Jan Degans Email & Phone Number

Montreal, Qc, Ca

Main user researcher embedded within the production teamIn charge of the research strategy from conception to live• Built an approach to create iteration space on key features of the game, early in their conception• Provided insight on major issues highlighted by our studies, helping the design team on coming up with solutions • Leveraged knowledge of the brand and game to inform the design of future contentFostered a user-centric approach • Worked on the onboarding strategy with the UX direction, pacing out the information given to account for players' cognitive workload• Collaborated with internal experts on making Valhalla the most accessible Assassin's Creed • Organized a multidisciplinary live study, to deepen our understanding of the players' key motivation driversCoordinated research with multi-disciplinary teams• Organized a team composed of researchers, data analysts and data scientists • Led research for all studios working on AC Valhalla worldwide• Developed working relationships with key partners (market research, community management)• Trained and mentored junior user researchersNotable work - Valhalla's "territory testing"• Planned and developed an approach to better fit the production workflows and iterate earlier on the world content • Integrated user testing as a part of the territory validation process, through coordination with producers and project managers • Worked closely with design and narrative teams to inform the design of our quests, toy and story

Région De Montréal, Canada

In charge of running the research, in collaboration with the UR Project Manager• Built and ran studies from conception to launch, and into the live phase of the game• Led large user tests spanning multiple days, involving researchers from multiple studiosDeveloped new methods to better support the game intentions• Early focus on small usability studies to support the “reboot” of AC’s core systems (notably parkour, stealth, combat and world navigation)• Collaborated with biometrics experts and UX team on the redesign of our Stealth loop signs and feedback• Developed a new method to better understand the players’ full experience with the game, emphasizing collection of qualitative dataContributed to developing processes for User Research at Ubisoft

Région De Montreuil, France

Paris' lead user researcher on Watch Dogs and early iteration of Ghost Recon Wildlands• Worked with multiple production teams, gathering needs and building studies• Worked on a diverse catalogue of games and platforms:• Ubisoft flagship brands (Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Watch Dogs)• Casual games (Sports Connection, Marvel Battle for Earth)• Mobile, WiiU, Kinect, and free to play games

Master'S Degree, Ergonomics And Game User Research

First Year Of A Journalism Master'S Degree

Bachelor'S Degree, Communication And Media Studies