I’m an experienced mixed-methods user researcher focused on answering three questions about your users.
What do your users need?
You can’t just ask your users what they want – they wouldn’t be able to tell you, even if they wanted to. Instead, you have to discover what they need.
I help you understand your users’ needs by combining quantitative data (collected by measuring things) with qualitative data (collected by observing your users or talking to them).
Analytics Review
Popping the analytics hood of your website or product to learn more about how your users behave.
Content Audit
Analyzing your existing content against your users' needs to identify gaps or shortcomings.
Competitive Analysis
Figuring out what problems your competition is trying to solve and where you can do it better.
Contextual Inquiry
Observing folks in their natural context and asking them to fill in the gaps of what I'm able to see.
Diary Studies
Capturing people's behaviours, feelings, and thoughts over time to gain insight into their lives.
Focus Groups & Interviews
Facilitating discussions with your users to reveal their desires, attitudes, and experiences.
Secondary Research
Synthesizing & remixing research that others have done to arrive at actionable insights.
Surveys
Collecting a large amount of data from a representative group of about their behaviours or attitudes.
How do you design for these needs?
Without a clear definition, your users can become whoever you want them to be. The result is a Frankenstein product or website that is everything to no one.
I distill user research into a format that your designers can easily apply, which helps to ensure that design decisions are informed by evidence, instead of assumptions.
Card Sorting
Uncovering how your users organize information, so we can structure content in a way that makes sense to them.
Content Analysis
Extracting themes and making meaning from unstructured information (like interviews or open-ended survey questions).
Experience Mapping
Visualizing the steps that your users take to reach their goals, and identifying the pain points, behaviours, thoughts, and feelings they encounter.
Personas
Transforming data points into a concrete representation that feels less like a spreadsheet and more like a real person.
Do your solutions work?
If your people can’t use your product – they won’t. Your customers should be able to achieve their goals, and their experience shouldn’t leave them feeling frustrated.
No design is perfect after the first attempt. I’ll provide you with the insights you need to improve your user experience by testing your solutions with your users.
A/B Testing
Comparing two versions of the same design to see which performs better (and is statistically significant).
Usability Testing
Evaluating both the information and visual design of your product, by observing where your users encounter problems or experience confusion.
User Testing
Assessing if your users think your concept hits the mark and achieves your intended outcomes.
Tree Testing
Evaluating the information design of your product, by asking your users to find information only using your product’s structure, without any visual cues.
Trusted to answer
these questions by:
“Allison's remarkable ability to delve into complex problems and approach them with a critical mindset has left an indelible mark. Her deep thinking and analytical prowess consistently propelled our projects forward, offering innovative solutions and shedding light on intricate challenges. It's not just her capability to tackle complexities, but her adeptness at simplifying the most convoluted problems that truly sets her apart.”
Araceli Cubas Campodonico
Senior UX Researcher @ Adobe
“My initial impression of Allison was how visibly user-centric she was. I could easily sense the passion she had for understanding our users’ needs and I witnessed firsthand how frequently she successfully socialized her insights to influence product decision-making. As I worked more closely with her, I consistently found myself impressed by her unwavering commitment to delivering actionable outcomes with high-quality execution rooted in evidence and logic.”
Mark Sha
Senior Product Analyst @ Chime
“Allison has been a rockstar in her role and our design/research team would not be where we are today without her. I could say many things, but I’ll speak to the one that I believe benefits the most and I don’t see often in many people - the ability and integrity to create a holistic viewpoint that informs her thoughts and work. It always impresses (and inspires) me how much effort and intention she gives to not only incorporate user research, but how she collaborates with multiple stakeholders in all areas of the business to create that wider understanding.”
Briana Franko
Senior Manager, Product Design @ Wonolo
“After interviewing a number of specialists from around the world we chose Allison to lead the UX portion of a major product interface overhaul. Allison brought a steady hand to our project team, thoughtfully guiding us towards the world we live in today, one where our solution is beautiful and useful and intuitive. Allison balances creativity and energy with pragmatism and patience. She can command a room and pull insights from senior leaders, or run a user test with internet-savvy teens. She is articulate, organized, and action-oriented. “
Chad Neufeld
Senior Product Marketing Manager @ Benevity
“This sounds like hyperbole, I know, but Allison is truly one of the smartest and most talented people I’ve had the pleasure of working with over my career. Her ability to plan, deliver, and synthesize research outputs into a meaningful narrative that's chock-full of strategic insights, is second-to-none. She is adept at communicating complex topics simply and clearly. Her seemingly insatiable desire to understand human behaviour allows her to connect with people authentically and skillfully. She is guided by a strong sense of integrity and the dedication to improving everything she encounters.”
Erica O’Donnell
Strategist & Facilitator @ Good Seed
“The passion Allison has for good, quality work is evident in her willingness and ability to explore the business strategy of the clients she works on, all the while drilling down to the real problem we’re trying to solve through research. She is a strong presenter who is articulate and thorough in her deliverables. She goes above and beyond with her work and is a great advocate for her team, the company, as well as the research discipline as a whole.”
Wendy Chiu
Director of Client Services @ Daughter Creative
Allison Robins
Mixed Methods Researcher
My first word was "why?" - Just kidding, it was probably "mama," but I have been chasing answers since I could crawl.
Now, I help my teams ask better questions, challenge their assumptions, and connect their visions with the details required to get them there. When I’m off the clock, I’m likely nerding out over politics, watching bad reality TV, or getting my sweat on.