Helen Armstrong

Professor and Director, Master of Graphic & Experience Design, at NC State University. Researching human-machine teaming, interface design, disability & artificial intelligence. Author of BIG DATA, BIG DESIGN.

Raleigh, North Carolina, United States

About

Helen Armstrong is a Professor of Graphic & Experience Design and Director of the MGXD Program at North Carolina State University. Research interests: interface design, disability, machine learning. Look for her new book, BIG DATA. BIG DESIGN: Why Designers Should Care About Artificial Intelligence. Armstrong has an MA in English Literature from The University of Mississippi, an MA in Publication Design from the University of Baltimore and an MFA in Graphic Design from The Maryland Institute College of Art. Her work has been recognized by Print and HOW Magazine, and included in numerous publications in the U.S. and the UK. At NC State she was named a University Faculty Scholar in 2018.  From 2013–2015 she served as co-chair of the AIGA Design Educators Community Steering Committee, striving to build up AIGA communities of students and educators. From 2017-2020 she served on the National Board of Directors of AIGA. Armstrong authored Graphic Design Theory: Readings from the Field (Princeton Architectural Press, 2009) and co-authored Participate: Designing with User-Generated Content (Princeton Architectural Press, 2011) with Zvezdana Stojmirovic. Her third book Digital Design Theory: Readings from the Field explores works by both designers and programmers, examining the two threads of discourse—design and computation—that have rapidly merged to define contemporary graphic design. Currently, Armstrong is combining her knowledge of participatory practice with computational thinking to explore the potential of intelligent interfaces (i.e. machine learning). Look to new book, Big Data. Big Design. Why Designers Should Care About Artificial Intelligence to read more about how design and machine learning intersect. Research Partners: Audi, Coca-Cola, SAS Analytics, Sealed Air, WebAssign, IBM, Advance Auto Parts, Laboratory for Analytic Sciences, Red Hat, REI To learn more about Helen Armstrong, visit http://helenarmstrongdesigner.com/ Research Focus: Design Theory, Experience Design, Participatory Design, Inclusive Design, Accessible Design, Machine Learning, Higher Education

Experience

  • North Carolina State University (Full-time · 11 yrs 6 mos)
    • Director, Master of Graphic & Experience Design
      Aug 2022 - Present · 3 yrs 11 mos

    • Professor of Graphic & Experience Design
      2015 - Present · 11 yrs 6 mos

  • National Board, Executive Committe Member at AIGA Design
    Jun 2017 - Jun 2020 · 3 yrs 1 mo

  • Principal, Creative Director at Strong Design
    2006 - Jan 2016 · 10 yrs 1 mo

    Strong Design is a small boutique creative shop. Clients include: Johns Hopkins Medicine, Euler Hermes ACI, Catalyst Communications, CASW, The Brick Industry Association and Thomas Moore Studios.

  • Miami University (Oxford, Ohio)
    • Graduate Director of Experience Design
      2013 - 2015 · 2 yrs

      Graduate director of this new MFA program at Miami. Collaboratively offered by Graphic Design and Interactive Media Studies, the Miami University XD:MFA stands at intersection of design and technology. If you are a designer who wants to expand your understanding of technology or a technologist who wants to develop your design skills, this is the MFA for you. http://xd.miamioh.edu/

    • Creative Director of the Miami Augmented Reality Center (ARC)
      2013 - 2015 · 2 yrs

      Creative Director and Co-founder of the ARC. The Miami Augmented Reality Center, a cross-disciplinary creative community, works to advance augmented reality (AR) as a cultural practice. Embedded within Miami University, the Center is housed in the College of Engineering and Computing, but includes participation from the Master of Computer Science program (MCS),the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSE), the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Experience Design, the Department of Art, and the Armstrong Institute for Interactive Media Studies (AIMS). http://augmentedreality.miamioh.edu/

    • Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
      2009 - 2015 · 6 yrs

      Lead Professor of the BFA Graphic Design program at Miami. The program graduates 20 design students per year, has three full-time faculty, a visiting instructor, and several adjuncts (design professionals from Dayton and Cincinnati firms). With a problem-solving format, students develop visual communication skills, explore the integration of type and images through a variety of traditional and new media, and imaginatively deliver messages responsive to the needs of the sender and the receiving audience. Students learn to be aware of the cultural context in which they work, keeping in mind the responsibilities inherent to a discipline that engages our society. http://www.graphicdesignmiami.org/

  • Adjunct Professor at Maryland Institute College of Art
    Jan 2007 - 2009 · 2 yrs 1 mo