Cheryl Platz
Senior Designer
Microsoft
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I decided I was drawn to technology.
Then I saw Randy Pausch give a talk about interaction design and I realized it was a calling.
Then I found a way to get into the HCI double major at CMU.
Then I got a job offer in HCI but had it rescinded due to the recession after 9/11.
Then I pursued a career in entertainment technology for 4 years as a game producer and designer.
Then I returned to HCI / interaction design in 2007 once I needed an intellectual change.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Senior Designer
I reduce complex problems into simple solutions that make people more efficient at work.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Technology
Design
Accomplishing Goals
Day to Day
When things are going well, my day is a balance: - Meeting with partner teams and deconstructing their needs into problems my team can solve - Providing guidance and inspiration to other teams who need our design patterns to solve a problem - Working hands-on with designs, experimenting with alternate information architectures and visual treatments - Participating in or reviewing the results of research with our customers.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for middle school students
Exercise your brain by looking around you for technology that doesn't work well or frustrates you. How might you change it to improve your own experience or the experience of others? Try starting with your microwave or an email account. What would you make better?
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Society in General:
"You can't switch careers, people won't appreciate your diverse experience."
Challenges I Overcame
Physical Issues
