The Wizard of Oz is a user-research method where a user interacts with a mock interface controlled, to some degree, by a person.
Apply systematic analyses to uncover themes and user insights
Maria Rosala
Director of Research
Maria is the Director of Research at Nielsen Norman Group. Maria is an expert researcher with over a decade of experience working with clients across numerous industries and within product teams. She leads and oversees research at NN/g, trains teams around the world on UX topics, and works with clients to help them improve the user experience of their products and services. Maria's research and consulting experience includes working with organizations in various industries, such as construction, FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), education, healthcare, and government. Maria is passionate about helping her clients learn about their users, apply a user-centered approach to product development, and scale and improve their research and design practices.
Before joining Nielsen Norman Group, Maria worked as a senior user researcher in the UK government, where she carried out research in the UK and internationally to improve numerous digital products and services, such as internal casework systems, online visa applications, public-facing websites, and various other online and offline services. In late 2017-2018, Maria was responsible for leading a team of researchers and designers on a high-profile program to deliver several new digital services that would be used by millions of people in the UK.
Maria holds a Master's in Human-Computer Interaction with Ergonomics from University College London (UCL) and a Bachelor's in Philosophy from the London School of Economics (LSE). She is based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Courses taught by Maria
Courses taught by Maria
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Analyzing Qualitative UX Data and Reporting Insights
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Discovery: Building the Right Thing
Conduct successful discovery phases to ensure you build the best solution
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Facilitating UX Workshops
Lead goal-based group activities to make decisions and establish alignment
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ResearchOps: Scaling User Research
Orchestrate and optimize research to amplify its impact
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The Human Mind and Usability
Use psychology to predict and explain how your customers think and act
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Usability Testing
Learn how to plan, conduct, and analyze your own studies, whether in person or remote
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User Interviews
Uncover in-depth, accurate insights about your users
Publications
Publications
Reports
Past Intranet Design Annuals (3 reports)
Intranet Usability Guidelines (4 reports)
More about Maria
More about Maria
Experience
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The Home Office, UK Government
Senior User Researcher
Education
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MSc Human Computer Interaction with Ergonomics
University College London -
BSc Philosophy, Logic & Scientific Method
London School of Economics and Political Science -
Foundation Diploma in Art & Design
University College Falmouth