About Me / Design Philosophy
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Matt Weaver recently graduated Cum Laude, earning a Bachelor of Science in User Experience (UX) Design with a Minor in Psychology and a Leadership Certificate from Purdue University. Matt has a strong focus on building customer relations and uncovering empathetic insights in order to connect with them through product design, a passion that stems from his research & design work in the Open Lab at Newcastle University.
He recently concluded his Project Owner role in the Purdue Experience Studio where he managed 3 projects and teams. He finds joy in solving complex problems and being creative which is what sparked his interest in UX Design. Matt strives to be a very diverse designer and hopes to grow, as a person and a designer, with every new experience.
In his Senior year of high school, Matt was ranked #7 center back in the state of Indiana and was awarded the hardest working player on his soccer team which was ranked #2 in the nation at one point. This goes to show his true demeanor and how much pride he takes in what he does. Outside the studio, Matt can be found at the soccer fields winning intramural championships or in the coffee shop reading and listening to music. Check out his work section to see his latest case studies.
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Design Philosophy
Through my experiences, I have developed core principles that I take into every project to ensure a quality product. I always keep in mind to be a person first and not my role. By being a person, you can yield greater insights when talking to users. In the past, I have been caught up by filling an 'interviewer' role when collecting data. I have learned that staying true to who I am helps create deeper connections and provides greater insights to guide my design work. Below is an example of my typical design process along with my core principles to keep me grounded.
"BE A PERSON, NOT YOUR ROLE" -Melis Senova
Empathy
One of my key skills I use is empathy inside all research sprints. This way, I can derive more meaningful insights to implement into my designs. I use this skill by being a person, not my role. I love to speak for the user in all of my work.
Iterative Process
I take pride in an iterative and agile process that adapts to changing environments and maintains user-centric continuity throughout my design work. I exercise this through constant feedback in all of my work. I am very receptive to positive and negative feedback. It prides the user-centric process and helps me grow as a designer.
Sketchbook
I have found the importance of simple sketches within the design process. This is a great tool to get ideas down on paper and to start testing/evaluating with paper prototypes. Testing early and often in the process is very beneficial to how the end product turns out.
Collaboration
I thrive working alongside creative minds. My number 1 trait in the My Clifton MyStrengths assessment is Includer. Everyone's disposition on the team matters, as it sparks creative ideas, helps discover research patterns, and creates a more exciting work environment.
Education
2017-2021
Hamilton Southeastern Highschool
Received an Academic Honors Diploma and graduated with a 3.75/4.0 GPA. Played Varsity Soccer my last two years and won numerous awards while playing in the toughest district and conference in the state and being ranked #2 in the nation.
Awards
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Deans List (FA2021-FA2024)
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Alpha Lambda Delta Phi Eta Sigma (recognizes first-year academic excellence at Purdue University)
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Outstanding Student Award (Aug 2023)
2021-2024
Purdue Univeristy
Completed a Bachelor of Science in UX Design with a Minor in Psychology and a Collaborative Leadership Certificate. GPA 3.73/4.0
Awards
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All-State Honorable Mention (2020)
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1st Team All-District (2020)
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1st Team All-Conference (2020)
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Academic All-State (2019-2020)
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Mr. Hustle (awarded the hardest working player on my team)