Zina Alaswad

I am Zina, a User Experience Researcher at Sonar (a software development company). I enjoy researching phenomena and behaviors, especially discovering the why and how behind people's actions.

I found my path to User Research after spending ten years in academia, learning games research and architecture. My prior experiences helped hone my skills and expertise in exploring human-centered design using various design and social research methods.

My superpower is learning. I kept going back to school (for 10 years to be exact). So you will always find me teaching myself something new. Right now, I am learning about Google Analytics and how it can be used to leverage user experience research.

Senior User Experience Researcher at SonarSource (06,2022- Present)
Leading cross-functional teams to conduct UX research with niche audiences

Validating the need for UX using qualitative and quantitative data

Planning and executing UX research sprints while engaging with stakeholders early in the product development cycle and coordinating logistics for research efforts

Selecting, adapting, and applying the most appropriate UX research methods and approaches to accommodate a variety of contexts and constraints

Strategizing UX research priorities and aligning UX research vision with wider product roadmap by integrating research insights into product development decisions and driving product innovation

Compiling and maintaining a repository of insights and recommendations to create valuable and actionable research outputs for future reference and strategy-level decision-making

Excellent communication skills to share research findings in multiple formats compatible with various audiences, ranging from technical teams to non-technical stakeholders

Engaging with platform vendors to assess and acquire the most efficient and effective option based on multiple team needs (Designers, Product Managers, Product Ops, Engineers).

Scaling UX Research through developing a curated research methods training and onboarding program for Designers and Product Managers

PhD, Education Technology 2017

Grad. Certificate Instructional Design 2016

MFA, Interior Design 2013

BSc, Architectural Engineering 2010