I was working at a health tech startup as a health coach, communicating with users on a daily basis. To the users, I was the face of the product, so I received a lot of unsolicited feedback about the product.

My desire to help my clients with their frustrations led me to be curious about how product development worked. I started collecting their feedback and asking if there was a way to use this feedback to improve the product.

This led to being invited to join a task force of coaches working on product improvement- a very exciting opportunity! Next thing I knew, I was part of a product pod, working alongside a PM, designer, and engineers.

Everything was going well. The work we were doing to improve the onboarding process was very rewarding. Then, out of the blue, I was diagnosed with a serious illness that forced me to go on leave.

While I was working towards healing and recovery, I began to think about my next steps, and decided to complete a UX design bootcamp to refine my skills.

My experience in bootcamp made it clear to me that while I am interested in design, my talents, passion, and job experience are more in line with UX research.

I’ve always been fascinated with human behavior. As a kid I’d walk around with a clipboard asking folks to fill out made-up surveys. As a teenager I’d take psychology courses for fun during summer break.

I’m driven to learn all there is to know about a topic, and then I jump into learning what isn’t yet known. This has taken me from the laboratory, to the field (literally), and out into the world.

Both my undergrad and master’s programs armed me with essential knowledge and real-life experience in study design, statistical analysis, and ethical concerns.

So when I discovered UX research, the research part was a given. It’s in my blood. The surprise was realizing how crucial my coaching skills are.

Coaching training teaches you how to ask the right question at the right time. This is essential not just in research planning, but also in expertly extracting information from stakeholders and research participants.

Less surprisingly, coaching also sharpened my knowledge of behavior change and habit formation- crucial subjects in product design.

After the research, it’s time to share the knowledge. I often reflect on my time as an educator when deciding the best way to share findings, taking diverse needs and learning styles into account.

As I was continuing my healing journey, and taking post-bootcamp courses in research and product, I started working as a freelance UX consultant, pulling from my previous experience as a coach in private practice.

Wanting to focus my energy on social impact, I began working with non-profits seeking to improve the usability of their websites. I conducted heuristic analysis, accessibility audits, and usability studies, sharing recommendations which resulted in measurable impact on business goals such as increased donations and program registration.

My freelance business grew over time as my healing journey came to an end, and I formed a network of researchers and designers I enjoyed collaborating with.

I found myself with a growing desire to focus on one product more intensely, so I began seeking in house roles, which landed me at a non-profit startup developing resources for parents of children with disabilities.

At this start up I led a team of four researchers, working cross-functionally with design, content, and product teams in the agile sprints.

This position was tremendously rewarding on both a professional and personal level. It helped me to grow as a leader and developed my stakeholder alignment skills.

Now I am helping to develop a mentorship platform for LGBTQ+ young adults and deepening my research analysis skills, keeping my eyes open for my next role after my current project wraps up.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daxlecollier/

Email: daxle.collier@gmail.com