PROJECT OVERVIEW
Built a UX Research Ops function at UPMC to unify and scale research across a growing design team.
As the sole UX researcher supporting an 18-person design team at UPMC, I identified the need for standardized research practices and a centralized system to manage insights, participants, and documentation. Over the course of 6 months, I built and led our UX Research Ops function—resulting in faster collaboration, reduced duplication, and better research quality.
PROBLEM
The Challenge: Disconnected Research, Fragmented Knowledge
Lack of shared tools and standards led to siloed research and repeated work.
MY ROLE
Sole researcher leading Research Ops strategy, tools, and team collaboration.
Sole researcher and Research Ops architect
Team lead for Research Ops squad (4 cross-functional collaborators)
Research advocate across design, product, analytics, and leadership teams
WHAT WE BUILT
Created a research repository, intake system, participant tracker, and team onboarding tools.
Processes & Infrastructure:
Research project intake + prioritization
Standardized documentation templates (plans, discussion guides, insights)
Study tracker and live research roadmap
Research repository (organized by topic and product area)
Participant Management:
Custom PowerApps tool for participant tracking and recruitment
Opt-in management and consent workflows
Integration with internal analytics tools (Matomo)
Team Enablement:
Created onboarding toolkit for new designers and PMs
Hosted 1:1 coaching on research methods and synthesis
Led working sessions on evidence-based decision making
CHALLENGES FACED
Adapted quickly to technical and resource constraints to deliver a functional, sustainable Research Ops system.
Technical Ownership: When team restructuring removed PowerApps support, I independently took over development of the participant inventory using PowerApps and Power Automate, tools I had never used before.
Tooling Constraints: Due to limited resources, I built the entire Research Ops infrastructure using only Microsoft tools available within our system.
RESULTS AND IMPACT
Increased research adoption by 85% and reduced repeat studies by 25%.
85% of research findings adopted into production
Reduced repeat research by 25% within 3 months
Increased stakeholder engagement with research by 45%
Scaled research capacity across 3 product teams
Positioned research as a strategic partner, not a service
REFLECTION
Turned research into a collaborative, scalable practice across teams.
Building Research Ops helped turn UX research into a shared practice, not just a function. It empowered designers, educated stakeholders, and ensured every study was grounded in systems, not silos.