SUMMARY
Experienced international qualitative researcher skilled in many methods from low-budget homegrown studies to managing projects with large-scale international agencies. Currently working in a design research leadership position that applies my empathic, customer-obsessed, and collaborative nature with my strong analytical, communication, and teamwork skills in the design of digital products.
WORK EXPERIENCE
eBay, San Jose, CA
Lead User Experience Researcher, 11/2015 to present
Created a design research repository from concept to launch, including storage of compiled insights and raw data to bring customer insights together from multiple data sources to determine patterns and see trends. Continuing to lead the strategic and tactical expansion of the repository to deepen our knowledge of buyers and sellers across eBay's experiences.
Helping to lead the ResearchOps Minimum Viable Taxonomy project to help others in design research develop their own repository taxonomies.
Led a program to enable designers and content strategists to conduct their own unmoderated research with appropriate rigor and speed.
Motorola Mobility, Sunnyvale, CA
Principal User Researcher, 11/2013 to 10/2015
Led all user research for Camera app, Gallery app, and image quality, including early-stage discovery studies, iterative contextual studies, and lab-based studies. Shipped multiple app updates that were significantly improved by customer feedback.
Encouraged and coordinated full team participation in every study, including designers, engineers, QA, and product managers. Developed quick-turn methods to summarize results after each session that encouraged observations from the entire team.
Pushed for significant improvements in image quality and provided data via multiple studies and internal relationship building to highlight the changes that were needed, resulting in much improved reviews for Motorola’s image quality.
Lab126 / Amazon, Sunnyvale, CA
Senior User Researcher, 11/2010 to 10/2013
Advocated for, planned, and led completion of contextual research in five countries to expand Amazon’s knowledge of media behaviors in the home; developed insights framework, created design principles, and identified product opportunities for Kindle devices, its UI, and device marketing from in-depth analysis
Led research from concept to production for the Kindle Paperwhite, rated as Editor’s Choice by CNET
Began quick-turn, iterative user testing of various consumer hardware products and drove important product changes by pushing for change that would make customers happier and reduce support costs
Designed scenarios and flow for research prototypes; assembled digital prototypes using custom internal tool and Axure software
Kno, Inc., Santa Clara, CA
User Research Lead, 3/2010 to 9/2010
(Formerly Kakai, Inc.)
Created design personas after completing ethnography in three cities at five universities to support refinement of product concepts
Oversaw creation of highly complex paper prototype of handheld learning device and led research to decide between two panel sizes for the Kno device, including method development, recruiting, and moderation
Led all user research efforts for digital textbook start-up, encompassing methodologies from early-stage hardware testing, focus groups, online surveys, paper prototyping, digital prototyping, and field trials
Designed and built user research lab with multiple remote-controlled cameras including concurrent digital capture for easy editing
Dell, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA
User Research Lead, 8/2007 to 3/2010
(Formerly Zing Systems, Inc., Mountain View, CA)
Participated with researchers from around the company to create international brand targets from global consumer segments to support worldwide product development on laptops, desktops, mobile devices, and accessories, including home visits and shop-alongs that supported worldwide product decisions
Led all research efforts for digital entertainment hardware and software products and netbook PCs throughout the product lifecycle including focus groups, out-of-box evaluations, early- and late-stage user testing using online surveys, post-release feedback, and purchase experience evaluation for mobile software, hardware, and accessories in support of hardware and software decisions
ZING Systems, Inc., Mountain View, CA
User Research Lead, 10/2006 to 8/2007
(Now part of Dell, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA)
Completed several ethnographies to familiarize the extended design team with the target customer, including home visits, office visits, and shop-alongs
Led research efforts from design to post-release for the Sansa Connect, winner of Best of CES in the MP3 and portable video category at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show
Oversaw implementation of research lab in two locations
Netgear, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA
Usability Manager, 10/2005 to 10/2006
Initiated in-house usability research using paper prototyping, digital prototyping, formal lab testing, and in-home visits with novice users in the United States and Germany
Led the effort to discover the top reasons for customer support calls and managed the work to design solutions, whether in the user interface or technical implementation
Usability of products received praise through product reviews from PC Magazine and TrustedReviews.com
EDUCATION
University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
B.A., Journalism (with an emphasis in Public Relations Writing)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Member of BayCHI (Bay Area Computer-Human Interaction)
Member of ACM
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Neighborhood association volunteer since 1999
AIDS/LifeCycle participant (both as cyclist and roadie) since 2008