My UX Research portfolio

Background

Hello! My name is Max; as a UX Researcher with four years of experience, I have spearheaded over 25 major strategic and tactical research projects, delivering actionable insights to VP-level stakeholders at Expedia. My expertise encompasses developing end-to-end research plans and collaborating seamlessly with diverse stakeholders, including designers, product managers, and engineers.

One of my notable achievements includes pioneering groundbreaking research in AI-powered travel planning, which laid the foundation for future product development and significantly increased engagement with Expedia's AI integration by over 140%.

Through my research initiatives, I have identified crucial knowledge gaps in user trust when utilizing AI for travel planning. This research impact has led to a strategic shift in priorities, focusing on alleviating user anxiety about AI trust and safety and even spearheading creating a dedicated AI research team.

Research leadership acknowledged my exceptional research quality and stakeholder engagement and handpicked me for an agile horizontal research team. My contributions resulted in double the expected research efficiency and substantial cost savings for Expedia, amounting to $400,000 in reduced external research expenses.

In addition to my impactful work at Expedia, I have conducted over 15 research projects at Microsoft during the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing adaptability and resilience in challenging circumstances. Furthermore, I coordinated research efforts to evaluate and finalize pre-launch features for Windows 11, ensuring alignment with user expectations in critical release domains.

My commitment to innovation and user-centric design extends to my work in co-designing an innovative voice assistant for users with speech disorders, leveraging iterative processes and inclusive methodologies.

I am eager to bring my diverse skill set and proven track record of success to a dynamic team committed to driving meaningful impact through user-centric design. Contact me at maxedelmann417@gmail.com, and let's explore how I can contribute to your organization's success!

Projects

Most of my professional expertise has centered around Artificial Intelligence and Large Language Models and their integration into customer-facing designs. At Expedia, I performed the first generative research about large language models, particularly ChatGPT and its role in the travel planning process. After talking directly to customers about their experience using ChatGPT in travel planning, I informed Expedia on the best way to integrate artificial intelligence into the current app and live desktop sites. Due to this foundational research, Expedia recently launched a ChatGPT-integrated virtual assistant into their platforms. At Microsoft, I worked extensively with design teams to deliver the best AI data disclosure policy for features like Cortana and Newsfeed. I also created several data repositories that foster ethical artificial intelligence standards among designers, researchers, and engineers. I also specialize in utilizing user videos to tell stakeholders a story about how to improve their products. I have conducted several lectures within research teams on video editing and storytelling. I've worked on several independent passion projects in my spare time, including a conceptual voice assistant plugin for users with speech disorders and making public transit a more attractive option to reduce carbon emissions and reliance on personal vehicles.

A little more about me

Beyond my academic endeavors and research experience, I am an individual with many diverse interests that have only intensified my love of research and understanding of the way that others think and connect. I am a lifelong musician with years of experience in performance, self-promotion, business management, and team leadership, as well as a certified personal trainer. I became certified as a personal trainer during my undergraduate studies to pay for tuition and other expenses, but I soon found that I had gained a unique insight into Psychology that I may not have gained through my academic studies. By working with individual clients afflicted by poor health or disabilities for over two years, I developed a deep personal investment in their growth and long-term happiness. In fact, my interest in usability research was initially spurred through working with a client with severe nerve damage and trying to design a program that could help her minimize pain, while also keeping in mind her physical limitations. The experience was incredibly rewarding and caused me to think beyond the sometimes impersonal calculus of academic research. Empathy, compassion, and trust are essential to any research, and I hope by applying the technical skills gained through my studies and the unique personal experience gained through music and health, I can contribute to the UX community in a powerful and innovative way!