Alumni Stories Róisín Bowden

"NCAD taught me how to think creatively in a group to solve complex technical and societal problems. This skill has been essential to my success in every role I’ve taken on. It is also highly valued in a corporate environment because it can be so rare."

Name: Róisín Bowden

Current Career: User Experience Researcher

Graduation Year: 2013

Discipline: BA (Hons) Industrial Design (now Product Design)

Location: Dublin

What career path did you want to follow as a child?

I really wanted to be an animation artist. I used to draw my own comic strips and make boardgames. From an early age, I’ve loved to draw and make things. Now as an adult, I always have a knitting or dressmaking project on the go. Expressing myself through my hands is a big part of who I am. 

Why did you decide to study at National College of Art & Design?

The industrial design course (now Product Design) at NCAD was a natural choice for me because I loved both technology and creativity. The culture at the college sealed the deal for me. The creative atmosphere of the workshops and studios, the historic location in The Liberties and the chance to work alongside so many talented students was very appealing to me. 

How did you develop your career towards your current job or practice?

After graduation, I worked as an industrial designer for about five years in a variety of roles. During this time, I discovered that user research was something I was passionate about and that suited my strengths well. So I made the difficult decision to switch industries. I used my experience as an industrial designer to transition to a research role within the technology sector. This presented opportunities to specialise as a researcher while still working as a core part of the design process. I found the technology sector very exciting and full of employment opportunities, as the world’s top companies are located on our doorstep in Ireland.   

The career choices I’ve made over the last few years have been based more on my intuition and the openings I had available to me at the time rather than any set plan. I love where I am now in my career but, I certainly didn’t set out to have the role I work in now. Significantly, when I graduated my job didn’t exist as it does today. I have always worked in design, but these roles have taken on different forms, from architect to garment designer to industrial designer. My approach has been to seize opportunities if I found the work interesting and it allowed me to be creative. But these opportunities also needed to support my personal goals, such as where I want to live and the quality of life I need in order to be happy. 

In my opinion, if you work in a creative industry it is especially important to remain flexible and to take opportunities as they come. The only way you will understand what you love to do and what your strengths are is by working and trying different career experiences. Also, in today’s fast-paced world, creative roles are constantly evolving and new roles are frequently emerging. It can take time but, it is life changing when you find a role that you love and that also supports your overall happiness.  

What is the one experience during your time at NCAD that has informed you most in your career and work to date?

Among many other things, NCAD taught me how to think creatively in a group to solve complex technical and societal problems. This skill has been essential to my success in every role I’ve taken on. It is also highly valued in a corporate environment because it can be so rare.

If you were chatting with current NCAD students today what is the one piece of advice you would offer?

If you are self-directed with the work that you do and the connections you make, you will get so much out of your college experience that will stand to you throughout your career. Try not to stress too much about the future and enjoy the moment you’re in now. Trust that you will find your way in your career. Enjoy this unique time in your life. Also, if you can, go on an Erasmus exchange. You’ll never regret it!

What new opportunities have developed for you as a result of changes in work practice during the Covid pandemic?

As a researcher, my job is to be the voice of the people who use the products we design. As you can imagine, the pandemic greatly changed how I conducted my work as I couldn’t meet with our users in person. While this was a difficult challenge for all researchers, it pushed us to quickly develop new research methods and technologies. This means that I can now gather user insights and collaborate with my colleagues when we’re in different locations across the globe. 

Portfolio Links:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/roisinbowden