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CX Research
Research Methods
Contextual Inquiry and Ethnography
In-depth Interviews
Impromptu Interviews
Journey Mapping
Logic Model
Quasi-Experimental Design (A-B Testing)
Discourse Analysis
Data Analytics
Date
Aug 2016 - May 2018
Research Publication
CX Research Work Sample
As lead CX researcher on the Education as the Practice of Freedom Project, I partnered with institutional leaders to redesign the first-year college experience as a user-centered journey rather than a set of disconnected courses. The project focused on the unique cultural and socio-psychological challenges that first-year students face, particularly around belonging, identity, and purpose.
Using a mixed-methods approach (surveys, focus groups, interviews, and institutional data), our team co-created and tested curriculum interventions within a first-year seminar program. We designed and iterated on experiences that:
Strengthened students’ sense of belonging and connection
Promoted a growth mindset toward academic challenges
Framed education as personally meaningful and valuable to their communities
The impact was measurable. The treatment cohort achieved a 60.1% retention rate and an average GPA of 2.89, outperforming the control group’s 43.5% retention rate and 2.57 average GPA. The work also helped the institution secure more than $2.5 million in aligned investments through grants and scholarships.
This project demonstrates how deep user research, stakeholder collaboration, and culturally relevant, critically responsive design can generate scalable interventions that improve both user experience and organizational outcomes.