Hello! I am Megan Seastedt, an East Coast-based (open to relocation) UX Researcher & Designer. Empathy is my name, and solving problems is my game (and the jokes are just a bonus).  I have studied Psychology at Oregon State University with a specialization in UX Research & Design / HCI. 

It is clear to me that I have a sincere, deep interest in understanding people around me. It is second nature to ask questions to better understand the why behind the what. I’ve been peeling back the onion on this part of my life for the better part of two decades through my work and personal life, and I found myself back at school studying Psychology, User Experience, and Graphic Design. The alignment of my experience, soft skills, and training has made this a perfect combination, and I’ve never felt more confident that I was on the right path and doing the work I was meant to do. 

In 2021, when I first took a hard look at my career to determine what could be next for me, I saw how well the skills I learned through years of working in the beer industry and managing folks transferred to UX Design. Here's some of what I picked up along the way:

• Empathy is key - to everything. It allows you to understand a colleague or client. It creates curiosity. It is everything.

• Communication can either solve or create problems - Whether you can effectively communicate or not, you will either be a person who solves problems or be the problem. This also taught me the value of being curious. 

• Show up every day ready to problem-solve - Day in, day out - as a brewer or manager, you’re solving problems. It was either equipment or people depending on the day. Either way, you have to be ready.

• Keep your work organized & structured  - I'm a recovering workaholic. The "recovering" part is still a work in progress, but don’t worry, I practice the radical act of having fun for its own sake. However, the workaholic years left me with a superpower: I am an absurdly incredible organizer. Give me a spreadsheet, a trip to plan, or a chaotic group of friends to coordinate, and I will turn it into a beautifully structured plan, and color-coding to boot.

• Be strategic - You can’t see the finish line through the forest, and sometimes you have to get a little creative. You must use your resources and work as a team, because we all bring unique skills to the table. One person can't save the whole world.

• Remain level-headed - I’ve learned that no problem is solved when you’re at a 10, internally. Get diplomatic, get curious, and wait until you’re ready to hear someone before moving forward. 

• Remain Agile & Flexible - When I walked into work, I knew anything could happen. I had to ensure that I could remain cool, calm, and focused on solutions. If you always remain ready, then you’re always prepared.

• The Work is Never Done - Being able to pick up an idea or a problem and research, iterate, test, and do it all over again is an important practice in ego death. 

This is what I'm bringing into UX Research & Design. I have a genuine desire to understand how people move through systems and where those systems fail them. I want to help solve those problems. I’ve spent years improving systems, and it left me with something close to a pathological commitment to clarity and adequate communication. I have sat across the table with different departments and leaders that have their priorities, actually hear what each of them needs, and find the version that works for everyone. Somewhere in all of that, I developed an eye for potential pain points, or where tension is building and the follow-through to address it. 

Finally, I can’t express enough appreciation that you have taken the time to get this far in my biography. It’s scary to pivot your career after 15+ years, and yet, I’ve never been more excited to see what lies ahead. I look forward to sharing what I can do for your company and the people you serve. 

BONUS: One thing unique and weird about me is that I love a challenge. Maybe it was because I grew up as an athlete, or because I grew up with five siblings and was always vying to be the first at…anything. This manifested later in life in a unique way - I always find fun, interesting ways to challenge myself. I wanted to learn how to use Procreate and how to draw a little bit better, so I did a 100-day drawing challenge. I got a bit obsessed with it, but what it also did was showcase how I like to show up for myself. I became more disciplined and more caring about my goals and what I wanted to achieve. It may seem obvious, but it wasn’t until I started doing these challenges that I realized how much I wasn’t doing that. Now, I’m a bit obsessed with what I can push myself to do within these caring boundaries.