Research & Product Strategy

I’ve spent 15 years learning how people interact with technology, and have used this knowledge to inform product strategy with Google, Fortune 500 companies, international nonprofits, and 0 -> 1 startups striving to discover product-market fit.

Global Research Expertise

At Google, I developed a reputation for my expertise in international product adoption.

I led IC work helping numerous early stage teams discover and refine product-market fit. Among other impacts, this work was anticipated to save one team $200M+ annually, drove an expanded international focus for product areas across the company, and led to product changes affecting 100’s of millions of users.

Myself recording notes during a user interview with a family in India

NYTimes coverage of my work in India for Datally, an app designed to help individuals save money and stress related to mobile data purchasing. Photo courtesy NYTimes.

I later joined a team where I managed a $4 million research portfolio, overseeing junior researchers and agency work informing global product strategy across YouTube, Android, Ads, Shopping, and more.

This work regularly informed VP- level decision-making and led to feature additions and design changes in products reaching billions of users.

Cartoon animals taking photos in a city park with colorful buildings, trees, and a bright sun in the sky.

Image courtesy of Google Medium Blog post highlighting findings from our work designing products for slow internet networks.
Illustration credit: Kai Yee Tay.

Freelance Research & Product Strategy

I partner with startups, established businesses, and nonprofit organizations to devise research & product strategies.

Numerous one-off consultations with seed-stage startups in travel, education, and health.

Partnered with Lunchclub to establish best research practices & devise a research roadmap.

Mentored early-stage startups (pre- and post-launch) with Gaza Sky Geeks, helping teams find product-market fit, set product priorities, and improve team workflow.

A busy co-working space with multiple people working on laptops at tables, some wearing hijabs. The room has a mix of modern chairs, a colorful wall art, and a column decorated with doodles. Large windows let in natural light.

Inside the Gaza Sky Geeks office in Gaza City in 2017, where I advised startup teams on product & UX strategy.

  • "What we learned today alone was worth the work and expense of this research."

    Vice President, YouTube UX

  • “I've been at Google for over 18 years. Ted is one of my top five favorite partners of all time.”

    Senior Google Project Lead

  • “Ted is phenomenal. He is an enabler. The team gained nuanced product & technical insights, and his leadership led them to actually implement that change. Without Ted this project would have been dead in the water! He understands what product needs, and generates research to find it. It's that simple.”

    Brian Krump
    Group Product Manager at Juniper Square

  • “Ted is a top-notch researcher who has led studies across the globe."

    Maya Elise Joseph-Goteiner
    Velocity Ave Founder & Managing Partner

  • “Building a new product for users across the world from Google's California offices is hard. Ted brought us to India to learn from our users, and we came back better understanding their needs. We saw them smile, we saw them struggle, and we learned what we needed to do to make the product 10x more useful.”

    Diego Accame
    Engineering Director at Upstart

  • “When Ted gets involved in a project, he pulls together plans and executes with amazing speed, hones in on the questions to answer, and mobilizes other researchers to get the job done. He communicates materials quickly, with high quality, and with personality.”

    Stefan Klocek,
    Hubspot UX Director

  • “This project wouldn’t be where it is without Ted! He finds problems, then does research to solve them. He's the real deal.”

    Faye Han
    Senior Google UX Designer

  • “King of collaboration. He is known for making difficult things happen. He brings people together with facility.”

    Tracy L. Hayes
    UX Director