Human-centered innovation and design processes are a growing reality within all sectors—business, non-profit, multilateral and even the public sector. This broad professional area involves formulating and designing innovative social or business solutions as well as the development of concrete products, processes and services with an emphasis on human behavior. It is now common to come across vacancies for roles such as UX Researcher, UX Designer, Service Designer, Innovation Designer, and Design Thinking or Innovation Consultant.
Professionals in this field contribute to problem-solving by developing and implementing innovative solutions centered on the human perspective. Many of the skills and competencies required in these roles align with the learning outcomes of degree programs in the social sciences and humanities. Research and data gathering skills are fundamental, as is an interest in understanding human behavior and cultural influences.
Our panelists will try to demystify this professional area, sharing information about their own career paths to shed light on possible roles and trajectories based on their own experiences.
During this event you will learn about:
- Types of jobs within the broad area of Human-Centered Innovation and Design
- The skills and competences sought in this field, with a focus on the transferrable skills developed by students of the social sciences and humanities
- Where to look for opportunities and how to break into the field
Panelists:
Panelist bios will be added as they are confirmed.
David Gaspar (LEGS ’16) is a qualitative researcher and insights strategist, currently working as a UX researcher at Saatchi & Saatchi, a leading global communications and advertising network. Formerly, David held the positions of social insights lead, social researcher and line producer across a wide spectrum of industries facing different challenges. Prior to this, he carried out internships with Amnesty International and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union. An alumnus of CEU, David graduated from the MA in Human Rights. He holds a previous degree in Social Anthropology and Russian from the University of St. Andrews.
Kirstyn Hevey is a qualitative User Experience (UX) Researcher at Loopio, a fast-growing technology start-up in Toronto, Canada. At Loopio, she leads the research practice, informs the overall business strategy, advocates for user needs, and mentors junior researchers. Drawing on her academic research experience and methodological commitments, Kirstyn is passionate about building an ethical and rigorous research practice and seeks to highlight the value of qualitative and participant-centric approaches in the private sector. Previously, she worked in content management and worked as a research assistant at the University of Toronto. She graduated from CEU’s Political Science MA in 2013 and holds a Bachelor's Degree with Honours in Political Science from Queen’s University.
Andrea Kobor (SPP ‘17) is an innovation consultant with diverse experience across the humanitarian, non-profit, and for-profit sectors in Europe and Asia. Currently, she works at the World Food Program (WFP) Innovation Accelerator. After graduating from CEU’s Public Policy MA she was accepted to the University of Chicago’s International Innovation Corps Fellowship in India which launched her career in global innovation. After two years of consulting with large corporates in Malaysia, she joined the WFP Innovation Accelerator in 2020. In her present role, she supports diverse innovations around the globe in the humanitarian and development sector, focusing on health, gender, and zero hunger.
This event will be held on campus in Vienna. Please register in advance. You will have an opportunity to indicate if you are not able to attend in person so that we can send you details for joining remotely.