Meet Asantewaa

I’m a behavioral user researcher with 10 years identifying how people move through systems not built with them in mind, and translating those insights into something useful for building products and services. I'm transitioning from healthcare and social impact research to product teams where I can apply my expertise in uncovering unexpected user needs, building research operations at scale, and translating behavioral insights into product decisions.

What I Bring

I've designed and led in-depth qualitative studies for over ten years. I've conducted hundreds of semi-structured interviews, analyzed narrative data to surface actionable patterns, and taught graduate students how to turn messy real-world questions into rigorous research. Whether presenting to academic conferences or developing curriculum, I translate complex findings into frameworks that drive decisions.

My Approach

I've built my career studying communities that are often overlooked and marginalized in research and design. I design research that captures the full complexity of people's experiences, then distill those insights into clear recommendations. My research tells you not just what users do, but also explains why.

Email: heyasantewaa@gmail.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adarkwa/

Ideal jobs and companies

I'm looking for roles where I can conduct research that directly influences product strategy and user experience. Strong interest in healthcare tech, social impact tech, and mission-driven product companies where research directly improves people's lives. I bring deep expertise in research with vulnerable populations and high-stakes decision environments.

Ideal titles include User Researcher, UX Researcher, Product Researcher, Research Operations Specialist, Qualitative Research Lead, and Senior User Research Specialist.

Seeking full-time roles (remote, hybrid, or in-office) in the Chicago area.

Accomplishments

I have extensive experience leading large research studies. Past successes include:

  • Accelerating project timeline by 6 weeks by identifying scheduling barriers and implementing Calendly with automated reminders

  • Managed end-to-end research with 500+ users navigating housing instability, identifying service access pain points that informed intake workflow redesign

  • Published 5 peer-reviewed papers translating research for practitioners, policymakers, and product teams—including research in ACM Human-Computer Interaction (a top-tier HCI journal)

Personal Interests

I currently take care of around 125 plants at home, which has taught me a lot about observation, patience, and adjusting based on what you're actually seeing. When I'm not troubleshooting why my monstera won't thrive, I'm taking pictures of my cat sleeping, wheel throwing at the ceramics studio, roller skating along Lake Shore Drive, or deep in a book (both fiction and nonfiction). I'm drawn to projects where you learn by doing, not just by watching.