Kay Ashaolu

MIMS 2013
Senior Software Engineer
Ancestry.com

Life before the I School

I graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University in 2007, with a concentration in computer systems and software. I started as an IT associate at Morgan Stanley. After that, I started my own web development business and created websites for small businesses, nonprofits, and startups.

Why information

In my web development business, I saw the importance of user interface design. One thing that mobile application development has taught us is that people do not want more information; they want the right information. I wanted to learn more about this growing trend.

Why the I School

I chose the I School for its inherent multidisciplinary approach, which forces me to consider issues related to society, law, and information organization — issues I would not have thought of with a computer science/information retrieval background.

Area of interest

My focus is on user interface design, service design, and how to create great products that offer a complete user experience and address a user pain and need. I’m very interested in startups and the creation of products from the ground up.

Favorite things about the I School

I like the multidisciplinary nature of the program. It isn't just the breadth of classes and the faculty's experience; it’s also the varied skill sets of the students themselves. The I School is quite intimate and close, and it’s really easy to learn from each other.

Formative experiences

There are a number of I School experiences that I will never forget — first and foremost, INFO 205 with Deirdre Mulligan. I learned so much, and what I learned keeps coming up in everything that I do, especially in my startup efforts. And as Deirdre says, I’ve gotten really good at knowing when I need a lawyer.

An I School advantage

I’ve learned how to create products that are a pleasure to use at every user touchpoint. I'm no longer just a software developer or a front-end engineer or even a user interface designer. I now have the perspective to create products that meet user expectations.