Danielle Olson

About Danielle Olson

I’m a Senior UX/Human Factors Researcher specializing in human-centered AI, trust, and safety, with a PhD in Computer Science (Human-Computer Interaction) from MIT CSAIL and over a decade of experience shipping products at companies including Apple and Microsoft.At Apple, I’ve spent the last four years conducting foundational research on intelligent products that ship to global users. I’m passionate about ensuring people’s voices are heard and that our technology is safe, trustworthy, and solves problems they care about. I partner closely with product, design, engineering, and policy teams to influence all stages of the AI development process, from data collection, labeling, and evaluation, to hardware and software design decisions. I also bring lived perspective to my work. I know what it feels like to interact with systems that weren’t designed with you in mind, and that awareness shapes how I approach research and tell stories with data. I am passionate about finding out the right research methods to help solve problems that genuinely matter. I specialize in contextual, human-centered research that reveals what people actually need and the forces that shape their behavior. I’m comfortable navigating ambiguity, translating complexity into clarity, and collaborating across disciplines to do work that makes a real difference.

Experience

1. Senior Human-ai Design Researcher

   Apple

   Jul 2021 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

   Lead end-to-end user research initiatives for AI/ML-driven products, ensuring alignment with human-centered design principles. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product, design, engineering, and responsible AI, to better align product experience with human needs.

Education

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Master of Science - MS, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Computer Science & Engineering

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Skills

• Java
• Microsoft Office Applications
• Adobe Photoshop and Indesign
• Vmware
• Python
• Video Editing
• Blogging
• C
• C++
• Phone Etiquette
• Social Media
• Hyper-V
• Application Virtualization
• Indesign
• C#
• Web Design
• Microsoft Office
• Photoshop
• Programming
• Machine Learning
• Research
• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Algorithms
• Leadership
• Data Analysis
• Matlab