Turning nonsense
into new sense
Wrangling messy data into meaningful insights
Hi, I’m
Joanna Kahen
Researcher
& Strategist
At 11 years old, I told my mom I was going to be a geneticist when I grow up. Years later, I realized I wasn’t actually interested in dissecting genomes or drawing Punnett squares. What truly fascinated me was understanding why people are the way they are. Rather than studying the hidden stories of heredity, I wanted to study the hidden musings of the human mind, which led me to pursue a degree in branding and marketing.
I hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a User Research certification from the UX Design Institute. Through my education and work experience across various marketing and operation roles, I’ve developed an extensive repertoire of creative, analytical, and storytelling skills, in addition to a proven track record in problem solving and project management.
With my penchant for puzzles, propensity for problem solving, and passion for psychology, the research realm has become my professional happy place. I’ve designed and conducted unmoderated usability tests, created customer journey maps in Figjam, built surveys in Sprig, mastered the art of writing Excel/Google Sheet formulas, and continue to explore and expand my UX research skillset.
Case Studies
Case Study 1This UX Research project was conducted as part of my User Research certification course at the UX Design Institute. The project’s objective was to understand the goals, behaviors, and user experience of consumers who use food delivery apps.
UX Design Institute - Course Project
Case Study 2This project was conducted as part of a broader effort to evaluate strategies for boosting user engagement with vacation rental listings. The project’s objective was to test and analyze the efficacy of social proofing statements in optimizing user engagement.