Mahnaz Izadi
UX Researcher / Designer
San Diego
Summary
UX researcher/designer with an interdisciplinary background and a critical approach to problem-solving. Seven years of experience designing, implementing, and analyzing mixed-methods research. Skilled in conducting interviews, surveys, and observations, with expertise in both qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Adept at translating research insights into actionable design improvements, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and driving user-centered decision-making.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
12
12
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Associate Usability Specialist
Iron Mountain
08.2023 - Current
- Enhanced usability of multiple content management applications by collaborating with UX designers, product owners, and key stakeholders, driving user-centric improvements.
- Led accessibility compliance initiatives, ensuring applications met WCAG success criteria, resulting in VPAT certification and improved product inclusivity.
- Developed and implemented an accessible design and development framework, streamlining accessibility best practices across design and development teams.
- Conducted accessibility workshops for internal teams, increasing company-wide adoption of accessibility standards and improving compliance.
- Designed a scalable content management application leveraging a robust Figma-based design system to ensure consistency and efficiency.
- Participated in design and consistency reviews with UX teams, editorial teams, and product stakeholders to maintain a cohesive user experience.
- Executed comprehensive user research initiatives for Iron Mountain applications, utilizing diverse moderated and unmoderated research methods to enhance user engagement and product usability.
- Prioritized and managed accessibility and usability findings, using Jira project management platform
UX Research/Design Intern
Iron Mountain
07.2022 - 08.2023
- Conducted moderated usability sessions in both moderator and note-taker roles, gathering critical user insights to refine design prototypes and full-code applications.
- Led UX research initiatives across teams by fostering collaboration, promoting early research adoption, and presenting key findings with actionable recommendations.
- Developed a comprehensive user journey map for a data management platform by synthesizing insights from customer and stakeholder interviews, surveys, and usability testing.
- Performed in-depth competitor analysis on a content services platform, partnering with product management and implementation teams to inform strategic decisions.
- Contributed to the design team’s innovation efforts by leading brainstorming, ideation, storyboarding, and market research for a metaverse platform.
- Produced detailed UX research reports with data-driven UI/UX design recommendations, presenting findings to cross-functional teams in an agile environment.
Graduate Research Assistant
City University of New York
08.2018 - 01.2023
- Investigated the impact of school design on bullying prevalence through in-depth semi-structured interviews, leading to a published journal article.
- Contributed to a longitudinal qualitative study examining children's experience of place, providing insights into spatial and environmental influences.
- Designed and executed surveys and interviews with parents and play workers to analyze the role of adults in children's adventure play, utilizing narrative analysis.
- Conducted qualitative and quantitative data analysis using ATLAS.ti, SPSS, and R-Studio to extract meaningful research insights.
Graduate Teaching Fellow
CUNY Brooklyn College
08.2019 - 01.2022
- Led Statistical Methods in Psychological Research labs and delivered lectures on statistical analysis.
- Developed hands-on lab projects using SPSS, Excel, and Jamovi.Jamovi
Education
Master of Arts - Psychology
City University of New York
01.2018 - 01.2022
Master's degree - Architecture
Tehran University of Art
01.2014 - 01.2017
Bachelor of Science - Architectural Engineering
Tehran University of Art
01.2008 - 01.2013
Skills
Usability Testing
Journey Mapping
Scholarly Publications
Izadi, M., & Hart, R. (2023). The influence of the physical environment on social behavior, school climate, and bullying in schools. Children’s Geographies, 22(1), 66–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2023.2232751
Babel L, Sulu B, Izadi M. The Value of Free Play and Risk: Parents' and Playworkers' Perspectives of an Adventure Playground. InSpaces for play. Edward Elgar Publishing. Manuscript under review.
Awards and Certificates
- Graduate Center Fellowship, City University of New York, 2018
- Certificate of Completion, Human-Centered Design, University of California San Diego, 2022
Websites
Timeline
Associate Usability Specialist
Iron Mountain
08.2023 - Current
UX Research/Design Intern
Iron Mountain
07.2022 - 08.2023
Graduate Teaching Fellow
CUNY Brooklyn College
08.2019 - 01.2022
Graduate Research Assistant
City University of New York
08.2018 - 01.2023
Master of Arts - Psychology
City University of New York
01.2018 - 01.2022
Master's degree - Architecture
Tehran University of Art
01.2014 - 01.2017
Bachelor of Science - Architectural Engineering
Tehran University of Art
01.2008 - 01.2013
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