resume

Experience

Jan 2022 - present

UX Researcher/ Strategist/ Designer

Freelance

Design/create map, content & layout for new International Outdoor website with a developer team

Developing ‘unnamed sales tool’ using census data and mapping of company locations

Built a high-fidelity prototype of the food-based social media app ‘Tapas’ on Axure RP 10

Lead studies to influence the implementation of the ‘Tapas’ app design, functionality, and usability

aug 2021 - dec 2021

UX Strategist intern

Fusionary

Actively consulted for 4 websites & 1 app, with deliverables via presentation, analytics, figma, figjam, photoshop

Ran continuous usability testing on client development sites collaborating with design, devs, project manager, and engineers

Created foundational research for major auto parts manufacturer ux website redesign in conjunction with teams in China & Mexico

Evaluated projects to gain insight of user behavior and personas based on heuristics testing, qualitative, and quantitative research

Researched client operations in-field to build out a point-of-sale functional flow to coincide with new operations, transitions, and website launch

jan 2020 - dec 2021

graduate learning assistant

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Assisted in leading class discussions, evaluate & maintain records of student progress

Created visuals and designed power points to efficiently teach content

May 2020 - August 2020

communications director

VOTE ROYAL OAK TOWNSHIP

Designed and executed outbound communications including newsletters, news, invitations, and resident outreach activities on Adobe Illustrator

JUNE 2015 - APRIL 2020

ANALYST

INTERNATIONAL OUTDOOR AD AGENCY

Facilitated and implemented a new cell processing software known as Ayuda

Audited billboard permits with the Michigan Department of Transportation and implemented an in-house permit tracking system

Education

December 2021

Masters of arts

Michigan State University

Media & Information              4.0 GPA 

Focus: User Experience 

April 2021

Certificate of serious game design & Research

Michigan State University
4.0 GPA
August 2016 - May 2020

bachelor of arts

Michigan State University

MEDIA & INFORMATION

Focus: Management & Media Policy 

aug 2020 - dec 2021

Researcher

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Kana: The Social Coon Can Robot | Lead UX Researcher | 

Used purposive sampling to research a 60+ age group cultural game study through explorative research, individual and group interviews, gameplay experience, cosmetic evaluation, and user testing

Built a low fidelity prototype and used Wizard of Oz protocol on study participants to influence robot design

eBay Usability Study | UX Researcher |

Analyzed efficiency of shopping habits through a series of specifically designed tasks to test eBay’s platform

Observed and analyzed eBay’s most popular tasks, generating an outline of issues at an empirical level, leading to a discussion of what could be done and where this places eBay in the future of online shopping

Received Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval

 

Skills

Usability Testing

Google Analytics

Axure

Interactive Design

User Research

Arduino

Python

Interactive Prototyping

User Design

Photography

Microsoft Office

Adobe Creative Cloud

Contact

let's connect

valentinaro526@gmail.com