Portfolio · 2026
Kate Besel
Product Research & UX/UI Design | Co-founder, TreeTest AI | PM at FASTER Emergency Technologies | SCAD '27
Case Studies
Health Insurance Literacy
Reframed health insurance enrollment from 'better materials' to 'better translation' after stats showed time and sources don't predict understanding. 103 survey respondents, 24 interviews across human + AI moderation, 14 evaluative sessions on a public cost-estimation tool.
Convoy
Redesigned last-mile package delivery after research proved users wouldn't pay to protect packages they barely think about. 109 survey respondents, 13 interview participants, 432 coded entries.
ShopGoodwill
Redesigned ShopGoodwill's navigation across two courses of primary research — dropped Favorites Tab time by 89% and surfaced a second problem the redesign hadn't accounted for. 2 rounds of tree testing, 9 moderated sessions, 8 unmoderated participants, custom research tool.
About
As a junior studying UX Research at SCAD, I'm building a portfolio focused on products that make the world safer and more intuitive. From mixed-methods research to end-to-end product design, my work blends rigorous inquiry with human-centered craft.
At FASTER Emergency Technologies, a pre-seed startup, I research and design for time-critical environments—and have stepped into a PM role to steer the product from real-world testing through launch. Outside of work, I build research tools, spin house records, and make things for the joy of it.
I'm drawn to products that operate in high-stakes or underserved contexts, where getting the design right actually matters.