Holli Downs presents

Phosphor Research

Empathy, systems and the language of meaningful work.

Hi. I’m Holli Downs, PhD.

I’m Holli Downs—a UX researcher and systems builder who helps organizations make sense of their work from the inside out.

I design research infrastructure, language frameworks, and connective strategy that respects both people and complexity.

At the heart of my work is a builder’s instinct: to create thoughtful structures that hold clarity, care, and the conversations that move things forward.

  • Clarity is something we build together—not something we hand off. Systems shape people, and people reshape systems. Language holds more than information—it holds momentum. I believe in asking better questions, even if the answers take time.

  • I’ve worked in crypto-linguistics, classrooms, innovation accelerators, and big tech. I’ve taught diverse learners and partnered with product teams. Each step shaped how I listen, how I build, and how I translate what’s under the surface into language people can align around.

  • These days, I work with teams navigating complexity—whether that means scaling research systems, clarifying product direction, or holding space for interdisciplinary conversations. My work blends insight, structure, and story to help teams build with intention.