About

Name: Stella Kim
School: University of Toronto
Program: Master of Information in UX Design

Design skills

Wireframing & Prototyping, Information Architecture, Interaction Design, Storyboarding

Research skills

Surveys, User Interviews, Card Sorting, Usability Testing, Heuristic Evaluations, Affinity Mapping, Ethnographic Studies

Tools & languages

Figma, Balsamiq, Adobe Creative Suite, Protopie, Qualtrics Survey Software, Webflow, HTML/CSS

Nice to meet you!

My name is Stella. I am currently in my second year of the University of Toronto's Master of Information program, studying User Experience Research and Design. I am also a UX Research Intern at SurveyMonkey. Before starting my master's, I worked in the food industry as a Product Developer.

I am passionate about harnessing the power of empathy and insights from UX research to drive human-centred design.

My Journey from Food Science to UX

2021: Entered the Food Industry

After obtaining my B.Sc. in Food Science from the University of Guelph, I joined Loblaw Companies Limited as an Associate Product Developer for President's Choice food products. In this role, I designed, tested, and launched new food items that met the needs and preferences of Canadian consumers.

2022: Discovered my passion for UX

At Loblaw, I spearheaded initiatives to integrate consumer feedback into the product development process to better align offerings with consumer needs. I discovered my passion for improving user experiences during this period.

2023: Changed career paths

After deciding to change careers into UX, I began the Master of Information program at the University of Toronto in September 2023.

2023 - Present: Working as a UX Research Intern

Concurrent to my master's degree, I refined my research skills by working as a Design Researcher at the University of Toronto's Innovation Hub. My project focused on planning and executing user research activities to understand student experiences with on-campus sport and recreation programs and facilities.

Currently, I am working at SurveyMonkey as a UX Research Intern.

What makes me unique?

🔍 Research Driven

Research is powerful, because it allows us to identify the problems that matter. I continue to grow my research skills through my work as a Design Researcher.

❤️ Empathetic Approach

Empathy underlies every research and design activity I undertake. Empathizing with users has guided me in ensuring that I'm solving for problems that truly matter to people.

🌟 Lifelong Learner

I have a continuous growth mindset, and am always ready to embrace new challenges and perspectives in UX. I see every project as an opportunity to grow as a UX professional.