I’m Kay Wyman, a design researcher and educator with a background in project management. I am curious about the systems that structure how humans think and live, as well as the everyday minutiae that display our relationship to the world around us.
I have a background in immigration and education, and I attended the Austin Center for Design program for Interaction Design and Social Entrepreneurship under the pedagogy of Jon Kolko.
I designed my own undergraduate degree, a dual major in Modern European Thought and German Language and Culture from the City University of New York’s Graduate Studies Baccalaureate program of Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies. I modeled my degree after the History of Ideas. I looked at ideas of modernity, Islamic philosophy, and citizenship through the lenses of European art history, history, politics, literature, and religion, and followed their evolution as Modern Europeans influenced these ideas and in turn were influenced by these ideas.
In my work in education, tutoring children and adults who are sometimes neurodivergent, low-income, or both, I use instructional design techniques in designing lesson plans and courses for them. I also see how my clients struggle with the school system, family pressure, motivation, organization and more. I use interaction design inquiry methods to identify their goals and their challenges and to create ways for them to learn effectively.
I see design patterns in all I do, and I apply design techniques to organize my own life and to help those that I work with.
Values I Design By
Social Good
I aim to design and evaluate user experiences that actively contribute to the well-being of individuals, communities, and society at large.
Co-Design
I believe in collaborative and participatory design methods that give agency to the people at the center of the design process.
Accessibility
I commit to inclusive UX research and design practices that intentionally elevate diverse voices and address a broad range of needs.
Human Connection
I design for genuine human connection—not just efficiency or consumption—recognizing that meaningful interactions drive better experiences.
Designing in the Light
I prioritize transparency, ethics, and accountability in all design and research processes, especially when working with sensitive data, vulnerable groups, or systems with wide-reaching social impact.
Words I Design By
“To be invested means to allocate time and talent toward a group or endeavor we wish to see succeed. For design within communities, we must genuinely identify with the community and consider ourselves part of it in order to produce solutions that are informed and long lasting in their impact.” – Emily Pilloton
“Designing for everyone means understanding the experiences of people who are nothing like you.” – Dana Chisnell
“You are responsible for what you put into the world. You are responsible for the effects of your design.” – Mike Monteiro
“We are no longer designing for users. We are designing with people to design for a future we cannot yet know.” – Liz Sanders