Research & Evaluation
Research & evaluation leadership · Mixed methods · Performance measurement
I turn organizational goals into research plans and findings into measurable improvement, then measure whether the changes worked.
Selected work
15 case studies
Featured · Embracing ComplexityThe Human-Technical
System Diagram
Read the case study →
What I do
Ways I work
One body of work, framed for different roles
Applied Research
Applied research leadership · Rapid learning · Insight into practice
I move quickly from insight to implementation, turning evidence into standards, tools, and decisions that teams can use.
Product Design & UX
Product discovery · AI experience strategy
I help product teams discover solutions customers love and validate them before major investment.
Process Redesign & AI
Process redesign · AI integration and agents · AX design · Benchmarking
I build agents to do the work, not just describe it, and redesign the processes and operating models around them.
Concept to Delivery
Design thinking · Rapid prototyping · Change management
I turn ideas into working services across industries, and make sure the new solutions get adopted.
About
I am a design researcher and strategist with a multi-disciplinary background in service design, industrial design, and architecture. As Design Research Director at Kroger, I lead research for AI and customer-experience initiatives, from competitive benchmarking to agent studies to turning raw customer feedback into decisions teams can act on. Passionate for research methodology, storytelling, and design prototyping. I bring expertise in systems thinking, and the ability to motivate my teammates to deliver exceptional work. I am devoted to research and its practical application in design.
Track record
Worked with
- Kroger · Cooklist
- Nikola Motors
- Steampunk · USDA NASS
- Candor USA
- Volvo
3
AI shopping assistants benchmarked head-to-head for Kroger
12
shoppers in a blind AI meal-planning agent test
176
user stories written for USDA NASS
28
stakeholder interviews mapping 12 departments
2.25M+
recruitable pool behind CALI
“Three little short statements are great. I would be more likely to use this because of how it's presented.”
“The opt out option helps make thing feel easy to manage.”
Education
M.F.A. Service Design · B.F.A. Industrial Design, SCAD
Service
U.S. Navy veteran · two Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medals
Questions
What kind of work do you do?
Design research and strategy: planning and running research programs, turning insights into service and product decisions, and mapping complex systems so teams can act on them.
Which research methods do you use?
Mixed methods: moderated and unmoderated studies, Wizard-of-Oz prototypes, longitudinal panels, stakeholder interviews, workshops, and biometric testing with emotion recognition, GSR, and eye-tracking.
What tools do you work with?
iMotions, MAXQDA, Miro, and Adobe CC, plus rapid physical and digital prototyping.
Which industries have you worked in?
Grocery and retail AI, automotive, insurance, and government — currently leading research for Kroger's AI and customer-experience initiatives, and previously at Nikola Motors, Volvo, Steampunk for USDA NASS, and Candor USA.
Do you work in Spanish?
Yes. I speak and write Spanish.
How do I get in touch?
Email noelog37@gmail.com or connect on LinkedIn.