Melissa Beck

Associate Researcher in UX

At HSLU’s Department of Computer Science, I worked as a Research Associate (80% workload) within the UX Research Group in the Immersive Realities Research Lab. My work combined applied research, project coordination, and teaching support in interdisciplinary environments.

• Contributed to applied research and development (R&D) projects in UX and immersive technologies
• Supported project coordination and partial project management in interdisciplinary research settings
• Assisted in administrative, operational, and conceptual project work for both research and teaching
• Conducted lectures and prepared materials for courses in UX and Human-Centred Design
• Conducted data collection and analysis, and contributed to scientific publications and reports

Junior UX-Engineer

As a Junior UX Engineer (60% workload), I worked on the design and implementation of user-centered digital products, contributing to both hands-on UX design and the development of the company’s UX strategy.

• Created visual and interaction designs for web applications and responsive websites
• Built low- and high-fidelity prototypes using Balsamiq and Adobe XD
• Contributed to the development of an internal design system
• Designed user interfaces based on Material Design principles
• Supported the (further) development of the UX strategy
• Produced graphics and visuals with Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
• Led small-scale projects, such as website relaunches
• Participated in client workshops for requirements analysis

Web Developer

As a Web Developer (60–100% workload), I was responsible for developing and optimizing modern, responsive websites and web applications, primarily using Pimcore as the core platform. Working in an agile environment, I focused on clean code, performance, and user experience.

• Developed websites and applications using PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, LESS, and SASS
• Built and optimized solutions within Pimcore (CMS & eCommerce framework)
• Improved website performance, security, and SEO
• Created automated tests with Selenium & PHPUnit (Browserstack)
• Collaborated in Scrum teams and took on Scrum Master responsibilities
• Managed version control with Git / Git Flow and databases using SQL / MySQL

Web Development Intern

I completed my internship at GO4WEB (100% workload), where I gained practical experience in modern full-stack web development while contributing to real client projects in an agile team. This experience laid the foundation for my subsequent position as a Web Developer.

• Assisted in developing and maintaining Pimcore-based websites and web applications
• Supported testing, debugging, and performance optimization
• Provided client support and assistance, helping with updates and troubleshooting
• Learned Scrum processes, Git version control, and agile collaboration

Master of Science, Human Factors

The Human Factors program focuses on understanding and improving the interaction between humans and technology. It combines cognitive, action, and biological psychology with engineering, ergonomics, and statistical methods to build an interdisciplinary foundation for optimizing human–technology interaction.

My master’s thesis, Social Inhibition of Return and the Belief in the Teleoperation of a Robot Co-actor, investigates how belief and social context influence attention in human–robot interaction, focusing on how people respond to actions they attribute to another agent or a teleoperated robot.

Bachelor of Science, Computer Science

The Computer Science program is highly applied, interdisciplinary, and project-driven, emphasizing teamwork, innovation, and close collaboration with industry. It combines software development, IT systems engineering, and data analysis with hands-on experience in real-world projects.

I specialized in Human-Computer Interaction Design, focusing on user-centered design, usability, human factors, visual interface design, applied research, and game design and development. The major centers on understanding human needs, behaviors, and capabilities to design intuitive and meaningful digital experiences.

My bachelor’s thesis, Training Application for Signature Table Experiences, involved developing and evaluating a gesture-based training application for an interactive projection system using computer vision and machine learning. Through user studies with 27 participants, the research provided insights into gesture behavior, precision, and assistive feedback for improving user experience.

Matura (Swiss High School Diploma)

Completed the Swiss Matura with a focus on Music, specializing in guitar. For my Matura thesis, I built a camera obscura, captured photographs with it, and developed them manually, combining creativity with technical experimentation.

TU Berlin Sustainability Certificate for Students

Completed the Sustainability Certificate for Students, strengthening my understanding of sustainable development and the ecological and social responsibilities involved in designing future technologies.

Certified ScrumMaster®

This certification offered a practical introduction to agile project management and Scrum. Through hands-on, expert-led training, I learned to facilitate agile teams, remove obstacles, and foster continuous improvement, building a solid foundation for applying Scrum effectively in real-world projects.