Kate is a key part of our team, a highly skilled marketeer, research participant recruiter and busy mum of two. Kate lost her high-range hearing 16 years ago, which impacts how she experiences everyday conversations, particularly in busy environments.
Name and role
Kate Morris – Marketing & Research Participant Manager at Web Usability
Before your current role, can you tell us a bit about your career journey?
I started out in PR, which appealed to me as I’ve always loved finding engaging ways to tell stories, using the written word. Learning how to research, interpret industry information and turn it into compelling content gave me a strong foundation for my career. I’ve since worked across a mix of tech and charity organisations, both in-house and agency-side. More recently, I moved into ecommerce, focusing on content creation, customer service and website optimisation.
What inspired you to join the Web Usability team?
I’ve always found the human approach to UX research and testing fascinating. This role utilises so many of the communications skills that I’ve developed over time and I really enjoy the challenge of finding the perfect participants for each project.
What particularly drew me to Web Usability was the ethos. It’s a knowledgeable, supportive, family-run business that genuinely cares about both its people and its clients, while working to raise the bar for digital accessibility.
You’ve been with us for almost 3 years now. What has stood out?
One of my very first tester recruitment projects was definitely a challenge – though one which equipped me with the skills and experience to source and sign up the hardest to reach people. The client needed participants from a very specific, fast-paced sector where people rarely have spare time and contact details are difficult to come by.
It took a combination of detailed research, persistence and a bit of charm, but we were able to recruit exactly the right people. Delivering that for the client was incredibly satisfying.
More broadly, it’s been fascinating to see how quickly AI is shaping the industry and changing the way we work.
You mentioned you lost your high-range hearing 16 years ago. Has that influenced your work?
It means I often have to work harder to process and understand spoken communication. Hearing aids and lip reading help, but it can still be tiring, especially in busy or social environments. Captions make a huge difference. Whether it’s videos or Zoom calls, they significantly reduce the effort needed to follow conversations and free up my energy for creative thought and great work!
I’m fortunate to work for an agency that takes accessibility seriously and actively considers my needs.
One of the most helpful things colleagues can do is be patient and willing to repeat or rephrase. It can be frustrating and isolating to miss something and be told, “don’t worry, it doesn’t matter.” At Web Usability, people take the time, and that makes a real difference. My amazing colleagues are always very patient with me when I ask them to repeat things.
I would hate to miss out on a shared joke!
What do you enjoy outside of work?
To relax, I love drawing and painting. It’s a chance to step away from processing sound and focus purely on creating something visual which I find completely absorbing and provides real respite.
I’m often inspired to draw animals, landscapes or flowers, and if I can do that with a couple of sleepy cats nearby, even better.