Good to meet you, I'm Heather
I am focused on improving experiences and using the user's perspective as the lens through which an experience is seen and understood.
I am not the user.
You can say that again. I am not the user and every day it is my job to understand who the user is, what they do, what they care about, and why.
Top 4 rewarding and interesting parts of the work I do:
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Digging up what makes users tick in order to improve interactions and overall experience
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Figuring out new ways to collect data and reveal insights about experiences
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Helping others understand the user better
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Providing insights that empower teams to make informed design choices
For me, context is "king" of the user jungle.
As a researcher I'm always thinking about the context of use for any product, service, and interface because it's such a critical piece of the puzzle.
What I've been working on
From Finance and Banking to E-Commerce and Higher Ed
I've designed and conducted research studies to gather information and inform the design to improve:
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websites
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content management systems
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internal systems
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physical products
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device interfaces
I've worked as a staff member in a variety of settings including:
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a large multi-national corporation
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public elementary
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and secondary schools
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university
The research studies I design and conduct take many forms depending on the goals and stage of development. Some of my favorite methods for collecting data include remote interviews, contextual inquiry, user flows, and co-creation.
I've been a UX consultant providing UX services to organizations across industries. I've interviewed users of all different stripes from Cardiologist to online shoppers. Recently I conducted a survey to validate an early stage e-commerce concept and created instructional videos related to teaching UX fundamentals.
How I got started in user research
I'm solution oriented and continuously noticing how the world around us can be improved. UX Design and Research allows me to come up with solutions for less than optimal situations.
I first discovered UX working when I inherited and customized the databases I relied on to locate data more easily. I experienced first hand the positive impact of the improved efficiency and ease of use and was hooked. I decided then that I wanted to dedicate my time to work to make things easier to use.
I returned to school to study human factors in information design at Bentley University to get a deep understanding of the of science behind human interactions and perception.
For me, user research is a perfect blend of anticipation, planning ahead, curiosity, and connecting the dots.
I am keenly aware of business goals and continuously looking for opportunities to demonstrate the ROI of User Experience and I strive to make a positive impact.
What keeps me going is knowing that the research that I conduct has a positive impact on people's lives in small and large ways. It's great to be focused on ideas for solving challenges.
