AJ King

AJ King — Senior UX Researcher II: Internationalization at Optro. Talks and sessions delivered at UXDX.

AJ King

AJ King

Senior UX Researcher II: Internationalization

OptroOptro

AJ is a UX Researcher at Houseful who loves a good challenge especially when it comes to research. His UX research journey has taken him from trying to run a diary study about grocery shopping just as Covid lockdowns started across the world, through researching development tooling with no UI at all, to now, where he has the exciting opportunity to research the usability of hardware that doesn't exist yet. Still, it means there's never a dull day and as long as at the end of it there's good quality data that helps us be confident we're building an awesome product then he's happy.

Past talks

7 talks · 5 events
2025
UXDX EMEAMay 2025
Workshop

Fundamentals Of Running a UX Research Project

Join AJ for this afternoon session where he will simulate the whole of a UX research process for beginners or those wanting a refresh on the basics. We'll start by exploring a simulated problem space, narrowing down to the right research questions and building a strong set of questions, running an interview, and finally analysing your data to draw insights. Feel like you don't have time to research in your org? This session will help you appreciate the practical ways to get data even in the hardest circumstances.

AJ KingAJ King

Hiring Beyond 2025: Breaking the Algorithm, Beating the Bots, and Building Better Teams

Hiring today is broken. Candidates are getting filtered out by AI before a human even sees their application, and hiring managers are often relying on outdated methods that don’t assess the full potential of a candidate. This discussion will tackle hiring challenges from both sides of the table: \- How candidates can stand out despite AI screening and generic recruitment pipelines. - Why skills, mindset, and cultural fit matter more than portfolios or take-home assignments, and how hiring managers can assess them effectively. - How hiring managers can better brief recruiters to identify the right talent, even if they aren’t design or product experts. - How teams are using AI and hiring tech effectively without missing top candidates or introducing bias. - Real-world hiring strategies to improve hiring outcomes for both job seekers and hiring managers.

Mihaela DraghiciMihaela DraghiciAJ KingAJ King
2024
UXDX EMEAOct 2024
Workshop

The Basics of UX Research for Non-UX Researchers

This 3-hour workshop, led by AJ King, provides a hands-on dive into UX research for non-UX researchers and tailored for professionals in product, UX, design, and engineering roles. The session will cover essential methodologies, tools, and best practices used in UX research, emphasising practical applications through interactive exercises. Participants will gain insights into how to integrate UX research into their workflows, how to ask the right questions to UX researchers and enhance the ability for everyone to create user-centric products. Workshop Structure: - Introduction and Fundamentals and basic principles of UX research - Exploration of various UX research techniques and tools, including surveys, interviews, and usability testing. - Hands-on activities and group exercises to apply learned methods in real-world scenarios - Strategies for integrating UX research into existing product development processes and fostering cross-functional collaboration. Key Outcomes of the Workshop: - Participants will learn the foundational principles and value of UX research - Attendees will become familiar with key research techniques and tools and understand when and how to use them effectively - Through interactive exercises, participants will gain hands-on experience in conducting UX research and analyzing findings - The workshop will equip participants with enhanced collaboration skills to effectively integrate UX research into their workflows and collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve product outcomes.

AJ KingAJ King
UXDX USAMay 2024

The UX of Automated Processes

As we are called upon to create more and more digital solutions where previously a user would engage with another person but now the response is automated, we run the risk of alienating our users and losing the reassurance of a 2-way interaction. In this talk, AJ will talk through his approach to the discovery phase when automating processes, to ensure the right balance is struck between efficiency of process and usability of our products. This practical guide will walk you through the common pitfalls simply automating your current process will create, as well as look at the obscure ways experience breaking friction points pop-up when creating this kind of product. Join us to learn how to enhance your product's user experience by making automation feel less robotic and more responsive to human needs

AJ KingAJ King
2022
UXDX EMEAOct 2022

Managing Data: Getting Research Applied

Valuable data is being collected every day by team members across the organisation. However data is only as good as how easy it is to consume. In this panel we will discuss the ways that teams are managing the storage of research data, how it is synthesised, how it is distributed so everyone can access and how data privacy concerns are addressed.

Monique MarinsMonique MarinsAJ KingAJ KingRomina ChiticRomina ChiticAshley MayAshley May

Unlocking a Truly Great Driverless Delivery Proposition

In UX we always say, if only we were involved earlier in the process, but what happens when you get your wish and you end having to research a physical product that doesn't exist yet. In this case study talk about grocery delivery by an autonomous vehicle AJ King will explore: 1\. How to usability test with no product 2\. How to use research to achieve Agile hardware development 3\. How to marry up hardware needs and customer expectations 4\. How to get everyone thinking about the customer as early as possible.

AJ KingAJ King