Carolyn Wei
UX RESEARCH LEAD
META
March 5, 2026
4:30 – 5:20 P.M.
Sieg Building, room 134
Navigating Cross-Generational Research
How do researchers surface authentic insights from a population whose lived experiences differ from their own? This talk explores practical methods for studying Gen Z with rigor and reflexivity—distinguishing life stage effects from true generational differences, designing research that minimizes projection, and translating findings for teams building products and experiences. Attendees will leave with frameworks applicable to any cross-cohort research context.
Carolyn Wei is a user experience research lead at Instagram where she helps the company "look around corners" with strategic research. She previously worked as a user experience researcher for Microsoft and Google. Carolyn received a PhD from Human Centered Design and Engineering (then known as Technical Communication) at the University of Washington in 2007, where she studied technology use in digitally emergent settings.
The UX Speaker Series is hosted Thursdays in winter quarter by the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington. Presentations are open to the public.
Depending on the speaker's preference, a recording will be posted to this webpage after the event. View the full schedule at hcde.uw.edu/ux.