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, job seekers expand their search beyond preferred locations. Although online job searching is convenient, it can slow the process by limiting searches to a 100-mile radius.
In what ways can technology make searching easier for candidates willing to relocate?
UX Design
User Research
Never forget in the end, real people are involved.
Transforming Workplace Dynamics: Addressing Social Practices and Networking Barriers for Diverse Employees
Conducted research on systemic barriers to equity in workplace experiences, proposing actionable learning interventions using employee survey extensions and human resources analytics. Developed an intervention dashboard for organizational learning modules and a stackable recommender system to address vulnerabilities for diverse personas based on social identity and organizational learning theories.
How effective are targeted, data-driven learning interventions in promoting workplace equity and reducing barriers for employees from diverse social identities?
Learning Sciences
Research
Living Minimally Viable: Managing the Designer's Psyche
Design and business strategies can restrict designers, compelling them to produce only basic MVPs, which frustrates them and hinders their creativity and ability to meet user needs.
How does ongoing MVP development affect designers' motivation, creativity, and job satisfaction?
Learning Sciences
UX Design
Improving Partner-Matching for New Golfers: A UX Design Perspective
New golf association members struggle to find players with similar skills and schedules, leading to solo games An app that matches members by handicap and availability could improve scheduling and group play.
How might we help new golf members connect with compatible partners?
UX Design