Hi, I'm Chris

User Researcher | UX Researcher | Learning Researcher

Improving products, programs, and organizations by translating human-centered research into actionable insights.

Human-Centered Research Expertise

I just completed my PhD in learning sciences, a field spearheaded by early leaders in UX, human-computer interaction (HCI), and artificial intelligence at institutions like XEROX Palo Alto Research Center in the 1980s and 1990s.

I take an explicitly human-centered approach to research and I know how to analyze people’s mental models, goals, skills, activities, and cultural contexts. I seek to understand and solve human problems.

This expertise directly translates to User and UX research in any domain, where I leverage concepts like mental models, cognitive load, and cultural contexts to help my cross-functional team and stakeholders understand users' needs, abilities, and behavior to make better product design decisions.

(modified from a description written by Spencer Carlson, PhD)

Worked with:

Case Studies

Improving Usability for Scam Information and Prevention Site

Freelance work with a company to do user research as part of a website redesign. Analyzed analytic data to understand the current customer base. Conducted unmoderated usability tests on their website, analyzed results, and presented them to the client.

Methods and Processes
user personas, journey maps, unmoderated usability testing

Tools
Google Analytics, Userbrain, Figma, Canva

I led an end-to-end research study exploring how university instructors used the collaborative annotation tool, Hypothesis, in their classroom. Analyzed 1500+ student annotations and 50+ course documents. Facilitated 7 focus group sessions with 6 university instructors. I am also a key contributor to a large-scale study on the use of Hypothesis in university courses.

Methods and Processes
literature review, survey research, user testing, focus groups, content analysis, thematic analysis

Tools
Qualtrics, Zoom, Google Forms, Google Docs, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, MaxQDA, Otter.ai, Canvas LMS

Evaluation of Indiana’s Interim Assessments Grant Program

Contracted to work with the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) to evaluate their Interim Assessment Grant Program. Developed 50-question survey, administered survey to 500+ schools across Indiana, analyzed results, wrote 4 page executive summary and 26 page full report. Presented results to IDOE.

Methods and Processes
survey research, interviews, field studies, descriptive statistics

Tools
Qualtrics, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Adobe Illustrator