I explore creating innovative and exciting user-centered design experiences, methods, and strategies that involve user interface, user experience, and fine art. These create innovative and exciting UCD skills, processes, and strategies that include the user's participation in a fine art and digital environment. I combine human-centered experiences incorporating drawings and illustrations, user interface and experience design, typography, printmaking, animation, and graphic design skills and techniques. When designing, the goal is to consider the user's perception, context, environment, and physical space while they are experiencing a new design methodology.
Heather Ford
Interactive Media Associate Chair, UI/UX, User Experience Design Program Head and Assistant Professor, Artist and Designer
Caterpillar Global Communication Center 325
(309) 677-3409
hjford@bradley.edu
B.F.A Visual Communications
M.F.A. Visual Communications
Biography
I have a Master's of Fine Arts terminal degree from Bradley University and a BFA from the Illinois Institute of Art both in Graphic and Interactive Design. I teach and coordinate the User Experience Program for the Department of Interactive Media within the Slane College of Communications and Fine Arts at Bradley University. I have been a professional in this industry with over twenty years of fine art, digital creative, and UX experience in the commercial and academic sectors. I am highly experienced in applying methodologies of user experience design and research to website, mobile, branding, animation, and product design. I have been a designer for several Fortune 500 clients working with companies and organizations such as Disney, Maui Jim, United Way, NASA, Museum of Science and Industry, Nike, and Home Depot, utilizing a User-Centered Design (UCD) approach. I have been a speaker for Nielsen Norman Group and the National US UX Research Summit. Currently, I am the Primary Investigator and User Experience Design Lead on the U.S. Air Force Grant Project Virtual Augmented Reality Readiness project. It is a multi-year, large grant in collaboration with the University of Dayton Research Institute and Air Force.
Teaching
Spring 2025
- IM 260 - User Experience Design
- IM 261 - User Experience Design Capstone II
- IM 499 - FUSE Exhibition Art and Design Production
Office Hours
Tuesdays 8:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. or by Appointment