S6E33 Bryant Foster | Design for Human Factors & User Experience
S6E33 Bryant Foster | Design for Human Factors & User Experience  
Podcast: Being an Engineer
Published On: Fri Aug 15 2025
Description: Send us Fan MailJoin us for an in-depth conversation with Bryant Foster, a human factors expert who's worked with industry giants like Google to make complex products simpler and safer. With a background in cognitive psychology, Bryant shares insights on designing user-friendly products, from surgical systems to smart thermostats, all while keeping the end user at the center of the design process.Main Topics:What drew Bryant into human factors and user experience designHow to define and achieve simplicity in product designAdvanced usability testing tools: eye tracking, pupilometry, and facial emotion analysisWhy users don't always give honest feedback and how to work around itProviding critical design feedback without demoralizing teamsCost-effective approaches to human factors testingSafety considerations in medical device designUse-related risk analysis and task analysis methodologiesLessons learned from working at Google XBuilding successful human factors consulting teamsAbout the guest: Bryant Foster is the Vice President of Human Factors and User Experience at Research Collective, a user-centered research consultancy serving clients from startups to major companies like GE Healthcare, Microsoft, and Medtronic. With over a decade of experience in applied psychology and usability research, he specializes in ensuring products are safe, intuitive, and user-focused.He holds a Master’s in Applied Psychology (Human Factors) from Arizona State University and began his career at the Cognitive Engineering Research Institute, later working at Google X as a UX researcher. At Research Collective in Tempe, Arizona, he leads a team that uses methods like ethnography, eye tracking, and biometric analysis.In addition to his consulting work, Bryant mentors students and supports local entrepreneurs through programs like LEAP, blending scientific rigor with empathy in fields from medical devices to consumer tech.Links:Bryant Foster LinkedInResearch Collective WebsiteAaron Moncur, host Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.usWatch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus