Amazon

2021-2023

My Role 🙋‍♂️

I was a UX Design Intern for the Amazon Alexa Human Effects (HFX) team in 2021 and returned as a full-time UX Designer in 2022. My work was primarily on Amazon’s Echo Buds line.

What I Did 🛠️

Using data from customer research, I identified and designed features that could enhance the value proposition of the current Echo Buds line while being scalable for future iterations of the product. This led to two projects aimed at enhancing personal safety, dubbed "Bodyguard" and "Discreet SOS." These features were eventually prioritized as hero features for an upcoming line of Echo Buds.

In addition to design, I was involved in UX Research at Amazon. I moderated on-site usability studies with an Alexa product prototype to measure customer satisfaction and determine if products were market-ready. I've also created surveys and interview questions for Qualtrics and UserTesting to help understand customer needs and guide long-term decision making for leadership.

Takeaways 🤔

Before my time at Amazon, I had primarily done UI design, so working with voice and gesture interactions was an interesting change of pace! It sparked my interest in multimodal design and broadened my perspective on how users interact with technology beyond traditional screens.

It was fulfilling to see my work influence how Amazon planned to market the upcoming Echo Buds line. Unfortunately, late 2022 was a tumultuous time for the tech industry, including Amazon. The Alexa HFX team was dissolved, and these features were never fully developed.

My experience at Amazon was still extremely valuable. It strengthened my ability to drive research-backed UX Design. Navigating stakeholder priorities, business goals, and technical limitations deepened my understanding of designing practical, scalable solutions.