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My unique resume includes work in education, policy and the arts. I apply the knowledge gained from these disciplines to my work in participatory methods of research and design, with the goal of co-creating solutions that are human-centred. I have experience leading and coaching innovation projects with a particular focus on engagement and design research methods. 

I chose OCAD U School of Continuing Studies because of its unique and innovative course offerings, which are perfectly designed for a working professional like me. The course covered key research methods that I was interested in, such as interviews, observations, empathy maps, affinity diagrams, and journey maps. These methods were grounded in a real-world project, with instructors providing supportive direction and guidance every step of the way.

As a result of the course, I felt equipped to co-lead a project utilizing the methods I learned. This newfound perspective was instrumental in designing a co-design project that yielded significant insights for my organization, enabling me to co-create more meaningful and impactful design solutions. This collaborative work was published by the Observatory for Public Sector Innovation in a project titled Project Heart – A Collaborative Exploration of the Future of Engagement.

I really cannot recommend the Empathy + Social Insight for Human-Centred Design* course enough. It provided me with an invaluable learning opportunity that I can apply in all areas of my professional work.

Megan McLeod, Empathy + Social Insight for Human-Centred Design* student

I am a Graphic Designer whose passion is effective communication. After working in the field for over a decade, my interests have expanded and evolved, branching further into the world of UI/UX Design, and Design Systems. Having always been dedicated to efficiency and organization, I love to delve into the everyday and ask myself: how can we optimize this experience not only for our users, but for ourselves?

Whether wire-framing or establishing a design archive, my enthusiasm (and my laugh) has been known to leave a lasting impression. If you are ever interested in having a discussion—whether professional or a nerdy chat about design—please feel free to reach out.

As a young mom of two, I was looking for somewhere that would be flexible to my everyday needs and yet would still deliver a quality educational experience. I also loved that OCAD U School of Continuing Studies has options for what classes you can take to complete your certificate, giving the opportunity to enrol in subjects that you are interested in. It was a great experience!

After completing all my courses, I felt refreshed. It had been so long since I had been in an educational environment where I felt inspired to learn more about the subjects I had been engaged in, and excited to incorporate my new learnings into my professional work. The subjects covered were eye-opening, and I’m very thankful to have been exposed to them.

The Empathy and Social Insight* course really made me stop and reflect upon how I was approaching my design solutions. I have always loved to conduct research, but this course gave me the chance to truly dive into a subject matter and look at it from all angles so that I could develop the most effective solution to the problem posed. By engaging with my peers in our discussions, whether on the discussion board or on a call, it was also interesting to see how they broached topics and what problems they strived to solve. Overall, it was a wonderful learning experience. 

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(*) Empathy + Social Insight for Human-Centred Design is now integrated into the Human-Centred Design Certificate. Learn more here.