(Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of Q&A profiles on Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology alumni who are using their degrees to make an impact in a wide range of industries and companies around the world. A compilation of their stories was published in the summer 2022 issue of iConnect magazine.)
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As a senior digital product manager for the iRobot organization, Mary Ward defines and drives the strategy and personalized data-driven features for the iRobot Home mobile app. In her role, Ward, who earned a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology from Penn State in 2016 and a master’s degree in enterprise architecture and business transformation through Penn State World Campus in 2019, serves to ensure her company’s product meets the desires and needs of customers.
“As a product manager, you have a critical role in any organization,” said Ward. “You are the voice of the customer, and your main responsibility is to make sure you are solving your customer’s problems with your solutions.”
How are you using your IST skills and education to make an impact in the retail industry?
The College of IST truly kick-started my career. It gave me the skills to analyze technical situations, provide thoughtful holistic solutions, and build cross-functional relationships to bring people together to solve a problem.
Through your role, how are you working to advance industry trends or address emerging needs and concerns?
What is really cool about my role right now is that we use machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to personalize every experience that our users have with our products. As these concepts evolve, they will become more intelligent and more integrated within technological ecosystems. It will shape how we interact with the digital world going forward.
What motivates you in your work?
I love being able to solve problems and make a difference in others' lives. As a product manager, I can talk to customers, embrace my creative thinking, and develop technical solutions. You get to use all parts of your brain while building something that helps people.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
I love hearing from customers who say that our technology has changed their lives and has made a difference in how they do business or interact with the world. Technology has taken over what and how we do what we do every day. Being a part of transforming the next generation of products is rewarding and fulfilling.
What information technology changes, advances or needs do you envision in your industry in the next five to 10 years, and how are you poised to address them?
As we look toward the future of technology, the keyword is data. Every interaction is a data point that can be used in some form. It's something that many companies already do, but it will become an even more integral part of every company in the next five to 10 years.
How does the College of IST prepare its graduates for professional success in a broad range of industries?
What's great about the College of IST is that every industry must have some type of technological foundation. Whether you decide to go into banking, consulting, aerospace, retail, software as a service, or even e-commerce, the backbone of most of these companies is software and data. The College of IST does an amazing job of connecting technical, design and business fundamentals to set up its graduates for true success. The instructors care about their students and bring the most relevant content to each class.
What advice do you have for current students?
Continue to work hard, prioritize relationships, and never stop learning.