Hola! 👋🏼
I'm Fran, a researcher who combines my psychology background with a passion for entrepreneurship to connect people and opportunities. I genuinely enjoy talking to and connecting with people, learning about their unique stories and needs to inform design solutions that are meaningful. I am deeply committed to pursuing research endeavors that promote social connections and empowerment, with a particular emphasis on providing support to marginalized communities.
My journey
My design journey was a bit of a happy accident when I co-founded a social venture during the COVID-19 pandemic in my home country, Peru. Koshi Studio supported indigenous artisans repurposing their art co-designing commercial products. This experience unveiled the power of design as a means to tackle problems, prioritize user-centered research, and above all, significantly transform people's lives for the better.
Driven to sharpen my research skills even further, I joined Scotiabank, where I conducted research on digital banking products and advocated for UX Research. In doing so, I created a collection of tools that proved valuable not just for our Design team, but for the organization as a whole.
After concluding my master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction and Design at the University of Washington, I’ve been conducting research at DoorDash supporting the New Verticals and Core Consumer teams.
My work values
Collaborative: I value stakeholder involvement for better outcomes and enjoy working closely with designers, product managers, developers, and users, prioritizing participatory design when relevant.
Intercultural: Experienced in diverse cultural contexts, I prioritize sensitivity, ethical considerations, and understanding of cultural nuances to work effectively with varied participants.
Adaptable: I avoid assumptions and remain open to change based on user research. Comfortable with ambiguity, I embrace the iterative nature of the research process.
Beyond design
When I'm not immersed in research, you can find me discovering the wonders of the great outdoors in the beautiful Pacific Northwest or traveling somewhere new. Having realized that skiing and I weren't quite the perfect match, I'm now training for a half-marathon. And let's not forget, I absolutely love diving into pop culture and treating myself to a delicious pasta meal at any opportunity.
