Hi! Thanks for being here
I'm Bethany; a multidisciplinary designer and researcher. I specialize in user experience, complex problem-solving, and leveraging insights to inform product development. With a background in industrial design, I added UI/UX in my skillset to address the challenges of products that have both physical forms and digital interfaces. User research is integral to my design process, providing valuable insights that shape product development and strategic roadmaps. To further enhance my expertise in user experience research, I earned a certification in UX with special recognition in UX Research from the Nielsen Norman Group. I thrive in collaborative environments where design, research, and strategy converge to drive successful product outcomes.
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When I'm not working I enjoy spending time with my husband and dog, being outside, rock climbing, and yoga. I can also usually be found curled up with a good book or watching a rom-com!
For my updated resume click here
My Journey in Product Design
While I specialize in user experience and product design research, I have a background in traditional industrial design. I feel strongly that UXR shouldn't just exist for digital products, so I've made it my mission to bring user expereince research to traditional industrial and product design.
Education
Internships
Early Career
I studied Industrial Design at Kendall College of Art and Design and recieved my BFA along with an Excellence Award and a spot on the Presidents' List. I thoroughly enjoyed school and the variety of industries I was exposed to.
I had amazing internships during my college career that allowed me to dig deeper into the design process and hone my skills in all areas of the design process and product development. I was instantly drawn to research, loving interviews and field observations.
I worked as a junior level industrial designer out of school at a small consultancy. While I enjoyed traditional ID work here, something was missing. My projects didn't leave much room for problem identification, solving, or validation.
Pivot to UI/UX
Establishing UXR Practice
Specializing in UXR
While working in a design studio, I had the opprotunity to work with a UI/UX team on user expereince research studies. Immediately I knew I wanted to continue digging into UXR.
Because there were no researchers in the studio at the time, I was the champion for UXR. I worked hard to build a UXR practice and to help designers and product owners answer key questions about their users, and bringing back key insights to the team.
I have come to love research and strongly believe more product teams should lean into the insights research can give us to ensure we're designing the best user expereinces we can.