Interactive Media Practice (IMP) MA alumna Mariia Dachkovska has landed her dream job as product designer with Exco Technologies.
Exco Technologies, formerly known as Playbuzz, are a tech platform used by businesses and publishers around the globe to transform their content into an engaging experience. Their platform and suite of interactive tools are widely used by global organisations including Netflix, McDonalds, Sky News, Universal Music Group, Disney and more. The technology is considered vital in increasing reader engagement and powerful content rich media, without complex process workflow. It engages audiences through a variety of activities.
As part of Mariia’s role which she recently started she will be working on a product which has half a billion views a month and is being used by one third of those viewers. The large project she is involved in, with key stakeholders, allows her to apply many of the soft and hard skills she gained from the masters course. Mariia will also have responsibility for some areas of the project. It involves working within a dynamic team environment with specialist insights.
The IMP MA is an innovative interdisciplinary digital masters course with a makers mindset, focusing on a digital first approach, combining a range of creative technologies such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, design thinking, building powerful digital solutions and developing the next generation of student talent fit for the digital age and industry 4.0, the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. The established programme is recognised for developing successful alumni into world-leading organisations particularly within design and technology industries. It operates at the intersection of STEAM.
Speaking about her dream job, Mariia said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have joined the Exco team of beautiful and unique people working on pioneering interactive solutions for major publishers and brands across the globe. Exco not only develops products reaching half a billion views monthly, but also manages to innovate repeatedly over time, and that makes it a dream place to become a part of.
“None of this would be possible though if I didn’t join IMP MA, aspiring for a transition from the world of content creators to the field of product design. The course at the University is driven by the team of rock stars, who challenge you to the very core and rewire the mindset. I cannot thank them enough and I couldn’t love them more.”
Savraj Matharu, IMP MA course founder and leader, added: “The pandemic has seen a huge shift towards online and digital behaviour and a new challenge now emerges with the world online, how do you continue to engage and reach your target audience? How do you hold your audience's attention? How do you develop digital trust? Our students are working at the forefront of these pioneering areas and solving new challenges through digital intervention. IMP students have a rich legacy of employability and digital innovation through our unique interdisciplinary curriculum. We are dedicated to producing professionals for industry 4.0, through research-informed practice.”
Learn more about the Interactive Media Practice MA offered at the University of Westminster.
