses saves time and gives critical insights when I design for products. I become more aware of common patterns, copy, and methods already used in the field. This provides inspiration for distinct features and differentiating aspects that can make a product stand out.
Competitive Analysis | HomeAdvisor
Mobile App User Acquisition
34 Companies Researched
26 Articles/Studies Referenced
4 Presentations of Insights
Ratings and Reviews
19 Companies Researched
11 Articles/Studies Referenced
2 Presentations of Insights
Purchase Path Flow
17 Companies Researched
12 Articles/Studies Referenced
2 Presentations of Insights
When conducting a competitive analysis I include direct competitors, analogous sites, and other successful industry non-specific companies in my process. I go further with the research to provide insights from recent literature as well as additional studies on the topic.
Learnings
UX research gives me the data and strategy to back my design decisions. I use this data to foster empathy and understanding within teams throughout the design process. My experience in conducting, assisting, and teaching research study methodologies allows me to be a valuable impactful member of a team.