Welcome!
I am a Senior Quantitative User Experience (UX) Researcher based in the Portland, Oregon area. I am passionate about creating products and experiences that people love!
My expertise is at the intersection of technology, communication, and human behavior. I have a strong background in quantitative research (statistics) along with a broad set of qualitative research tools at my disposal. This allows me to choose the best method for each research question. My clear storytelling and actionable recommendations help product teams to make impactful, data informed decisions.
As a mentor, I am committed to helping others develop their talents and showcase their impact.
Connect with me on LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/britneylebaron
Research Philosophy
Statistics represent real people | infuse data collection and analysis with empathy; eliminate bias
Teach by example | when research findings are accessible and easy to understand, everyone on the team benefits
Break down data silos | facilitate conversations about data across the organization
Research Projects
Over the years, I’ve worked on lots of fun and inspiring projects. Here are a few of my recent quantitative and qualitative UX research projects. Please feel free to reach out if you’re interested in more project examples—I’m happy to share what I’ve learned and how it’s shaped my research philosophy!
Benchmarking training products
Survey (n = 2,000)
Hosting large webinar events
Interviews (n = 6)
Logged data analysis (6-months of usage data)
Speaking About UX Research
Data is a powerful tool—data helps teams build awesome products. But data is only impactful if it’s democratized, shared, and easily understood. That’s why I am passionate about making the research process accessible and fun!
When people learn a few key concepts about UX research, amazing things happen! They start to ask questions, they get excited about the research process, they understand the data, and they leverage the results in a meaningful way. I share my passion for UX research in a variety of ways including, being a good data friend/consultant to my colleagues, hosting lunch & learn sessions, speaking to product teams at Meetups, and sharing what I’ve learned at UX conferences.
Surviving UX
Surviving UX, podcast guest
Episode: Data friend
December 2021
Episode description: What do you do when your research disagrees with what your team believes? Have you ever had your user researched challenged or dismissed? How do you find new collaboration partners when your stakeholder sucks? Meg & Jessamyn talk to Britney LeBaron, UX quantitative researcher.
Human-centered statistics: When quantitative data meets UX research
ConveyUX 2020 Conference
Seattle, WA
March 2020
Survey Research 101
ProductTank PDX Meetup
Portland, OR
October 2019
Quantitative Research 101: Tips and Tricks for Managing UX Data
Santa Barbara User Experience (SBUX) Meetup
Santa Barbara, CA
July 2019
Professional Experience
Senior UX Researcher | New Relic | Portland, OR | January 2021 - June 2023
Led mixed-methods UX research initiatives resulting in the evolution of the New Relic product. Influenced the product roadmap for 6+ large initiatives.
Managed 2 associate UX researchers. Supported their growth and professional development. Developed a mixed-methods research roadmap (7 projects) resulting in 10+ feature and usability improvements. Provided opportunities for researchers to lead/present impactful projects.
Ran the UX Metrics program (NPS). Presented actionable insights to the CEO and executive team which led to improvements in product quality, including 4 workstreams to address issues identified in the NPS findings report.
Conducted in depth interviews. Improved access to research insights through weekly updates and interview video clips. As a result, product teams gained a deeper understanding of the drivers of user sentiment.
Developed expertise in B2B enterprise software, gathered insights from technical users (engineers), and effectively communicated complex findings to stakeholders with various levels of technical expertise.
UX Researcher | LogMeIn | Portland, OR (remote) | 2018 - 2020
Conducted mixed-methods UX research resulting in the product evolution of the GoTo product suite. Engage in rapid study planning, implementation, and reporting. Utilize a variety of methods.
Identified and communicated key findings allowing leaders to make informed decisions about product strategy. Support designers with usability testing and prototype evaluation.
Communicated insights regularly through large group readouts, recordings, lunch & learn sessions, emails, and conversations.
Researcher (contract) | Public Health Department | Santa Barbara, CA | 2017
Ran a public outreach campaign leading to increased community awareness around flu-prevention and the vaccination of 600+ community members at a free flu shot event.
Developed a survey to investigate the needs of flu shot recipients. Findings informed a disaster outreach plan (i.e., a plan to communicate with difficult-to-reach populations in the event of a pandemic).
Quantitative Researcher | UC Santa Barbara, Communication Dept. | 2013 - 2018
Expertise in cognitive science and quantitative methods (experiments, surveys). Analyzed datasets with 200+ participants, 18,000+ data points resulting in 7 publications/chapters and 14 conference papers.
Owned end-to-end research projects. Developed statistical models of user experience.
Understood how human behavior is impacted and mediated by technology use resulting in novel insights about technology addiction and flow/engagement with technology.
Public speaking aficionado. Made technical insights compelling for diverse audiences of 5 to 350 people.
Research Recruiter (full-time) | UC Santa Barbara, Psychological & Brain Sciences Dept. | 2011 - 2013
Managed recruitment system with 4,000+ participants and 150+ psychology studies each year.
Oversaw budgets for 30+ research projects with over $6 million in research funding. Qualtrics administrator.
Created and analyzed surveys to track departmental outcomes. Trained researchers leading to increased adoption and use of Qualtrics license.
Education
MA, Communication – Technology & Media | UC Santa Barbara | 2016
BA, Communication – Technology & Media | UC Santa Barbara | 2011