Evidence-based design decisions rooted in deep user understanding. I combine qualitative empathy with quantitative rigor to uncover insights that drive product success.
Every great product begins with understanding the people it serves. My research philosophy centers on the belief that design decisions should never be based on assumptions — they should be grounded in real user data, behavioral evidence, and empathetic insight.
Over eight years of practice, I've developed a rigorous yet flexible research approach that adapts to project constraints while maintaining methodological integrity. Whether it's a rapid two-week discovery sprint or a comprehensive four-month longitudinal study, the goal remains the same: de-risking product decisions through evidence.
I believe the best research is invisible to end users but transformative for stakeholders. Every finding should translate into clear, actionable recommendations that bridge the gap between what users need and what the business can deliver.
Users are not metrics — they're the foundation of every design decision we make.
Data and observation replace opinions and assumptions at every stage of the process.
Research without recommendations is just an academic exercise. Insights drive decisions.
Research is continuous. Findings from one phase inform and reshape the next.
A comprehensive toolkit of proven methods, selected and adapted based on project goals, constraints, and the specific questions we need to answer.
Semi-structured 60-minute sessions exploring user motivations, pain points, mental models, and behavioral patterns in depth.
Core MethodObserving users in their natural environment to understand real-world workflows, environmental factors, and unarticulated needs.
Field ResearchFacilitated group discussions to explore attitudes, social dynamics, and emergent perspectives on product concepts.
Group ResearchLongitudinal self-reporting over 1-4 weeks to capture evolving behaviors, frustrations, and usage patterns over time.
LongitudinalStatistically designed surveys to measure satisfaction, prioritize features, and quantify user attitudes at scale.
At ScaleDeep-dive into behavioral analytics, funnel analysis, and cohort segmentation to identify patterns and drop-off points.
Behavioral DataHypothesis-driven experiments to validate design decisions with real user behavior data and statistical significance.
ValidationQuantitative card sorting studies to validate information architecture and optimize navigation structures.
IA ResearchFoundational research to understand user needs, define problems, and identify opportunities before any design begins.
FoundationalData-driven persona creation grounded in real research, segmentation analysis, and behavioral clustering.
SynthesisFramework for understanding the underlying motivations and progress users seek when "hiring" a product.
FrameworkEnd-to-end visualization of user touchpoints, emotions, and opportunities across the entire experience lifecycle.
VisualizationModerated and unmoderated task-based testing to identify friction points, measure learnability, and validate designs.
Core MethodExpert review against established usability principles to quickly identify high-impact issues and improvement opportunities.
Expert ReviewMeasuring where users click first when given a task to evaluate the intuitiveness of information architecture.
Remote TestingStandardized measurement instruments to benchmark usability satisfaction and track improvements over release cycles.
BenchmarkingA structured yet adaptable framework that ensures thorough investigation while delivering timely, actionable results.
Aligning stakeholders on research objectives, defining key questions, identifying target audiences, and selecting appropriate methodologies based on constraints and goals. This phase produces a comprehensive research plan that serves as the project blueprint.
Developing discussion guides, consent forms, recruitment screener questions, test scenarios, and task flows. Preparing all materials and tools needed for data collection. Running pilot tests to refine instruments and ensure quality.
Conducting the actual research sessions — interviews, usability tests, contextual observations, or survey deployments. Real-time note-taking, session recording, and ongoing initial pattern identification. Stakeholder observation invitations for live sessions.
Transcribing recordings, coding qualitative data, aggregating quantitative results, identifying patterns, themes, and insights. Using affinity mapping, thematic analysis, and statistical methods to transform raw data into structured understanding.
Translating findings into actionable insights with prioritized recommendations. Creating artifacts like journey maps, personas, opportunity maps, and insight reports. Ensuring every finding connects to a clear strategic or tactical implication.
Presenting findings to stakeholders through interactive workshops, highlight reels, and compelling storytelling. Facilitating co-creation sessions to translate insights into design opportunities. Ensuring knowledge is absorbed across the team and organization.
Real-world examples of how research has directly influenced product outcomes and business metrics.
Discovery research for a major financial institution looking to modernize their online banking platform and reduce customer churn by 25%.
The client's banking app had high abandonment rates during onboarding (67%) and poor satisfaction scores (SUS: 52). The product team had conflicting hypotheses about the root causes — was it trust issues, complexity, or feature gaps?
Evaluative research and redesign for a hospital network's patient portal serving 200,000+ patients with varying levels of digital health literacy.
The patient portal had a 34% task failure rate for basic tasks (viewing lab results, scheduling appointments). Patient support calls cost the organization $2.4M annually. The system needed to serve patients aged 18-90+ with drastically varying tech proficiency.
The tools I rely on to plan, conduct, analyze, and communicate research effectively.
Prototyping & Design
Remote Sessions
Unmoderated Testing
Behavioral Analytics
Collaboration & Synthesis
Research Repository
Survey Design
Recruitment & Testing
Product Analytics
IA Research
Documentation
Session Recording
Tangible, well-crafted research artifacts designed to inform decisions and inspire design innovation.
Comprehensive document with methodology, key findings, insights, prioritized recommendations, and supporting evidence with video clips.
Data-driven personas capturing key user segments, behaviors, goals, motivations, frustrations, and design implications for each.
Visual end-to-end maps of user experiences across touchpoints, including emotions, pain points, and identified opportunity areas.
Curated compilation of the most impactful research moments — quotes, reactions, and observations that drive empathy and urgency.
A structured framework connecting user pains to product opportunities, prioritized by impact and feasibility for the product team.
Severity-rated list of usability issues with specific recommendations, before/after comparisons, and SUS/NPS benchmark scores.
A collaborative team of researchers and strategists who bring diverse perspectives and deep expertise to every project.
8+ years leading research initiatives for fintech, healthcare, and SaaS products. Double-credentialed in psychology and HCI.
PhD in Statistics with 6 years of experience in survey design, behavioral analytics, and experimental methodology.
Design researcher with expertise in usability testing, rapid prototyping, and design thinking facilitation.
Expert in participant recruitment, scheduling, research operations, and building sustainable research repositories.
Whether you need a quick usability test or a comprehensive discovery study, let's discuss how research can de-risk your next product initiative.