Jason Gaylord
Bringing clarity to complex products and decisions
I’m a UX Researcher who enjoys untangling complex problems - especially in tools and systems people rely on every day. Most of my work has been in enterprise and data products, where complexity is the norm and decisions carry real impact.
I help teams understand how people actually navigate that complexity, and turn those insights into clear, actionable direction - reducing uncertainty and helping teams make better product decisions.
Projects
Skills
Research Methods
- Mixed-Methods Research
- User Interviews
- Usability Testing
- Generative & Evaluative Research
Quantitative & Testing
- Survey Design & Analysis
- Benchmarking & A/B Testing
- Statistical Data Analysis
Analysis & Metrics
- Thematic Analysis
- Affinity Mapping
- Task Success & PMF tracking
- SUS Benchmarking
Specialized Methods
- Information Architecture Analysis
- Card Sorting & Tree Testing
- Heuristic Evaluation
Tools
Qualtrics
UserZoom
User Interviews
EnjoyHQ
Lucidspark
Zoom
ChatGPT
Figma
Experience
UX Researcher
Oct 2021 - Present
- Sole researcher for flagship analytics products, owning research strategy across the product lifecycle.
- Led generative research to define data discovery and retention strategy for a unified platform ecosystem.
- Led strategic research validating new workflow models, shaping product direction and long-term platform architecture.
- Co-led product benchmarking program, increasing SUS from 14% to 36% and PMF from 19% to 23% (2023–2025).
- Developed company-wide developer persona, advancing segmentation maturity and enabling Alteryx Marketplace growth.
- Drove research to rebrand Alteryx Exchange as Alteryx Marketplace, clarifying ecosystem positioning and user value proposition.
UX Research & Design Associate
Sep 2020 - Sep 2021
- Executed UX research for enterprise clients (Google, Philips, Frontier), leading usability studies and delivering recommendations informing product decisions.
- Supported a mixed-methods benchmark study comparing Google Local Services vs. Thumbtack, identifying a significant experience advantage for Google and key UX gaps (search, filtering, vendor details).
Assistant Property Manager
JBG Smith
Mar 2016 - Jul 2020
- Managed client-facing operations and coordinated cross-functional projects in a commercial real estate environment.
- Streamlined tenant communication and operational workflows to improve service delivery and efficiency.
Education
MS – Human Factors in Information Design (HFID)
Bentley University
MAT – Secondary Education
Colorado College
BA – History
University of Maine
About Me
I'm a UX Researcher who enjoys understanding how people navigate complexity and translating those insights into practical direction for product teams.
My path into research wasn't a straight line. After studying History and Anthropology and building careers in education and commercial property management, I eventually found my way to UX through Bentley University's Human Factors in Information Design program. Looking back, each step was preparing me for the same work: understanding people, communicating clearly, and helping others navigate complex systems.
Those experiences continue to shape how I approach research today. I've always been fascinated by why people think, behave, and make decisions the way they do - whether that's within a culture, an organization, or while using a product. Research gives me the opportunity to explore those questions and help teams turn that understanding into better decisions.
I'm especially drawn to exploratory and evaluative studies that help teams better understand their users and make confident product decisions. Whether conducting interviews, facilitating usability studies, or synthesizing findings, I enjoy uncovering the reasons behind user behavior and turning those observations into actionable insights.
I believe good research is measured by its impact. The goal isn't simply to generate insights - it's to reduce uncertainty, create shared understanding, and help teams build the right thing. The most effective research balances rigor with practicality, uncovers meaningful user needs, and provides clarity when answers aren't immediately obvious.
Much of my experience has been in enterprise software, where complexity is often unavoidable. I enjoy untangling that complexity, identifying friction points, and helping make people's work a little easier, more efficient, and less frustrating.
Outside of work:
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History, anthropology, and social science enthusiast
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Spending time with my partner, friends, and family
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Travel and exploring new places
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Hiking and staying active
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Shooting pool
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Fantasy and science-fiction reader
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Always learning about something new