Carmen Bocanegra
Since she first learned to talk, Carmen has asked a lot of questions. This led to a desire to understand the how/why/what behind almost everything, a love of experimentation, and academic pursuit of science. She ended up working in an advertising agency in the digital production department because it sounded fun and different than anything she had done before.
Over the past decade, Carmen has led teams of colleagues, stakeholders, and clients through the process of discovery, framing, research, strategy, and design at startups, consultancies, and in-house teams. She’s deeply passionate about improving how teams work together, understanding impact, and ensuring that our language, code, and practices are inclusive and accessible to all.
She currently lives in North Carolina with her spouse and dog and works in civic tech as a Director of Federal Portfolios, Health and Human Services at Truss.
Presentations
UX Camp Spring 2024
Beyond Extraction: Reframing UX Research Into Long-term Relationships and Strategic Change Management
UX research is more than collecting data and gathering information–it’s a foundational tool to build relationships with people who are impacted by and who develop products and services. Because of this, it can be a method to guide strategic change within our organizations. When we reframe UX research as a pivotal element in building deep connections and trust, we shift research from being transactional to a longer term partnership that is closely aligned with user needs and organizational objectives.
We need to include non-researchers in the research process; this is how we empower teams with diverse viewpoints to develop a holistic understanding of a user ecosystem. Side by side with product managers, engineers, and designers, we continuously learn together, paving a way for a more engaged, informed, and collaborative culture.
This approach not only elevates UX research as a key component of change management—through ongoing alignment, adoption, and adaptation—but also mirrors the internal dynamics necessary for companies facing organizational restructuring, policy updates, and growth challenges.
With practical examples, this session will explore:
- Strategies for involving non-research stakeholders in the UX research process, enhancing cross-functional collaboration.
- Techniques for establishing and maintaining trust and credibility among internal and external team members, and fostering an open communication culture.
- The role of UX research in facilitating organizational change, with actionable insights for applying these principles to internal company transformations.
You will leave this session with some tools to start building lasting relationships through UX research, both within your teams and with users and stakeholders; ultimately supporting meaningful change across product/service development and your organization.
Leadership By Design 2021
What Therapy Taught Me About Design & Creating Healthy Teams
Maintaining a healthy self and extending that to our professional lives are journeys. The root cause of many of our inner and outer conflicts stem from the stories we tell ourselves. The beliefs that support those stories are deeply held and often unnamed. My therapy journey started on a cold, rainy day on a bus in Portland, OR. I knew I wanted to find peace, but what I gained was so much more. I learned to let go of beliefs that didn’t serve me personally or professionally. My goal is to share what I learned, how I reframed those beliefs in my own life, and what I learned about design in the process.
