Becky Mallaband

My area of expertise is User Centred Design, and the majority of my research thus far has been conducted within the energy domain.

My research interest is twofold, firstly, investigating the energy research challenge from a functionality matching approach. Understanding that whilst there is a need for behaviour change (as is crucial in the field of sustainable design), we also need new technology to match and benefit the current habits  and behaviours of users. This is important when striving to meet national and global energy reduction targets, and advancing innovative technologies for Smart Cities development. This requires an in-depth understanding of how to research people, but also to work across disciplines, often translating information between engineers, users and stakeholders.

The second area of research development is within this discipline gap, where there is a unique opportunity to develop best practice and tools for cross-disciplinary work within this sociotechnical area, particularly within the energy demand domain.

My background enables me to represent the needs of people in all types of research. This might mean translating technical information so that it is easier for users to understand or gathering and analysing information from users which can then be used within the design of products or systems.

User centred design (UCD); domestic energy; people; human factors; carbon reduction

I am the Programme Director for MSc Product Design and the final year academic tutor for the Product Design Undergraduate programme.

I lead and teach on a range of modules including:

• PD3001: Specialist Design Project
• PD3002: Industrial Design (Global focus)
• ME2501: Design for use
• ME3047: Product Design Final Year Project
• PD4001: Research Project
• PD4000: Major Project
• PD4012: Design for People

• Dec 2015 – current: Lecturer in Product Design, Engineering & Applied Science, Aston University.
• Nov 2014 – Nov 2015: Lecturer in Product/Industrial Design, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University,
• Dec 2012 – Nov 2015: Research Associate, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University.
• Mar 2011 – Dec 2012 Research Assistant, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University.
• Feb 2009 – Dec 2009 Research Assistant, Loughborough University, Ergonomics & Safety Research Institute (ESRI).
• Aug 2005 – Aug 2006 Human Factors and User Interface specialist, Xerox. 

Completed

2013 AHRC Collaborative Skills Development Call: Design and the Digital World: Peer to peer training 

Funded 

2017 EPSRC RCUK Catapult Researchers in Residence award (Energy Systems) - Consumer Challenges of Decarbonising Heat

Phone number:  0121 204 3574
Email: b.mallaband@aston.ac.uk
Room: MB176