Let's Meet... Akpene Agbo

Tell us a bit about your role

I am a UX designer in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. ‘U’ stands for user and ‘X’ stands for experience. UX design is essentially an umbrella term for a variety of roles. Typically, most of the work involved is technical, but UX design encompasses the entire product lifecycle – from its inception to completion. A UX Designer is essentially a designer who prioritises the end user in every aspect of product development and design. 

I work in the Digital Education Studio, where our focus is to create online spaces for learners that cater to their needs. Recently, I audited the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry website to ensure it complied with usability principles, from interactivity to aesthetics and user-friendliness. During the audit, I identified areas for improvement and made recommendations. After the recommendations are implemented, we will expect to see improvements in the website’s usability, backed by statistical data. 

In addition to website audits, I also work on improving user interfaces on QMplus. Currently, I am involved in conducting a quality assurance audit on QMplus courses to identify and address any usability or UX issues. 

What did you do before joining QM? 

I used to work at Deloitte on the data team where I began as a Data Analyst, but quickly introduced them to the world of UX in the creation of their dashboard. Essentially, I became a Tableau or Data UX designer in that capacity. It was somewhat of a new role that had to be created for me because they recognised a usability issue with their dashboards and tools. 

My very first job was as a Social Media Manager for a startup in Ghana. They were seeking someone to increase their followers, which is what I volunteered for. Eventually, I also delved into website management and evaluated their digital products, creating graphics and posters for their site and assisting with website creation. This is how I accidentally stumbled upon UX! 

What are your interests outside of work? 

I am still relatively new to London; I have only been living here for two years, so I still enjoy exploring. I particularly enjoy visiting museums, galleries, and food markets. You can always find me at a food market or browsing through thrift stores. When I’m not doing that, I usually attend painting sessions. I may not be a talented painter, but I find it relaxing. I also enjoy going on occasional hikes to further explore the UK. I have a passion for board games when there is some free time. Uno is usually the easiest game to play, it’s quick and always ends with everyone hating each other at the end! 

Quick-fire round!

Coffee or tea?
Coffee.

What phrase or words are you guilty of overusing? 
I call everyone 'baby boy' or 'baby girl'!

Cats or dogs?
Dogs.

Books or movies? 
Movies.

Favourite app on your phone? 
Tiktok, which is bad. It's not good. But I do learn something new every time I go on it. 

What song / album is currently on 'repeat' on your streaming app? 
Mercury - Acts 1&2 by Imagine Dragons. 

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? 
To read people's minds!

Favourite type of cuisine? 
Anything with potatoes - I have never eaten bad potatoes before. 

Top 3 dinner party guests?
Michelle Obama, Einstein, and Aristotle. Everyone of them will bring something different to the conversation.