Team Spotlight: Lynn
People-person, outdoor-exerciser, helper-at-heart
In this spotlight, we chat with Lynn, the newest member of our UX research team, to get to know her life outside work. We also find out what alternative career she would pursue if she wasn’t a researcher (Hint: it involves anime).
What was your work experience before joining 55 Minutes as a UX researcher?
I was working as a UX researcher at various early-stage start-ups, where I helped them to get a better understanding of their problem space and also determine their product’s design direction. This was a particularly exciting period in my career, as I really enjoyed the energy and creativity of young start-ups, as well as the space to experiment and learn rapidly.
Prior to that, I was working in the field of public health, where I helped to develop and implement national policies as well as public education campaigns!
Tell us more about your role at 55 Minutes.
As a UX researcher, I listen to our target audience to get a sense of what’s going on in their lives. This helps our team figure out how we might be able to help make their lives better with the products we build.
Of course, coming up with the solution is a team effort, so a huge part of the job is also sharing the research insights with the team, so that all of us are aligned in terms of what we know about the user.
What three words come to mind to describe 55 Minutes?
Based on my first months here, the three words would be: warm, open and experimental!
What do you find most challenging at work?
55 Minutes’ focus on social impact means that we are often working with marginalised groups (e.g. low-income, visually impaired) to bring their voices into our design process. I have not had the opportunity to involve these individuals in my previous research projects, so it has definitely been a learning experience for me!
From participant recruitment, to designing and executing the research — I have had to think beyond the usual regular practices to find ways to reach these individuals and to connect with them during the research sessions.
What aspect of your work is your favourite? The one you enjoy the most?
I love speaking to users the most! There’s always something new to learn — about them, as well as my own assumptions and worldviews. And like all conversations, the flow is never fixed. You might have an interview guide, but most of the time, they would say something that requires you to stray from the guide. The unpredictability of it is what makes it exciting for me.
I’m also a generally curious person, and I love that I get paid to ask questions and hear what people think. :p
If you could do another job for just one day, what would it be?
I would choose to be a voice actress for an anime/cartoon! I grew up watching a lot of anime (haha) so this has always been a field that I have a lot of interest in.
It also seems like a lot of fun, to be able to “live” as someone else and try different ways to bring a character to life. Also, it’s a lot less stressful than regular acting because I’d be able to perform without having my face shown to the world!
People would be surprised if they knew: _____
I won an award from Google Maps, for pinning the locations of water coolers across Singapore on Google Maps! I’m kind of a health nut, so I wanted to make it more convenient for everyone (and myself) to find free water, and that inspired me to do it.
Anyway, Google Maps sent me a box of goodies as part of the award, and I think that’s the closest I’ve ever been to being an “influencer” 😂
What is the one thing you cannot resist?
Singing along to nice songs! My friends have told me that I subconsciously hum along to songs, and sometimes I realise I do it while I’m out on a run too. So if you ever come across a weirdo singing to herself while running along the park connector… it might just be me!
What is your personal philosophy?
Here’s a quote that I came across that resonates with me: “Whoever has the most fun, wins.”
Life’s too short and unpredictable — it’s important to me to be able to see meaning in whatever I’m doing, and enjoy the process! I tend to follow my curiosity and interests a lot, and let them lead me from one destination to the next.
What kinds of hobbies and interests do you have outside of work?
I have so many! I’m someone who seldom gets bored because I can always find something that I’m interested in doing or trying 😂
That said, my one consistent hobby throughout the years has been exercising in nature — be it running outdoors, walking my friend’s dog, or doing pilates indoors but with the sun rays trickling into my room. It really helps me to relax and be in the moment.
Other than that, I’m starting to really enjoy the process of learning a new language! I’m currently going for Korean language classes, and I really enjoy the creative process of crafting sentences with newly learnt words and grammar.
How do you define success?
I stared at the screen for a long time when I first read this question. I think I actively avoid having one big lofty goal, so that I don’t get overwhelmed or demoralised by how far away I am from it. 😂
But I think my ideal state of living is where I am living in line with my values (e.g. compassion, integrity, empathy) and interests (e.g. UX research), while constantly learning and experiencing new things!
If you were to write a book about yourself, what would be the title of your book?
Hmmm, maybe something along the lines of “Shoestring Adventures”? If I were to ever write a book about myself, I think I would like to share about the joys of travelling on a budget!
I started travelling a lot more when I was in university, and back then I stuck to a shoestring budget because I wasn’t earning money. However, I really fell in love with the charm of it, and have stuck to it even though I’m now earning an income! It has brought me to the most unlikely places and connected me with the most unlikely people, from working on a llama farm in the US and hitchhiking across Sri Lanka, to living in an airbnb in Indonesia with 50 cats!
Living with 50 cats! Now that’s an adventure! Hope you enjoyed getting to know Lynn. If you’re walking around in Singapore and notice a woman singing to herself, shout out “Lynn!” She might just be from Team 55 Minutes!
