Meet Olga, the UX Researcher extraordinaire who brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Quora's tiny but mighty design team. As an eternal academic and university professor, Olga was drawn to Quora's mission to share and grow the world's knowledge.
Olga joined Quora as a User Experience Researcher, where she's responsible for designing products that align with user needs, motivations, and expectations. Her role involves acting as a liaison between users and the product team, gaining insights into user mental models, opinions, and behaviors. These insights drive design and business decisions, prioritizing projects on the product roadmap.
Designing for User Experience
Olga is particularly proud of her work on Quora's new AI Chat app, Poe. The design team has been instrumental in creating the entire look and feel of this innovative product. By collecting feedback from users, Olga and her team can improve the usability of Poe and ensure a delightful user experience.
Building a Culture of Collaboration
As head of the Design Team Culture Guild, Olga prioritizes maintaining a healthy team culture. Working at a fully remote company has its challenges, but the design team makes up for it by focusing on team-building activities and recognizing individual contributions.
Embracing Agility in AI Development
Olga resonates with Quora's core value of agility. In the rapidly evolving AI space, she thrives in an environment where things change quickly. Navigating these changes with a cooperative group of colleagues has been inspiring for Olga.
Beyond Work: Dancing, Traveling, and Teaching
Outside of work, Olga is a professional dancer who loves music and dance. She also enjoys traveling, creating content for her YouTube channel, and teaching in the Psychology Department at Cal State University. Introducing students to Human Computer Interaction, Applied Cognition, and Human Factors Psychology is incredibly rewarding for Olga.
Favorite Memories and Working Remotely
Olga's favorite memory working at Quora was the design team offsite in October 2022. Realizing that nothing can replace human interaction, she cherishes these moments. Working remotely has increased her productivity, allowing her to spend more time with loved ones and enjoy a better work-life balance.
A Typical Day
Olga's average day is filled with meetings (2-3 hours per day), project work, and collaboration. She might analyze survey data, write reports, or present user findings. With multiple projects ongoing, Olga stays organized by prioritizing tasks and managing her time effectively.
Why Quora? The Impact of UX Research
Olga has chosen to stay at Quora because she knows the impact her work can have in the rapidly evolving AI space. With only two researchers in the entire company, there's a lot of work to be done and a lot of impact to make. Staying curious, flexible, and adaptable are essential qualities for success at Quora.
What Does It Take to Succeed at Quora?
For someone to be successful at Quora, they need to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. In the AI space, there's always more to discover, learn, and create. Staying curious, flexible, and adaptable will help anyone thrive in this environment.