Sarah Burtis

Experience

Kohl’s, Sr. Product Researcher

March 2023- Present

• Led and planned generative and evaluative research in partnership with product and cross-functional teams by selecting the most effective methods aligned with specific objectives and timelines.

• Collaborated with design peers to create journey maps and service design blueprints based on research we conducted. This helped educate product partners and stakeholders, and led to prioritization of work and product strategy.

• Advised product and cross-functional teams on strategies to uncover user needs, motivations, expectations, and pain points using contextual inquiries, interviews, usability studies, workshops, surveys, diary studies and benchmark studies to identify opportunities across the product development lifecycle.

• Created and led ongoing improvements to Research team processes, guidelines, templates and knowledge repositories. 

• Coached peers and cross-functional teams by defining research best practices and developing educational programs focused on human-centered design, research methods, and industry trends.

• Curated and led Research Education programs to onboard and upskill Product Designers and cross-functional partners conducting research independently or in collaboration.

Workday, Sr. UX Researcher

January 2022- March 2023

• Collaborated with cross-functional teams, including product, design, and engineering, to define research goals and select methods that supported both strategic direction and tactical execution.

• Led user research across multiple platforms, including usability testing, workshops, surveys, and stakeholder interviews, to uncover user needs, mental models, and friction points.

• Analyzed data to provide actionable insights for both short-term and long-term product development.

• Synthesized and communicated findings through storytelling, presentations, and tailored deliverables, helping stakeholders make informed, user-centered decisions.

Aetna, a cvs health company, Sr. UX Researcher

October 2019 - January 2022

• Analyzed the scope of research requests to develop an appropriate research plan based on the available resources and timeline.

• Designed and executed generative and evaluative research studies to support both product vision and design decisions within complex healthcare systems.

• Translated research findings into strategic and tactical recommendations and presented to senior leaders and executive stakeholders.

• Collaborated and consulted across teams, to prioritize and execute research within accelerated project timelines and agile development cycles.

• Provided mentorship and UX Research education to the organization. 

• Contributed to the growth of the internal research repository, increasing accessibility and reusability of insights across teams.

Charter Communications, Sr. Research Analyst

May 2017 - October 2019

• Supported multiple teams and projects by conducting a range of research activities including competitive analysis, tree testing, card sorting, usability testing, and surveys.

• Developed research proposals and roadmaps to align activities with project timelines and business needs.

• Proposed and conducted a variety of research methods including but not limited to competitive analysis, card sorting, tree testing, first click tests, literature reviews, interviews, surveys, & usability testing. 

• Shared research findings through clear, visually engaging presentations that enabled decision-making across product and design.

• Mentored junior researchers in research design and synthesis techniques.

• Fostered strong working relationships with stakeholders and cross-functional teams in an effort to increase collaboration and communication.

Charter Communications, UX Designer & Researcher (Contract)

May 2016 - May 2017

• Conducted foundational and evaluative research using interviews, feature analysis, and usability testing to inform UX strategy.

• Created wireframes and interactive prototypes that aligned with research insights and business goals.

• Collaborated with design and product peers to validate and iterate on interaction models and information architecture.

Kaplan Test Prep, UX Designer & Researcher (Contract)

November 2015 - May 2016

• Conducted end-to-end UX research to uncover user behaviors, motivations, and pain points, informing both early-stage strategy and detailed design decisions.

• Created wireframes and prototypes for new and improved learning platform features, based on research insights and usability testing.

Education

University of DenveR

M.A. RESEARCH METHODS & STATISTICS
Incomplete

General Assembly, New York City

USER EXPERIENCE DESIGN IMMERSIVE
2015

Adelphi University

B.F.A. GRAPHIC DESIGN
Graduated 2009

Nassau Community College

A.A.S. FASHION DESIGN
Graduated 2006

Contact

Email: sdburtis@mac.com

KEY Skills

• A/B Testing

• Benchmarking

• Card Sorting

• Contextual Inquiries

• Cross-functional Collaboration

• Data Analysis

• Diary Studies

• Educational training

• Ethnographic Studies

• First Click Testing

• Framework Creation

• Information Architecture

• Interviews

• Journey Map Creation

• Literature Reviews

• Mentorship

• Mixed Methods (Quant & Qual)

• Persona Creation

• Research Operations

• Resource Creation

• Service Design

• Statistical Analysis

• Storytelling & Executive Communication

• Strategic UX Research

• Surveys (Qualitative, Quantitative)

• Tree Testing

• Usability Testing (Remote, In-Person, Moderated, Unmoderated)

• Workshop Planning & Facilitation

Interests

• Adventures with my dog, Murray

• Bouldering & Climbing

• Camping

• Cycling

• Fly Fishing

• Gardening

• Hiking

• Part-Time Fly Fishing Guide

• Photography

• Running

• Snowboarding

Volunteering

• Trout Unlimited Board Secretary, Colorado State Council

• Casting for Recovery Fly Fishing Guide & Instructor