Usabilathon 2025: Designing the Future, One Prototype at a Time
Over the course of two exciting weeks, Human Computer Interaction (HCI) students from across the program came together for Usabilathon 2025, a dynamic design competition that challenged participants to solve real-world problems through user-centered innovation.
This year’s event brought together pairs of students who collaborated to conduct user research, brainstorm creative solutions, and develop interactive design prototypes. The competition gave teams an opportunity to tackle a real-world challenge, collaborate, innovate, and build a standout portfolio, while giving students a platform to showcase their skills in a high-impact, real-world context.
Sponsored by Workiva
We were thrilled to have Workiva as the official sponsor of Usabilathon 2025. As a company that transforms the way people manage and report data through intuitive and efficient user experiences, Workiva provided a compelling design challenge that pushed teams to think critically and creatively.
🥇 And the Winners Are…
After two weeks of intense collaboration and design, the top three teams emerged with standout solutions:
- 1st Place: Miguel Rodriguez and Matthew Hadick
Project: Transforming Issues into Opportunities for Workiva Users - 2nd Place: Nick Menough and Lenet Ron
Project: A Proposal for an AI-Powered Anomaly Detection Tool for Workiva’s Spreadsheet Users - 3rd Place: Avnish Poonia and Aishani Suvarna
Project: Designing an AI-Driven Workflow for Detecting Anomalies in Financial Spreadsheets
Learn More
Curious to learn more about the competition, projects, posters, and judges’ feedback? Check out the full competition details at the official Usabilathon page:
👉 https://www.vrac.iastate.edu/hci/usabilithon/