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Shelly Holbrook

PhD

Director

Shelly has worked on complex human factors research problems for 10+ years in a variety of industries, with projects spanning the entire product lifecycle from inception to market. Her training in industrial and systems engineering has provided her the necessary skillset to evaluate both the human and technical components of systems to create intuitive, optimal solutions. Shelly has experience with both qualitative and quantitative research methods, specializing in formative and summative usability testing. Her work in community pharmacy health IT system development, in conjunction with electronic health record implementation, and device and software development in diabetes care has earned her multiple publications. Shelly has a MS and PhD in Industrial Engineering with a Human Factors research emphasis from Purdue University and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Clemson University.

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Shelly

Something unique about you summed up in one sentence

I used to be a college radio DJ! I love listening to all types of music and going to live shows.

Your favorite part of working at Bold Insight

The diversity of client projects and a culture that values and encourages learning and personal growth.

In your spare time (or if you had spare time), you would absolutely do this:

I love to learn and create things! Future hobbies I’d like to learn include: woodworking, glassblowing, and how to program a raspberry pi/incorporate electrical components in my projects.

How long have you been in the UX field?

7+ years

You cannot start the day without doing this…

Making the bed, and doing a crossword puzzle while I eat breakfast.

Your favorite city in the world is...and why?

Seattle in the summertime! The bright sunny skies, beautiful flowers, and views of both the Puget Sound and Mount Rainier are gorgeous.

Your ultimate celebrity dinner party guest list would include:

I’d want to invite every stand-up comic- I dearly love to laugh! I’d have James Corden, Amy Poehler, Hannibal Buress, and the cast of Brooklyn 99

Long-term personal or professional goal?

Inspired by some of my favorite comedians and friends that are improvisers, I would like to improve my story-telling skills. Telling better stories will help me both professionally (e.g., communicating users’ stories to clients) and personally (e.g., not boring my husband after work when I tell him about my day).
Read Shelly's bold insights

Read our team’s latest bold insights

Human factors testing for OTC drugs and non-prescription medical devices

Jan 16, 2025

As the field of human factors continues to evolve, so must our approaches to testing and study design. While the FDA’s 2013 guidance laid the groundwork for study design and methodology, recent discussions and conference presentations have prompted a shift in how we approach OTC HF testing, leading to more comprehensive and realistic assessments of these products.

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