Skip to menu Skip to content Skip to footer
Dr Karla Straker
Dr

Karla Straker

Email: 

Overview

Background

Dr Karla Straker is an educator, researcher, and above all a designer. Being an alumnus of The Queensland University of Technology, having completed a Bachelor of Design (with honours) in Industrial Design in 2011, and PhD in 2016. She has expert knowledge in the area of design innovation, most notably through the recent publication of the books Design Innovation and Integration (2021), Design Innovation for Health and Medicine (2020) and Affected: Emotionally engaging customers in the digital age (2018). She has a strong track record of high-quality research outputs, with over 30 journal articles published in a variety of design, business, and technology journals.

Her research is in the field of Design Innovation, which is the application and adoption of design innovation methods into industry-led research projects. Her specific focus and contribution to the field is the continuing application and investigation of design methods in driving innovative digital solutions. Her publications appear in a range of disciplines including design, business, management, and medicine journals, disseminating the value of design to a variety of readers. Most notably in the Journal of Cleaner Production, Energy Policy, California Management Review, ASAIO Journal, and Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.

She is currently a Senior Research Fellow at The University of Queensland. Her previous position involved being a lecturer and program director of the Design Major at the University of Sydney. During her time as Program Director, she led the growth of the program from 59 students in 2018 to 139 students in 2020. The units on offer also increased to 12, including subject areas which were directed by student interests, including ‘Design for Social Impact’. These units were offered to students from 17 different degrees to combine their expertise and work collectively on a range of projects. She has developed and implemented new curriculum across 4 units of study which has been directly related to her research, seeing the scholarly development of all teaching resources. The complexity of these units is designing teaching resources and project which enable the diverse group of students to all learn and benefit.

She has a Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies (Higher Education) and has taught in undergraduate and postgraduate programs at the University of Sydney and Queensland University of Technology. Being nominated for the VC Award for ECR Outstanding Teaching (USYD, 2020) and won the Most Inspiring and Influential Teaching Practice award (QUT, 2011).

Karla was an Early Career Research Ambassador for the Sydney Nano Institute (2019-2021) working with the Deputy Director of Member Engagement. In this role she engaged with researchers at all academic levels, across disciplines and faculties to develop programmes and initiatives for ECRs across the university. She successfully developed and facilitated an ECR workshop with participants, which resulted in two projects being funded by the Nano Institute.

She became the Deputy Co-director of the Design Innovation Research Group in August 2020 and worked in a multi-disciplinary team in the Sydney Nano Institute to develop a low-cost method to capture enough water from the atmosphere to alleviate the effect of drought.

Securing over $1M in competitive grant and industry funding, Karla has been a Chief Investigator on three industry-supported projects. She currently supervises 2 Ph.D. students and has completed 1 Ph.D. and 6 honours students across the fields of design for health and medicine, science and business innovation. Her students have won awards including an Australian Good Design Award (2021), Sydney Nano Institute Publication Award (2019), the Nosé International Fellowship Award (2019), and the Top 5 Abstract at the ASAIO Conference (San Francisco USA, 2019).

Design of digital channel engagements

Dr Straker’s PhD thesis investigated the design of digital channel engagements, to understand how strong relationships with people can be built and sustained through a deeper understanding of customer emotions. Through her candidature she was trained by Professor Michael Rosemann, an internationally renowned Information Systems researcher, and Professor Wrigley, a leader in the field of Design Innovation. Her thesis was nominated for the Best Thesis Award (QUT) and was in the Top 40 of the International ISPIM Innovation Management Dissertation Award. This work also led to a book co-authored with Professor Wigley, titled Affected: Emotionally engaging customers in the digital age published in 2018 by Wiley Publishers. The purpose of this book was to consolidate and translate research findings into practical knowledge for companies to build deep and long-lasting relationships with customers in the digital age through design. It is distributed worldwide and sold more than 5,000 copies in the first 5 months through the Australian bookseller Dymocks. It also received industry reviews from Google, Sales Force, PwC, Accenture and the Boston Consulting Group. The front cover image is also an original artwork by internationally known artist CJ Hendry.

Since her PhD research, her work has continued exploring the design of digital channel engagements, in the medical, defence and retail industry.

Availability

Dr Karla Straker is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Industrial Design, Queensland University of Technology
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland University of Technology

Research interests

  • Design Innovation

Works

Search Professor Karla Straker’s works on UQ eSpace

55 works between 2013 and 2024

1 - 20 of 55 works

2024

Journal Article

The need for sectoral transition design: A case of the shift to renewable energy

Bryant, Scott T., Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2024). The need for sectoral transition design: A case of the shift to renewable energy. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 198 122930, 1-13. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2023.122930

The need for sectoral transition design: A case of the shift to renewable energy

2023

Book Chapter

Introduction to the research handbook on design thinking

Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2023). Introduction to the research handbook on design thinking. Research handbook on design thinking. (pp. 1-5) edited by Cara Wrigley and Karla Straker. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781802203134.00005

Introduction to the research handbook on design thinking

2023

Book

Research handbook on design thinking

Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara eds. (2023). Research handbook on design thinking. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Edward Elgar Publishing. doi: 10.4337/9781802203134

Research handbook on design thinking

2023

Journal Article

Introduction to the <i>Research Handbook on Design Thinking</i>

Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2023). Introduction to the Research Handbook on Design Thinking. Research Handbook On Design Thinking, 1-5.

Introduction to the <i>Research Handbook on Design Thinking</i>

2022

Journal Article

Corrigendum to “The rapid product design and development of a viable nanotechnology energy storage product” [J. Clean. Prod. 244 (2020) 118725] (Journal of Cleaner Production (2020) 244, (S0959652619335954), (10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118725))

Bryant, Scott T., Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2022). Corrigendum to “The rapid product design and development of a viable nanotechnology energy storage product” [J. Clean. Prod. 244 (2020) 118725] (Journal of Cleaner Production (2020) 244, (S0959652619335954), (10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118725)). Journal of Cleaner Production, 350 131509, 131509. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131509

Corrigendum to “The rapid product design and development of a viable nanotechnology energy storage product” [J. Clean. Prod. 244 (2020) 118725] (Journal of Cleaner Production (2020) 244, (S0959652619335954), (10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118725))

2021

Journal Article

Patient names for mechanical circulatory support devices: Developing emotional insights

Wrigley, Cara, Peel, Sean, Ko, Kimmi Keum Hee and Straker, Karla (2021). Patient names for mechanical circulatory support devices: Developing emotional insights. Heart & Lung, 50 (6), 953-967. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2021.08.003

Patient names for mechanical circulatory support devices: Developing emotional insights

2021

Journal Article

Symptomatic design

Straker, Karla (2021). Symptomatic design. Journal of Design, Business and Society, 7 (2), 127-130. doi: 10.1386/dbs_00023_2

Symptomatic design

2021

Journal Article

Designing a dangerous unicorn: lessons from the Theranos case

Straker, Karla, Peel, Sean, Nusem, Erez and Wrigley, Cara (2021). Designing a dangerous unicorn: lessons from the Theranos case. Business Horizons, 64 (4), 525-536. doi: 10.1016/j.bushor.2021.02.016

Designing a dangerous unicorn: lessons from the Theranos case

2021

Journal Article

A systematic review of psychosocial design considerations for the next generation of mechanical circulatory support

Peel, Sean, Ko, Kimmi Keum Hee, Nusem, Erez, Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2021). A systematic review of psychosocial design considerations for the next generation of mechanical circulatory support. Heart and Lung, 50 (3), 397-406. doi: 10.1016/j.hrtlng.2021.01.021

A systematic review of psychosocial design considerations for the next generation of mechanical circulatory support

2021

Book

Design. Think. Make. Break. Repeat.: Revised edition

Tomitsch, M, Borthwick, M, Ahmadpour, N, Cooper, C., Frawley, J., Hepburn, L.A, Kocaballi, A.B, Loke, L., Núñez-Pacheco, C., Straker, K. and Wrigley, C. (2021). Design. Think. Make. Break. Repeat.: Revised edition. The Netherlands : BIS Publishers.

Design. Think. Make. Break. Repeat.: Revised edition

2021

Book

Design innovation and integration

Straker, Karla, Nusem, Erez and Wrigley, Cara (2021). Design innovation and integration. Amsterdam, Netherlands: BIS Publishers.

Design innovation and integration

2020

Journal Article

Designing our sustainable energy future: a shock doctrine for energy

Bryant, Scott T., Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2020). Designing our sustainable energy future: a shock doctrine for energy. Energy Policy, 147 111914, 1-15. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111914

Designing our sustainable energy future: a shock doctrine for energy

2020

Journal Article

An approach to integrating market research with customer insights through the development of IoT products

Straker, Karla, Mosely, Genevieve and Wrigley, Cara (2020). An approach to integrating market research with customer insights through the development of IoT products. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 33 (3), 1-17. doi: 10.1080/08961530.2020.1792387

An approach to integrating market research with customer insights through the development of IoT products

2020

Journal Article

What really matters? Understanding quality of life determinants impacting ventricular assist device stakeholders

Ko, Keum Hee Kimmi, Straker, Karla, Dunn, Jessica Lea and Wrigley, Cara (2020). What really matters? Understanding quality of life determinants impacting ventricular assist device stakeholders. ASAIO Journal, 66 (6), 626-636. doi: 10.1097/mat.0000000000001175

What really matters? Understanding quality of life determinants impacting ventricular assist device stakeholders

2020

Journal Article

Business model innovation by design: a review of design's role in business model innovation

Bryant, Scott T., Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2020). Business model innovation by design: a review of design's role in business model innovation. International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation, 8 (2), 125-140. doi: 10.1080/21650349.2020.1717997

Business model innovation by design: a review of design's role in business model innovation

2020

Journal Article

Implementing design thinking: understanding organizational conditions

Wrigley, Cara, Nusem, Erez and Straker, Karla (2020). Implementing design thinking: understanding organizational conditions. California Management Review, 62 (2), 125-143. doi: 10.1177/0008125619897606

Implementing design thinking: understanding organizational conditions

2020

Journal Article

The rapid product design and development of a viable nanotechnology energy storage product

Bryant, Scott T., Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2020). The rapid product design and development of a viable nanotechnology energy storage product. Journal of Cleaner Production, 244 118725. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118725

The rapid product design and development of a viable nanotechnology energy storage product

2020

Book

Design innovation for health and medicine

Nusem, Erez, Straker, Karla and Wrigley, Cara (2020). Design innovation for health and medicine. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-4362-3

Design innovation for health and medicine

2020

Journal Article

Designing to enhance experiences through mobile-based applications for gestational diabetes mellitus

Phillips, Miranda, Page, Lindsay, Straker, Karla and Nusem, Erez (2020). Designing to enhance experiences through mobile-based applications for gestational diabetes mellitus. Journal of Design, Business and Society, 6 (2), 259-277. doi: 10.1386/dbs_00014_1

Designing to enhance experiences through mobile-based applications for gestational diabetes mellitus

2019

Journal Article

Human factors and user experience issues with ventricular assist device wearable components: a systematic review

Dunn, Jessica Lea, Nusem, Erez, Straker, Karla, Gregory, Shaun and Wrigley, Cara (2019). Human factors and user experience issues with ventricular assist device wearable components: a systematic review. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 47 (12), 2431-2488. doi: 10.1007/s10439-019-02303-3

Human factors and user experience issues with ventricular assist device wearable components: a systematic review

Funding

Current funding

  • 2021 - 2024
    Design guidelines for safety-critical controllers in high-risk environments
    ARC Linkage Projects
    Open grant

Supervision

Availability

Dr Karla Straker is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Available projects

  • Design Methodologies for Burdened Users

    Project Opportunity

    This Earmarked Scholarship project is aligned with a recently awarded Category 1 research grant. It offers you the opportunity to work with leading researchers and contribute to large projects of national significance.

    We are seeking an enthusiastic PhD student to conduct a research project about incorporating emotional affect into safety-critical products. The work will characterise existing user-centred design and interaction design methodologies, identify key barriers to reconciling often diverging requirements, and propose new processes for overcoming these obstacles.

    Some users across healthcare, transport, manufacturing, logistics, and emergency service environments, are compelled to use safety-critical controller products, over which they have little or no choice, to perform high-risk tasks. These users are burdened with significant responsibilities, and increased stress.

    The design of safety-critical controllers is usually driven by risk-mitigation and usability principles as demanded by regulatory requirements and quality standards. However, product development often overlooks the day-to-day experience of the human tasked with critical duties, including their emotions, attitudes, and motivations. Your project will develop evidence to support new ways of accommodating these ill-defined factors into a robust design process.

    This is an exciting opportunity to work with industry partner BiVACOR Pty. Ltd., researchers across several institutes, and to contextualise your research in the development of Total Artificial Heart (TAH) devices. Patients who use TAH products are faced with critical product interactions every day. The scholarship is part of ARC LP LP200100336 “Design Guidelines for Safety-critical Controllers in High-risk Environments”.

    This position is located at our picturesque St Lucia campus, renowned as one of Australia’s most attractive university campuses, and located just 7km from Brisbane’s city centre. Bounded by the Brisbane River on three sides, and with outstanding public transport connections, our 114-hectare site provides a perfect work environment – you can enjoy the best of both worlds: a vibrant campus with the tradition of an established university.

    Research Experience and expectations

    Research experience and expectations include, but are not limited to:

    • Conducting qualitative data collection and analysis
    • Conducting content analysis on secondary data sets
    • Conducting interviews with patients, caregivers and medical practitioners.

    Scholarship value

    As a scholarship recipient, you'll receive:

    • living stipend of $28,854 per annum tax free (2022 rate), indexed annually
    • tuition fees covered
    • single Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Supervision history

Completed supervision

Media

Enquiries

For media enquiries about Dr Karla Straker's areas of expertise, story ideas and help finding experts, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au