Hi.

I’m Natalie Levy-Costa.

I am a strategist and design-person living in Washington, DC, but working remotely with humans all over the world. I spend a lot of time thinking about human behaviors, physical products, and digital experiences. If you’re here, I assume that you do, too.

 

DCUX Presentation

Ever wonder how on earth you can get buy-in from leadership for qualitative research?

I had the honor of speaking at DCUX in 2019 on that exact topic with the amazing Cathy Pages! You can read our entire presentation as a PDF or see it in all of its animated Keynote glory.

Resources

Here are some free resources I have created throughout the years. I absolutely encourage you to steal these, but please let me know if you do! I want to know how they work for other creators.

 

Qualitative Reasearch

It all starts with the research! But how do you figure out how to go about learning what you need to know to make the best decisions?

 

Goal-based Facilitation

I know that for a lot of design leaders, facilitation can feel like a thankless chore, so how can you structure more productive conversations?

 

User Testing Template

Nothing sucks the energy out of a project more than endless negotiations. Cut through the ambiguity by putting your designs in front of users! Here’s how.

 

The truth is that I hate bragging about myself, so I’ll let other people do it for me.

 
 

Skip-Level VP

Gannett | The USA TODAY Network

When I was building a Product Design & UX team at Gannett, Natalie was my first hire. It’s a hire that set the tone for how I wanted the team to operate. In Natalie we gained:

  • An effective communicator

  • A Product thinker who could lead Discovery efforts to identify UX and product opportunities

  • A role model for junior designers

  • A collaborator

  • Someone I always looked forward to talking to

I cannot say enough great things about Natalie. Just hire her. She’s a great strategist and designer. And an even better human.

 
 

Manager

Gannett | The USA TODAY Network

Anyone who has worked with Natalie will tell you that she is a brilliant designer. A rare talent who delivers meaningful customer experiences while never losing sight of the business goals. Her ability to effortlessly lead complex design projects, mentor junior designers, and manage stakeholder relationships makes her a standout on any team. She is also who you want in the room when everyone is tired and punchy, always at the ready with a fun story about her travels, her dogs, or growing up the oldest in a big family. Natalie is a true asset to any product design team, and I highly recommend her!

 
 
 

Featured Project

 
 
 

Fermata Energy

Fermata Energy is a company that specializes in advanced energy storage and grid optimization solutions. Their aim to reduce waste by helping Americans take advantage of the energy they already have access to, whether in an emergency or as a business cost savings.

 

It’s not just my bosses that enjoy working with me (that would be weird), hear from some folks I’ve managed and collaborated with:

 
 

Direct Report

Gannett | The USA TODAY Network

Thinking back on my time with Natalie as my manager at Gannett, I'm struck by her exceptional leadership. Not only did she consistently set clear project expectations, eliminating ambiguity and streamlining our workflow, but she also demonstrated a genuine care for each team member. Natalie's personal investment in our growth and well-being went beyond professional development — she was genuinely interested in our success. Her candid feedback not only made me a better designer and professional, but also continued the positive and supportive environment we had. Natalie is not just an excellent manager; she is a truly remarkable person who elevates the workplace with her kindness and dedication.

 
 

Teammate

Throughline inc

Natalie is a creative force. For many of my projects, I've either reached out to her for feedback, or at least thought to myself: 'How would Natalie approach this?'

I deeply respect her skills and perspective. She has a way of bringing out the best in your work.

 
 

Work Samples

 
 
 

User Testing 101

As a part of the Gannett Design leadership team, we realized that many of our colleagues did not truly understand the value of user testing.

 
 
 

Competitive Analysis

When undertaking a redesign as massive as we did for USATODAY.com it’s important to understand the digital landscape you’ll be competing in.

 

Still wondering if you want to work with me? Here’s more blatant braggery.

 
 

Colleague

Left Field Labs

I loved that Natalie made work feel fun!! It never felt like work working with her. But I hated that she was always swamped and we never had enough time to do more workshopping together. Other people would be honored to work with her because she is not only knowledgeable and an expert in her field, she truly enjoys what she does and it was always so great to bounce ideas off of her.

I miss working with her.

 
 

Stakeholder & Teammate

Gannett | The USA TODAY Network

Natalie is an exceptional full-spectrum designer, of course -- an empathetic researcher, an incisive gleaner of insights, a subtle and sublime designer. But her greatest skill may actually be leading teams and stakeholders -- including the occasional curmudgeon (She once talked me off an 'Old-man-rants-at-cloud' ledge -- and we both still have a customized Simpsons meme on our desks to remind us of it).

 
 

Coworker & Fellow UX-Designer

Gannett | The USA TODAY Network

Natalie melds design thinking, business acumen, and a healthy touch of humor.

She is both creative and practical, and elevates the work of her team with her approach.

 

Just a heads up…

Looking for something else? A lot of my work is or was proprietary, so please don’t hesitate to reach out so I can provide you with relevant case studies and artifacts.