Bachelor in Design Innovation to a people-focused Head of Research
Kelsey Thomson graduated with a Bachelor of Design Innovation in Media Design in 2012 and is now the Head of Research at Optimal Workshop, a user research and experience consultancy in Wellington.
The exploration of design across different mediums within the Bachelor of Design Innovation programme expanded Kelsey’s creative skills and understanding.
Kelsey recalls, “I wanted to study photography and to be among creatives in the heart of Wellington. The programme seemed like the natural fit, even though I wasn’t familiar with the rest of the creative fields offered in the School of Design.”
Her Media Design courses covered everything from video game and website design, to constructing audio speakers, and philosophical thinking about how design impacts and is impacted by culture.
“The diverse programme taught me a holistic and critical design approach that can be applied across any medium. This skill has been invaluable in my career journey as a user experience consultant within the business, banking, and research sectors.”
Kelsey is now an industry and people leader as the Head of Research at Optimal Workshop. She leads a team of customer experience and user experience consultants who work across-industry sectors, including for global businesses such as Uber, IBM, General Electric, and Yelp.
“I characterise myself as a people-focused researcher who thinks holistically about solutions, and always seeking to balance user and business needs. I thrive off a collaboration and bring an empathetic but analytical approach to my everyday tasks”, Kelsey says.
As the Head of Research, I often find myself hosting and attending panels and workshops, such as about Inclusive Design and Knowledge Graphs.”
Kelsey presented at the Information Architecture Conference 2023 in New Orleans, where her and colleagues discussed the present and future roles of Information Architects and which profession is best positioned to shepherd the structure of shared information spaces.
“At the conference, I really felt like we were at home with a community of designers. It was wonderful to meet the attendees and get to have detailed discussions about user experience.”
Kelsey’s advice to new students in the Bachelor of Design Innovation programme is to seek extra-curricular activities like industry conferences and partnerships within the university.
“These extra-curricular activities are actually built for students, with no expectations of having experience, and I regret not getting among them while I had the chance.”
“If I could go back and enrol in the Bachelor of Design Innovation all again, I would.”
Explore the Bachelor of Design Innovation
If you love good design—whether it be of objects, computer graphics, systems, or experiences—and want to learn from a leading-edge university, then this is the right degree for you.
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