Andre Murnieks

Andre Murnieks

Senior lecturer, Ngā Pae Māhutonga Wellington School of Design

As a form of applied research, Andre Mūrnieks’ project and scholarly work explores the implementation of human-centered approaches to interaction design with particular emphasis on the narrative of digitally mediated user experiences, often through the use of motion as a methodology for discovery, presentation and visual communication. Much of Andre's work is educational and/or heath care related and seeks to more clearly inform underserved groups, whether they are employees, novices, volunteers, consumers, learners or children. In instances where the project is defined as speculative, the outcomes consistently lead to recommendations that are implemented, as well as a realisation on the client’s part that design research and creative discovery from the end user’s perspective is an important and worthy endeavour.

  • Expertise

    Interaction design; interactive design; motion design; generative and participatory design research methods.

  • Research Highlights

    Navigating VOX/UI: The Integration of Motion in a Voice-Controlled Information System [Chapter]. The Theory and Practice of Motion Design Critical Perspectives and Professional Practice : Focal Press (2018)

    The Theory and Practice of Motion Design seeks to illuminate the diverse, interdisciplinary field of motion design by offering a structured examination of how motion design has evolved, what forces define our current understanding and implementation of motion design, and how we can plan for and imagine the future of motion design as it unfolds.

    Motion Education Design Summit

    MODE (Columbus 2017) and MODE (Dublin 2015) events, operations and logistics chair and conference proceedings co-editor and publication designer. Routledge publisher (division of Taylor & Francis)

    Connecting With Users Though Interactive Prototyping (2014)

    Understanding User Behavior Through Building The Black Box And Its Electronic Innards presented at EVA London 2014 and published at ewic.bcs.org.

    The Beacon Way (2014)

    A strategy and identity motion piece for a transitioning health care organisation, the Beacon Heath System. Premiered at a senior leadership meeting in Chicago, September 2014. Portions then used for local South Bend area television spots.

    EngineRoom with client team from Columbus based MoreSteam (2013)

    Simplifying statistical software, a drag-and-drop architecture for exploring data relationships was designed to make the process intuitive but also to live online as a web-based application using modern Internet standards.

    Complex Network Visualizations as a Means of Generative Research in Design (2014)

    Presented at the design educators research conference Connecting Dots in Cincinnati. Published at connectingdots.aiga.org.

    Oracle In A Box v2.0

    Exhibited at SLSA 2013, EVA London 2014 (see the making of Oracle In A Box v2.0)

    Telling A Design Story (2013)

    Presented at the AIGA Conference: Head Heart Hand and published at educators.aiga.org.

    Flow of History (2012)

    Educational mobile tablet app. Starting with a novel idea of flowcharting history, a complete new interface and structure was put in place to appeal to the high school student and act as a companion to traditional history textbooks.

    How To Fix The Machinery of Health Care In Rwanda (2012)

    Presented at Geographics: Design, Education and the Transnational Terrain in Hawai’i.

  • Qualifications

    Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design, The Ohio State University
    Master of Fine Arts in Design, The Ohio State University

  • Professional Affiliations

    Interaction Design Association (IxDA Chicago)
    Regional interaction design group focusing on design methodology and research.

    American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA Chicago)
    Oldest and largest professional membership organization for design.