Recently, I've been cooking without recipes, using intuition and my growing knowledge of food chemistry. Embracing the idea that there's no right or wrong in cooking, I enjoy the freedom of going off-script. I've learned to be playful with possibilities and trust my senses, transforming my cooking experience.

As we adapt to remote work and virtual workshops, we must focus on user-centered design, utilize digital tools, and practice effective facilitation. By doing so, we can energize and engage participants, embracing the benefits of remote collaboration.

As the new CEO of EchoUser, I planned an intro post, but COVID-19 changed that. Now, our priority is safety. We've transitioned to remote work, leveraging our experience in Silicon Valley to adjust. We're grateful to continue working safely and will follow guidelines to slow the virus spread. Stay safe!

As a UX consultant, balancing extroverted and introverted traits is key. It's important to assess the project, understand your process, and prepare to interact. Both extroverts and introverts can thrive in UX roles by adapting to each project's needs.

At EchoUser, I've encountered organizations with varying levels of "UX Maturity." Some teams require more support, focusing on building capacity for UX by involving everyone in the process. Workshops offering hands-on experience can democratize UX, leading to a broader impact. This holds true for mature organizations as well, even with their extensive UX appreciation.

New year, new goals and new energy! EchoUser team gets together to write their visions, hopes and plans to grow, evolve and keep doing kick-ass work.

As an Experience Researcher, I believe in collaboration with stakeholders. I focus on building strong relationships, involving them in research sessions, and iterating insights together. This approach leads to more confident decisions and greater impact on user experiences.

In our Design Justice Reading Circle, we delved into liminality's role in UX research and design, pondering the balance between meaningful and empty spaces. As liminal beings, we hold power to influence change, acknowledging the uniqueness of each individual's reality.

In this week's Design Justice Reading Circle, we examined designer and researcher responsibilities in technology ethics. We explored assessing success, diverse hiring, ethics education, and tangible actions to address ethical challenges in tech, embracing the "it depends" reality.

When I started designing dashboards, I was overwhelmed. I've since learned key steps: 1) establish content, info hierarchy & jobs to be done; 2) craft stories with wireframes, layouts & data visualizations; 3) use visual design for values & emotions. Always test with real users & iterate.

I recently co-facilitated an ideation workshop at Emerson, where we used activities to generate innovative solutions. In this summary, I'll share the workshop's purpose, key aspects, and some tips for running a successful event. We aimed to align everyone's goals, encourage divergent thinking, and gain real-time input from participants.

Babysat a cat & bought a cute bed, but Gakki loved my old suitcase! Tried everything but she refused the bed. As a designer, I wondered how cat furniture is designed. Spoke with a cat furniture expert & learned about the cat-centered design process. Now Gakki finally enjoys her bed! 🐱💤