About Me

"I have an unwavering passion for learning, growth, and collaboration"

Hi, I'm Ashley Less.

I'm an upcoming M.S. graduate in Human-Computer Interaction with experience interning at companies with UX expertise of varying maturity levels. I’ve contributed to projects that leverage AI to improve workflows in complex web applications and clinical work.

A few things about me:

• I often describe myself as "brutally curious" because I'm deeply passionate about understanding how people perceive and interact with the technologies we build. I love solving the puzzle of how user needs intersect with business goals and technical constraints 🧩

• I'm all about cross-functional collaboration. The magic of UX comes from the diversity of backgrounds on a team. Learning to speak the language of engineers, PMs, and stakeholders is a superpower I’m always honing ⚡️

• I always find a way. Uncertainty is the nature of UX, and often, where the most meaningful innovation happens. When the path is unclear, I tap into the knowledge of my teammates and dig for inspiration. I fall in love with the problem and the unknowns. Without uncertainty, there’s no growth, and I’m always striving to grow as a researcher and designer 🌿

Hi, I'm Ashley Less.

A few things about me:

• I often describe myself as "brutally curious" because I'm deeply passionate about understanding how people perceive and interact with the technologies we build. I love solving the puzzle of how user needs intersect with business goals and technical constraints 🧩

• I'm all about cross-functional collaboration. The magic of UX comes from the diversity of backgrounds on a team. Learning to speak the language of engineers, PMs, and stakeholders is a superpower
I’m always honing ⚡️

• I always find a way. Uncertainty is the nature of UX, and often, where the most meaningful innovation happens. When the path is unclear, I tap into the knowledge of my teammates and dig for inspiration. I fall in love with the problem and the unknowns. Without uncertainty, there’s no growth, and I’m always striving to grow as a researcher and designer 🌿

My Approach

"I'm a researcher who also does design"

I like to approach all of my projects with flexibility and adaptiveness. It is always my goal to learn from our users and balance their needs with business needs. I've not only demonstrated this in my willingness to pivot research plans as the tides change and deadlines tighten, but also in that I strive to make the hand-off from research to design as seamless as possible. This is why I emphasize "I'm a researcher who also does design."

This doesn't mean I'm a lukewarm researcher and a lukewarm designer; what it means is that I see the inextricable value in being a researcher who maximizes their opportunity to communicate findings to any audience. I never come to a room of product managers, designers, and developers with just words and charts (though I do love them). I come to the room with a plan and visuals demonstrating how we might move forward. While research is my jam, its design based on research that makes research invaluable. Whether that means brainstorming ideas or participating in co-design with designers, knowing how to communicate and make research visible and actionable is one of my greatest strengths.

Beyond the Screen

"Curiosity doesn't just stop when I log off for the day"

I'm always looking for the next adventure or learning opportunity! I never shy away from a chance to try something new (even if I'm mediocre at it). Some of my favorite hobbies include hiking, reading, tennis, and side-quest craft projects, but I'll let the pictures do the talking: