Ford Motor Company: Early Access Program

Role: User Experience Researcher

I had the privilege of serving as the first User Experience Researcher for Ford’s Early Access Program—an initiative that partnered with thousands of vetted Ford customers eager to test early software releases, many of them electric vehicle owners.

My role centered on building structure and scalability into how product teams engaged with our research group. I developed a streamlined intake process that began with a custom Microsoft Form to capture project goals and research needs. From there, my team scheduled kickoff meetings, created tailored research plans, and opened dedicated chat channels to maintain alignment and full transparency throughout each project.

Managing eight or more concurrent projects became a rewarding challenge. As a devoted Miro user, I designed a modified Kanban board to visualize progress, balance workloads, and ensure no detail slipped through the cracks.

Much of my hands-on research involved designing and running surveys, followed by synthesizing and sharing findings in multiple formats—from simple CSV datasets to interactive workshops where cross-functional partners joined me for remote whiteboarding sessions to interpret data, define next steps, and brainstorm strategic opportunities.

I also stepped beyond the digital workspace to conduct field research at local Ford dealerships. There, I spoke directly with employees to better understand dealership workflows and even test drove vehicles central to my studies—helping bridge the gap between physical driving experiences and in-vehicle digital interfaces.

Another major initiative I began was developing an internal research repository—a centralized, searchable library to help UX researchers across Ford share insights and avoid duplicative studies. Though this project was unfortunately cut short by the June 2023 layoffs that impacted my team, it remains one of the efforts I’m most proud of initiating.

Working with Ford’s Early Access Program was a career highlight. Collaborating with such a diverse, passionate, and forward-thinking team was both inspiring and deeply rewarding. I look forward to the chance to work with another group as talented and driven in the future.