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Hello! I'm Mariel, a Mixed Methods UX Researcher 

I have 8+ years of experience collecting data that tell a story. Currently, I am specializing in AI design to optimize use and solve real user problems

It all started in a lab...

I once held a real human brain in my very own hands!

This unforgettable moment took place at the University of Washington's neurobehavioral lab, using a donated human brain over 20 years old. You'd think I'd freak out, on the contrary, I realized that I wasn't just holding tissue; I was cradling someone's joy and heartbreak, their eureka moments and quiet contemplations, a lifetime of experiences I could never fully know. I then understood, these are the experiences that science can bring. Long spans of hard work that are rewarded by bursts of discovery that help us understand what life is really about.

I chase that feeling every single day now. I immerse myself in data until those extraordinary insights emerge—the ones that make you catch your breath. When I share these discoveries with my team and watch them unfold into something transformative, I feel that same wonder all over again. This is why I do what I do. 

Education

Bachelors of Arts

2015 – 2017

Associate of Arts

2013 – 2015

High School Diploma

University of Washington

Specialized in the neural networks that influence substance use and factor into recovery methods.

Edmonds Community College

Attended core classes as well as foundational psychology courses in preparation for a 4 year college. 

Edmonds Woodway Highschool

2008 - 2012

Certifications

Google UX Design

2026

Elements of AI

2026

Intro to R programming

2024

Built fluency in design foundations, lo/hi-fi prototyping, and AI practices— strengthening my ability to collaborate with design teams as a UX Researcher.

Completed a University of Helsinki course on AI fundamentals to strategically leverage AI tools and maximize efficiency in my work

Trained in R programming for statistical modeling and complex data visualization

Research Method Map

Products almost never follow a linear path, but great research meets the product where it is, not where we think it should be. These are the methods I've personally used categorized by when they shine the most:

Discover

Mostly Qualitative

Iterate
Refine

Mixed Methods

Mostly Quantitative

Surveys

Raw Data Collection

Analytics Review 

Customer feedback Audit

Time on Task

Intercept Surveys

A/B testing

User Interviews

Card Sorting

Tree Testing

Usability Testing

Heuristic Evaluation

Benchmarking

Wizard of Oz

Journey Mapping

Competitive Analysis

Persona Building

Diary Studies

Deep Internal Audit

Tools

Figma

Condense

Tools

Rally

UserTesting

Dscout

Tools

Qualtrics

Rally

Heap

Presentation Formats

Traditional
Collaborative

Slide Deck

Research Report

Findings Gallery Walkthrough

Solution based Journey Maps

"How might we" Brainstorming Sessions

Workshop: How well do you know the user?​

Publications

Rolling Tobacco Paper

 UNDER REVIEW 

Developmental Patterns of Substance Use from Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood Among Latinx Youth from Rural or Small-Town Communities

Brothers

 UNDER REVIEW 

Discrimination and health correlates among U.S. Black, Native American, and Latinx young adults (under review)

FAQs

How do you manage multiple research questions? I use all stakeholder questions to design the study—granular questions go directly into the research flow, while thematic ones get consolidated into concise research objectives that guide the overall approach.

How do you modify your findings to accommodate for multidisciplinary stakeholders? I create layered narratives—visually compelling stories that engage everyone at a glance, with embedded access to comprehensive data for deeper exploration.

How do you prioritize competing research requests? When I control prioritization, I focus on requests tied to quarterly or yearly goals. Less urgent needs can be addressed through self-serve programs or quick internal studies completed within a week. When prioritization is out of my hands, I stagger projects to focus data collection on one at a time, minimizing the risk of data loss.

How do you decide which methodology to use? I design the ideal study first—mapping the best methodology for each data point I need—then optimize it based on actual time and resource constraints.

When do you believe UXR should be introduced in a product roadmap? I like to partner with teams during the brainstorming, design, and test phase of a concept, this ensures we establish usefulness and usability of a concept before over investing.

How do you approach vague research questions? I anchor myself in the product phase to surface the questions stakeholders haven't thought to ask, then conduct structured interviews with them to build the context needed to design a clear path forward.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

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Contact me

Phone:

(206) 354-8580

Email:

  • LinkedIn

© 2026 By Mariel Sanchez-Rodriguez. Powered and secured by Wix

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