Hi. I’m Patty Costello.
I am a User Experience Researcher with 10+ years of experience in applied research, research design, interviewing, journey mapping, and testing users to understand needs and pain points. I am accomplished at providing actionable insights to diverse industries including higher education, medical device companies, local and federal governments, and consulting companies.
My work.
I hold a PhD in Neuroscience with minors in Cognitive Science and Human Factors from the University of Minnesota. I have worked on and off in the UX field since the early 2000s, using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
I’m based out of beautiful (and growing!) Boise, Idaho. I love to brainstorm UX projects while drinking coffee.
Some of my projects
City Transportation Site Testing
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) aims to influence how people make travel decisions. The City of Los Angeles developed the TDM Calculator to help developers submit transportation plans aligned with the city’s Mobility Plan 2035. I conducted usability testing to evaluate whether developers could successfully navigate the website and complete required tasks. Our research revealed confusion around key steps in the workflow, unclear language, and limited system feedback. Based on these findings, I provided design recommendations to improve clarity, streamline task flows, and ensure the tool better supports users submitting development plans.
Student Portal Improvements
I led usability testing to improve a university’s online student portal, the main access point for courses and academic resources. Through moderated interviews, I identified common pain points such as hidden navigation, lack of customization, and difficulty accessing grades and course content. Students wanted faster access to tools like calendars and feedback. My recommendations focused on improving navigation, visibility, and feature integration to create a more intuitive and supportive portal experience.
Learning Platform
As the sole UX researcher for Sala, I led a 4-month research initiative to help a Learning Experience Platform (LXP) company prioritize their product roadmap. I surveyed 99 educators across partner institutions to uncover how they used the platform, what they valued most, and where they faced challenges. Using persona-driven analysis and qualitative coding , I surfaced key themes like ease of use, collaboration, and internal tool needs. My findings informed strategic recommendations focused on feature improvements, customization, communication flow, and integration with external tools. The research played a key role in shaping the next iteration of Sala .
National Voter Registration Form
The National Mail Voter Registration Form (NVRF) is a lengthy fillable PDF used to register to vote or update voter information by mail. I led UX research to support the redesign of the form into a streamlined digital app with state-specific instructions. I began with a heuristic evaluation to identify major usability and design issues, then conducted usability testing with a wide range of users, including people who who use screen readers and those with cognitive disabilities. The research focused on whether users could understand the instructions, complete the form accurately, and navigate the process with ease. The final product reflected these insights, resulting in a more accessible and user-friendly experience.
Student Journey Mapping
As part of a $1.1 million Capital Investment Proposal for an undergraduate program, I was tasked with creating detailed student journey maps to inform strategic improvements. I mapped each phase of the student experience, analyzing timelines, tasks, challenges, and key touchpoints. This process revealed critical opportunities for enhancement, including stronger student engagement across touchpoints, improved workload management, and more relevant course content. The journey maps provided a clear, user-centered foundation for prioritizing investments and designing targeted interventions.
Life Insurance Strategy
I worked on a team conducting in-depth interviews to explore opportunities and barriers related to a financial influencer marketing strategy for a life insurance client. The research focused on understanding the user experience journey of target audiences and uncovering the motivations, concerns, and needs of social media users who engage with finance-related content. Our findings identified key pain points and opportunities to improve the user sign-up experience and better connect with new market segments.
Vote.gov voter guides
As part of a federally funded project to expand content on vote.gov, I led in-depth interviews with a range of voting audiences, including college students, newly naturalized citizens, Spanish-speaking voters, visually impaired individuals, and young first-time voters. The goal was to understand their experiences with voter registration and election participation, and to identify obstacles they face. Common themes included confusion around absentee voting, challenges navigating official information, limited civic education, and accessibility concerns. The findings informed targeted recommendations for clear, inclusive voter guides designed to support confident and informed participation in elections.
Civic Tech Jobs
I collaborated with a Code for America team to design and test a new civic tech jobs website for Hack for LA. The site is intended to replace an outdated and confusing GitHub board, with the goal of creating a more welcoming, user-friendly experience. Our focus was on making the platform visually appealing, easy to navigate, and inspiring for new volunteers. We also aimed to streamline the process for Product Managers to post roles and attract contributors, ensuring a smoother connection between open projects and the talent eager to support them.
What’s next?
User Research should always be an integral part of product development. I own a freelance business called Costello UX Research Consulting. Let’s chat about your next project!
