Michele Oliver

About Michele Oliver

I am a Principal UX Researcher specializing in mixed methods research, research strategy, and AI-augmented insight generation for complex digital products.My work focuses on helping organizations understand their users at scale and translate research insights into product and business decisions. I design and lead research programs that combine qualitative depth with quantitative evidence, ensuring that product teams build solutions grounded in real user needs.Recently, I have been integrating AI-supported research workflows into my practice, using large language models and automation tools to accelerate transcript analysis, thematic synthesis, and insight generation. These approaches allow research teams to analyze larger datasets, reduce time to insight, and support faster product decision cycles while maintaining methodological rigor.I have extensive experience leading research initiatives for enterprise platforms serving higher education institutions. My work influences product strategy, experience design, and long-term platform development across global user populations.In addition to industry research leadership, I teach research methods at the graduate level and mentor emerging researchers in evidence-based product development.My areas of focus include-Mixed Methods UX Research -Research Strategy and Program Leadership -AI-Augmented Research Workflows -Insight Synthesis and Storytelling -Product Strategy and Decision Support -Higher Education TechnologyI am particularly interested in advancing the role of AI in research operations and building scalable research practices that enable organizations to learn faster and design more effective digital experiences.

Experience

1. Principal Ux Researcher

   Ellucian

   Jul 2022 — Present

   Lead strategic user research initiatives for enterprise higher education platforms, integrating AI-augmented research methods to accelerate insight generation and product decision-making across multiple product portfolios.• Design and lead end-to-end mixed methods research programs including generative research, usability testing, longitudinal studies, and strategic discovery to inform product strategy and experience design.• Integrate AI-assisted research workflows using LLM tools to support rapid synthesis, thematic analysis, transcript coding, and insight generation, reducing analysis time while maintaining methodological rigor.• Develop scalable research frameworks and AI-supported synthesis pipelines to analyze large volumes of qualitative and quantitative data across interviews, surveys, product telemetry, and usability sessions.• Partner with product, design, and executive leadership to translate research insights into product strategy, roadmap priorities, and measurable experience improvements.• Lead complex cross-functional research initiatives influencing enterprise product ecosystems used by universities worldwide.• Mentor researchers and product teams in modern research practices including AI-supported analysis, research operations, and insight storytelling.• Present research findings and strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders, ensuring user insights drive critical product and business decisions.• Champion a culture of evidence-based product development by operationalizing scalable research practices and insight repositories.

Education

• Central Michigan University

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Applied Experimental Psychology

  2007 — 2011

• New York University - Polytechnic School of Engineering

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Civil Engineering

• Central Michigan University

  Master of Science (M.S.), Experimental Psychology

  2005 — 2007

• Walden University

  Master of Science (M.S.), Education with an emphasis on Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

  2002 — 2004

Skills

• Teaching
• Public Speaking
• Event Planning
• Research
• Program Evaluation
• Spss
• Psychology
• Leadership
• Grant Writing
• Nonprofits
• Community Outreach
• Research Design
• Statistics
• University Teaching
• Student Development
• Program Development
• Grants
• Qualitative Research
• Student Affairs
• Higher Education
• Leadership Development