UX Researcher Intern

Amazon.com

Summer 2024

Collected and analyzed user behavior data through lab studies, field visits, and surveys. Identified optimal combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods aligned with research
priorities, questions, and available resources. Conducted usability tests and analyzed results to identify user pain points and improve product functionality, enhancing user experience and informing design decisions. Communicated research findings effectively through written reports and presentations tailored to diverse audiences.

 

User Experience Researcher

Randstad Technologies @ Walmart Global Tech

June 2022 - August 2022

Headed a high-impact regulatory technology project with millions of dollars in savings opportunities. Partnered with the product team to conduct discovery research for the financial flow of systems and processes over 10+ years old. Initiated and conducted semi-structured and focused groups to learn about participants’ preferences and experiences. Presented research findings to engineering teams and financial management, driving changes in UX strategies. Authored user stories and user requirements.

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UX Researcher

PRO Unlimited @ Facebook

Mar 2021 - January 2022

 

Worked at Facebook as a contractor through PRO Unlimited on the Communities Team. Conducted interviews, concept, usability, and content testing and analyzed data using open and closed coding methods. Orchestrated rolling research over six months for the Communities, Admin Management, and partner teams. Visualized feedback on new designs and content, unblocking key product questions around various features (including placement), naming, and content organization. The input helped unblock critical product decisions and de-risk upcoming product milestones. Worked cross-functionally with design, product management, content strategy, engineering, and marketing, to identify research topics and knowledge sharing.

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UX Researcher & Designer

University of Michigan School of Information

Jun 2020 - Oct 2020

 

Conceptualized and spearheaded the U-Signal project to examine the various types of violence Transgender Black, Indigenous, and Latinx women and non-binary people of color (TBILPOC) experience. Facilitated user interviews and used inductive open coding procedures and affinity diagramming to analyze the data. Designed high-fidelity prototypes for Smartphone and Smartwatch applications in Sketch. Planned
and executed usability testing to discover current state experiences and design strategies for future iterations of the interactive prototype.

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Public Engagement Fellow

University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation

Oct 2019 - Jun 2020

 

Constructed sentiment analysis on discussion forums on the learning platform Coursera. Used qualitative coding methods to analyze data obtained from participatory design workshops. • Facilitated user focus groups and stakeholder interviews to investigate students’ engagement with the online Teach-Out series. Collaborated with a cross-functional team to write facilitation guides for Participatory Sessions in a Virtual Environment. Presented a poster, Proposal: Exploring Student Engagement in Online Learning Spaces, at the Student Showcase in April 2020.

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Research Associate

University of Michigan School of Information

Apr 2019 - Oct 2019

 

I worked with my team to plan and facilitate participatory design workshops for various activities to elicit design ideas, both in writing and visual format for the Trans Time Project. I analyzed qualitative data for patterns and connections. We recruited 21 participants through community and support groups. We found that centering trans people in the design process enabled inclusive technology design. The project was accepted for publication and won the Best Paper Award at ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems,
April 2020, 13 pages, presentation.

 

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UX Designer & Researcher

Independent Study

Fall 2018 - Oct 2019

 

I planned and evaluated semi-structured interviews to understand how TBILPOC experiences different types of violence (e.g., structural, physical, psychological, etc.). Based on these findings, I investigated technologyʼs role/potential in supporting TBIPOC's safety. Presented poster, article accepted for publication in ACM DIS.

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Faculty Bibliography Research Assistant

University of Michigan Law Library 

Sept 2018 - Sept 2019

 

I curated a list of faculty scholarship, activities, and media engagement for the Law School's Collected Works Newsletter. I programmed new faculty publications in the database and maintained faculty pages on the Law School website. I assisted with ongoing enhancements to the Faculty Bibliography database and the Law School Faculty website's Publications to improve consistency, discoverability, and usability.

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Research Associate 1

University of Michigan School of Social Work 

Jun 2019

 

I authored literature reviews and summaries on specific topics related to LGBTQ+ individuals, health, and information seeking to inform manuscript and grant development.
 

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UX Designer & Researcher

Pervasive Interaction Design 

Winter 2020

 

Visualized Bot Bud, or simply b.b., a ubicomp solution that can accurately track stress levels (cortisol and adrenaline)—planned and interpreted user data gathered from the diary and cultural probe studies and conducted interviews and user enactments. Created sketches, wireframes, storyboarding, and mobile app prototypes using Sketch and InVision.

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UX Researcher

Advanced User Research in the Field

Winter 2020

 

For the Winter 2020 semester, our team worked with a leading SaaS company as a client to conduct quantitative and qualitative research investigating the language their customers' would use when interacting with an eCommerce digital assistant or chatbot. We researched what linguistic differences exist in chatbot interactions between different user groups.

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UX Designer & Researcher

UX Research and Design Mastery Course

Winter 2020

 

I prototyped The Look, an app, which helps people with visual impairments and blindness with shopping independently with InVision. I developed and managed user research: interviews, user personas, scenarios sketching, wireframing, empathy mapping, and a literature review.

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UX Researcher

Needs Assessment & Usability Evaluation 

Winter 2019

 

I managed usability evaluations on the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) website to create an intuitive, accessible, and inclusive mobile experience for Detroit’s public transit users. I collaborated with my team to plan and conduct semi-structured interviews, comparative analysis, heuristic evaluations, and usability testing.

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Web Designer

Design of Complex Websites 

Winter 2019

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I learned the basics of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JQuery that provided me with the skillset to build my original, responsive website, iGotchu, from scratch. iGotchu, an educational website, was constructed with the POUR design principles of accessible design. I also programmed and built a bestsellers list with the New York Times and Google Books API. I used the NASA API to collect information on various galaxies and the Twitter API to gather tweets written by UMSI. I built a page using the Weather App API to deliver the weather information based on the latitude and longitude of a location entered.
 

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