Meg McMahon

Major: Communication Arts (Communication Science & Rhetorical Studies) & Art Education

Certificate: Digital Studies

Graduation Date: May 2017

How did you end up working at Harvard Library?

When I started at UW I truly had no idea what I wanted to do. Because of this, I followed my curiosity and took classes that sparked my interest, which were in the subjects of Art, Digital Studies, and Rhetoric. While at UW, my work was varied as well. I worked as a software trainer, creative consultant, and webmaster, all at the same time which was hard but fulfilling.

After undergrad, I taught in public schools while applying to graduate programs in library science. (I was torn between that and applying for a rhetoric PhD, but in the end, libraries won out.) At UNC-Chapel Hill, I learned what User Experience was and was immediately taken with the field. I switched from library science to information science to focus my classes on UX. I worked as a UX Research Assistant in the library which helped me get hands-on experience in the field. (I also worked as a Makerspace Research Assistant and at the local public library.)

I graduated from UNC in May 2020 which was at the start of the pandemic so I was extremely nervous about finding a job. Thanks to the connections I built at UNC, I was able to find a position at Northeastern University in Boston. There I worked as the Northeastern Commons Coordinator which allowed me to focus on bringing UX methodologies to their platform and library.

While there I reached out to other UX library professionals in the city to learn more about the kinds of work they were doing and to start to build my professional network. That’s how I met my current boss. We met every few months for a coffee chat and when my current position opened, she asked me to apply. My interview went well and I got it!

What does a typical day in the office look like for you?

It’s hard to explain just one day in my life because my work is so varied, which is one of my favorite parts of being a UX Researcher. Given that, here is a broad overview of the kinds of work I do.

I specifically work in the User Research Center within Harvard Library. I conduct User Experience (UX) research for the library by directly supporting library-wide strategic initiatives and supporting departments in the library to answer questions vital to their service or digital designs. I’ve worked on projects of all kinds from understanding how our patrons search for non-Latin script materials to understanding patron’s needs within a physical space in the library. To see all of our recent research check out our Research Repository (I made this!).

What makes up my day as a UX Researcher is often various stages of the research process, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. This includes creating research plans, writing scripts or surveys, collecting data by interviewing or survey collection, analyzing data, and creating research artifacts like reports or presentations for stakeholders.

Two other large parts of my job are accessibility and analytics. I’m very passionate about accessible and inclusive practices so a large part of my work also includes assessing the accessibility of our systems to ensure our digital products work for all users. On the analytics side, I manage library analytics across 10+ websites and systems.

How has Digital Studies influenced your career path?

For me, my first digital studies class with Dr. Eric Hoyt was what sparked my interest in web design. I believe if I had never taken the course, it would have affected my career trajectory. Also, both digital studies and rhetoric/com sci theories are foundational in the way I think about User Experience and Information sharing/creation/consumption. These influence me daily by helping me formulate thoughtful and impactful research questions to study.

Did you have a favorite Digital Studies class or professor when you were a student?

I know I said it in the above answer but for me it was Dr. Eric Hoyt’s Com Arts 155: Intro to Digital Media Production course. It’s what led me to pursue the digital studies certificate at UW!

Do you have any advice for current students?

My biggest advice would be to follow your curiosity. Take classes that genuinely interest you. Join that club you have been looking at. Apply to a job that seems cool. You will be surprised to see how many seemingly unrelated classes/clubs/jobs have similar throughlines or tangential ideas. I believe it’s these connections between your classes/clubs/jobs/network that can give you the best idea of what you want to be doing after UW.

Also, remember that school/work isn’t everything. Find fun however you define that for you at UW too.

What achievement are you most proud of in your professional career thus far?

My Master’s paper, A Makerspace of One’s Own? An Exploratory Study of Women and Gender Non-Conforming Individuals’ Experiences of an Academic Makerspace is one of my biggest achievements. It is cited by other academics and I received the Dean’s Academic Achievement award of my year for it.

My contributions to the IMLS grant-funded project, National Forum on the Prevention of Cyber Sexual Abuse, is another proud moment in my career. We created a handbook to help others build community in their own spaces around digital violence prevention.