Tara Menon

UX Researcher at LessonSprout Learning | Making learning tools easier to use, one good question at a time

I’m a UX researcher at LessonSprout Learning in Pune, working on study tools for students preparing for entrance exams. My favourite part of the job is watching someone use a feature in a way none of us predicted, then figuring out what we missed. I run interviews, usability studies and synthesis sessions, with a particular interest in how learners plan around college, commutes and shared devices. Outside work, I’m usually at a salsa social, explaining a board game slightly too enthusiastically, or spending Sunday morning with the older dogs at a local shelter.

Lead research for an entrance-exam preparation app, focusing on study planning, practice sessions and progress feedback. Conduct interviews in English, Hindi and Marathi, test prototypes with learners, and work with designers and product managers to turn findings into clear priorities. Recently studied how students recover their study routines after missing several days.

Supported participant recruitment, moderated usability tests and maintained the team's research repository. Helped investigate onboarding difficulties on lower-cost Android phones and developed interview guides that asked about actual study days rather than ideal routines.

User Interviews, Usability Testing, Qualitative Research, Research Planning, Thematic Analysis, Survey Design, Participant Recruitment, Research Synthesis, Figma, Stakeholder Workshops

English, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam (conversational)

Sunday volunteer at a Pune animal shelter since 2023. Help with supervised walks, bedding changes and quiet companionship for senior dogs.

A learner described our study planner as “another place where I’m behind.” Oof. We had been testing whether the schedule was easy to create. She was telling us what it felt like to come back after missing three days. This week, we’re testing a gentler restart flow instead of adding more reminders. Small research lesson I’m keeping: don’t end the session at successful setup. Ask what happens on the messy Tuesday when the plan falls apart.

Ran a synthesis session today with one rule: every interpretation needed a link back to something a participant actually said or did. Our wall became less colourful and much more useful. We still disagreed! But “I think students want this” became “these three students struggled here, and we don’t yet know how common it is.” Very happy with that trade. Also happy that someone remembered snacks. Research workshops should never be scheduled across lunch without a snack plan.

Three years of Sunday shelter visits have made me much less eager to fill every silence. Some of the older dogs need a few visits before they’ll come sit next to you. No big breakthrough, just a slightly shorter distance each week. I’ve noticed the same impatience in myself during interviews: wanting an answer immediately, asking another question too soon. Different settings, obviously, but a useful personal reminder. Give people time to think. The pause isn’t necessarily a problem.