Aaron Houssian

Aaron Houssian has a diverse work experience spanning various roles and industries. Aaron started their career in 1998 as a Partner and VP of Operations at LifeRun Inc., where they successfully built and expanded a retail company. Aaron then ventured into trading as a self-employed Trader, focusing on covered calls and option spreads.

In 2004, Aaron transitioned to the field of research, joining the Indiana University School of Informatics as a Research Associate while completing their MS in Human-Computer Interaction Design. During this time, they secured a grant and established their own consulting company, The Experience Institute, which they continued to run until 2018. Aaron occasionally assisted past clients in user-centered design research.

Aaron further honed their research skills during their tenure at Philips Research, where they worked as a Researcher and was involved in the study of human interaction and experiences with technology. Aaron also served as a member of the organizing committee for the ACM SIGCHI conference.

Moving into the technology industry, Aaron joined State Farm as a Senior User Experience Researcher, leading various teams and conducting user studies to improve customer experience on digital platforms. Following this, they became a UX Research Manager at Macmillan Learning, overseeing research initiatives.

From 2020 to 2023, Aaron worked at Indeed.com, initially as a Senior UX Researcher and later as a UX Research Manager. Aaron formed and managed the Rapid Research Team, coached the team through numerous studies, and collaborated with decision-makers and other UX managers to address research needs. Aaron also played a pivotal role in hiring and training associate researchers.

Currently, Aaron holds the position of Lead UX Researcher at Renaissance Learning, where they continue to apply their expertise in user experience research.

Aaron Houssian earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Brigham Young University, where they studied from 1995 to 2003. Aaron then pursued a Master of Science degree in Human-Computer Interaction Design at Indiana University Bloomington from 2006 to 2008. Following that, from 2009 to 2014, they attended Technische Universiteit Delft as a Marie Curie Fellow Doctoral Research Fellow, focusing on Design & Innovation. Additionally, Aaron obtained a certification in "AI For Designers" from The Interaction Design Foundation in 2024.