UXR Spotlight: Angie Meltsner

Hi Angie, tell us a little about yourself.
Hello hello! I'm Angie Meltsner and am a user researcher based in the city of Boston, in the US. I work at an awesome research and design firm called Blink UX where I focus on mixed methods research, with a specialty in survey. UX is kind of my third career path; I started out in advertising media planning, then moved into marketing research, and now I’m very happy to be in user experience! Across all those paths, I’ve almost always been on the agency/consultancy side, and I love the variety that brings and being surrounded by people who love the craft. Outside of work, I’m usually with my husband and our young daughter, exploring all the great playgrounds and cafes around the city. Keeping up with pop culture is also a big hobby of mine, so I really enjoy reading, listening to podcasts (any UX Wholigans out there?), and chatting with my friends about some of the more light-hearted things happening in the world. You want me on your trivia team!

What originally got you interested in UX Research?
It probably started when I was a kid… I remember reading my older sister’s journal (sorry Kiki) – my first diary study! I have always been very curious and fascinated by what is going on in other people’s lives.  When I learned about user research and realized I could harness the power of nosiness and gossip for the better, I knew I had found the right job for me. After 10+ years in marketing/advertising, I was ready to start thinking about “users” rather than “customers”, and was so glad to find a great opportunity to make the move over.

What's one thing that can instantly make your day better?
Each weekday morning, I get to spend about 45 minutes one-on-one with my daughter while we take the bus and walk to her preschool. I love her curiosity and observations (they inspire me as a UXR!), and she never fails to make me laugh with questions or statements that only a 3 year-old could come up with. It always gives me something cheerful to hold onto throughout my day.

What would you like to talk about with other researchers and how can they find you?
I love nerding out about the power of mixed methods research, the art and science behind writing a good survey questionnaire, and celebrity gossip. Catch me on LinkedIn!
I’ll be giving a very short talk about finding inspiration from journalists at Blink’s ConveyUX conference taking place digitally May 3-5. And I’ll be speaking on the power of mixed methods research at the R&D Process Excellence & Product Development World Summit taking place in Boston May 12-13.

Thank you, Angie!