Ava M. Allen, Ed.D., User Research
Yes, I'm Ava.
At my core, I am a mixed-methods researcher with a strong design focus with over 20 years experience across 8 industries. I have effectively led and managed teams, making a substantial impact on large-scale design, research, analytics, and process improvement projects. With my recent addition of learning design, I bring a unique perspective to end-to-end experience solutions, transforming user behavior, and creating more intuitive experiences.
Favorite blends
Service Design & Industrial Engineering
User Research & Learning Sciences
Product Design & Learning Analytics
What are people saying about me?
M. Chin, Senior Manager, User Experience
"What she has accomplished over the past several years with her academic career, her industry career, and her desire to mentor and lift others up, is so impressive. I share her journey as an example to my team, colleagues, and students."
R. Zeng, MFA Product Design student
"Ava is really supportive and knowledgeable about the design field! I learned so much from her insights about highlighting commonalities across disciplines and building one's strengths on top of UXD/ UXR basics. Ava is also super encouraging and really guides one to return to the roots of things amid anxiety." (Source: ADPList.org)
Career Impact
$20M
Cost Savings
Explorations
Solving my favorite pet peeves
Overcoming Barriers: Effective Job Search in Tough Economies
During economic downturns, increased unemployment leads job seekers to look beyond their preferred locations. While online job searching offers convenience, it often slows the process by restricting searches to single within a 100-mile radius.
In what ways can technology make searching easier for candidates willing to relocate?
Living Minimally Viable: Managing the Designer's Psyche
Design and business strategies can limit designers, forcing them to focus on creating MVPs that meet only basic requirements. This often leaves them feeling frustrated and unable to fully address user needs or unleash their creative potential.
What impact does an MVP-oriented development have on designers' motivation, creativity, and job satisfaction?
Improving Partner-Matching for New Golfers: A UX Design Perspective
New golf association members often face challenges in finding players of similar skill and available schedules, resulting in solo games. An app that matches members by handicap and availability could facilitate scheduling and enhance group play
How might we help new golf members connect with compatible partners?
Transforming Workplace Dynamics with Learning Intervention Recommender
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