Gaia Boyd

EXPERIENCE

UX Research Manager, Modernizing Medicine; remote, March 2022-present
Senior UX Researcher; September 2021-March 2022

  • Originated the research function at the company. Defined and documented vendor and legal relationships, contracts, operational procedures, toolset and methods

  • Evangelize research methods and processes with trainings covering topics such as usability testing, behavioral analytics planning, and contextual inquiries

  • Created templates for the documentation needed for our research methodologies, as well as visuals to socialize the processes 

  • Chose and implemented a Research Repository to store our research data, making it accessible to our cross-functional partners 

  • Manage, mentor, guide and support UX Researchers in individual contributor work

  • Consult with UX Designers, Business Analysts and Product Managers on using templates for planning and analysis in research across all products

  • Plan, design, conduct and report on research studies: usability tests, workshops, interviews, journey maps, KPI & analytics planning, and surveys

  • Regularly design workshops to include project partners from around the company

  • Present research insights and project outcomes to senior leadership

Lead UX Researcher, LegalShield; Remote, April 2020-Sep 2021
Senior UX researcher; September 2019-April 2020

  • First UXR specialist to join the company in which I defined and templated processes, and provided education for teams covering the research process and mindset

  • Managed, mentored, and supported UX Researchers and Designers doing research 

  • Planned, designed, conducted and reported on research studies: Card sorts, usability tests, competitive & comparative analysis, heuristic analysis, KPI & analytics planning

  • Supported requirements definition and upheld industry usability standards 

  • Designed and led workshops with cross-functional teams

Board Member, OKC Design + Tech Professionals; OKC, OK, 2019-2021

  • Managed monthly meetups, including sourcing speakers and organizing events

  • Planned and executed strategy to grow the OKC UX/UI design community, along with fostering education for UX-adjacent roles, such as graphic designers and developers

Senior UX Designer, Oracle; Remote, April 2018-September 2019

  • Sketched, wireframed, & prototyped interface designs 

  • Agile development collaborating with Engineering and Product teams

  • Facilitated design workshops and persona development

UX Designer, Paycom; OKC, OK, April 2017-April 2018

  • Managed company-wide introduction and integration of UX best practices, including usability tests, landscape research, interviews, personas and journey maps.

  • Facilitated workshops, interviews, and collaboration sessions

  • Sketched, prototyped, wireframed and iterated designs

  • Collaborated with Product, Engineering and senior management

UX & SEO Consultant; OKC, OK, 2016-2019

  • Conducted usability testing and analysis

  • Developed brand strategy through stakeholder workshops & research

  • Designed detailed sitemaps and information architecture for new websites

  • Established website SEO strategy to integrate with online marketing

  • Wrote copy, produced wireframes and low-fidelity prototypes

  • Managed sales, accounting and all customer interactions

SEO Specialist, BigWing Interactive; OKC, OK — 2014-2015

  • Produced keyword research & strategy, conversion strategies

  • Founding Chair: Lift Professional Networking Events

    Founder, Inner Compass; Asheville, NC — 2011-2015

  • Business owner, massage therapist, yoga instruction, yoga instructor training faculty

  • Public speaking, group facilitation, financials, marketing,  and customer-centered service


    Ethnographic Researcher, UNC Asheville; Asheville, Nc 2007-2009

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH: Women and the Negotiation of Self-Care

  • Received the University Wellness grant    

  • Presented paper at Undergraduate Research Conference

PAID STUDENT RESEARCH: Several Studies for Sociology Professors

  • Diary studies, qualitative linguistic analysis, focus groups, interviews and surveys

PROFILE

Often described as calming, thoughtful and patient, I’m intentional about understanding before acting. I have seen that strong processes empowers individuals and facilitates collaboration across teams, producing the best products.  I’m often told I “tell it like it is” and have a dry humor that some people don’t see coming!

EDUCATION

Unc Asheville, Asheville, NC, 2009 — BS Sociology & Anthropology
Magna Cum Laude; Pre-med Minor

UX Design Immersive, General Assembly, Austin, TX 2015

SKILLS

UX Research & Strategy; Large Organization Operations; Research Training; Team management; Collaborative leadership; Mixed Methods Research Initiatives; Requirements and ideation workshops; Vendor management; Presentations; Workshops design; Project Management; Word Smithing

Additional Experiences, Trainings & Toolset

Dovetail; UserZoom Go; Optimal Workshop; Figma; Office 365; Google Business Suite
Chief Design Officer School: Metrics & Outcomes course

Chief Design Officer School: Positioning Design for Success course 

Ken Blanchard Business Training - Manager Training
Mountain BizWorks SMB - Business Development; 

Various content marketing & business development coaching and mastermind groups.
Our VOICE Women’s Crisis Center - Youth Mentor & Community Education Volunteer
Junior League of Oklahoma - Community Volunteer & Committee Member