Ux Researcher Project Management

Vivian Xiaotian Li

Design Researcher, PhD Candidate Human-Computer Interaction

State College, PA 16801 814-***-**** **.********@***.***

vivianxiaotianli.com linkedin.com/in/vivianxiotianli

Summary

Mixed-method UX researcher with 5 years of design research experience, skilled in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to uncover user insights and drive product improvements. I bring a strong foundation in research along with hands-on project management experience from previous roles. Eager to transition to an industry UXR position to apply my expertise in creating user-centered solutions.

Experience

Lead UX Researcher Hack for LA CivicTechJob Project 04/2024 – present

Led end-to-end generative and evaluative research studies to inform MVP development, providing actional insights for CivicTechJob’s strategic directions.

Improved onboarding experience for volunteers and team leads, optimizing opportunity matching processes and improving product usability by 22%, increasing engagement across user groups.

Enhanced accessibility through a WCAG-compliant audit, significantly improving usability for diverse users and establishing a lasting accessibility framework for the project.

Led a UX research team of three, collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate research insights into actionable strategies, driving product innovation and aligning outcomes with user needs.

Doctoral Design Researcher The Pennsylvania State University Data Empowered Learning 08/2019-present

Planned and executed 8 design research projects, blending qualitative and quantitative methods, and mentored 10+ researchers through full research cycles, resulting in 5 publications and 3 reports.

IncluSight: Visualizing Inclusive Teaching Practices in University Curricula

Designed a scalable solution for the complex issues in inclusive teaching, leading to a 100% increase in user engagement and adoption by industry stakeholders.

Developed an interactive web application through iterative prototyping, leveraging LLMs, prompt engineering, and data visualization to enhance user experience and functionality.

Collaborated with institution-wide stakeholders to align research insights with user needs, creating an impactful, user-centered solution.

Survey on Data Privacy Concerns in Learning Analytics Applications

Identified trade-offs between data privacy concerns and product adoption among university instructors, providing actionable insights for product design.

Created a quick-validation method for concept testing, enabling stakeholders to assess ideas before diving into the details of design.

Generated strategic design recommendations for learning analytics products by analyzing 150+ responses using, guiding privacy-conscious design.

Stakeholders’ Perceptions on Data Privacy Learning Analytics Applications

Influenced the strategic direction of learning analytics at Penn State by uncovering critical insights into data privacy concerns through collaboration with 30+ stakeholders.

Facilitated partnerships and impactful discussions with industry leaders and academic stakeholders, driving cross-institutional collaborations in higher education analytics.

Project Manager (Assistant Director) Virginia Polytechnic Institute Cranwell International Center 12/2016 – 08/2018

Orchestrated the user-centric redesign of the bi-annual International Student Orientation, enhancing the onboarding process for over 1,000 students each year by identifying critical user pain points and capitalizing on insights from over 30 stakeholders and strategic partnerships.

Led the development and rollout of the In-Country Pre-Departure Orientation Program in China, successfully onboarding 500+ students and ensuring the program's alignment with university goals and smooth transitions.

Championed equitable service design by leading university-wide workshops aimed at improving inclusivity for underrepresented groups.

Managed an annual budget of $18,000, reducing costs by 10% through strategic and data-informed financial planning.

Directed a team of 35 student leaders and junior staff, cultivating an environment of leadership and collaborative success.

Project Manager (Coordinator) Marietta College Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion 10/2010 – 06/2015

Employed a User-centered approach to design and implement orientation, peer-mentoring, and other programs to support 1000+ international student transition into life in a US institution.

Managed a 10k+ annual programming budget; trained and supervised 30+ student mentors.

Selected Publications

Li, X.V., Rosson, M.B., Hellar, B. (2023). A Synthetic Literature Review on Analytics to Support Curriculum Improvement in Higher Education. In Proceedings of International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies 23’, pages 2130-2143.

Li, X.V., Rosson., M.B., Robert., J. (2022). A Scenario-based Exploration of Expected Usefulness, Privacy Concerns, and Adoption Likelihood of Learning Analytics. In Proceedings of Learning @ Scale 22’, pages 48-59.

Li., X.V., Robert, J., Rosson, M.B. (2021). It’s Not the Data, It’s How They Use it! Scenario-Based Exploration of Learning Analytics Application. In Proceedings of International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies 21’, pages 11907–11917.

Selected Professional Services

University Committee

Learning Analytics Advisory Committee at Penn State University, Student Representative, 2020-2023

Webinar Panelist

Privacy and Ethics: Using Student Data in Learning Analytics, EDUCAUSE. January 2022

Selected Presentations

Li. X. V., Rosson, M. B., Heller, B. (2023). Poster Presentation: Design an Analytics Tool to Support Sustainable DEI Curriculum Improvement. CRA-WP Grad Cohort Workshop for Women. San Francisco, CA.

Li. X.V. (2023). What is Curriculum Analytics? At Unizen (consortium of higher education institutions and service provider).

Li., X.V., Robert, J., Rosson, M.B. (2021). It’s Not the Data, It’s How They Use it! Scenario-Based Exploration of Learning Analytics Application. At the Learning Analytics Advisory Committee, The Pennsylvania State University.

Education

Ph.D. Informatics (Human-Computer Interaction) The Pennsylvania State University Expected 2025

M.A., Education Central Michigan University 2010

B.S., Computer Science Shandong Institute of Technology and Business, Yantai, China 2006

Relevant Skills

Design Research Methods: Literature review, Heuristic evaluation, Stakeholder interview, User interview, Design ethnography, Card Sort, Contextual inquiry, Cognitive Walkthrough, Participatory design, Affinity diagram, Thematic analysis, Usability testing, Survey, Sketching, Persona creation, User journey map, Competitive analysis, Wireframing, Prototyping

Statistical Analysis: A/B Testing, ANOVA, T-Tests, Correlation, Exploratory data analysis, Multivariate data analysis

Design Tools: Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud

Coding/Tools: Python, R, SQL, JavaScript (Svelte), HTML, CSS, Prompt Engineering, LLM, Qualtrics, SPSS

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