Alex Kan, Researcher
Research
Research · Design · Presentation
Mixed Reality Stories
In my largest project to date, I researched the user experience of running with fictional mixed reality stories. This alternative approach to mixed realities allows creation of cheaper, yet fulfilling experiences that don't require bulky hardware.
Role: I was solely responsible for planning and time-management, designing and conducting the studies, recruiting participants and receiving approvals from the ethics committee, presenting the findings, bringing the project to completion.
Impact: the main contribution of the project was defining a framework for understanding and designing better mixed reality experiences for running.
academic research, user research, recruiting, interviews, workshops, diaries, questionnaires, recruiting, ux design, prototyping, competitor analysis, literature review
B2B Bank for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
A local branch of an international bank operates in a highly competitive space, with an increasing pressure from neo-banks. Initial quantitative research revealed customers' dissatisfaction (49% Net Promoter Score); however, the client lacked insight into the specific pain points their users were experiencing with the navigation, interface, and the bank overall.
Role: To address the aims of the study, I conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews, closed card sorting, and usability testing with 16 participants: 8 entrepreneurs and 8 accountants. I analysed the results and presented them to the client.
Impact: The study identified the six most significant user needs (jobs to be done) and helped the client better understand and prioritise issues that their customers have with the navigation and user interface.
While I cannot share the details of this case publicly, I'd be happy to provide more information in a private conversation.
commercial research, user research, interviews, card sorting, usability testing, recruiting, ux design, prototyping, competitor analysis
Global Entrepreneur Equality Study
A study of the motivation and influences that drive women entrepreneurs. Findings from the initial survey specifically emphasised differences in how entrepreneurs perceive male and female role models.
Role: I assisted Duamentes' researchers in designing and setting up the online survey, as well as recruiting participants.
Impact: The study has been covered by Business Insider, Startups Magazine, Brazil Sun, and other international outlets. Additionally, one of the participants I recruited for the study became one of the five speakers at a follow-up webinar.
commercial research, recruiting, surveys
For the Record
A service for logging board game sessions. Problem: Existing solutions for board game logging provide a lot of stats, but do not capture fun aspects of the hobby and can also seem intimidating for more amateur players.
Role: I'm the sole designer on the project working together with a full-stack developer. The project is a work in progress.
user research, interviews, prototyping, visual design, ux design, ui design, visual design,
Design
Research · Design · Presentation
Interactive Textbook
Problem: The experience of reading digital books is subpar. The design goal for this project was to make scrolling a digital book feel like turning pages of Edward Tufte's magnificent paper books. The business aim was to make the design scalable, so that my client could launch other books in the same format.
Role: I was the sole UX/UI designer on the project, working together with an art director, a layout designer, a photographer, and two developers.
Impact: the book gained more than 3000 paid subscribers in less than three years and earned more than £64K (4.5M roubles) during that time; my client was able to launch more than a dozen of other interactive books based on the same format.
ux design, ui design, prototyping, visual design, business strategy
Presentation
Research · Design · Presentation
I got used to presenting my work regularly and to different audiences: clients, academic researchers, designers, engineers, industry professionals etc.
The poster I made for Melbourne's Computing & Information Systems doctoral colloquium earned an honorary mention for best design:
I had two papers accepted to the Australian largest academic UX conference OzCHI.
My research findings inspired me to give a talk at UX Australia – the country's largest UX conference that brings together academics and industry professionals alike. The talk was rated second best on the conference app and received an overwhelmingly positive feedback.
