UX Research Studies

I selected the following examples of UX research projects to show a range of different studies I have designed and led in recent years, from in-context observation to product discovery to complex prototype-based usability testing. In each case, I’ve balanced a level of rigor learned during my graduate studies with an applied-research mindset grounded in the business problems at hand.

Included on this page

Bronx Zoo Contextual Analysis
Trex Product Strategy Research
Govini Usability Testing

Bronx Zoo Contextual Analysis

It’s easy for visitors to get lost in the Bronx Zoo — it’s the largest metropolitan zoo in the US and one of the largest zoos in the world overall. To inform and validate the design of a new digital wayfinding tool, I conducted two on-site research studies and a post-visit survey. From this research, our team learned what kind of digital experience would add the most value to visitors in the park.

Curt Arledge interviewing zoo visitors — *In the first on-site study, I recruited and interviewed 25 visitors on the fly to learn about how they planned their visit and how they found their way in the zoo.*

Slide showing research insights — The insights we gained from on-site interviews helped our team to understand what we’re talking about when we talk about “wayfinding” and where there are opportunities to supplement in-park signage and printed maps with location-aware digital information.

*The prototype testing doubled as technical QA. During my visit, I carried three phones to test the strength of each cellular service provider in different sections of the park, including indoors.*

Slide showing participant statistics — *I recruited a mix of visitor types to get a representative spread of user contexts and mental models.*

Curt Arledge interviewing a park visitor — *In the second on-site study, I spent the day with a handful of pre-recruited visitors to observe them using a working prototype of the new wayfinding app.*

*One outcome of our research was the development of lightweight personas to describe common navigational mental models.*

Trex Product Strategy Research

Leading decking company Trex knew that some of their competitors offered interactive deck building software to customers. But would Trex’s customers find a tool like this useful? How similar or different should Trex’s offering be? What specific features would give Trex’s product an edge? I worked with the Trex team to analyze the variety of tools on the market and learn what customers and contractors needed when designing their new outdoors spaces. I used the insights to make recommendations about the direction of Trex’s new deck builder software product.

*Part of my approach to planning the research study was defining hypotheses that connected to specific lines of inquiry.*

*Featuring participant quotes is one of the most impactful ways to ground research findings in actual observation.*

*When presenting research insights, I try to balance rigor and impact and create presentations that are consumable in the moment or during a more thorough read later.*

*Wherever possible, I integrate qualitative and quantitative findings rather than separate them into siloed analyses.*

*Part of research synthesis is creating new conceptual structures to describe what has been learned. In this case, I created a taxonomy to help evaluate and compare competitors.*

Ultimately, research must have an impact on business decisions. For this engagement, the output includes specific recommendations about what features would bring the most value to Trex and how to position the new digital product in the marketplace.

Govini Usability Testing

I designed and led an in-person, moderated usability study for the government contracting tool Govini. The study included over 30 research participants in various categories and a highly choreographed task-based script.