Azure UX Research
Currently I am the user experience researcher on the Microsoft Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) team. In my role I get the opportunity to interact with users all over the globe to better understand how we can improve our products and services that empower our customers to do more with cloud computing technology. My main responsibilities involve conducting tactical, generative, and quantitative research to support data-driven software design for the Azure portal website. Recently I have also started to grow by exploring how to merge my quantitative data analytics background into my qualitative research activities. It is my goal to become a strong mixed methods researcher.
PHD UX Research
I graduated in summer 2019 with a PhD in Health Informatics from the University of Washington School of Medicine. During my graduate career I conducted patient-centered user experience research to identify how chatbots deployed within virtual assistants like Alexa, Cortana, the Google Assistant, and Siri can help answer common surgery patient questions.
I took a three-step approach guided by the principles of human-centered design to conduct my dissertation research. Initially I performed generative needs assessment research with patients and clinicians to identify how a chatbot could support patients during their surgery journeys. Then I created a chatbot prototype called Hernia Coach using Dialogflow and deployed it within the Google Assistant. Finally, I performed user research to evaluate Hernia Coach by recruiting design experts to perform heuristic evaluations and patients to engage in usability testing sessions.
My research demonstrated chatbots can accurately help answer common patient questions quickly outside of the hospital. This technology may also save clinicians valuable time by allowing them to focus on direct patient care in the hospital.
Data Analytics
While I was at the University of Washington I was also a SQL developer and data visualization specialist at the University of Washington Graduate School. I developed data models to support graduate student admissions and financial support data-driven decision making. Additionally, I designed numerous dashboards with Tableau that visualized the data models for the faculty, staff, and administration.
Microsoft aI & research
I was a user experience research intern in the summer of 2017 on the Healthcare NExT team. I conducted a pilot research study using a prototype mobile health application designed to mitigate the barriers of recording diet data. Helping people understand their food intake timing patterns has implications for people trying to lose weight or with pre-diabetes. During the study I collaborated with the department general manager, project managers, and design director to iterate and improve the mobile health application’s design and scale the research study with a partnering organization.
Outdoors pursuits
When I’m not working, I like to play outside. My favorite activities include skiing, sea kayaking, and hiking.
