Research Software Professional Brings UX to the Forefront of CyVerse

Research Software Professional Brings UX to the Forefront of CyVerse

As the CyVerse User Experience & App Developer, Mariah Wall applies her expertise and her newly minted M.S. in User Experience (UX) from Arizona State University to creatively problem-solve, helping our Research Software Engineers (RSE) and Professionals (RSP) with web design, graphic design, illustration, and UI/UX design. 

In the ever-evolving digital ecosystem, UI/UX stands as a linchpin for successful product design. It goes beyond aesthetics, delving into the intricacies of user behavior and interaction. As an RSP, Mariah works to bridge the gap between technology and user needs, ensuring that CyVerse interfaces not only meet functional requirements but also deliver seamless and intuitive experiences.  

UX plays a vital role in Agile software development, hallmarked by continuous collaboration and iterative design. As a key member of CyVerse’s cross-functional teams of RSPs/RSEs, Mariah integrates UX considerations into the development process, prioritizing user-centric features in the product catalog. User stories and personas guide her design efforts, while continuous testing and feedback loops help refine the user experience throughout development. Together, Agile and UX create a dynamic environment that not only delivers functional software but prioritizes and refines the user experience at every stage of development. By being able to implement changes to improve user experience more rapidly, CyVerse RSPs/RSEs are able to continuously improve CyVerse to be more accessible to researchers of all computational skill levels.