Kenya Freeman Oduor, Ph.D.
Human-Centered Researcher, Strategist, & Designer
Raleigh-Durham United States (North Carolina)
Professional Status
Employed
Available
About Me
I follow a human-centered approach to solution research, strategy, and design. After nearly 18 years in enterprise software development organizations, I formed Lean Geeks. Lean Geeks, a consulting and staffing firm, helps organizations discover market opportunities and define the most effective solutions for their market.
Leading business strategy and org change in human-centered solution definition and design (Design Thinking) is my strength. I enjoy working with others across organizations from the top-down and bottom-up on defining and implementing processes that lead to better problem definition and improved solution outcomes. I coach cross-functional teams on collaborative discovery, definition, and design processes that are complimentary to Agile methods.
I hold a doctorate in Human Factors Psychology from North Carolina State University. I am an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Computer Science at N.C. State. I am also Pragmatic Marketing Certified and have Agile Scrummaster and Product Owner training.
I help cultivate the strengths and capabilities of user experience research and design talent embedded within teams. Supporting their ability to successfully work with product management and development is important to a cross-functional product team's ability to collaborate and create successful outcomes.
Technical expertise: Sense-making, broad thinker with experience in user research, requirements gathering and elicitation, information synthesis, ideation, software interface design, product design, innovation, research & development, and process improvement
Interpersonal skills: Adaptable to changing requirements and unexpected obstacles, strategic thinker, risk taker, facilitator, capable of delivering clear and useful feedback, inspire and coach others
Leading business strategy and org change in human-centered solution definition and design (Design Thinking) is my strength. I enjoy working with others across organizations from the top-down and bottom-up on defining and implementing processes that lead to better problem definition and improved solution outcomes. I coach cross-functional teams on collaborative discovery, definition, and design processes that are complimentary to Agile methods.
I hold a doctorate in Human Factors Psychology from North Carolina State University. I am an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Computer Science at N.C. State. I am also Pragmatic Marketing Certified and have Agile Scrummaster and Product Owner training.
I help cultivate the strengths and capabilities of user experience research and design talent embedded within teams. Supporting their ability to successfully work with product management and development is important to a cross-functional product team's ability to collaborate and create successful outcomes.
Technical expertise: Sense-making, broad thinker with experience in user research, requirements gathering and elicitation, information synthesis, ideation, software interface design, product design, innovation, research & development, and process improvement
Interpersonal skills: Adaptable to changing requirements and unexpected obstacles, strategic thinker, risk taker, facilitator, capable of delivering clear and useful feedback, inspire and coach others
Managing Partner
Lean Geeks
Since April 2017
- Identify solution opportunities and requirements utilizing various qualitative and quantitative methods to understand target markets
- Design and validate solution experiences that may include complex software applications, tools, and processes
- Lead organizational development activities to identify and implement improvements to processes and tools that lead to more user- or customer-centric outcomes
Director, User Experience
LexisNexis
2014
to 2017
- Report to the managing director and responsible for leading the team of user experience architects, researchers, and designers for the enterprise software solutions division
- Led the design of the LexisNexis Experience Innovation Studio's physical space and its contents, as well as, the operational aspects in partnership with NC State. The studio supports collaboration and facilitated engagements with product teams, customers and university faculty, students, and staff
- Successfully facilitated the org-wide implementation of Design Thinking over a 12-month period. Required an evaluation of the end-to-end software development lifecycle (SDLC) to identify opportunities for improvement
- Responsible for working with cross-functional executive leadership to ensure the timely engagement of UX in defining and executing on user research, wireframe creation, and validation
- Coached team members through Six Sigma projects that improved the development team's UI defect mitigation and UI pattern reuse. Also responsible for evangelizing and supporting the implementation of these improvements
Manager, User Experience
LexisNexis
2009
to 2014
- Began my tenure at LN as the "UX team of one" responsible for the research, design, and validation of 3 practice management application. Promoted to manager nine months into the role
- Grew and managed global UX, Tech Writing, and Business Analysis Team for Business of Law Software Solutions division
- Defined and managed 9-month user research project to identify market opportunity and create concepts for new market segment. Involved recruitment and scheduling of 23 site visits across 5 major US cities. Engagement required oversight of user research/design firm team and collaboration with 4 LexisNexis product managers and stakeholders
User Experience Engineer and Project Manager
IBM
2006
to 2008
- Captured, managed, and reported the research, design, and validation activities of the 10 person UX team
- Assisted in the migration of a Java client to browser-based app by creating prototypes of a completely new product experience
- Led the creation of an installation and configuration roadmap for the application server install
- Performed usability testing of the application server components utilizing internal/external participants
Human Factors (Ergonomics/Experimental Psychology)
Human Factors (Ergonomics/Experimental Psychology)
- Contextual observation & inquiry
- Task analysis
- Information architecture
- End-to-end solution design
- Requirements gathering and elicitiation
- Strategic Thinking
- Idea Generation
- Collaborative Leadership
- Group facilitation
- Change Management
- Organizational Development
- Pragmatic Marketing Certified
- Design Thinking
- Certified Agile Product Owner
- Certified Agile Scrummaster
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Responsible for review and input on publication submissions and idea viability
Ergonomics in Design Manuscript
NSF - CISE Directorate Grant Proposal Review Participant
NCSU Office of Research and Innovation
- Provide feedback and consulting to start-up entities on strategies to improve their understanding of users and application of these insights
- Volunteer with non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity, Shepard's Table Soup Kitchen, Food Bank of Eastern and Central NC, Housing for New Hope, among others
- Mentor/mentee relationships with several women in tech and entrepreneurship
- Planned and led 5-day STEM camp for 25 middle-school girls that included 50+ corporate volunteers and presenters
- Partner in agricultural venture that strives to support economic development in Western Kenya by providing business education and individual empowerment to be self-sustaining
