What do you love about the UX field?
It’s full of surprises. UX research enables you to challenge
assumptions, and experience the world through someone else’s
eyes. At iRobot, I have the opportunity to help design robotic
products that truly improve the quality of life for millions of people.
Our users can spend less time maintaining their homes, and
devote more time to the people and activities they love.
What was the best part of the HFID
program for you?
I was able to work with a variety of companies — from small
startups to established tech companies like Google and
Math Works. My classmates and I tackled real business problems,
operated under realistic constraints, and learned how to involve
stakeholders in UX research and design. Coursework wasn’t
theoretical, but highly practical.
What sets Bentley apart?
Your connection with Bentley — its faculty, students, and alumni
— doesn’t end when you graduate. I regularly meet with former
classmates and alumni to discuss our work, as well as solicit and
share advice and recommendations. And with Bentley’s part-time
master’s degree program, I could continue to work full-time, and
apply what I was learning to my job.
How did your Bentley experience provide
value in your life and career?
The program provided me with a strong foundation in human
factors and research methodology, which I’ve leveraged heavily in
my work. Having this expertise affords you credibility when talking
to stakeholders and new clients. More important, I feel confident in
my skill set and research knowledge and, as a result, have pursued
and been granted opportunities I might not have been otherwise.
This degree is one of the
best decisions of my life.
Vanessa Wiegel was producing educational content for PBS when a colleague enrolled in Bentley’s
HFID program. Intrigued, she sat in on a course and was fascinated. Now, with an HFID degree herself,
she heads the design research team at iRobot, where she does research to understand users and inform
the company’s design philosophy.
To learn more about Bentley’s HFID program,
attend an upcoming info session or UX boot camp:
Thursday, February 7, 6: 30 PST, San Francisco,
Info Session
Thursday, February 21, 7:00 EST, On-campus
and online, Info Session
March 11 to 15, 2019, UX Bootcamp
bentley.edu/graduate/hfid
Program Director
William Gribbons | wgribbons@bentley.edu | 781.891.2926
McCALLUM GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Vanessa Wiegel
MS, Human Factors in Information Design
Design Research Manager, iRobot