Role
UX Research Intern
Methods
Semi-structured interviews, surveys, moderated and unmoderated usability testing, Kano analysis
Type
Exploratory and Evaluative
Timeline
May - Aug 2024
Signet Jewelers is the world's largest retailer of diamond jewelry, including brands such as Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared, and Blue Nile.
In the summer of 2024, I joined the team as a UX Research Intern, where I led and contributed to various projects focused on improving the experiences of customers, in-store jewelry consultants, and support center employees.
During my internship, I played a key role in data collection, analysis, and presenting insights to stakeholders for nine projects. I owned two projects end-to-end and contributed meaningfully to others, integrating quickly into the team and operating with a level of independence more typical of a full-time researcher.
A core part of my role involved hands-on ownership of data collection and analysis across both exploratory and evaluative studies. I led an unmoderated usability test from planning through synthesis, which required selecting appropriate tasks, configuring the study in UserTesting, monitoring participant quality, and analyzing results under tight timelines.
In parallel, I supported and conducted semi-structured interviews and surveys to better understand user needs and pain points across different audiences. These projects required tailoring methods to fit distinct contexts—such as customer-facing digital experiences versus in-store workflows—while maintaining consistency in research rigor.
To support feature prioritization, I applied the Kano Method to survey data, translating participant responses into actionable categorizations that helped teams reason about user expectations versus delight factors. This experience strengthened my ability to move beyond raw feedback and apply structured frameworks that support product decision-making, particularly when teams are balancing competing priorities.
Throughout the internship, I regularly synthesized findings and presented insights to stakeholders, including product leads, UX designers, and developers. Because research outcomes often informed ongoing design and development efforts, clarity and relevance were critical. I focused on framing insights in a way that aligned with team goals and constraints, ensuring research outputs were understandable, actionable, and grounded in user evidence.
Like many industry research environments, timelines were often compressed and projects ran in parallel. To manage this, I focused on clearly scoping research questions, selecting methods that matched the required level of rigor, and using available tools efficiently. Working across several brands also required quickly understanding differing goals and constraints while maintaining consistency in research quality.
My teammates and leads noted how seamlessly I integrated into the team, describing my contributions as comparable to those of a full-time teammate rather than an intern requiring close oversight. This reflected my ability to self-manage, communicate proactively, and deliver reliable research outputs in a fast-paced environment.
The trust placed in me by the UXR and Digital teams allowed me to independently lead studies while still benefiting from mentorship and feedback. This balance helped me grow my confidence in managing research projects end to end while collaborating effectively within a large organization.