Abby Buchanan
UX Researcher & Systems Strategist
Research-focused UX practitioner studying how people experience systems under real-world cognitive, emotional, and environmental constraints.
Summary
UX researcher and strategist focused on how people experience systems under real-world conditions—cognitively, emotionally, and environmentally.
I study moments where people get stuck: overwhelm, ambiguity, breakdown in task initiation, and the hidden translation work required to make human needs legible to formal systems.
My background includes decades of client-centered work across wellness practice, education, coaching, interior design, and digital design—roles that required structured interviewing, behavioral observation, trust-building, and translating individual goals into practical systems.
Seeking research-focused roles within collaborative product teams, especially environments that value qualitative depth, cognitive accessibility, ethical approaches to emerging technologies, and human judgment in complex systems.
Core Skills
Qualitative Research • User Interviews • Research Synthesis • Research Strategy
Systems Thinking • Information Architecture • Journey Mapping • Accessibility
Neurodivergent Design • Human-AI interaction • Cognitive Load Analysis
Interview Facilitation • Cross-functional Collaboration
Tools: Figma • FigJam • Miro • Notion • Google Workspace • Agile collaboration
Studio Manager (UX Systems & Operations)
- Redesigned inventory, organization, and information-flow systems across a complex studio environment.
- Improved usability and accessibility of the physical workspace, supporting neurodivergent employees.
- Developed workflows and communication systems to increase clarity and team alignment.
Freelance UX & Spatial Designer
- Conducted user-informed design for neurodivergent individuals, incorporating therapist input and individualized needs.
- Designed sensory-informed and biophilic environments supporting regulation, clarity, and cognitive ease.
- Designed curriculum for a multi-age pod-based homeschool, structuring content to support clarity and cognitive pacing.
- Translated behavioral patterns into structured spatial and systemic design decisions.
Freelance Web Designer (UX-Focused)
- Designed websites with clear user flows, improving onboarding and booking experiences by translating client needs into structured digital systems.
- Developed a structured client discovery framework to translate abstract brand identity, audience needs, and service goals into clear design direction.
Founder & Owner
- Scaled a solo practice into a team of 5 practitioners.
- Designed end-to-end client experience, including intake, booking flows, service structure, and repeat client communication.
- Conducted client interviews across sessions and translated behavioral insight into repeatable, user-centered service delivery.
Co-Owner & Systems Designer
- Designed and iterated on studio environments across multiple locations.
- Contributed to systems supporting students and instructors.
- Supported operational and strategic decision-making.
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) Certificate — Cornell University
Certificate in Psychology of Home Design — Psychologie of Home Design School, 2023
Bachelor of Music, Music Composition (Tech Minor) — Oral Roberts University
My work focuses on how people move through systems under real conditions, and how differences in cognition, behavior, environment, and communication shape outcomes within shared systems.
I’m particularly interested in how AI and emerging technologies can reduce cognitive burden, support decision-making, and improve usability without introducing new forms of friction or ethical risk.