About

Hi, I'm Grace.

I'm a UX Researcher and Service Designer based in Sunnyvale, CA. A lot of my work starts with a pretty simple question: why are people doing what they're doing? I'm especially curious about the little (often creative) workarounds, habits, and decisions that happen along the way.

I started out in journalism, and I think a lot of that curiosity followed me into UX research. Since then, my work has taken me from interviewing people about everyday experiences to mapping complex services, digging through behavioral data, and facilitating conversations with teams and leadership.

People are messy. Life is messy. But that's also what makes human behavior so interesting. Research helps us make sense of some of that mess, connect evidence, and figure out what can happen next. And that's pretty cool.

Outside of work, I'm usually walking, reading, crocheting, or baking cookies to share. I also, on occasion... wish I could be a rock. (Hey, they get to sit quietly and people-watch without it being weird. A girl can dream.)

If you'd like to talk UX, research, accessibility, or a weird design problem, find me on LinkedIn or send me an email.

Grace Lee smiling outdoors on a college campus

Based in

Sunnyvale, CA

Background

Journalism, Digital Design, User Experience Research

Currently

Open for work

How I think about research

A few things I try to hold onto when I'm figuring out a messy problem.

Start with questions, not assumptions.

Before I try to make sense of a workflow or dataset, I want to understand what people actually do. Not just what the process says should happen, but what happens in practice, and why.

Pay attention to the workaround.

The little shortcuts, contradictions, and “I usually just…” moments are often where things get interesting. They can tell you a lot about where a system isn't quite working for the people using it.

Don't rush to make the mess make sense.

Research doesn't always line up neatly at first. When findings contradict each other, I'd rather understand why than force them into a tidy story too early.

A little more of the picture

Grace facilitating a workshop, sorting sticky notes on a whiteboard during an affinity mapping session — Facilitating a brainstorming and affinity-mapping session with sticky notes.

Grace moderating a panel on hiring international talent, with panelists seated at a table — Moderating an employer panel on hiring international talent, Pittsburgh Technology Council.

Grace presenting PTC user research findings to a room of colleagues — Presenting PTC user research findings to stakeholders.

🍪 Did I mention I love cookies? Here's a favorite recipe.

If you're interested in learning more about me (or want a cookie?) feel free to reach out.