My Work In

User & Customer Experience

My Experience

My background in UX/CX primarily spans four core experiences, capturing each part of the Double Diamond framework. The following experiences with the exception of part four were supported by the U.S. Air Force Research Lab, Oak Ridge Instutite for Science, Department of Defense, and DARPA. Please note the terms "Cognitive Systems, Human Factors, UX" all focus on the intersection of human psychology and design.

1. Autonomous Mental Model Visualization

I was selected for a highly competitive internship to work on autonomous mental model visualization, as part of a Human-AI Teaming group. In this role, I discovered research-driven methodologies and design specifications to visually represent pilots mental models through voice interactions.

2. XAI Big Data Medical Dashboard

In response to my first experience, I was awarded a contract as a sole Human Factors scientist. I helped define humananity-centered principles in a big data medical dashboard, interfacing data scientists, programmers, AI specialists, and medical doctors. This DARPA project targeted Explainable Artifical Intelligence.

3. Neurostimulation Design Usability Testing

I spent two years working as a Cognitive Neuroscience Researcher, primarily in the develop phase. In this position, I leveraged device-specific data-driven testing stimulation devices across types and tasks: PBM, tVNS, TNS, fMRI, fatigue, psychomotor vigilance, and multitasking. Example Device.

4. Business and Human Impact Analysis

Now in a deliver phase, I lead UX research program with Habits for a Better World, converting user research into business strategy and measurable impact. I complement this work as a professor of business, where I keep up with scientific literature, conduct market research on university programs, and teach humanity-centered business domains.

Featured Projects

The projects in this section demonstrate my personal work and UX research. The projects listed above, with the exception of part four, have not been approved for release on this website, so details on them have been omitted.

Interface Design Dissertation Database

Ecological Interface Design, Cognitive Load, Gamification, Education, Sustainability, Environmental Psychology

Designed an educational interface to teach sustainable driving behaviors through task-based learning. The design process involved ecological prototyping in a realistic driving environment, pilot testing, and backend edits based on multidisciplinary literature. I measured learning outcomes and behavioral change in environmental process data.

Key Outcomes:

Game-based methodology with physics-backed driving environment augmented performance
Pre/post testing did not reveal systems-thinking skill development
Ecological interface design outperformed traditional interface design in training and practical outcomes

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Habits for a Better World Website

Habit Formation, Humanity-Centered, International, Accessibility, Volunteer, Social Impact, Qualitative Research

Led UX research initiatives for a volunteer-driven platform designed to promote sustainable habits at scale. Conducted user research through surveys, interviews, and card sorting to understand user mental models, defined impact metrics, and implemented research-driven improvements to increase user engagement and measure real-world behavior outcomes.

Key Outcomes:

Developed survey methodology and information architecture to map environmental pressures (e.g. plastic use, food waste, etc.) to environmental impact metrics across domains
Identified organizational and data collection blocks, with reliability analysis of internal and external participants, such as platform and social branding limitations
Established research objectives through pre-mortem analysis to identify KPIs for continuous improvement and impact

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Data-Driven Research Methodology Github

Quantitative Methods, Statistics, Machine Learning, Psychometrics, Educational Resources

Developed an open-source educational resource documenting quantitative user research methods to support design validation and data-driven decision-making. The resource guides teams through statistical analysis, hypothesis testing, and research interpretation in R and Python, enabling evidence-based UX improvements across diverse projects.

Key Outcomes:

Structured curriculum covering basic statistics, GLM, machine learning, and Bayesian modeling
Multi-language implementation (R primary, Python in development) for cross-domain applicability
Serves as teaching resource for courses and comprehensive reference for research teams

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Physical Design: Soap Holder

Designed a simple sponge holder to elevate the sponge and improve evaporation, reducing water retention and bacterial growth in everyday kitchen use.

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Details

Inspiration: Through naturalistic observation in the form of a field study, I found that many people's dish sponge takes an excessive amount of time to dry, possibly contributing to bacterial growth.
Decision making: I found two main decision points. The first is that the platform was to short to fit over the faucet mount. I decided to make the product 3D printable, so people can easily configure height. Secondly, flat bars slowed drying time, so I rotated the bars 45 degrees into a diamond shape, minimizing contact with the sponge.
Process: I developed the model in Blender, testing iterations of the product with myself and friends. I had some success with the prototypes and investigated iteractions based on environmental analysis and surveys. User satisfaction was so high that was enough that friends and family wanted me to print them their own.
Outcome: Delivered a hand-sized, low-profile holder with visible red styling and rubber feet to reduce noise and improve usability.
Take-Away: It is better to iterate simple designs quickly than overengineer and overload user tests.

Website Evolution

Built a personal portfolio site with modern front-end technologies to showcase an interdisciplinary design and UX practice.

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Details

Inspiration: Wanted a portfolio that reflected personal style and interdisciplinary strengths.
Decision making: Organized the site into phases, using wireframes, mockups, and a card sort to guide structure.
Process: Customized Bootstrap templates, added PHP-backed email, and iterated with AI-assisted design collaboration.
Outcome: Delivered a cleaner, more advanced portfolio experience with better feature surfacing and usability.
Take-Away: Rapid prototyping design features results in freedom to creatively ideate.

New File Explorer

Proposed a concept-driven file explorer that uses semantic relationships and keyword-based navigation rather than rigid folder hierarchies.

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Details

Inspiration: Existing file explorers rely on outdated, rigid hierarchy models.
Decision making: I developed a very primitive visual concept for a semantic, networked interface where keywords map dynamically to related files.
Process: Designed lateral navigation paths while keeping some hierarchical familiarity for users.
Outcome: Created a self-organizing concept-driven system that allows files to exist in multiple contextual relationships.
Take-Away: I simple visual map satisfied my interest and mitigated the need to develop a simple coded prototype.

Physical Design: Fidget Project

Created a desk toy with tactile affordances to support focus and stress relief; this was a senior project in a 4-year pre-engineering program

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Details

Inspiration: Inspired by ADHD and focus devices, with a goal to improve real-world usability.
Decision making: Designed a heavy box with mechanical affordances, balancing functionality and aesthetics.
Process: Used recycled controls, switches, and a spinning gear to create tactile and auditory interaction.
Outcome: Produced a hand-sized tool with visible red accents and rubber feet to optimize engagement and desk stability.
Take-Away: Reusing old parts, or perhaps software, can lead to innovative solutions.

Figma Collaborations

Collaborated on a medical education mobile app prototype in Figma, applying UX, accessibility, and human factors workflows across multiple design iterations.

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Details

Inspiration: UX coursework in Interaction Design motivated a medical education prototype.
Decision making: Addressed legal, accessibility, and heuristic evaluation requirements in the design.
Process: Iterated through Figma workflows and prototype reviews to refine interface and content delivery.
Outcome: Developed a medical-info app concept that balances complex content with usability and compliance.
Take-Away: Collaboratory design often enhances creativity but more importantly reveals decision-points that may not be obvious individually.

Social & Emotional Learning

Designed an educational game for the public during the pandemic, using playful characters and data-driven content to reinforce COVID-19 hygiene behaviors.

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Details

Decision making: Prioritized educational fidelity over pure entertainment in a pandemic-themed game.
Process: Used symbolic sprites and a Pac-Man-style mechanic to make health information engaging.
Outcome: Received positive feedback and created an interface that paired gameplay with relevant pandemic education.
Take-Away: A simple and familiar layout, such as Pac-man routes and objectives, may speed learning rate and user retention.

Peer-Learning Interface

Built a thesis interface for peer-assisted analogy training, exploring how collaborative answers influence learner performance.

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Details

Inspiration: Investigated peer-assisted learning in complex cognitive tasks.
Decision making: Added staged answer exposure for experimental control and peer feedback.
Process: Built the system in Unreal Engine 4 and used pilot testing to adjust difficulty based on Rasch analysis.
Outcome: Found learning differences for lower-ability participants and documented the project in a thesis resource.
Take-Away: Some tasks are to complex or outside the scope of my expertise, so it is best to bring on a collaborator when faced with challenges such as networking between software instances.

Intro to HCI and Proprioception

Conducted undergraduate research comparing keyboard and mouse response times to explore early HCI and proprioceptive interaction differences.

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Intro to HCI and Proprioception screenshot

Details

Inspiration: Combined psychology, ergonomics, and game design to study input device behavior.
Decision making: Used keyboard number and screen-based mouse responses to balance challenge and usability.
Process: Provided real-time feedback during testing and tracked performance variables for each device.
Outcome: Found no within-subject response-time differences, but gained valuable early experience in UX research and human factors methods.
Take-Away: As my first academic design project, I found that I really enjoy data and research backed design.

Tools & Skills Keywords

Design & Prototyping

Figma, Wireframing, Adobe, Blender, Canva, Unreal Engine, Unity, Information Architectures, Decision Maps, AGILE, Scrum, WCAG, Zoom Whiteboards, Journey Maps, Interaction Prototypes, Personas, Pre-Mortem, Vibe Coding, Edge Case Testing, Heuristic Evals, Accessibiity Review, Responsive Web Design, Naturalistic Decision-Making, Ecological Deisgn, Mental Model Elicitation, Human Error Testing, Resiliance Analysis (Human and Product), Constraint-Based Methods

Analytics & Testing

R, Python, Jupyter, Deepnote, Structural Equations Modeling, AB Tests, Latent Variable Analysis, Psychometrics, KSIs, Impact Measurement, Reliability Analysis, Validity Analysis, NASA-TLX, MMPI, IPIP, Item Response Theory, Adaptive testing, ANOVA and GLMs, SAS, SPSS, Personality Testing, Excel, biometric tools, fatigue testing, multitask testing, simulation, gamification, process data analysis, GOMS/KLM, think aloud protocol, Data Visualization, Search Engine Optimization, Google Analytics, Cognitive Work Analysis, Abstraction Heirarchys, Performance Analysis

Research & Collaboration

Data and Stakeholder Communication, SONA, Google Forms, Google Scholar, Qualtrics, Prolific, IRB Review, Microsoft Suite, OneDrive, Git, Github, AI Literacy, Medical Data Literacy, Cognitive Neuroscience Literacy, Business Administration and Management Literacy, Human-Machine and Human-AI Teaming, Strong Interdisciplinary Background