Hi! I’m Maria Ana. I’m a UX Researcher focused on helping teams understand complex user behaviours, reduce ambiguity, and make evidence-based product and service decisions that align with business and strategy goals.
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Experience

I have spent the past decade understanding people through roles in fashion and design research.

Over the past 6+ years, I’ve worked across research, strategy, and design projects in collaboration with startups, agencies, consultancies, corporations, universities and multidisciplinary teams. My experience spans industries including education, automotive, e-commerce, public safety, and innovation technologies, where I’ve helped teams uncover user needs, navigate uncertainty, and make more informed and strategically aligned product decisions.

My work is grounded in qualitative research, systems thinking, and collaborative problem-solving. I’m especially drawn to projects that involve complexity, emerging opportunities, and translating human insight into meaningful strategic direction.
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Career Highlights

• Led a foundational study that enhanced marketing clarity on customer and sector needs, boosting actionable insights for roadmap development by 40%

• Led internal audits that identified design flaws, doubling early bug detection and resolution opportunities

• Delivered quantitative and qualitative research uncovering 8+ key customer pain points, challenging assumptions and driving a 34% increase in user satisfaction

Areas of focus

• Foundational & evaluative user research (user interviews, usability studies, A/B testing)

• Service and systems thinking

• Qualitative research moderation & synthesis

• Product experience evaluation (UX Audits)

• Strategic insight translation

• Workshop facilitation & stakeholder alignment

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Alongside my research work, I’m also a certified mindfulness teacher and facilitator. I run sessions and workshops that support focus, resilience, and clarity at work.

I work in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.