Bert Aldridge

Bert Aldridge is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Director for the Master of User Experience Design at the School of Design Innovation, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. With over 15 years of experience in diverse design roles across agencies and internal teams, his work spans communications and experiential design, digital design for web and software, and design tools for social innovation.

• Current Role: Senior Lecturer & Programme Director in User Experience Design
• Non-Academic Roles: Former Global Design Director at Xero (2015–2016), Product Design Director (2015–2019), and Guest Faculty at California College of the Arts (2010–2016)
• Location: Te Auaha 323, 65 Dixon St, Wellington, New Zealand

Research Interests:

• UX Design for digital and non-digital experiences
• Ethical practices in design processes and data privacy
• Design’s role in sustainable, environmental, and systemic change
• Design research approaches for social innovation

Article Trends: Bert’s recent thesis focuses on UX design methodologies applied to sustainable software development for food growers, reflecting his interest in ethical design, digital tools for environmental systems, and user-centered approaches to social innovation.

Teaching Activity: He has taught courses including User Experience Capstone, Digital Product Design, and UX Design Context in Aotearoa, emphasizing practical design skills and contextual understanding.

Advising: Bert is available for supervision of Masters research and collaborative projects, with a current focus on topics like Designing for Users’ Autonomy in Personal Finance Management.