Welcome to my portfolio

Professional profile

University Case Studies 

Project Outline

I have been involved in various case studies during my BSc in Anthropology with a year in Data Analytics. One of the case studies focused on the Anthropology of Business, where I conducted qualitative interviews to explore cultural dynamics and their impact on Business practises. I also conducted a dissertation on personality preferences, examining different traits and their influence on individuals. Additionally, I worked on a quantitative project analysing sea levels using data analytics techniques to understand environmental trends. These case studies have provided me with valuable hands-on experience in applying Anthropological and data analytics knowledge, deepening my understanding of these fields.To access the research projects I conducted during my undergraduate degree, simply click on the pink buttons below.

Dissertation

Is temperament and self described personality traits influenced by word preferences?

To access the research case study I developed during my undergraduate degree in Anthropology, which involved the utilisation of SPSS, please click on the pink button.

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Skills: 

  • Research Design
  • Primary Research
  • Data Collection
  • Data Analysis
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Critical Thinking
  • Writing and Communication
  • Literature Review
  • Time Management
  • Problem-Solving
  • Interdisciplinary Knowledge
  • Adaptability
  • Presentation

Anthropology of Business - Qualitative Interview

What is the impact of the relationship between individuals and organisations on organisational values, and how is this influenced by communities of practise? 

Click the pink button to access the qualitative in-depth interview I conducted as part of my undergraduate degree.

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Skills: 

  • Qualitative Research Skills
  • Interpretive Analysis
  • Primary Research
  • Ethnographic Understanding
  • Critical Thinking
  • Communication Skills
  • Empathy and Sensitivity
  • Problem-Solving Skills
  • Cultural Competence
  • Collaboration
  • Adaptability and Flexibility
  • Presentation

Quantitative Group Research Project

Is there a relationship between tide gauge data and greenhouse gases in New Zealand over a decade?

Click the pink button to access the quantitative R project that my partner and I conducted during our year in data analytics.

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Skills: 

  • Research Design
  • Literature Review
  • Secondary Research
  • Data Analysis
  • Interpretation of Results
  • Critical Thinking
  • Communication Skills
  • Problem-Solving
  • Collaboration
  • Presentation

Sixth Form Case Studies 

Project Outline

During my time in Sixth Form, I engaged in several case studies as part of my BTech Business and A-Level studies. One notable case study was "Melodies," which focused on analysing the business aspects of the music industry. Additionally, I undertook an Extended Project (EPQ) case study spanning from 2015 to 2016, allowing me to explore a specific topic in-depth and develop valuable research skills. Alongside these projects, I pursued A-Level Media and BTech Applied Science courses, broadening my knowledge in different fields. Through these case studies and courses, I acquired a diverse range of skills and knowledge relevant to Business, Media, and Science. To access the research projects I conducted during my time in sixth form, simply click on the pink buttons below.

Extended Project AS-Level (EPQ) 

How social media influences the types of bullying younger and older students face?

Click the pink button to access the research case study I created as part of my EPQ project during my studies in Sixth Form.

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Skills: 

  • Research Design
  • Literature Review
  • Primary Research Methods
  • Data Analysis
  • Critical Thinking
  • Communication Skills
  • Time Management
  • Reflection
  • Problem-Solving
  • Adaptability
  • Presentation

BTech Business Case Study 

Product Case Study

To access the product case study I developed during my BTech Business studies in Sixth Form, simply click on the pink button.

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Skills: 

  • Market Research
  • Competitor Analysis
  • Product Development
  • Setting SMART Objectives
  • Survey Design
  • Data Analysis
  • Branding Strategy
  • Understanding Consumer Behavior
  • Secondary Research
  • Identifying Market Trends
  • Drawing Conclusions from Research
  • Making Recommendations
  • Pricing Strategy
  • Marketing Strategy
  • Product Line Expansion

UX Design Institute

In February 2022, I enrolled in a UX Design course with UX Design Institute. This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals of UX design and provide them with practical experience in the field. Over the course of the program, I completed 10 modules, each of which covered a different aspect of UX design, including user research, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing.

In addition to the modules, there was a 2-hour exam at the end of the course that tested our knowledge of the concepts covered in the program. The final component of the course was a portfolio that showcased the work we completed throughout the program.

This website serves as my portfolio for the course, where I've documented the projects I worked on during the program. These projects include user research, personas, customer journey maps, sketches, prototypes, and annotations. Through this program, I gained practical experience in UX design and developed the skills necessary to design user-centered products and services.


Brief Video Summary 

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UX Design Project Process

I am deeply interested in user research and the valuable insights it can provide into how people interact with products and services. As someone with a background in anthropology and data analytics, I understand the importance of taking a human-centered approach to research, and I believe that user research is an essential tool for creating products and services that meet the needs and expectations of users. I am passionate about using research methods such as user testing, surveys, and interviews to gain a deeper understanding of user behavior, preferences, and needs. I am eager to contribute my skills and knowledge to a team focused on improving user experiences, and I am excited about the opportunity to work on research projects that have a meaningful impact on people's lives.


In these modules, I learned about the importance of research in UX design. I understood that strong, focused research is fundamental to understanding the problems we are trying to solve for users. I was introduced to a range of research techniques, including the core skill of usability testing, as well as methods such as interviewing, card sorting, online surveys, A/B testing, and heuristic evaluation.

Competitve Benchmarking

Utilising competitive benchmarking as a research technique can be highly valuable in gaining knowledge on the successful strategies of your competitors and learning from their mistakes. In this project, analyzing four websites or mobile apps can provide valuable insights to enhance the design of your own website or app.

Competitive Benchmarking Maryam Ali.mp4
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Skills:

Online Survey

This task is quite simple. I'll be creating an online survey and sending it out to my friends and colleagues. This way, I can gain a better understanding of what potential customers are looking for. The information I collect will help me make more informed design decisions in the future and will also give me an opportunity to practice analyzing survey data.

Survey Results - Google Docs.pdf
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Skills:

Note Taking

As a UX professional, I've come to realize that note-taking is a fundamental skill that is often overlooked. Good notes play a critical role in the research process, helping me to identify key insights that will inform my design decisions later on. This project presents a valuable opportunity for me to develop my note-taking skills, which will be crucial in all subsequent projects. Although I'm free to use any tool I want, it's important to remember that this project is not about design. Therefore, my focus should be on prioritizing my notes and capturing essential information, rather than creating a visually appealing document.

MaryamAli_Project3 - Google Docs.pdf
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Skills:


Usability Test

I strongly believe that usability testing is the most effective and powerful tool at a UX researcher's disposal. It enables us to gain valuable insights directly from the user, providing us with the information necessary to make informed design decisions and ultimately create better products.

In this project, I will learn how to set up, moderate, and record a usability test. Specifically, I will be conducting a comparative usability test with one user, and I plan to supplement this with an interview session to gather even more data.

Through this project, I aim to enhance my skills in conducting usability tests and improve my ability to gather valuable insights from users. Ultimately, the insights and data gathered during this project will be used to make informed design decisions and create more effective and user-friendly products.

video1261742138_Trim_Trim.mp4
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MaryamAli_Project 4.mp4

Skills:



In these module, I learned the importance of analyzing the research data that I gathered. I learned that analyzing the data was crucial for articulating the problems I was attempting to solve for the user. The module introduced me to several frameworks and techniques that helped me make sense of large volumes of raw data and allowed me to truly understand the problems that needed to be solved.


 

Affinty Diagram

Learning how to run an affinity diagram session successfully was an important skill for me as a UX professional. These sessions allowed me to sort through large volumes of data and get to the root of our findings.

For this project, I reviewed all of the research from my previous work and created an affinity diagram to represent what I had learned so far. This work helped me with further analysis and design decisions in the coming projects.


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Skills



Customer Journey Map

In this module, I learned that creating a customer journey map is a valuable technique for UX design. This project is a great addition to my portfolio and builds on the work I did in the affinity diagram. By creating a journey map, I put even more structure on the analysis of my research data.

I also learned that creating a journey map is not a purely objective process, but rather subjective. There may be gaps between the affinity diagram and the journey map, and I need to use my own judgement to fill those gaps.

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Skills:



Flow Diagram

Now, I am starting to design my website. My main objective is to address the issues I have uncovered during my research, which I have highlighted in my affinity diagram and customer journey map. In this project, I will be defining a high-level flow for the desktop website, focusing on one primary use case. However, before I start designing the screens, it is important that I understand how users will flow through my design.

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Skills:



Interaction Design

In this project, I continued the design process and sketched the screens for the desktop booking process. My case study reflected booking flights, a hotel stay, or a rental car. In subsequent projects, I planned to convert these sketches into a prototype and wireframes. At this stage, I transitioned from understanding and articulating the problem to the solution mode, where I aimed to solve the identified problems.

MaryamAli_Project9 .pdf

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Skills:


Prototype

In this project, I will be creating a medium-fidelity prototype for my desktop app, which is focused on booking a hotel stay. I have already defined much of the solution with my flow diagrams and sketches, and now I will be adding more detail in the form of interactivity, while also learning some powerful tools along the way.

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Skills:


Annotations

As I continue working on my case study for booking a hotel stay, the next step is to create annotations for my desktop app. This involves adding extra details to my sketches and prototype that will provide clarity to the developers tasked with building the final product. By adding annotations, I can ensure that the app is built accurately and to my specifications. This is an important step in the design process, as it helps to bridge the gap between design and development.

MaryamAli_Project15.pdf

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Skills:

To conclude I will share some of the projects that I'll completed from the UX Design Institute to structure this blog. From this course I hope to have a broader understanding of the user experience field and gain practical skills to help me flourish as a prospective researcher.