The document provides information about Kristen Brown's background and interests in user research and design. It summarizes her education in ethnography, interviewing, and other research methods and how she applies these skills to understand people's behaviors and motivations. The document demonstrates Kristen's qualifications and experience in user research.

1. Kristen Brown
Inquisitive by nature, my education and work experiences bridge the
gap between creativity and an analytic mindset. Trained in ethnography,
interviewing, focus groups, and surveys, the actions and motivations of
others has always fascinated me, heavily influencing my interest and
work in user-centered research and design.

2. Childcare On Transportation
A six month research dissertation aimed
at understanding the habits and
attitudes of primary caregivers of
children four and under on London’s
public transportation system.
This research was intended to create a conversation about
the success and failings of the system to cater to carers
and children and hopefully uncover physical and
emotional barriers that may reproduce exclusion.

3. 1 Pria Full-time Nanny 34 2 2.5, 5 On foot
2 Kim
Aunt, full-time
carer
19 2 13mo., 4 Car
3 Sophie Mum 27 1 3 Car
4 Will Full-time Manny 28 1 18mo. On foot, tube
5 Naaz Mum 35 5 9mo.,2.5, 6, 9, 13 Bus
6 Annette Mum 41 1 4 On foot, bus
7 Karen Mum 39 1 2 Bus, Tube
8 Susan Mum 41 3 18mo., 3, 6 On foot, Overground
9 Daria Full-time Nanny 25 2 11mo., 4 On foot, bus
10 Caroline Full-time Nanny 43 2 20mo., 4.5
On foot, bus,
overground
*All names used are pseudonym to protect the identity of the participants
Richmond
Islington
Golders Green
Primrose Hill
Stoke Newington
Highbury
Cockfosters
Withheld
Victoria
Richmond
Research was collected in 3
phases including observations,
semi-structured interviews, and a
survey of 40 respondents.
“Bus drivers can drive dangerously,
often braking fast with buggies on
board. Bus drivers rarely lower the
ramp for prams and often park up
beside steep curbs or awkward
places to lift a buggy off alone.”
Annette, mother of a two year old
150 years of
inadequate
infrastructure
has led to
inefficacy &
frustration.

4. Key Insights
“People don’t necessarily like children.
They’ve had a hard day in the office, the
last thing they want to see is a bunch of
kids, screaming.”
Raj, nanny
“Rarely is there any non-stair access. It
makes traveling with children in buggies
very unsafe if you have other children,
you have to use escalators or stairs.”
Kim, nanny
“I’d like to see more Information on TFL
website, especially if escalators are not
working at specific stations. There is
nothing worse than being faced with a
long climb and 3 under 5's in tow.”
Gabriella, mother
“Many times drivers have refused to let
me on or driven straight past when there
was clearly enough space for me and
my buggy.”
Alice, mother
Through the research, a pattern of poor design
choices and ineffective marketing over 150 years
emerged leading to a massive asscessibility issues.
●Improving Treatment of Carers by
●Policy Makers
●Other Passengers
●Staff
●Up-to-date Travel Info
●Educational Elements
●Spatial Layout/Environments Design

5. As an entry point to interventions based
on the research findings, an app could
be developed to assist in making travel
an easier effort.
Report an Issue
Service Changes
App Launch Route My Journey
Find A Station
New Journey
Nearest Station
Station
Information
Step-Free Stations
Saved Journeys
Point A Point B
Save
Location
?
Alternative Selectors
(mode, station, step-free)
Suggested Alternate
Routes
Step-Free Access
Directions
Title
Mode Choice
Directions
Number of Steps
Food
Step-Free Options
Toilet Access
Busiest and Slowest
Times at Station
Station Hours
Nearby Attractions
Suggested/Alternate
Stations
Service Report
User Identified
Issues
Stations

6. A strategic collaboration with communities through the
processing and production of abundant invasive plants.Utilize
In a time of depleting natural
resources, there are many under
utilized unwanted resources. By
collaborating with and connecting
available communities to utilize
abundant waste materials, we
can help control devastating
invasive plants while building a
healthier relationship for the
community and its local fauna.
distributes amongst Sustainable Eradicators
Businesses enabled to grow
larger to eradicate more, quicker.
Profit
Sustainable Eradicators+
Eradication & Harvesting
Processing & Production
Reusable Grocery Bag,
Journals/Notebooks,
Wallets, Etc.
Craft Fairs
Flea Markets
Health/Wellness Stores
Co-ops
Whole Foods
sold at
Elsewhere Collaborative
Fiber Artists
Artist Collectives
Textile Workers
Folk Schools
Kudzu Kollege
Greensboro Hive
J. Gamble
Goat Patrol
Crop Mob
Abundant Material
+ Available Community
Design Opportunity
Resources could include
Bamboo (wood/fiber)
Alumroot (mordant for dyeing)
Purple Loose Strife (natural dye)
Kudzu

7. For this case study we worked with Kudzu, a
highly invasive plant in the US. Though it can
grow a foot a day and smother everything in its
path; its medicinal and edible, and can be
processed into bio-fuels, paper, and a fiber.
“Kudzu in Japan is native. It’s not
a problem in it’s native range. It is
not native to this region and that
is why it grows so unchecked."
Melissa Bravo
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Kudzu
requires
constant
maintenance
to contain it.
ThegovernmentusesdangerousherbicidestocombatKudzu's
quick growth, further damaging the affected areas. Sustainable
control methods are as effective as herbicides and allows the
land to retain nutrients and animals their safety and homes.
We began by working directly along side
sustainable eradicators (controlling without
chemicals) in North Carolina and reaching out
to artist communities to collaborate with.

8. We hosted workshops in Nashville to eradicate and
harvest the vine and collaborated with various artist
collectives known for their expertise with fibers.
“Growing up in the rural South, I was
taught that kudzu was an evil thing, with
an acquisitive, destructive nature."
Carol Penn-Romine
Edible Memphis

9. be marketed to environmentally conscious consumers.
This includes grocery bags, wallets, messenger bags and
journals all hand made and naturally dyed and printed.
We developed two product
lines. One line is of items to

10. Tags with Utilize branding printed with soy ink on recycled
stock includes more information about the processing of the
plan materials and how others can get involved and connect
with the communities sustainably.
The other is a line of organic
Kudzu threads, skeins, and
fabrics. All of which are raw or
naturally dyed to be marketed
as a sustainable material
alternative in craft stores.

11. Greenfield Library
Entrance/Exit
Circulation Desk
Ramp
Stairs
To Lower Floor
Encyclopedias
Magazines
Stacks
Our class was approached by the school to
assist in a redesign of the Greenfield Library
at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. They
were planning a remodel of the space and
needed user-friendly and efficient options.

12. “It’s so dark in here and lacks
personality, for an art school library.
It’s also really hard to find the
references I want to find; books,
photos, magazines.”
Julianna, Photography Instructor
Research was
collected on
user habits,
interests, and
needs.
Library
Entrance>
<To Lower Level
1:12p
1:11p
12:52p
Instructor
In: 1:17pm | Out: 2:06pm
Checked Out
Came in for references and
online periodicals
Left because she couldn’t plug
her computer in
Avoids the library
Mostly uses the copier
We began by observing the space and user interactions. We
synthesized the data to develop a survey, disseminated
amongst the UArts community. We followed it up with a
suggestion box to capture insights from non-respondents.

13. Key Insights
from the survey and suggestion box
●convenient seating areas
●more diverse/non-art books
●less cramped, crowded space
●website and offerings clarity
●better lighting
●update to the overall appearance
● better signage/wayfinding
● more group and private spaces
● more outlets
“There aren’t enough outlets to
support every laptop in here.
Eery time I set up [against the
round wall] I have to move
and search for an outlet.“
James, Sculptor
I began to zero
in on a rounded
wall that was
awkward and
inefficient to use.
“There aren’t any computers in
there and no where to plug in
your own. I just want to get in
and out as quickly as possible”
Adam, Musician

14. After prototyping interventions we polled the users.
Their feedback prompted the library to make
changes in layout and style, one of which was my
design for a laptop bar, fitted with pop-up outlets for
easier and quicker computer access.

15. Out of the 40 interventions we proposed to the library, my
laptop bar concept was the only one that materialized.

16. Finance Office
The project was a 3 week sprint centered
around the Finance Office of an Arts University.
By better understanding internal processes and
relationships within the larger campus
community, we aimed to identify opportunities
for continuous innovation in the Finance Office.

17. ● The office layout was inefficient and dark
● Internal/External communication
● Undefined jobs/roles/responsibilities
● Lack of organization
● Confusion on process and documents
● Low Morale
● Finance Language
● Tracking Filing
Key Insights
“Half our office was laid off last year. We all
picked up whatever slack was left. There was
no conversation about who is now supposed to
do what. It’s frustrating and stressful.”
“No one cares about us. They’ve shoved us in
this dark, cramped place and forgotten us.”
“Like shoveling coal at the bottom of the Titanic.”

18. Through analysis of the research we were able to
diagram our focus areas to better address our
stakeholders’ specific needs and stresses.
Realizing that the Finance Office’s
success lies in their ability to
deliver financial education and
effective service offerings, five
intervention areas have been
identified to help implement new
frameworks for the Finance
Office’s future success.

19. Major role restructuring due to attrition and
replacement and lack of desired time or mentorship
to learn these new roles, an unclear understanding
has developed.
Improperly completed paperwork accounts for
nearly a third of the documents turned in that must
be traced and corrected.
Clarity of communication and understanding of the
steps required to complete tasks were unclear for
both staff and finance department.
We observed a communication breakdown
between the Finance Office and the larger school
community. We needed to translate the
accountants’ language of numbers to something
tangible for artists, dancers, and musicians.
The office was separated into three locations. This
physical separation appears to make
communication more problematic and lead to a
feeling of emotional separation.

20. We co-designed with the employees who reside in
that space to create a scalable and efficient layout.
A role game was deployed to help identify the point
of role confusion and assisted in developing further
strategies and tools to help define roles.
By creating infographics and a visual narrative we
created a visual language to assist communication.
A card game was developed to improve interaction
and communication within the office and rebuild the
employer/employee relationship.
Documents were redesigned to differentiate and
promote clarity and triage within the office..

21. Claustrophobic Guide
This guide was developed as a shopping
reference for sufferers of claustrophobia in
Philadelphia. Among other things, it details all of
the local shops, their busiest and slowest times,
and where to seek comfort in open spaces.
Through a support group for claustrophobia, 10
respondents were selected for interviews.
Shopping arose as a specifically sensitive topic
for all and became our entry point.
“I feel like I always choose the wrong time
to go out and wind up getting so frustrated
and anxious that I can’t even finish my
errands. I just have to go home…. I will cry.
Janine

22. Respondents were given cameras and
asked to take photos during a shopping trip
in Center City. The prompt was to take a
photo whenever they felt very relaxed and
when they felt very anxious. The photos were
analyzed to better empathize with their fears.
Once we had a better understanding of their
needs, we compiled data relevant to
assuaging claustrophobia.

26. Thank You!
k.brown27@ymail.com 607.425.0507