Curriculum Vitae

Robert
E. M.
Spencer

UX Designer · Researcher · Educator · AI Workflow Integration

A full academic and professional record spanning UX product design, sociological research, teaching, and publication.
3966 N. 850 E., Provo UT, 84604.

Email
[email protected]
Phone
(801) 919-5565
Portfolio
remspencer.design
View Resume Portfolio

Work Experience

2019–2025
GoReact & Echo 360, Orem UT
Senior Product UX Designer & Product Manager

Redesigned GoReact's library — one of the platform's highest-complexity features — from a confusing file system into a centralized content hub enabling cross-account management and reusable templates. Led WCAG 2.1 compliance from a failing Tenon.io audit to verified conformance, codifying company-wide accessibility standards for all designers and developers, and unlocking higher-education contracts.

Designed self-serve in-app payments, removing the sales team from every learner transaction. Built an in-app survey system integrated with Airtable, Sigma, Slack, and FullStory — delivering hundreds of AI-categorized user responses with a session replay attached to each. Collected and analyzed product behavior data using FullStory, Sigma, and Airtable. Used Figma, Adobe XD, and the Adobe Creative Suite; wrote JIRA tickets for every shipped feature.

2017–2019
Learning Through Image, Provo UT
UX Designer

Conceptualized animations for IHC, RainFocus, and a help website for MoreReporting using the Adobe Creative Suite and Adobe XD. Set up a voice recording studio for voice-over artists and composed music for animation.

2015–2017
RainFocus, Lindon UT
Product UX Designer

Designed and conceptualized SaaS software within an Agile product development framework with Adobe XD, Sketch, Invision, and the Adobe Creative Suite. These designs secured consistent work with Fortune 500 clients such as Oracle, Samsung, Cisco, Gartner, and VMware to help manage their flagship events.

2012–2014
Brigham Young University, Provo UT
Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant

Research involving a variety of topics including perceptions of entrepreneurs, social enterprise, blurring of economic sectors, organizational commitment, rural literacy, and rural mental health.

Teaching assistant for a course on applied research methods including needs assessments, evaluation of a program's implementation, outcome, and impact.

1999–2012
Brigham Young University Studies, Provo UT
Production Editor · Layout & Design Editor · Computer Support

Design and production of publications, advertising and promotional materials, banners and posters. Color correction and color proofing. Web production. Research and implementation of visual art and design principles. Project tracking, personnel management and training. Computer support, hardware and software purchasing, archiving and backup.

Teaching Experience

2013
Brigham Young University — Sociology Department
Teaching Assistant — Soc 301: Applied Social Research Methods

Topics included: Program Needs/Asset Assessment, Evaluation of Program Implementation, Evaluation of Program Outcomes, Evaluation of Net Program Impact.

Activities: in-class presentation and discussion of relevant materials; evaluation and grading of student work.

2000–2001
Brigham Young University — Humanities Department
Instructor — Academic Publishing (DIGHT 230 equivalent)

Taught a course in academic publishing using QuarkXpress. Activities included development of lesson plans and evaluation and grading of student work.

Research Experience

2014
Speaking from Experience: How Do Entrepreneurs Evaluate the Merits of Practicing as a Non-Profit or For-Profit Form?
Directed by Carol Ward, Curtis Child, Eva Witesman · Brigham Young University
Conducted qualitative research by reading and coding 45 interviews of nonprofit and for-profit entrepreneurs using Dedoose mixed methods data analysis software as well as STATA data analysis and statistical software. Created variables from the codes for quantitative analysis. Presented at the "Research Colloquium on Social Entrepreneurship" hosted by the University of Missouri–Kansas City Bloch School of Management. Used research for thesis.
2014
Rural Community Attachment and Satisfaction Mitigates Mental Health — But to What Extent? Montana As a Case Study
Directed by Scott Sanders · Brigham Young University
Provided the literature review for community attachment and satisfaction as well as produced the statistical analysis using logistic regression, compiled the findings, and created tables in the article. Presented the findings at the American Sociological Association's 2014 Annual Meeting.
2014
The Link Between Organizational Identity Orientation and Organizational Reputation
Consultants: David Whetten (BYU) · Shelley Brickson (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Aided in operationalizing organizational identity and organizational reputation as well as compiling the data set being analyzed.
2013
Bulwarks against Market Pressures: Affective Regulation in the For-profit Pursuit of Social Value
Directed by Curtis Child · Brigham Young University
Researched, organized, and identified literature to support the question of whether companies can juggle both a profit-maximizing mission as well as a social mission.
2013
Socioeconomic Benefits of the Under-Educated in Mexico
Directed by Tim B. Heaton · Brigham Young University
Analyzed Mexican census data using STATA and developed linear regression models to study the effects of literacy and minimal education on the socioeconomic benefits of the under-educated in Mexico. Conducted the literature review and, in consultation with Tim Heaton, created the research method and wrote the paper.
2013
CHOICE Humanitarian Impact Assessment
Directed by Tim B. Heaton · Brigham Young University
Analyzed and identified resources within 3 Mexican communities (from the 2012 CHOICE Humanitarian Mexico Household Survey conducted by BYU undergraduate students) that could affect participation of individuals in their community. Used STATA to create variables and analyze the data.

Graduate Coursework

2013
Sociology 605 — Multiple Regression Analysis
John Hoffman · Brigham Young University
2013
Sociology 604 — Ethnographic Research Methods
Todd L. Goodsell · Brigham Young University
2013
MBA 548R — Middle Range Theorizing
David Whetten · Brigham Young University
2013
Sociology 600 — Graduate Research Methods
Mikaela Dufur · Brigham Young University

Education

2012 – 2014
MS in Sociology
Brigham Young University, Provo UT
1999 – 2012
Graphic Design & Illustration
Brigham Young University, Provo UT
1991 – 1999
BA in English
Brigham Young University, Provo UT

Thesis

2014
Speaking from Experience: How Do Entrepreneurs Evaluate the Merits of Practicing as a Non-Profit or For-Profit Form?
Committee Chair: Carol Ward
Members: Curtis Child · Eva Witesman
Brigham Young University, Provo UT

Grants & Fellowships

1999
ORCA Grant
Awarded the Research and Creative Activities Scholarship to conduct a comparative study of traditional stories among Catholic, Protestant, and Mormon Mayan K'ekchi in Senahu, Guatemala. Published results in the BYU Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities.

Publication

2016
The Blurring Hypothesis Reconsidered: How Sector Still Matters to Practitioners.
Voluntas, 27, 1831–1852

Research Interests

Online Learning Web & Mobile as Learning Platforms AI-Assisted Design & Research Prompt Design Social Entrepreneurship Social Enterprise

AI Integration IN PROGRESS

2024 – Present
Figma Make · ChatGPT · Claude · Google Stitch
Prototyping AI-assisted design and research workflows: using Figma Make for rapid AI-powered prototype generation, building and testing prompt patterns for research synthesis and design critique, and exploring AI as a collaborator in early-stage concept generation. Actively refining prompt design practices across tools.

Personal

Fluent in Spanish — speaking, reading, and writing. Lived and worked in Guatemala, Chile, and Costa Rica for 11 years. That decade-plus of cross-cultural immersion directly informs how research is conducted with diverse user populations and how design decisions account for varying mental models and communication styles.

Published academic author with hands-on experience in academic publishing workflows — layout, production, editing, and print. Brought this background to BYU Studies for 13 years as Production Editor and Layout Designer.

Married to Alison Hill Spencer, father of 5. Coaches soccer for Liverpool International Academy Utah (US Soccer C license). Played jazz, classical, and Latin trumpet at BYU including 6 years with Mariachi America.

Let's make something great.

Currently open to new opportunities. Let's talk about what you're building.

LinkedIn or Call 801 919 5565