Kent State Online

Careers in government and public administration often attracts idealistic people who want to make a difference in our democracy and in the lives of their fellow citizens. But what does it actually take to become a leader in bureaucratic structures at the municipal, state and federal levels?

When you tune in to a local weather forecast or reach your destination with the help of a GPS device, you’re reaping the benefits of geographic information system (GIS) remote sensing technology. GIS was first applied in the 1960s to collect and analyze data regarding land usage. Today, there are a myriad of GIS applications ranging from urban planning to predicting the environmental effects of climate change. GIS technology continues to develop, creating an ever-increasing need for skilled professionals.1

Kent State User Experience Design (UXD) Instructor Kelsey Pytlik has an undergraduate degree from Miami University of Ohio and a master’s degree in User Experience Design from Kent State University. After her early career with creative agencies and e-commerce retailers, she became the sole UX designer for luxury furniture retailer Frontgate. She is now the CEO of Gild Collective, which is dedicated to empowering women through inclusion and leadership.

User experience design (UXD) lets you use your creativity, research skills and technological expertise to shape how others view the world. If you want to excel at building your UX resume, be prepared to impress employers with new ways to solve problems. You also need a skill set that’s grounded in UX fundamentals, yet shows synergistic capability.