Product Design, HCI & the Future of Design | Futurvia Podcast Episode 5 | Joanna Ni

🎙️ In this episode of the Futurvia Minds Podcast, we speak with Joanna Ni, a product designer at The New York Times and recent Carnegie Mellon University graduate, about her journey into product design and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), her transition from university to the professional design world, and how students can prepare for careers in design. 📚 Joanna shares what product design actually looks like beyond creating interfaces, from conducting research and analyzing data to collaborating with teams and presenting ideas to stakeholders. She reflects on her experience at Carnegie Mellon, the value of student organizations and leadership opportunities, and why developing communication and other soft skills matters alongside technical design abilities. 💡 We explore how designers can understand users without relying on their own assumptions, what students should include in an authentic design portfolio, and how experimentation can help students discover their interests. Joanna also discusses AI as a tool for faster prototyping while explaining why human judgment, perspective, and taste remain valuable in design. 🔑 Key Topics: • What Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) actually is • Product design vs. UX design • What professional product design looks like at The New York Times • Using research, data, and edge cases to make better design decisions • Building an authentic and memorable design portfolio • Balancing academics, clubs, and career preparation during college • Why communication, leadership, and collaboration matter for designers • How students can discover which areas of design interest them • How AI is changing product design and prototyping • Advice for students interested in product design, UX, and HCI ────────── Futurvia Minds Society is Vancouver’s #1 youth-led nonprofit organization dedicated to providing accessible STEM education, career exploration opportunities, and hands-on learning experiences for students. 📱 Follow Futurvia Minds: 📸 Instagram: @futurviaminds 🌐 Website: www.futurviaminds.org