Hi, I'm Daniella Villalba - Sr. UX Researcher at Google
I am driven by the challenge of making complex technology intuitive. I thrive when bridging academic rigor with rapid product development, specifically aiming to humanize the tools built for developers.
At a glance
Curated signals on strengths, focus areas, and how they can help.
Completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University focusing on rigorous empirical investigation.
Currently scales large-scale UX research initiatives for complex developer and AI-centric products at Google.
Provides expert guidance on embedding scientific research methods into high-pressure engineering environments.
🚀 Career trajectory
Academic Foundation
Built a deep analytical base through doctoral studies and postdoctoral research at Carnegie Mellon.
✦ Doctoral Researcher
✦ Science Writing
Industrial Integration
Transitioned from academic theory to practical application within high-pressure, technical product environments.
✦ UX Research
✦ Developer Tools
💪🏻 Superpowers
Scientific Rigor to Applied Strategy
Translating academic methodology into tangible product insights
✦ Synthesizes complex data into product-shifting strategic narratives.
✦ Adapts experimental design for rapid development cycles.
✦ Grounds high-stakes design decisions in peer-reviewed precision.
Developer Experience Evangelism
Human-centric design within technical developer ecosystems
✦ Identifies friction points in deep-tech developer workflows.
✦ Translates technical complexity into intuitive user interfaces.
✦ Aligns developer tool utility with diverse user needs.
Program Scaling and Operations
Building robust research infrastructures at scale
✦ Establishes scalable research processes for global cross-functional teams.
✦ Manages large-scale initiatives under tight product deadlines.
✦ Mentors teams on operational efficiency and research excellence.
I'm excited about
✦ Exploring advancements in generative AI and human-machine interaction.
✦ Connecting with research leaders to evolve the UX research craft.
✦ Discovering new methodologies to measure impact in complex domains.
I can help with
✦ Advise on scaling research teams within technical organizations.
✦ Share strategies for integrating research into AI product lifecycles.
✦ Provide frameworks for conducting research in developer-focused industries.
I would love your help on
✦ Guidance on career growth within executive-level research leadership.
✦ Opportunities to collaborate on cross-functional AI strategy initiatives.
✦ Insights into evolving research operations for agile start-up environments.