I'm Julie,
nice to meet you.
I like to think of myself as a lifelong learner, an empathetic teammate and a sucker for looking at the big picture view.
I love to break down complex topics into simple ideas in order to build better understanding across teams and people.
I believe in the power of being able to use, interpret and understand data. Empowering others to use the tools and information at their fingertips in order to understand data is what drives me forward.
How I got started in user research
My path to UX research was, as Bob Ross would say, a "happy little accident." When interviewing for my last-ever non-research role, I had said that I wanted a role where I was able to solve problems alongside other teams, work in equal measure with data and people, and be continuously learning and working on new ideas.
I had spent a month in that role when my manager at the time came to me and said that she thought I was well-suited for a position in UX research instead, and asked if I wanted to change teams. I said yes (I love a new adventure), and never looked back.
What I've been working on
My goal as a UX researcher is to be able to cross the divide between qualitative and quantitative research in order to bring an entire user story to life.
Currently, I am doing this by creating new research processes at my company that combine both research types in order to inform teams about the impact of their work. I am also exploring larger mixed-methods research projects that will fundamentally shape the direction of our banking product moving forward.
What I did before
In my years before being a UX researcher, I spent my time learning and growing as many skills as possible. After completing my MBA with a focus in Strategy and Marketing, I worked as a management consultant for the hospitality industry. In this role, I became an Excel wizard and used my people skills to work with managers and improve processes and workflows in areas across each hotel or resort.
Once I realized that I wanted to stay put in Toronto for a while, I pivoted into a startup role in operations. There, I did a little bit of everything, including analyzing the strategy of our door-to-door sales team, creating HR policies and processes, liaising with our lawyers, bug testing the platform and creating a community outreach strategy alongside our Community Manager.
What I do in my spare time
When I’m not thinking up new research projects and processes, I enjoy spending time with my cat, River, and my dog, Loki. I also run a small Etsy shop on the side where I sell handmade greeting cards, apparel, stickers and more. I ran my first half marathon this May in an attempt to ‘become a runner’ (not sure how well that worked), and I love spending time in the kitchen dreaming up new dinner recipes.