RESEARCH THAT DEFINES ME
Site Title
Site Title
Many youth researchers are fascinated by spectacular and rebellious subcultures. My focus was on the mainstream young people. I spent 5 years researching Czech Millennials and wrote a book about their consumer lifestyles. My book Reconceptualising 'Mainstream' Youth challenges the stereotype of passive mainstream youth culture.
Ethnography is one of my favourite research methods.The Future of the Czech Republic is a nationwide research project that enabled me to dive really deep into this technique. I spent 5 months visiting Czech families at their homes trying to get into their shoes and understand how the economic crisis influenced their consumer lifestyles and their relationship towards brands and institutions.
I believe that research is a powerful tool to increase well being in society. In 2013 I co-founded the Center for Social Marketing in Prague - a research center that focuses on solving societal issues through research and academic knowledge.
Hi, I'm Michaela.
I am a mixed-method researcher with 10+ years of experience in consumer, advertising, media, product, and academic research.
I love transforming insights from user-centered research into social impact.
I moved recently from Europe to Silicon Valley and my focus is on creating social impact through UX research.
M Researcher, Writer, Sociologist and Co-Founder
Site Title
RESEARCH THAT DEFINES ME
Youth Research
Many youth researchers are fascinated by spectacular and rebellious subcultures. My focus was on the mainstream. I spent 5 years researching Czech Millennials and wrote a book about their consumer lifestyles. My book Reconceptualising 'Mainstream' Youth challenges the stereotype of passive mainstream youth culture.
I love ethnography. Future of the Czech Republic is a nationwide project which allowed me to dive deep into this method. I spent 5 months visiting Czech families at their homes trying to get into their shoes to understand how the economic crisis influenced their consumer lifestyles and their relationship with brands and institutions. A new post-crisis consumer segmentation was created based on insights.
I believe that research is a powerful tool to increase well being in society. In 2013 I co-founded the Center for Social Marketing - a research center that focuses on social issues such as poverty, inequality or aging society and addresses them through research, academic knowledge and marketing campaigns.
Ethnography
Societal Marketing
2018-Current
User Experience Researcher / Research Assistant
Google via Adecco, Mountain View, California
Collaborated with a cross UXR team on a longitudinal diary study exploring the impact of COVID 19 on small business advertisers in the USA
Developed a unified codebook for analyzing open-ended responses across various internal surveys measuring satisfaction with a product and campaign performance
Planned and conducted diary studies, surveys, usability and copy testing, ethnography, empathy sessions, co-creation groups and remote interviews with small and medium business advertisers
Project lead - identified product opportunities for agencies in the US, Europe, and India using mixed-methods such as ethnography, interviews, and global survey
Collaborated with Product Managers, Designers, Data Analysts, and Engineers to implement research findings to product design and strategy
2018-2018
User Experience Researcher / Intern
KIVA, San Francisco, California
Designing surveys, conducting usability tests and qualitative user interviews with existing and potential Kiva lenders and Kiva lending teams/communities
Collaborating with Product and Marketing Teams to implement research findings into Kiva´s website
2017-2018
Researcher at Text Analytics Team
MEDALLIA, San Mateo, California
Analyzing qualitative data from online customer feedback such as open comments in surveys, blog posts, social networks, emails
Identified, built and analyzed over 60 themes for 5 clients from 4 countries
Collaborating with Project Management, Product Management and Engineering to improve a machine learning text analytics tool
2013-Current
Co-Founder
2014-2015
Researcher
CENTER FOR SOCIAL MARKETING, Prague, Czech Republic
Designed, executed and analyzed research projects that focused on social issues using ethnography, and quantitative surveys.
Conducted workshops with the clients to determine how to achieve strategic goals and positive social impact through research.
Designed and conducted a nationwide mixed method research for the Czech Social Security Administration. User-friendly recommendations were implemented into new conception for redesigning Administration´s website interface.
2012-2014
Research Executive at Insight Team
2011-2012
Project Executive
2005-2010
Researcher
OMNICOM MEDIA GROUP, Prague, Czech Republic
Designed and conducted research on digital, TV and print ad campaigns and product concepts using focus groups, interviews, online surveys and usability testing method.
Initiated, designed and conducted a nationwide ethnographic research The Future of the Czech Republic.
Initiated an ethnographic research unit and established ethnography as a part of company´s research service.
Developed post economic crisis consumer segmentation. Designed and conducted UX research for Hospodarske Noviny news app.
GfK, Prague, Czech Republic
Designed and executed online quantitative surveys.
MASARYK UNIVERSITY, Brno, Czech Republic
Specialized in researching young people and their consumer lifestyles using focus groups, interviews, participant observation, and surveys.
Author of a book Reconceptualising Mainstream Youth, which raised an academic and public debate by challenging the stereotype of passive mainstream youth culture.
Initiated and managed a cross-disciplinary research team - psychology, marketing research, and sociology.
Published results in recognized research journals and presented them at international conferences in Hungary, Great Britain, Czech Republic, and Denmark.
Successfully applied for 2 research grants and received financing to extend the research.
Participated in research projects European Value Study (Czech Science Foundation), Patterns of intergenerational conflict (Czech Science Foundation), Cultural Encounters in the European Economy and Society (EU).
EXPERIENCES
2020-Present
Business Designer/UX Researcher
Ford, Palo Alto, California
Designing and executing qualitative research projects to inform product development and go to market strategy
2018-2020
User Experience Researcher I
Google via Adecco, Mountain View, California
Conducted a longitudinal diary study exploring the impact of COVID 19 on small business advertisers in the USA
Developed a unified codebook for analyzing open-ended responses across various internal surveys measuring satisfaction with a product and campaign performance
Planned and conducted diary studies, surveys, usability and copy testing, ethnography, empathy sessions, co-creation groups and remote interviews with small and medium business advertisers
Project lead - identified product opportunities for agencies in the US, Europe, and India using mixed-methods such as ethnography, interviews, and global survey
Collaborated with Product Managers, Designers, Data Analysts, and Engineers to implement research findings to product design and strategy
2018-2018
User Experience Researcher / Intern
KIVA, San Francisco, California
Designing surveys, conducting usability tests and qualitative user interviews with existing and potential Kiva lenders and Kiva lending teams/communities
Collaborating with Product and Marketing Teams to implement research findings into Kiva´s website
2017-2018
Researcher at Text Analytics Team
2013-Current
Co-Founder
2014-2015
Researcher
2012-2014
Research Executive at Insight Team
2011-2012
Project Executive
2005-2010
Researcher
MEDALLIA, San Mateo, California
Analyzing qualitative data from online customer feedback such as open comments in surveys, blog posts, social networks, emails
Identified, built and analyzed over 60 themes for 5 clients from 4 countries
Collaborating with Project Management, Product Management and Engineering to improve a machine learning text analytics tool
CENTER FOR SOCIAL MARKETING, Prague, Czech Republic
Designed, executed, and analyzed research projects that focused on social issues using ethnography, and quantitative surveys.
Conducted workshops with the clients to determine strategic goals and positive social impact through research.
Designed and conducted nationwide mixed-method research for the Czech Social Security Administration. User-friendly recommendations were implemented into a new conception for redesigning the Administration´s website interface.
OMNICOM MEDIA GROUP, Prague, Czech Republic
Designed and conducted research on digital, TV, and print ad campaigns and product concepts using focus groups, interviews, online surveys, and usability testing methods.
Initiated, designed, and conducted nationwide ethnographic research The Future of the Czech Republic.
Initiated an ethnographic research unit and established ethnography as a part of the company´s research service.
Developed post-economic crisis consumer segmentation. Conducted UX research for Hospodarske Noviny news app.
GfK, Prague, Czech Republic
Designed and executed online quantitative surveys.
MASARYK UNIVERSITY, Brno, Czech Republic
Author of a book Reconceptualising Mainstream Youth, which raised an academic and public debate by challenging the stereotype of passive mainstream youth culture.
Initiated and managed a cross-disciplinary research team - psychology, marketing research, and sociology.
Published results in recognized research journals and presented at international conferences in Hungary, Great Britain, Czech Republic, and Denmark.
Successfully applied for 2 research grants and received financing to extend the research.
Participated in research projects European Value Study and Patterns of intergenerational conflict (Czech Science Foundation), Cultural Encounters in the European Economy and Society (EU).
EDUCATION
2016-2017
Continuing Studies Program
STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Stanford, California
Project Management
Design Implementation: Getting to Market
Drawing: Mixed Media
2006-2011
Ph.D. in Sociology
MASARYK UNIVERSITY, Brno, Czech Republic
2003-2006
M.A. in Sociology
MASARYK UNIVERSITY, Brno, Czech Republic
MASARYK UNIVERSITY, Brno, Czech Republic
AFFILIATIONS
2000-2003
B.A. in Sociology, Media Studies and Journalism
SKILLS
METHODS
Ethnography
Participatory Observation
Focus Groups
In-Depth Interviews
Mixed method approach
A/B Testing
Content Analysis
Quantitative Surveys
Qualitative Usability Testing
SOFTWARE
SPSS
Dedoose.com
Atlas.ti
GMI Qstudio
SurveyMonkey.com
UserTesting.com
Validately
GoToMeeting
Qualtrics
Concept Testing
My research focuses on young consumers in the Czech Republic. The mainstream, ordinary, normal teenagers and young adults. Based on qualitative research with 95 young people my publications discus and challenge many stereotypes associated with the mainstream such as passivelly conforming youth, sheep-like behaving consumers, or individualistic and materialistic hedonists.
Books
Hráčková Pyšňáková, Michaela. 2012. Reconceptualising Mainstream Youth: An Examination of Young People´s Consumer
Lifestyles in the Czech Republic. Mezinárodní politologický ústav, Brno.
Book Chapters
Pyšňáková, Michaela, Miles, Steven. 2013. “The post-revolutionary consumer generation: mainstream youth and the paradox of choice in the Czech Republic.“ Pp. 14 - 28 in Youth and Social Change in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union, Charles Walker, Svetlana Stephenson (eds). Routledge.
Hráčková Pyšňáková, Michaela. 2013. „Understanding the Meaning of Consumption in Everyday Lives of Mainstream Youth in the Czech Republic.“ Pp. 39 - 77 in New Perspectives on Consumer Culture Theory and Research. Pavel Zahrádka and Renata Sedláková (eds). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Pyšňáková, Michaela. 2011. “The Discovery of the ‘Mainstream’: The Value of Using Grounded Theory Method in Contemporary
Research on ‘Post-revolutionary’ Consumer Generation in the Czech Republic.” Pp. 194 -196 in Social Research: An Introduction.
2nd ed., David, M. and C. Sutton (eds). London: Sage. ISBN 978-1-84787-012-4.