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Chuddy Atagbuzia

UX Researcher, Software Developer, and Human Factors Engineer.

Ph.D. Industrial Engineering, M.S. Industrial Engineering, B.S. Mechanical Engineering.

👋 Hi there! Thanks for visiting my website. I am Chuddy (he/him) — a passionate UX researcher, software developer, and human factors engineer. I’m currently completing my Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering at Oregon State University, with graduation set for June 15, 2025.

I bring over 5 years of research experience exploring how people interact with systems—both digital and physical. I'm endlessly curious about what drives behavior and decision-making. Whether it’s improving a user interface or optimizing a real-world process, I love turning human insights into smarter, more intuitive design.

I approach my work with a relaxed mindset, a deep love for problem-solving, and a real obsession with improving user experiences.

When I’m not doing research, you can find me:

Hanging out with friends and asking way too many thought-provoking questions (yes, I’m that guy)
Watching Formula 1
Learning something new just for the fun of it

Please feel free to scroll down and explore a selection of my recent research projects! 🚀

Does Peer Influence Impact Workplace Performance and Safety Practice in a Virtual Environment?

Overview: Unmanaged peer influence can cause the formation and spread of safety-violating behaviors, thus leading to increased accident occurrence and poor safety culture. It is difficult to study peer influence on safety behaviors which is partly due to the complexity of modeling social interactions and the safety risks associated with implementing and evaluating safety behaviors. The objective of this study was to develop a theory-based virtual reality simulation game to uderstand peer influence on workplace safety behaviors.

Roles:

Doctoral researcher: This was my Ph.D. research project, I led the entire project from idealization to data analysis, and reporting through published papers.
Lead software developer: Planned, designed, and deployed the virtual simulation.
Ux researcher: Evaluated the usability and validity of the virtual simulation environment.

Outcomes:

A VR simulated workplace was developed and results showed that peer influence impacts both productivity and safety behavior.
Working with highly productive peers increases productivity by 97%, but reduces safety behavior by 73%.
The highest increase in productivity and safety behavior was observed while working with highly productive peers that also had high safety behaviors.

Improving Safety Command Usage Among Employees in a Commercial Kitchen through a Virtual Simulation Game Training

Overview: Kitchen safety commands like “corner,” “behind,” and “hot corner” help prevent struck-by accidents by alerting others to nearby hazards. At Oregon State University’s commercial dining, young employees (less experienced workers) were observed using these commands infrequently and improperly, contributing to struck-by accidents.

Roles:

Human factors engineer: Performed systematic analysis to understand safety command behavior emergence.
Lead software developer: Planned, designed, and deployed a virtual simulation training game.
Ux researcher: Evaluated the validity and usability of the virtual simulation game.

Outcomes:

32% increase in verbal command usage.
Observed reduction in struck-by injuries.

Improving Staff Experience in Filing Sales Returns on a Web Platform

Overview: AISLINN Bureau De Change, a Nigerian foreign exchange company, faced challenges with its in-house Sales Return System (SRS). Staff found the system difficult to navigate, resulting in frequent errors in customer transaction reporting. These inaccuracies led to cumulative fines totaling ₦3.3M from the federal government due to non-compliance with Central Bank of Nigeria regulations. In an effort to improve team dynamics and performance, this study aimed at assessing peer influence on a person's productivity and safety practice.

Roles:

UX researcher: conducted interviews and contextual inquiries to identify and understand pain points with using the SRS.

Outcomes:

100% reduction in annual fines.
The project delivered a detailed analysis of system pain points and proposed a set of user-centered design improvements. The recommendations focused on streamlining workflows, simplifying data entry, and enhancing system feedback mechanisms, thereby setting a clear roadmap for improving reporting accuracy and staff efficiency.

Understanding the Lived Experiences of Non-Traditional Engineering Students

Overview: Engineering classrooms often miss the opportunity to leverage the real-world experience of non-traditional students—those balancing jobs, parenting, or returning from the workforce. This project explores how to integrate their practical insights into teaching to improve engagement and learning for all students.

Roles:

Contract UX researcher: Conducted one-on-one interviews with non-traditional engineering students. Coded and analyzed the data to develop themes that highlight non-traditional engineering students lived college experiences.

Outcomes:

Found that Non-Traditional Engineering Students (NTES) contribute industry-relevant insights and relatable real-world examples that help peers better grasp course concepts.
Identified strengths like time management, communication, and practical problem-solving that support stronger collaboration.
Results will inform the design of inclusive in-class activities that use student experience as a learning asset—not a barrier.

Identifying Barriers to Unsafe Incident Reporting in Engineering Students' Clubs

Overview: Although safety procedures are taught in formal lab settings, many engineering students do not carry these practices into their student club activities—where hazardous hands-on work is often unsupervised. At Oregon State University, no near-miss reports had been filed by engineering student clubs since 2018, raising concern about the reporting culture and awareness within these informal learning environments. The objective of this project was to identify and understand the barriers to unsafe incident reporting in the clubs.

Roles:

Contract UX researcher: Conducted one-on-one interviews and focus groups to identify the club members' perceptions of club safety and incident reporting.

Outcomes:

Found that 83% of students felt uncomfortable speaking up about unsafe behaviors.
Identified that many students lacked clarity on what to report, how to report, or feared punitive consequences.
Mapped barriers across Bloom’s Taxonomy domains (cognitive, affective, psychomotor), revealing gaps between safety knowledge and practice.
Provided actionable recommendations to improve safety culture and reporting behavior in informal student settings.