
Kudos for being human-centric
A company that explores the human side of me is an organization where I'd want to share my talents.
Ava M Allen, Ed.D.
User Research Lead, McKinsey & Company
30-second Elevator Pitch
At my core, I am a mixed-methods researcher with a strong design focus with over 20 years experience across 8 industries. I have effectively led and managed teams, making a substantial impact on large-scale design, research, analytics, and process improvement projects. With my recent addition of learning design, I bring a unique perspective to end-to-end experience solutions, transforming user behavior, and creating more intuitive experiences.
Career Impact Journey




M. Chin, Senior Manager, User Experience
"What she has accomplished over the past several years with her academic career, her industry career, and her desire to mentor and lift others up, is so impressive. I share her journey as an example to my team, colleagues, and students."
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R. Zeng, MFA Product Design student
"Ava is really supportive and knowledgeable about the design field! I learned so much from her insights about highlighting commonalities across disciplines and building one's strengths on top of UXD/ UXR basics. Ava is also super encouraging and really guides one to return to the roots of things amid anxiety." (Source: ADPList.org)​
Exploring Moments
I use math and science to research human insights.
I use engineering to create user-centered experiences.
I use design to celebrate my discoveries.
NDAs prevent displaying internal work. Discussions during interviews are acceptable.
How can we use data science and UX to identify untapped prospect potential?

How can technology simplify job searches for job seekers who are open to relocation?

Solving my favorite pet peeves: Exploring golf association experiences for new joiners.
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What if we could identify barriers in social practices using social identity theories?
