Dr Michelle O’ Keefe

Dr. Michelle O’Keeffe is a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Nimbus Research Centre, specialising in Communities of Practice, human-centric co-design, and participatory design methods for inclusive digital transformation. Her research focuses on co-creating digital systems that foster equitable participation, particularly among marginalised groups.

Michelle plays a key role in several major projects, including the SFI-funded IDEATE initiative, which explores inclusive design in digital public services, the SEAI-funded Mobilise Project, which addresses energy poverty in the Irish Traveller Community, and the Cyber Safety project, where she serves as Co-Principal Investigator, leading user research and participatory design efforts. Through her work, she seeks to dismantle barriers to participation and promote reciprocal knowledge-sharing by developing practical frameworks, toolkits, and policy recommendations.

With extensive experience in UX research, consultancy, and co-design, Michelle has contributed to numerous multidisciplinary projects and co-developed the UXSD Masters Programme at Munster Technological University. She lectures part-time, supervises postgraduate students, and is deeply involved in fostering inclusive, community-driven digital transformation.

Her expertise spans UX research, digital accessibility, and participatory design, underpinned by methodological strengths in Human-Computer Interaction, mixed-methods research, and stakeholder engagement. Beyond her research contributions, she is committed to mentoring early-career researchers, guiding them in leadership roles, and facilitating their professional development within academia and industry.