Summary
Dana Ayotte is a Senior Inclusive Designer with 12 years in inclusive, accessible and equitable UI design and a wider 20+ year career that bridges engineering, research and studio art. Based in Vancouver, she leads applied research at the Inclusive Design Research Centre, translating deep accessibility research into practical ICT design patterns that serve diverse language, cultural and ability needs. Trained as a mechanical engineer at Queen’s and MIT and as a studio artist, she combines rigorous human-centered research methods with hands-on craft sensibilities evident in her lino and screen prints. Dana also runs her own art and design practice, bringing material-making perspectives to digital inclusion work and community-led co-design. Her background in product development and biomechanics gives her a unique systems-level view of usability and verification. Colleagues describe her as a generative, practice-oriented researcher who blends technical precision with creative empathy.
12 years of coding experience
15 years of employment as a software developer
Dipl. Studio Art, Dipl. Studio Art at Capilano University
Master of Science (M.Sc.), Mechanical Engineering, Master of Science (M.Sc.), Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
B.Sc. Honours, Mechanical Engineering, B.Sc. Honours, Mechanical Engineering at Queen's University