Sam Alper

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Sam Alper

PhD

Director

Sam’s background in human factors and industrial engineering has led to a systematic approach to problem solving, which considers both the technical and social aspects of challenges, that he applies to each project. He spent the better part of a decade investigating accidents from a human factors perspective, presenting to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and being deposed as an expert witness. Sam has a deep research background and has developed and implemented qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Sam as a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin—Madison.

Bold facts

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Sam

Something unique about you summed up in one sentence

Pretty sure I’m the only one in the office who can juggle 5 objects.

Your favorite part of working at Bold Insight

The goal of our work is to make life easier and/or better for people. While maintaining scientific rigor, we make sure to have fun. From top to bottom, each team member wants each of the others to succeed.

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

I already play hockey. But given spare time in the right location, I’d love to do more SCUBA.

How long have you been in the UX field?

Tangentially, for almost a decade. As a primary focus, for over three years.

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

Madison, WI. After going to school there for 10 years, I fell in love with the city.

Your ultimate celebrity dinner party guest list would include:

The Dalai Lama for his presence in the moment and his joyfulness. Pope Francis for his thoughts on culture change and helping a group adapt to a new environment. Barack Obama for his ability to stay on message through adversity, even when it put him at a disadvantage. Ellen DeGeneres for her ability to do good with humor.

Long-term personal or professional goal?

I’m curious about whether, and how, we could apply user experience principles to jobs– I think there’s potential to do a lot of good by improving peoples’ experiences at work.

Any other facts to share?

I’m an expert! At least, I have testified as an expert witness in the field of human factors and no one has disputed my expertise.

Read Sam's bold insights

March 24, 2020

Is FMEA inadequate for human factors analyses?

A "traditional" risk assessment does not meet the needs of FDA-required human factors analyses.

Context, accents, and privacy: Overcoming hurdles of AI translation tools in global UX research

Sep 19, 2023

Bold Insight launched a global AI study in March 2023 that included: 24 multilingual interviews conducted with UX researchers in 19 countries, spanning 22 languages. 27 interviews in English with global UX researchers representing 24 countries. Our global study led us...

The role and challenges of speech technology in global UX research

Aug 31, 2023

Speech technology helps UX researchers bridge linguistic and cultural barriers. Effective use, however, depends on balancing the roles of humans and tech.

Generative AI in UX research: what are the risks and rewards?

Aug 18, 2023

Generative AI can speed up repetitive research tasks, but it’s still hard to trust each output. Our global AI study measures the concrete impact.

What medtech design teams need to know about AI regulations

Jun 27, 2023

China and the European Union are regulating AI ethics. The mandate for medtech design teams: build AI-powered products that meet ethics standards and inspire user trust.