“Paul is the kind of strategic partner you hope for in a lead researcher. During our time at HBO Max, Paul demonstrated expertise in leading high-stakes initiatives that required a balance of statistical and deep UX knowledge. Paul is able to jump into any project and build the scaffolding that allows everyone to do great work.

Paul is driven as an innovator who was constantly looking for ways to make research more efficient and impactful. By adopting new AI tooling and refining our UXR methods frameworks, he ensured the research practice never became stagnant.

Paul is also a dedicated team builder. He helped support a culture of curiosity and rigor, and I’ve watched him informally coach other researchers to level up their skills and impact. Paul is a research leader who elevates the entire product organization, and I highly recommend him for any UX research role.”

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Paul at two different companies, most recently at Warner Brothers Discovery where he served as a UX Researcher. Paul brings a rare combination of skills that makes him an invaluable team member: a meticulous eye for detail paired with the ability to understand and navigate complex systems with ease.

What sets Paul apart is his background as a UX Designer, which deeply informs his approach to research. He doesn’t just gather insights—he understands how to translate them into actionable design and product innovations. His writing is exceptionally strong, making his research findings clear and compelling for stakeholders at all levels.

Beyond his research expertise, Paul is an excellent project manager who knows how to build relationships and collaborate effectively across the organization. He’s also a genuinely warm and empathetic person, which makes him not only a skilled researcher but someone who truly understands the human side of design.

He’s the kind of professional who elevates every team he joins, and I wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again.”

“Paul’s exceptional ability to analyze large sets of data and extract valuable insights is a cornerstone of his contributions. His consistent application of a user-centered mindset ensures that the findings are not only relevant but also actionable for both design and business teams. His research is not just thorough but also highly precise, resulting in reports that are clear, visually compelling, and tailored to the needs of different stakeholders. His clear and precise communication of complex insights in an accessible way has made him an invaluable cross-functional partner, keeping all stakeholders informed and engaged.

Paul demonstrates a great deal of flexibility in his research approaches, adapting seamlessly to changing project needs. His high integrity in upholding the validity of his findings reassures all stakeholders of the quality of his work. His research has significantly influenced product strategies, ensuring that user needs remain at the forefront while driving the business forward.
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“Paul, our design colleagues shared how much they enjoy working with you and appreciate your contribution to team collaboration. Thank you for bringing your expertise and working style to our research work – it’s making our great team even better!”

“Paul is one of the rare people who can manage all the complexities of creating and running a research protocol and also absolutely crank out new design assets. His naturally genuine facilitation style, even when tackling highly technical content such as discussions with developers around cloud services interfaces, encourages actionable feedback.”

“Paul is a very talented person who has strong chops in research, strategy and design. Paul quickly became the critical, sought-out piece in every project on which I had the pleasure working with him. He is always keenly dialed into what should happen next and backs it with strong rationale. He is able to size up opportunities and determine feasible approaches for how design can address them. His approach to design is realistic, grounded, and balanced against the realities of business, engineering, operations, and all the contexts and constraints that truly good design must consider. ”

“As a project manager, working with Paul is bittersweet. Bitter because Paul makes someone like me nearly redundant, sweet since he does it so dang well and with such kindness. Paul is an empathetic designer and colleague who has had a major influence on how I build psychological safety within teams. He is detail-oriented, is a master at scoping work, is incredible with clients, and delivers thorough and beautiful work. And he’s an absolute peach of a human who I feel fortunate to have had in my orbit for a few years. ”

“I highly recommend Paul Townsend for his exceptional talent in selecting, nurturing, and mentoring team members during his tenure at Teague. His insights and partnership with talent acquisition and development have played a pivotal role in fostering a strong and cohesive team environment. Paul’s dedication to empowering individuals and guiding them towards professional growth is truly commendable and he is gifted in that space.”

“Paul has contributed a level of industry experience and domain knowledge that has helped us level up our collective abilities as a team. Paul has demonstrated a gentle confidence, depth of knowledge, and an understanding of the audience that has solidified each client’s trust in him as well as our team. ”