Geordie Graham

What Program did you graduate from and when? 

MDES, Inclusive Design, 2016 
 

What is your current title or role? (e.g. freelance designer, art practitioner, etc.) 

Inclusive User Researcher
 

Why did you choose to attend OCAD U? 

I was referred to speak to the Graduate Program Director, Inclusive Design by the Head of Disabilities Services while I was doing my undergraduate at the University of Waterloo. I knew after reading the program description that this is what I wanted to do.  

Everything I learned in inclusive design was extremely helpful. Something I did, which I always encourage folks to consider, is to look at what they are exploring in their work and figure out how to connect the needs of the world into what they are exploring. When you get alignment, you get richer work.

Please briefly describe your current job/practice. 

My professional work-related duties include usability, user research and enterprise in e-commerce space. I conduct many studies and interviews to better understand usability across products. 

My volunteer practice is with Ample Labs. I connect user research with homeless youth to better serve their needs for the services that Ample is providing.
 

How did you get started in your career?  

During my time as a grad student at OCAD U, I was told about Mitacs internships and was able to get one at Sick Kids in user research, experience and stakeholder research – which was very engaging. I helped in the context of working with kids. While finishing my thesis, an educational company reached out to me based on my experience, so I was able to get a full-time job while still a student.

What were your policies regarding internships, volunteering, and paid work? 

I have been very active in paid internships. I made it clear with all Faculty in my department that this was what I was looking for. I was focused on making sure I had employment after graduation. I found practical ways to apply learnings, for example, through my MRP (Major Research Project).  

Volunteering – Through helping a friend I was able to teach them how to do user research and navigate the research ethics board. This led to a friendship that has lasted over 5 years and a close professional relationship.
 

What do you enjoy most about your work? What is the most challenging aspect of your work? 

I enjoy applying inclusive design principles to user research, and the idea of advocating throughout the design process as well as the necessity of having outliers. An important consideration is that through design, participant recruitment must be as diverse as can be.  

What I find challenging is that inclusive design is an emerging field. We are trying to raise awareness within product strategy etc. There is a lot of education taking place within stakeholders. There is a benefit of adopting inclusive design to create things for people.
 

What skills or relationships developed at OCAD U helped you participate in your field? Is there anything you would have done differently? 

Last year I did a conference talk with one of my academic advisors. I am still in contact with them. We have an Inclusive Design alumni WhatsApp group and keep in touch. We usually have a Christmas party every year. Our social bonds still exist. When dealing with accessibility I will often still ask a peer for best practices. The Manager of the User Research department in my current job also graduated from OCAD U. 

I met one of my closest friends through the OCAD U Student Union (OCAD U SU). We’ve been working together for over 5 years. I understand how to work with people, manage stakeholder relationships and employment skills. Relationship building is also very important. While in the OCAD U SU, I worked on getting a new health plan for OCAD U students. Before I inquired about the process for this, the SU didn’t previously get involved in the university’s health plan. This support led to the health plan being replaced for all students. Through this process I was exposed to requests for proposals (RFP - business service), a process I still use today. 
 

What are the key responsibilities you maintain for your practice?  

I commit to doing 2 or more talks a year. It’s important to be intentional about what you are sharing with people as this helps expose people to new ideas. In addition, I also write an article or conference paper. I enjoy creating to share with the community.
Mentorship is important to me because I realized the impact that had on my career. I mentor a few people and continue to do so. It's rewarding to see progress and accomplishments and to know who to reach out to for different components (hard skills vs soft skills). 
 

What are your personal and professional goals for the coming years? 

To continue to be able to mentor people within the area of user research. To advance and continue to educate others on the value of inclusive design in UX and User Research. To expose mentees to inclusive design principles. To continue to work on things like my MRP – trying to create a more pleasurable experience for people with disabilities in digital spaces. Throughout it all, I will make sure that my current responsibilities continue to align with inclusive design objectives.