This article is part of my series, “Listening as a Ministry Discipline.” The Quiet Barriers We Don’t See Most people don’t leave church because of one big, dramatic reason. They leave because of small moments: In UX research, we refer to these as friction points. They’re tiny obstacles that drain emotional energy and nudge people […]
Invisible Friction: How Small Barriers Erode Church Engagement Read Post »
This article is part of my series, “Listening as a Ministry Discipline.” The Listening We Think We’re Doing Most ministry leaders believe they’re listening well. We hear prayer requests. We chat in hallways. We send out a survey every now and then. We notice when someone hasn’t been around for a while and send a
Listening as a Ministry Discipline: UX Research and Spiritual Formation Read Post »
This article is part of my series, “Listening as a Ministry Discipline.” Churches work hard to create welcoming environments. But long-term discipleship isn’t built on first impressions. What we often miss are the quiet signals that tell us when belonging is slipping — not because of conflict, but because of drift. And drift is rarely
The Quiet Drift Churches Keep Missing: Why Churches Need UX Research for Discipleship Read Post »
I just finished Mistakes I Made at Work by Jessica Bacal, and instead of feeling exposed, I felt seen. I felt like sitting down with a circle of honest, brilliant women all saying: “You’re not the only one.” “When you have a ‘growth mindset,’ you understand that mistakes and setbacks are an inevitable part of
What “Mistakes I Made at Work” Reminded Me About Growth Read Post »
UX research isn’t always a test or a slide deck. Sometimes, it’s infrastructure. There’s this idea that research only counts when you’re interviewing users or publishing a big report. But most of the research I do right now? It doesn’t look like that. Here’s what it does look like: 1. Research Looks Like Infrastructure Lately,
Yes, I’m Still Doing Research—Even If You Don’t See It Read Post »
From someone who wants the exact outcome you do Let’s get one thing clear: I’m not here to slow things down. I’m not trying to block launches, pile on meetings, or throw pixel-level shade on your roadmap. I’m here to ensure the thing we’re building… works for the people we’re creating it for. As a
What I Wish Stakeholders Knew About UX Research Read Post »
And what I know now after doing the work solo When I first entered the field of UX research, I had a clear vision of what it would entail. I pictured robust studies, clean frameworks, a clear chain of command, and insights flowing neatly from the field into the product roadmap. Instead, I found myself
The 3 Lies I Believed About UX Research Read Post »
How to stay sane, scale insights, and make an impact when you’re the entire UX research department. When you’re the only UX researcher on the team, you’re not just wearing all the hats—you’re stitching them together with duct tape and prayer. Being a team of one can sound empowering in theory. You get autonomy, freedom,
The Researcher’s Survival Guide to Being a Team of One Read Post »
This article is part of my series, “What UX Courses Didn’t Teach Me (But Real Research Did).” When I began my journey in UX research, I took the typical route of enrolling in courses and earning certificates to build my skills. I completed several impactful programs, including: These courses taught me methods like usability testing,
What UX Courses Didn’t Teach Me (But Real Research Did) Read Post »
This article is part of my series, “What UX Courses Didn’t Teach Me (But Real Research Did).” Over the next few days, I’m sharing five essential UX research skills that I didn’t fully learn from certifications or bootcamps—only from real-world projects, messy data, and unexpected conversations with users. Each day, I’ll break down one skill,
UX Research Skill #5: Writing Reports vs. Telling Stories People Remember Read Post »
