A Career Shift in Progress — Brand Design to UXD: Olivia Dias Bagott
Olivia is a freelance designer currently studying for a Master’s in User Experience Design (UXD) at Falmouth University. Her research interests include Persuasive Design, Behavior Design and Climate Tech. Here she introduces her recent research paper on ‘the persuasive design of Instagram’ and shares her experience of studying for an online Masters in UXD.
I’m a nature-loving multidisciplinary designer based in Florianópolis, Brazil, where I spend my days between the ocean and my MacBook. Some call it the Silicon Valley of the Southern Hemisphere. I call it home after leaving the UK to come to my mother’s homeland four years ago.
I initially started my career as a fashion designer, but after two years became disillusioned with the amount of waste in the industry. So I shifted my focus to marketing and graphic design, where I could work with various projects, including climate action and social enterprises. I transitioned my career by supporting clients with visual identity and online presence. I set up a remote branding studio, Ardea Creative, three years ago.
At Ardea, I design visual identities and websites for freelancers, small businesses and social enterprises. I work independently and collaboratively with web devs and my business partner, who does copywriting.
As an independent designer, I have been focused on brand & UI design. However, shifting my focus to UX design means that I will be well-positioned to manage more complex, impactful projects for more prominent organisations. I enjoy collaborative, data-driven design and am interested in design ethics. Learning from The Centre of Humane Tech’s online course led me to research ‘persuasive design’ and the impacts of social tech on our behaviour as individuals and societies. I’m interested in studying how we can use technology to create healthier communities by connecting locally, creating sustainable habits and access to educational resources.
Career Aspirations: How and why I chose to do an MA in UXD university degree
I chose to study for a Masters’s in UX design at Falmouth University as an entry to working on more complex projects with bigger teams. To develop my knowledge of design processes, my eye for detail and my ability to design using data. Halfway through, I’m already able to take on projects for organisations that I care about with more confidence and the ability to offer more value to my freelance clients.
I also wanted to deepen my knowledge of human-computer interaction. I’m fascinated by how the digital interfaces we interact with daily impact our behaviours, relationships and ways of living.
Below is an abstract from my most recent research project in UXD at Falmouth University, and you can download the full paper from the link to read it. This paper may give you an idea of the rigour expected on this practical and academic course. This research also represents an area I’m interested in as I gain further experience in UXD.
UX Research | MA coursework
Title: The Persuasive Design of Instagram’s User Experience: Awareness, Autonomy and Meaningful Use
Abstract:
Persuasive design refers to technologies or design features created to intentionally change behaviour. These methods have been used to influence healthy habits, such as smart reminders for physical activity and environmental sustainability (Fogg 2002). However, with metrics that prioritise time spent, Social network sites (SNS) increasingly use persuasive design methods to compete for user attention. The user-friendly design of the Instagram mobile app is optimised to meet immediate user needs and desires, making it a valuable tool for connection and entertainment. Yet in recent years both media coverage and academic study have indicated that habitual SNS use contributes to increased levels of anxiety and social polarisation (Lukoff et al.2018). For this paper, Instagram serves as a tool to observe the impacts of persuasive design on individuals’ behaviour. This study builds a picture of the design features that make the app habit-forming through primary interviews, corroborated by relevant HCI literature. Findings Indicate that habit-driven user experiences on Instagram led users to feel a loss of autonomy. Participants reported that design patterns eroding natural stopping cues and personalised content feeds were prominent factors influencing their use of the app.
References:
FOGG, B. J. 2002. ‘Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do’. Ubiquity [online]. Available at: https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/764008.763957.
LUKOFF, Kai, Cissy YU, Julie KIENTZ and Alexis HINIKER. 2018. ‘What Makes Smartphone Use Meaningful or Meaningless?’ Proc. ACM Interact. Mob. Wearable Ubiquitous Technol. 2(1), 1–26.
Keywords: Persuasive technology, Design Patterns, User Behaviour, Social Media, Mobile Technology, Design Ethics, Everyday Cognition.
