Jim Dalglish
Director of UX Research & Strategy
jimdalglish@mac.com | 617.308.0788 | Massachusetts, USA
www.jimdalglish-IA.com
LinkedIn Profile
Profile
Strategic UX research and content strategy leader with 20+ years of experience guiding universities, healthcare systems, financial institutions, and global brands through complex digital transformation efforts. Skilled in qualitative research methods, stakeholder alignment, and shaping actionable digital strategies that drive measurable results.
In addition to marketing-focused projects, I bring extensive SaaS and e-commerce experience — improving investor portals, mobile applications, and enterprise tools — across finance, healthcare, and education. Known for leading cross-functional initiatives that bridge business goals with customer needs, I consistently deliver outcomes that exceed expectations.
Also an award-winning playwright, director, filmmaker, and nonprofit founder, I bring storytelling instincts, audience empathy, and narrative clarity into every facet of user experience and content strategy work.
Core Competencies
UX Research & Strategy, Qualitative & Quantitative Research, Persona & Segment Development, Customer Journey Mapping, SaaS Product Research & Strategy, E-commerce UX & Conversion Optimization, Message Testing, Card Sorting & Tree Testing, Heuristic Evaluation, A/B Testing, First-Click Testing, Survey Design & Analysis, Content Audits, Competitor Analysis, Site Maps & Wireframes, Information Architecture, Stakeholder Engagement, Brand Messaging, Usability Testing, Workshop Facilitation, Findings Synthesis & Reporting
Tools
Research & Testing:
Alchemer, Survey Monkey, Qualtrics, UserZoom, UserTesting, Lookback, Optimal Workshop, Maze, Fathom, Ethnio
Design & Prototyping:
Figma, Axure, Adobe Creative Suite
Collaboration & Research Repos:
Miro, Notion, Confluence, Slack, Zoom, Basecamp
Data, AI, & Writing Tools:
Google Workspace, MS Office, Apple iWork (Keynote, Pages, Numbers)
ChatGPT (Plus & Enterprise), Gemini, Claude, Jasper, Grok (xAI)
Video, Media & PM Tools:
Jira, Camtasia, FinalCutPro, QLab, GarageBand
Social & Engagement Platforms:
Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, TaskRabbit
Used for participant recruitment, sentiment analysis, audience engagement, and messaging validation
Selected Clients
Higher Ed & Research:
Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Dartmouth Tuck School of Business, Yale University (School of the Environment, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, CORES), Columbia School of Law, University of Pennsylvania School of Education, University of Rochester, University of New Hampshire, Montclair State University, St. John’s University, St. Lawrence University, Tulsa Community College, Alfred University, Clark University, Oberlin University, Norwich University, Roseman University, University of Mississippi, Villanova University, Northeastern University, Illinois Tech, Boston Conservatory
Healthcare & Nonprofit
Hebrew Senior Life, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, The Jimmy Fund, Partners Healthcare, Tufts Health Insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, Asphalt Green, Boston Museum of Science
Finance & Enterprise
Wellington Investments, Lord Abbett, Nuveen, State Street Bank, Standard & Poor’s, GLG, Epsilon, HNW, Merrill Lynch
SaaS & E-commerce
Follett (education management platform), GLG (expert network portal), Blue Cross Blue Shield Vermont (insurance finder), CIEE (study abroad mobile app), Perfectly Posh (online store), Wellington Investments (investor portal), Amtrak (ticketing system)
Travel, Media, & Publishing
The New York Times, McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin, CIEE, Brightspark Travel, StudentCity
Professional Experience
Director of UX Research & Strategy
OHO Interactive, Massachusetts
1/22/2016 – present
Led strategic research engagements for 40+ higher education, healthcare, financial, SaaS, e-commerce, and nonprofit clients
Designed and facilitated user research through interviews, focus groups, field studies, surveys, and usability testing
Translated insights into actionable information architecture, content strategy, messaging, marketing, enrollment, SaaS product, and e-commerce recommendations
Developed process flows, sitemaps, and wireframes for program finder tools, investor portals, mobile apps, online stores, and content frameworks optimized for conversion
Collaborated with UX, content, product, and design teams to deliver full-funnel digital experiences, enterprise SaaS solutions, and e-commerce platforms
Presented webinars and authored widely read articles on higher ed trends, SaaS usability, e-commerce strategy, video testing, AI chatbots, and research tools
Practice Lead: Digital Strategy & User Research
OHO Interactive, Cambridge, MA
5/15/2014 – 1/22/2016
Spearheaded cross-disciplinary discovery efforts for leading clients in higher education, healthcare, SaaS, and e-commerce
Developed digital strategies and product roadmaps grounded in primary research, competitive audits, and market analysis
Led workshops and stakeholder sessions to align digital transformation, SaaS product development, and e-commerce initiatives with user needs and organizational goals
Associate Director of REsearch & Information Architecture
OHO Interactive, Cambridge, MA
5/15/2012 – 1/22/2014
Planned and executed research programs to inform information architecture, SaaS product design, e-commerce flows, and content strategy
Conducted expert interviews, surveys, and usability testing across higher education, healthcare, financial services, SaaS platforms, and online retail environments
Created site maps, wireframes, prototypes, and IA recommendations for large-scale web redesigns, SaaS portals, and digital commerce experiences
Principal Consultant – UX Strategist & Content Lead
Independent Consultant – Various Clients 2004–2012
Directed user research, content audits, and digital strategy for clients including State Street Bank, Partners Healthcare, and The New York Times
Built and tested wireframes, prototypes, and IA models to support website redesigns and platform launches
Guided branding, messaging, and content strategy efforts for both startups and enterprise clients
Senior Content Strategist
HNW, Granatar, GLG, Houghton Mifflin – Various years
Shaped editorial voice and messaging frameworks for financial and publishing clients
Created multimedia content across digital and print to support brand positioning and product marketing
Led editorial and digital operations for divisions within Houghton Mifflin Company
Conceptualized and designed several of the nation’s top digital educational games — Curious George Learns Phonics ©, Rescue Geo 1 ©, The Reading Dimension ©, and Curious George Learns to Spell © — including original character development and scriptwriting.
Collaborated with animators, software developers, and marketing teams to produce engaging gameplay, design packaging, and support successful product launches.
Creative Work & Leadership
Founder & Producing Artistic Director
Helltown Players (Nonprofit Theatre Company)
www.helltownplayers.org>>
Founded and led a mission-driven performing arts organization producing bold, socially relevant new work
Directed and produced stage plays and short and feature films featured in national and regional festivals
Managed fundraising, board development, community outreach, and strategic planning
Playwright / Director / Producer / Filmmaker
www.jimdalglish.com
Published and produced playwright with numerous regional, national, and international awards
Work featured on public radio, international stages, and independent film circuits
Applies story structure, emotional resonance, and creative direction to UX, messaging, and digital engagement
Publications & Presentations
Articles & Blog Posts
Your Next Research Assistant Might Be a Bot — Here’s How I Trained Mine (2025)
View Article >>AI Is Changing How Students Choose Colleges — Here's What You Need to Know (2025)
View Article >>Colleges Are Missing the Employer Education Market — Here’s How to Catch Up (2025)
View Article >>Understanding Website User Research Approaches (2015)
View Article >>
White Papers
AI and the College Search (2025)
View White Paper >>Mobile Usability: Testing Your Website in the Real World (2011)
View White Paper >>
Webinars & Conference Talks
What HR Pros Really Want from Education Partners – OHO U Webinar (2025)
View >>Survey Results: How Students Research College Options – OHO U Webinar (2024)
View >>AI Unleashed: Turning Student Data into Marketing Gold – Webinar (2024)
View >>The Impact of AI Chatbots on the Prospective Student Journey – OHO U Online Conference (2023)
View >>Research Insights on the Long Homepage: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – OHO U Conference (2022)
View >>Unraveling the Customer Journey – OHO U Webinar (2020)
View >>Improving Online Lead Generation for Bank Applications: - The Face of Finance Conference, Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts, (2013)
View >>Motivatability: Driving the Clicks that Lie Beyond Usability - World Usability Day, Microsoft NERD Center, Cambridge, Massachusetts (2011)
View >>The "New New" in Usability: B2B is Going Consumer - Gilbane Conference, Weston Boston Waterfront, Boston, Massachusetts (2011)
Professional Affiliations
User Experience Professionals’ Association (UXPA)
Human Factors International (HFI)
Nielsen Norman Group (NNg)
Education
Brown University (MFA) Playwriting
University of North Dakota (BA) English with emphasis on writing, theatre, and journalism
Nielsen Norman Group (NNg) Classes, conferences, workshops