Gina
Tillis
UX/CX Researcher
UX/CX METHOD CONFIDENCE
JOURNEY MAPPING
90%
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS
95%
SURVEY
95%
PERSONA
85%
A/B TESTING
90%
CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY
95%
USABILITY SESSION
95%
INFO ARCHITECTURE
90%
FOCUS GROUPS
90%
T
UX/CX research that empowers organizations by uncovering the 'why' behind data, delivering actionable insights that drive innovation and create meaningful human experiences.
PROFILE
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Over 15 years of UX/CX research experience, product/program management and evaluation.
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Leads democratic research and design iteration to enhance user/customer satisfaction and increase retention rates.
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Understands the strengths and shortcomings of different research methodologies and how to apply them.
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Collaborates well with interdisciplinary (sociology, psychology, education, and computer science) research teams.
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Meets ambitious deadlines and delivers high-quality, quick turn-around written, verbal, and visual research reports.
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Translates quasi-experimental, quantitative, and qualitative data to actionable product/program insights.
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Secured over $1,800,000 in social-behavioral research awards and data-informed program development grants.
MY LATEST WORK
UX RESEARCH & CX RESEARCH
UX/CX EXPERIENCE
JAN. 2023 - OCT. 2023
SR. UX RESEARCHER
AUG. 2019 - JAN. 2023
ASST. PROFESSOR OF TEACHING
Principal investigator for research portfolios using various methodologies across academic disciplines. Collaborated with co-investigators and program practitioners to democratically develop research designs. Managed multiple concurrent data sets: protected, organized, cleaned, prepared, coded, and thematize data. Synthesized data to draft findings, recommendations, reports, and publications for diverse stakeholders. Presented and published research at national conferences and in peer-reviewed journals and books. Awarded research grants from the Library of Congress, Spencer Foundation, and Community Engagement.
Orchestrated collaborative efforts with product managers, UX designers, data analyst, and software engineers to democratically design and execute foundational, formative, and evaluative UX research studies. Led usability research utilizing various methods such as competitive analyses, in-depth interviews, surveys, journey maps, personas, and user tests to identify use case expectations, concerns, and pain points. Triangulated data analytic tools with research findings to inform the design direction and product principles. Pioneered successful design iteration and integration of features, resulting in a 10% rise in engagement. Translated research findings into actionable insights, leading to a 25% reduction in product development time and a 7% increase in customer retention.
AUG. 2016 - MAY 2020
RESEARCH FELLOW & GRADUATE ASSISTANT.
The University of Texas at Austin
Principal investigator for dissertation study that included multiple methodologies across academic disciplines. Conducted quasi-experimental research designs for evaluating treatment on retention. Conducted quantitative (survey) and qualitative (ethnographic, participatory-action, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups) research designs to generate insight on perspectives and practices. Conducted discourse and document analysis of educational policy, programming, curriculum, and instruction. Presented and published research at national conferences and in peer-reviewed journals and books. Awarded Teresa Lozano-Long research fellowship (twice) and UNCF Career Pathways faculty research grant.
National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development
Collaborated with stakeholders (program administrators and practitioners) to identify and prioritize faculty professional development (PD) needs and services in the fast-changing field of higher education. Developed research designs for program evaluation data collection and analysis. Facilitated focus groups and in-depth interviews, and contextual inquiries. Managed multiple concurrent data sets, yielding multiple research projects on PD effectiveness. Composed research reports for the administrative team to improve customer services.
RESEARCH ANALYST I
AUG. 2018 - AUG. 2019
AUG. 2016 - AUG 2019
INSTRUCTOR OF SOCIAL RESEARCH & SOCIOLOGY
AUG. 2013 - AUG 2016
COORDINATOR,
FIRST-YEAR EXPERIENCE
Managed a team of 20-25 staff members and reduced employee turnover by 15%. Implemented systemic support for employees to develop their skills and reach their full potential. Led the execution of comprehensive internal quantitative, qualitative, and quasi-experimental assessments, gauging the program experience's influence customer (first-year students) retention. Implemented data-informed academic interventions to increase the retention rate by 12%. Cultivated business partnerships boosting external funding support by 23% for student scholarships. Garnered over $1.4 million in development grants from UNCF Career Pathways and St. David’s Foundation.
Facilitated workshops on how to conduct social and behavioral research (quasi-experimental design, survey design, interviews, focus groups, contextual inquiry, ethnography, and participatory action) designs. Designed qualitative and quantitative research projects for sociology and psychology students. Facilitated lessons on improving the validity and reliability of research designs using data triangulation and communicating findings to stakeholders within and beyond the academy. Developed research project evaluation metrics to evaluate the research competency of students.
AUG. 2016 - AUG 2019
ASSOC. DIRECTOR,
STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Revitalized leadership development programs, contributing to a 20% increase in students reporting improved student life engagement and leadership skills in post-program assessments. Developed a cohort of student leaders, leading to a 17 % increase in successful event execution. Implemented a community outreach program resulting in a 20% rise in engagement with local non-profits. Spearheaded initiatives that fostered cross-disciplinary collaboration, leading to a 15% growth in students participating in interdisciplinary projects.
CONTACT
If you're interested in learning more about my work or would like to collaborate, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. You can email me at ginatillis1@gmail.com.
