Julie Ann Fay

User Experience Researcher

Professional Summary

An empathetic UX Researcher with five years of experience working with 90+ government agencies. Committed to evaluative research and usability testing to inform research-based decision-making. Proven ability to synthesize data into actionable insights that shape intuitive, user-centered designs. Specializing in usability testing, with a passion for improving a user’s success in completing tasks online. 

Key Skills

  • Research Methods: Usability Testing, User Interviews, Surveys, A/B Testing, Observational Studies, Card Sorts, Tree Tests, First Click Tests, User Flow Tests, Heat Maps

  • Research Tools: Optimal Workshop, SiteImprove, Miro, UsabilityHub

  • Design Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Figma

  • Collaboration Tools: Jira, Slack, Zoom

  • Specializations: Usability Testing, User Interviews, Service Blueprints, Information Architecture, Heuristic Evaluations, Copy Clarity Reviews

  • Soft Skills: Communication and Interpersonal Skills, Stakeholder Collaboration, Proactive Problem Solving, Empathy-Driven Insights 

UX Experience

UX Researcher - Remote
Digital Services Georgia, Atlanta, GA | July 2020 – Present 

  • Led UX research initiatives for a Drupal CMS supporting 90+ government websites serving 8M daily users.

  • Designed and executed end-to-end usability tests, interviews, and surveys to identify CMS pain points, validate design decisions, and improve digital service experiences.

  • Conducted 12 usability testing sessions on a reorganized menu navigation, increasing task success rates by 24% for a large agency website serving 11M users.

  • Established usability protocols and accessibility guidance for 28 components in the Orchard Design System.

  • Established usability protocols and accessibility guidance for 28 components in the Orchard Design System, helping standardize UX across websites and apps.

  • Partnered with Product, Design, Engineering, Content, and Accessibility teams to turn research findings into CMS and content strategy improvements.

  • Delivered research insights through reports, presentations, and workshops, using storytelling techniques to align stakeholders and prioritize UX improvements.

  • Designed training and facilitated research programs for website editors across 90+ websites to promote a user-centered mindset.

  • Maintained a centralized Confluence research repository to reduce duplicated research and scale insights across teams.

Fellow: UX Researcher & Designer - On Site
General Assembly, Atlanta, GA | Nov 2019 – Feb 2020  

  • Collaborated with designers to build a prototype for Home Depot’s employee donation platform, integrating user feedback to increase donations.

  • Conducted usability testing for a non-profit’s grant application, significantly enhancing navigation in a confusing user flow.

  • Developed e-commerce microsite prototypes with a focus on seamless checkout experiences and user-centric design.

  • Partnered with senior UX professionals to refine research methodologies and adopt industry best practices. 

Additional Relevant Experience

Web Content Manager - On Site
Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, Lake Charles, LA | Aug 2009 – July 2017   

  • Collaborated with 11 (parish/county) departments, to manage and optimize web content, aligning with user engagement goals as varied as animal adoptions and road engineering projects.

  • Trained employees on content management best practices, and maintained documentation.

  • Produced emergency communications, such as hurricane alerts, for a user-base exceeding 90,000, ensuring clarity and timeliness under pressure. 

Education

General Assembly, Atlanta, GA | 400+ Hour UX Design Immersive

McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA | BA Communications with a minor in Psychology, Cum Laude 

Additional Information

Open to remote opportunities. 

Want to know more?

Contact Me