Megan Drace
About Megan Drace
Megan Drace is a Senior User Researcher with extensive experience in user research and design across various companies. She has worked in roles ranging from UX Designer to Research Manager and holds degrees in Sociology and Behavioral Decision Science.
Work at Kry
Megan Drace currently serves as a Senior User Researcher at Kry, a position she has held since 2022. In this role, she utilizes her expertise in user research to inform product development and enhance user experience. Her focus includes employing both qualitative and quantitative research methods to address various research questions. Megan's work at Kry emphasizes collaboration with cross-functional teams, advocating for a flat hierarchy to maximize impact.
Previous Experience in User Research
Before joining Kry, Megan held several positions in user research. She worked as a Senior User Researcher at Simply Business from 2020 to 2021, where she contributed to understanding user needs and improving service offerings. Prior to that, she served as a User Researcher at Simply Business from 2019 to 2020. Additionally, she was a Research Manager at Kantar Public from 2021 to 2022, focusing on managing research projects and ensuring quality outcomes.
Technical Background in Development and Design
Megan has a diverse technical background, having worked in various roles related to web and mobile development. She was a Mobile Web Developer at Moovweb from 2013 to 2015 and held positions as an Associate Web Developer and Associate Project Manager at AKQA from 2011 to 2013 and 2010 to 2011, respectively. Additionally, she worked as a UX Designer at VerticalResponse and as a UX/UI Designer at Vidlet Inc., both in 2015.
Education and Expertise
Megan Drace holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she studied from 2005 to 2009. She furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Science in Behavioral Decision Science from Kingston University in 2018. Additionally, she has completed studies in HTML and Interaction Design, enhancing her technical skills relevant to her roles in user research and design.
Research Methodology and Advocacy
Megan utilizes a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods to address diverse research questions. She focuses on preventing research bias by establishing clear success criteria for qualitative projects and ensuring team accountability. Megan also specializes in integrating behavioral science theory into the design thinking process, helping stakeholders formulate effective questions that lead to actionable insights.