Turning ambiguity into clear direction through research
I shape complex ideas into intuitive products grounded in real user behavior.
Ethan Nabiyouni is a UX Research Lead with a PhD in Computer Science from Virginia Tech, where he published 10+ peer-reviewed papers and earned Best Poster and Best Paper awards at IEEE VR, 3DUI, and ICAT-EGVE.
At Apple, he spent five years shaping the core interaction model for Apple Vision Pro (visionOS) and Reality Composer, presenting 15+ prototypes to executive leadership, including the CEO, and filing 8 global patents in spatial UI. Since Apple, he has founded two AI-driven ventures, including Interia, an AI + VR platform for real estate and construction that was acquired by an industry leader in the UAE.
Ethan's edge is a rare combination of deep technical fluency and executive-level storytelling, turning behavioral data into products that ship.
Projects
Publications
5-Year Impact Factor: 10.6
Work experience
Apple, Inc.
UX Research Lead (4/2017 - 3/2022) Sunnyvale, CA
● Apple Vision Pro (visionOS): Defined core interaction models by leading mixed-method research and human-factors validation for gaze + gesture workflows; findings directly shaped system-wide navigation, text entry, and object manipulation. ● Reality Composer: Led UX research to design and ship developer-facing interaction mechanics, including 3D object transformation and smart placement behaviors, ensuring high usability across mobile and desktop. ● Executive Demos & Product Strategy: Developed and presented 15+ functional prototypes to Apple executive leadership (including CEO-level reviews). Leveraged user performance data and behavioral analytics to pivot product direction and finalize critical hardware specifications. ● Intellectual Property: Authored 8 global patent filings covering novel methods and UI for 3D object manipulation and CG light source interaction, establishing foundational IP for spatial computing ecosystems.
Interia, LLC.
Founder / CEO (4/2023 - Present) San Francisco, CA
● AI + VR Enterprise Platform: Founded an interior design platform for the real estate and construction sectors, enabling stakeholders to visualize and customize pre-construction properties. ● Executive Leadership: Directed a multidisciplinary team of 10+ across Engineering, UI/UX, AI/ML, and 3D Content to deliver a high-fidelity B2B product under tight market timelines. ● Customer-Centric Strategy: Conducted generative and evaluative research with enterprise partners to identify workflow friction. Translated findings into strategic roadmap decisions for B2B stakeholders. ● Market Expansion & Acquisition: Presented product vision to global stakeholders in the GCC region; leading to the acquisition by a construction industry leader in the UAE.
Xtory, Inc.
Co-founder / CTO (3/2022 - 3/2023) Boston, MA
● Product Strategy & Discovery: Led the development of a no-code AI content creation platform; conducted generative research through 100+ customer interviews to define product architecture and features. ● Product-Market Fit: Evaluated PMF within the professional training and education sectors, translating user pain points into a technical roadmap for AI-driven storytelling tools. ● Fundraising & Validation: Secured $200K in total capital ($150K VC funding and $50K in innovation awards).
Core Expertise
Mixed-Methods Research
Mastery of the full product development cycle using qualitative (interviews, focus groups) and quantitative (A/B testing, surveys, behavioral analytics, human factors) methods to drive strategic research.
Data Analysis & Synthesis
Advanced application of statistics (ANOVA, T-tests, Regression) using Python (NumPy/Pandas), SQL, R, and SPSS to transform complex datasets into product roadmaps.
Technical Prototyping & Development
Hands-on capability in Figma, Unity/Unreal, C#, C++, and Swift to build and evaluate high-fidelity functional prototypes and interaction systems.
Cross-Functional Leadership
Proven success in stakeholder management, interdisciplinary team collaboration (10+ direct reports), and facilitating strategic alignment across engineering, design, and product.
Ethan Nabiyouni (formerly Mahdi Nabiyouni) is a UX Research Lead and spatial computing expert with 14 years of experience turning complex human behavior into the design decisions that shape how people experience technology.
Ethan earned his PhD in Computer Science with a focus on HCI from Virginia Tech, where he published 20+ peer-reviewed papers on 3D interaction, VR locomotion, and spatial user interfaces, work recognized with Best Paper and Best Poster awards at ICAT-EGVE and IEEE VR.
At Apple, he spent five years leading the mixed-methods research and human-factors validation behind Apple Vision Pro (visionOS) and Reality Composer. He delivered 15+ functional prototypes to executive leadership — including CEO-level reviews, and authored 8 global patent filings covering novel methods for 3D object manipulation and spatial UI.
Since Apple, Ethan has founded two AI-driven ventures. At Xtory, he co-founded a no-code AI content creation platform, conducting 100+ customer interviews to shape the product and securing $200K in funding. At Interia, he built an AI + VR enterprise platform for real estate and construction, directing a team of 10+ to acquisition by an industry leader in the UAE.
Ethan's edge is a rare combination of deep technical fluency and executive-level storytelling, designing large-scale user studies, speaking the language of engineers and product teams alike, and consistently turning behavioral data into products that ship.
