Honors Thesis: Project Story

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I completed a literature review and identified low utilization of campus healthcare as a service design problem, not a usage problem. I aligned research goals and success criteria with my thesis advisor and faculty mentors to ensure academic rigor and real-world applicability.

I recruited undergraduate participants, designed a 90-minute focus group discussion guide,  structured activities (scenario walkthroughs, service comparisons, feature prioritization), and coordinated incentives and logistics to ensure high-quality participation.

I moderated focus groups via Zoom and Mural, then conducted thematic analysis using manual and AI-assisted coding to surface core user needs, barriers, and emotional drivers, translating raw qualitative data into a clear, actionable problem statement.

I collaborated with peers, professors, and literature sources to ideate and refine service attributes, balancing user desirability, feasibility, and strategic impact. I finalized attributes that reflected real decision tradeoffs, not hypothetical features.

I received an academic grant to utilize Sawtooth Lighthouse Studio for free. I then built and piloted a choice-based conjoint (CBC) survey in Sawtooth Lighthouse Studio, coordinated timelines to meet academic deadlines, and analyzed results (utilities, relative importance, segmentation, market simulations) to validate which service changes would actually influence behavior.

I synthesized mixed-method findings into a clear service strategy framework, presented recommendations grounded in evidence, and delivered the final thesis on time, demonstrating end-to-end ownership, cross-functional collaboration, and disciplined execution using a modified Design Thinking process.