Elena Rey

Get my CV

Elena Rey

UX Researcher & Project Manager

With a PhD in language psychology and a proven track record in project management, I bring a unique mix of academic depth and hands-on experience. I specialise in aligning project goals with stakeholder expectations and user needs, ensuring every step is meticulously planned and data-driven.

My work combines rigorous behaviour change research—through user interviews, surveys, and deep analysis—with an empathetic approach, delivering insights that drive impactful, real-world results.

Academic Research

My doctoral background in language psychology integrates academic methods with UX standards through user interviews, surveys, and data analysis.

Project Management

My project management experience allows me to align project goals with stakeholder expectations and user needs.

Data & Design

I carefully plan and document my work, turning user insights into collaborative, data-driven decisions and actionable prototypes.

EXPERIENCE

Liva Healthcare

Dec 2019 - Present

Copenhagen, Denmark

> 4 years

UX RESEARCHER & PROJECT MANAGER

Feb 2024 - Present

I collaborate across teams to execute digital health research projects, ensuring our products are both user-centric and scientifically robust.

Through comprehensive user research—including workshops, interviews, surveys, and prototype testing—I uncover key insights into user behaviour that directly inform and guide product development.

My work emphasises accessible design, integrating scientific methodologies into UX research to create solutions that meet diverse user needs.

INDUSTRIAL PHD & PROJECT MANAGER

Feb 2021 - Jan 2024

During my Industrial PhD fellowship in psychology of language, I focused on digital empathy within digital health coaching interventions.

I applied behaviour change psychology and linguistic analysis to user text messages, with findings that contributed to enhancing coaching interactions and developing AI models at Liva.

Alongside my research, I led EU-funded projects, overseeing budget allocation, coordinating team activities, and ensuring project milestones were met.

RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER

Dec 2019 - Dec 2020

I led the planning, implementation, and development of digital health projects targeting cardiovascular disease and diabetes management.

I was responsible for designing, conducting, and synthesising qualitative research, including interviews and workshops with healthcare professionals and patients.

This work provided the foundation for developing user-centred solutions that address critical healthcare challenges.

PROJECTS

AI Empathy Assistant

My PhD project, “Optimising asynchronous communication in digital health coaching”, combined behavioural psychology and linguistics to analyse chat exchanges in the Liva app.

I established a method for identifying key user statements and spot opportunities for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to show empathy, strengthening the HCP-patient relationship and improving outcomes. Additionally, it categorises HCP responses by types of empathy and can train an AI assistant to help HCPs respond empathetically, enhancing patient coverage and optimising digital health service delivery.

Accessibility

I established an internal Accessibility group across departments to ensure our platform complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 standards. Through extensive user surveys and interviews, I identified non-compliant areas and drove critical changes to enhance accessibility.

Additionally, I developed a comprehensive App Accessibility guide for both users and internal use. All my designs prioritise accessibility, reflecting my commitment to inclusive user experiences.

Gamification

One of my primary responsibilities at Liva is to enhance user experience and engagement through the gamification features. I conduct state-of-the art behavioural research to design program pathways, microinteractions, and reward systems that effectively engage and motivate users.

In addition to creating prototypes in Figma and testing them with Useberry, I utilize data analytics to continuously refine these features. This approach guarantees optimal resource allocation, smooth user interactions, and measurable success in driving engagement.

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

2024

Rey Velasco E, Laursen DH, Skinner TC, Impact Diabetes B2B Collaboration Group. Exploring the Intersection of Empathy and Behaviour Change Techniques in Telehealth Coaching Messages: A Survey Study.

BMC Digital Health

2023

Rey Velasco E, Demjén Z, Skinner TC, Impact Diabetes B2B Collaboration Group. Digital empathy in behaviour change interventions: A survey study on health coach responses to patient cues.

Digital Health

2022

Rey Velasco E, Laursen DH, Skinner TC. A meta-narrative review of coding tools for healthcare interactions and their applicability to written communication.

PEC Innovation

Rey Velasco E, Pedersen HS, and Skinner TC, Impact Diabetes B2B Collaboration Group. Analysis of Patient Cues in Asynchronous Health Interactions: Pilot Study Combining Empathy Appraisal and Systemic Functional Linguistics.

JMIR Formative Research