Hi, I’m Kate Crotty

I’ve spent the last 8 years learning about people from all over the world, uncovering opportunities to build a better future through technology.

I run global, large-scale insights studies, as well as smaller, targeted sprints with niche and underrepresented audiences.

My favorite part of the work is meeting people and turning what I learn into insights and recommendations that make a real difference for them. I love bringing those findings to life, presenting and evangelizing the research in creative ways that engage all kinds of audiences.

See below for some project highlights

2025–ongoing

Mixed Reality (XR) Adoption

A 20-week product-market fit and foundational insights study on a global technology company’s portfolio of mixed reality (XR) wearables. The report became the foundational document for the client’s XR team; the head of XR directed the entire org to read it; and the study converted into a multi-year program.

Markets
US UK South Korea Japan
Methods
IDIs In-home ethnography Diary study Global survey
2023–ongoing

Workforce Experience

Three years of global employee experience research for a major technology company’s Health & Benefits function, across three global studies exploring social connection and loneliness, cancer care support, and ongoing preventative health research. Qualitative and quantitative insights from over 2,000 employees have directly informed global workforce benefits, programs, and policies.

Markets
US Brazil UK Ireland Germany Switzerland Kenya South Africa India Taiwan Japan Singapore Australia
Methods
IDIs Focus groups Global survey
2024

Accessible Smartphones

A 20-week, mixed-methods insights study for a global smartphone OEM on the unmet needs of people with disabilities and older and aging adults. The client used the findings to inform shipped features for 2024 and 2025, fund permanent inclusive product-development resources, and set new firm-wide guidelines for accessibility research.

Markets
US UK Germany Japan
Methods
IDIs Focus groups Diary study Global survey
2023

Inclusive Search

A six-week qualitative study for a global video-sharing platform, defining a framework and taxonomy for search inclusion based on insights from intersectional communities. Evidence from 220 users across 600+ search journeys drove a global change to the search model, shipped to over two billion users, and product, design, and engineering now design against the findings.

Markets
US
Methods
IDIs Diary study Focus groups Creator residency workshop