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UX Researcher with design fluency

Research that
thinks before
design speaks.

I'm a UX researcher who creates designs grounded in cognitive science, mixed-methods rigor, and accessibility by default. I find the why before anyone touches a wireframe.

View My Work Read the publication →
MealMap in-store navigation mockup app screen Project Rewire avatar assignment mockup app screen Mockup of autonomous rideshare interface at 20/200 visual impairment level

Published, peer-reviewed UX research · SAGE Publications, 2025 · Cited human-machine interface research on multimodal accessibility for autonomous vehicles

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User Research Wireframing Usability Testing Information Architecture Interaction Design Prototyping Design Systems Journey Mapping A/B Testing Accessibility User Research Wireframing Usability Testing Information Architecture Interaction Design Prototyping Design Systems Journey Mapping A/B Testing Accessibility
Selected Work

Four Case Studies.
One way of thinking.

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MealMap app screen mockups
Food & Nutrition Mobile AI
MealMap
An AI grocery shopping assistant that helps users from the moment they realize it's time to eat through the moment they bring groceries home.
UX Research · Product Design Read case study →
Autonomous Rideshare concept visual from a visually impaired perspective
Mobility Trust & Safety Emerging Tech
Autonomous Rideshare
Rethinking the passenger experience for driverless vehicles — building trust, reducing anxiety, and redefining what "in-ride" means without a human at the wheel.
HMI Design · Research Read case study →
Project Rewire thumbnail displaying the possible avatars
Mental Health Behavior Design B2C
Project Rewire
A habit-breaking app for compulsive digital behaviors — using evidence-based intervention design to help users reclaim focus and agency over their attention.
Service Design · Prototyping Read case study →
City of Dearborn permit and form redesign mockups
Civic UX Government Usability Testing
City of Dearborn
Redesigning a city government's permit and form completion process to reduce friction, improve navigation, and rebuild trust in public services.
UX Research · Civic UX Read case study →
My Process
How I actually
work.
01
📚
Start with the science
Cognitive psychology, behavioral research, and existing literature come first. I read 20+ papers before I run a single interview.
02
👂
Listen for the gap
Interviews, think-alouds, and field observation surface the disconnect between what people say and what they actually do. The gap is the design opportunity.
03
🧪
Design the test, not the feature
Every design decision is a hypothesis. I build wireframes and prototypes that can be falsified — not defended.
04
📊
Measure honestly
Mixed methods: SEQ, SUS, NPS, sentiment analysis, between-subjects experiments. Including what didn't move — null results are data.

This is the through-line across all four case studies. In Project Rewire, the literature surfaced JITAI before I designed a single screen. In MealMap, the say-do gap turned a fragmented brief into one coherent flow. In Autonomous Rideshare, the falsifiable-prototype approach is what made the study publishable.

Laura Weisz
📄
1
Peer-reviewed publication
🎓
M.S.
HCD&E, U-Michigan
🔬
4
Mixed-methods case studies
About Me

Cognitive Science
Trained. Behavioral Therapy Informed. UX Focused.

A B.S. in Biopsychology, an M.S. in Human-Centered Design & Engineering, and two years as a behavioral therapist. My approach to research is grounded in both design practice and a deep understanding of how people think, learn, and behave.

When I'm not researching or designing, I'm probably running a usability test, sketching in my notebook, or arguing that good copy is half the UX battle.

Figma User Interviews Prototyping Usability Testing Journey Mapping Design Systems Accessibility Storyboarding Research A/B Testing

Looking for a researcher
who can also design?

Available for full-time and contract roles — especially in accessibility, AI/HMI, and behavior-change product work.

Say Hi View résumé →