The Scribe’s Origin Stories: Part 1

When I was studying computer science as an undergrad in the early 2000s, I took a class on usability and development. I was gobsmacked by the idea that you could get a job focused on research and usability in technology. My anthropology and statistics classes only deepened that love. 

I graduated in December 2006, bought my first house in October 2007, watched the economy fall apart around me, and settled into a practical job as a business analyst. But I never stopped longing for my college sweetheart: research. Five years later, I finally moved into a consumer research role, and that love bloomed into obsession.

My career has bounced around since then: analyst, product management, people management, but it always lands back on research. In job interviews, I used to worry that my hopscotching would look bad, especially after I crashed and burned on the dreaded "what's your 5-year plan?" question. Today, I see the value in what each unique role taught me. The responsibilities have varied wildly, but I've always approached the work with the same drive: to learn about my users, my consumers, my team. Asking questions and gathering data has been the foundation of every role I've held.