Research Portfolio · 2026

Varsik
Nikoyan

UX Researcher & Designer
Contact
Belmont, MA 02478
US · +1 617 206 0772
ES · +34 621 229091

I leverage my background in psychology to deeply understand user needs and behaviors.

15+
Studies run
50+
Issues found
5
Clients

01 — Client Research

Bentley University · Aug 2024 – May 2025 · click a project to open
RaySecur
Expert judgment in a high-stakes scan
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Context

MailSecur screens sealed mail in real time using T-ray imaging, revealing low-density threats — powders, liquids, drug-soaked paper — that X-ray misses. It is DHS-designated and used by corporate security teams, government agencies, and state corrections departments.

Research focus

How trained operators read a live 4D scan and decide whether to escalate: what they look at first, what they trust, and where the interface either supports or interrupts a judgment that has to be made in seconds.

01 · Process — Miro
02 · Synthesis — Miro
03 · Outcome — Figma
Stakeholder interviews
Contextual observation
Problem statements
shell+claw
Building demand for an unfamiliar food
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Context

A York, Maine startup pioneering a commercial market for the invasive European green crab — soft-shell, hard-shell, and bait — sold to chefs and home cooks. The product is delicious and the environmental case is strong, but almost nobody has eaten one.

Research focus

What a first-time buyer needs to understand before ordering an unfamiliar species: how the conservation story, the culinary promise, and basic questions of handling and season should be sequenced across the site.

01 · Process — Miro
02 · Synthesis — Miro
03 · Outcome — Figma
Stakeholder interviews
User interviews
Affinity mapping
Severity / effort ranking
BentleySafe
Safety tools under stress
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Context

Bentley University's official campus safety app, replacing Rave Guardian. It carries Mobile BlueLight, direct chat with University Police, Friend Walk, Report a Tip, a safety toolbox with campus map and AED locations, and BentleyAlert emergency notifications.

Research focus

Whether students can reach the right tool quickly when they are already anxious — and whether they understand what location services are doing, since Mobile BlueLight, police chat, and Friend Walk depend on them and only work on campus.

01 · Process — Miro
02 · Synthesis — Miro
03 · Outcome — Figma
Moderated usability testing
Accessibility review
Thematic analysis
Dealcrane
beta
Dealcrane
What makes a deal feel trustworthy
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Context

A deal aggregator in beta, curating discounts across Amazon, Best Buy, and Newegg into categories aimed at tech, gaming, and geek-culture shoppers, with signals like "Great Deal", "Limited Time", and daily rankings.

Research focus

How shoppers judge whether a listed discount is genuinely good, which badges carry credibility and which are ignored, and what a curated feed has to do to earn a repeat visit rather than a one-off click-through.

01 · Process — Miro
02 · Synthesis — Miro
03 · Outcome — Figma
Research objectives
Priority journeys
Success metrics
Eleanor Health
The first step into treatment
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Context

Virtual addiction and mental health treatment across nineteen states, combining medication for addiction treatment, therapy, and peer support. Care is built on harm reduction — members do not have to be abstinent to begin.

Research focus

What someone weighing a first call needs to see to believe they will not be judged, and where the path from landing page to intake loses people — insurance uncertainty, fear of disclosure, or not recognising themselves in the language used.

01 · Process — Miro
02 · Synthesis — Miro
03 · Outcome — Figma
User interviews
Moderated usability testing
Recommendations

02 — How I Work

I

Frame

Objectives, success metrics, and priority journeys, agreed with stakeholders first.

II

Study

Interviews and moderated usability testing — 15+ qualitative studies.

III

Synthesize

Affinity mapping and thematic analysis into clear problem statements.

IV

Prioritize

Recommendations ranked by severity and effort, ready for the team.

03 — Products Shipped

Nine apps · 2017 – 2024 · store links live
Noomee app screens
Noomee
App Store ↗
Therapy tracking, social stories, and daily routines for children with autism, ADHD, and Asperger's.
Worldwide · Native services, REST API, Push, Payments
Viveo Health app screens
Viveo Health
App Store ↗
Telemedicine consultations built with clinical stakeholders, HIPAA-compliant end to end.
Worldwide · Chat / video call, REST API, Push, Payments
Koala Wallet app screens
Koala Wallet
Download ↗
Cryptocurrency wallet serving thousands of users; onboarding and security flows tested with early adopters.
Worldwide · Custom UI & animations, REST API, Push, Analytics
Doxi app screens
Document management and paid delivery for professional services.
Worldwide · REST API, Document management, Payments
MyCommuniTree app screens
MyCommuniTree
App Store ↗
Community platform with map-based discovery and deep-linked invitations.
Ireland · Deep linking, REST API, Firebase auth, Google Maps
Local and Loyal app screens
Local and Loyal
App Store ↗
Loyalty and rewards for independent high-street businesses, redeemed by QR at the counter.
United Kingdom · Payments, REST API, QR scanning, Google Maps
Trash-Talk app screens
Trash-Talk
App Store ↗
Waste and recycling guidance, animated to make the right bin obvious.
Ireland · Deep linking, REST API, Authorization, Animations
Byoorakn app screens
Byoorakn
Local ordering and delivery with route guidance across Armenia.
Armenia · Google Places & Directions, REST API, Push, Payments
CannaChange app screens
CannaChange
Dispensary discovery and ordering with map-led browsing.
USA & Canada · Map, REST API, Push, Payments
Senior Flutter Developer Eucalyptus Labs — Koala Wallet
2022 – 2024
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  • Led mobile development for a cryptocurrency wallet serving thousands of users, collaborating with product and design to translate user flows into production features.
  • Conducted informal usability testing with early users, gathering qualitative feedback on onboarding and security features to inform product iterations.
  • Applied accessibility best practices — screen reader support, colour contrast, touch targets — informed by human factors principles.
Flutter Developer Viveo Health — healthcare UX
2020 – 2021
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  • Built telemedicine platform features within a 15-person team, focusing on HIPAA-compliant user experiences.
  • Collaborated with clinical stakeholders to understand workflows, translating requirements into intuitive mobile interfaces that reduced cognitive load.
Flutter Developer Noomee — inclusive design for neurodiversity
2020 – 2021
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  • Developed a mobile application for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, prioritizing accessibility and usability informed by clinical research psychology.
  • Applied behavioral psychology insights to design therapy tracking features tailored to neurodiverse users and caregivers.
Android / Flutter Developer Proxoft Systems — client requirements
2017 – 2022
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  • Translated non-technical client requirements into technical specifications, acting as the bridge between clients and the development team.
  • Worked directly with clients to refine their needs and oversaw delivery across native Android and cross-platform Flutter builds.

04 — Psychology as Foundation

2024–2025
Master, Human Factors in Information Design
Bentley University · Waltham, MA
2013–2015
Master, Clinical Psychology
Yerevan State University · Armenia
2009–2013
Bachelor, General Psychology
Yerevan State University · Armenia
Mar–Jul 2017
Invited Professor of Psychology
National Polytechnic University · Armenia

05 — Capabilities

Research

Stakeholder interviews
User interviews
Usability testing
Affinity mapping
Thematic analysis
Accessibility review
Human factors

Technical

Dart / Flutter
Java
Kotlin / Android
C++ / C#
SQLite
Firebase
WebRTC
Git

Tools

Figma
Sketch
InVision
Zeplin
Jira
Trello
Asana
Google Analytics

06 — Facilitation

Co-founder & Chairman
InMotion Armenia Youth NGO · 2018 – Present

Educational opportunities for youth in Armenia and across Europe — over 300 participants placed in EU-funded exchange and training programs, through project writing, grants, and partnerships.

Armenian Progressive Youth
Waterford & S. Tipperary CYS
East-West-East, Germany