Software UX vs. Real Life: Adiba Maisha Drops Hard Truths I Ep 6 I What Nobody Tells You!
LM Architecture Show
Host Architect Leah Mariam interviews recent Qatar University graduate and aspiring data engineer Adiba Maisha about her experience attending a hackathon
Key takeaways
- Adiba Maisha navigated QSTP successfully using auditory cues like crowd noise and microphones rather than relying on signage for wayfinding.
- The host notes QSTP mitigates extreme outdoor heat by integrating cafes and grocery stores along long walkways to maintain user comfort during transit.
Main topics
- Software UX vs physical architecture
- QSTP hackathon experience
Notable quotes
"Spaces are unavoidable... the psychology behind how these spaces are designed affect every one of our lives."
Conclusion
The episode offers architects a valuable non-designer perspective on h
Transcript preview
Speaker 1 (0:01) As-salamu alaykum everyone. Marhaba. This is your host, architect Leah Mariam, and welcome to LM Architecture Show. Speaker 1 (0:15) In today's episode, I have someone completely outside the world of architecture. And today we are going to see and explore a space that's completely booming in Qatar right now. Qatar Science and Technology Park is a space for innovators. And today we are going to learn about it from a recent Qatar University graduate. She is an aspiring data engineer, and I'm super excited to welcome Adiba Misha to... LM Architecture show. Thank you so much for having me. I'm so happy that we made this happen. Alhamdulillah. How do you feel being in the podcast? Speaker 2 (0:54) I feel very excited to be here. This is my first time being in a podcast and I'm happy that I get to do it with you. So thank you for this opportunity. Thank Speaker 1 (1:03) you so much. This is my first time having someone from QU outside the field of architecture. So I'm actually very curious and excited to see how our conversation is going to go and how how people can see and understand qstp from the eyes of someone who doesn't really do design or anything like you know for some you went there uh for a hackathon, right? Speaker 2 (1:32) Yeah. So Speaker 1 (1:32) this is what we're going to touch around, like this is what we're going to talk about. But before any of that, for people, like I know about you, but for people to know more about you, who is Adiba Misha? Speaker 2 (1:44) Hello, everyone. So I'm a recent graduate from Qatar University. I did my bachelor's in mathematics. with a focus in applied mathematics and a minor in computer science. So Speaker 1 (1:57) I'm Speaker 2 (1:58) just, you know, kick-starting my career in data engineering very soon. And I'm very excited. So, yeah. Speaker 1 (2:05) MashaAllah, mashaAllah. Wow. Speaker 2 (2:07) You Speaker 1 (2:07) are like smart pro max. MashaAllah. I Speaker 2 (2:11) don't know about that. Speaker 1 (2:12) Oh, humble as well. See? MashaAllah. Like, I'm so glad. Like, you're giving super smart vibe now. I'm so happy. So Speaker 2 (2:22) are you. You're not anyone. Speaker 1 (2:26) So yeah, let's get into the topic of like how people or like, let's say, researchers or people doing startups, how do they seek USTP? So first, how did you learn about the hackathon? Speaker 2 (2:42) I learned about it through Instagram, actually. They were like advertising a hackathon and they mentioned that anyone can participate in it. Speaker 1 (2:51) And Speaker 2 (2:52) I sent that post to my co-workers slash friends who I've already experienced another hackathon with before. Speaker 1 (3:01) And Speaker 2 (3:01) they were very willing to participate. So we signed up together. I see. Yeah. And then it happened, right? Yeah. And we had to get selected first. And we did get selected. We were very excited. And we mentioned that since we are friends and co-workers, so we have already... like seeing each other in a co-worker and friend way. So we could work together in a professional and friendly way. Speaker 1 (3:27) Yeah. So in terms of like your relationship with people there, it was much easier because you already knew them and everything. So what was new for you was the space itself. Have you been to QSCP? Did you go there before you attended the hackathon? Speaker 2 (3:40) No, I Speaker 1 (3:40) haven't been there Speaker 2 (3:41) before. Speaker 1 (3:42) It was your first time. So what was your first time? look like the first step you took at QSTP what can you remember what exactly you felt um Speaker 2 (3:52) i don't it was just um i remember the place was just really huge and we had a hard time finding the building from the park yes that's all i remember and we had to like we went to the underground parking and then we had to go up but thankfully we had a security guard help us yeah yeah like guidance Speaker 1 (4:11) um Speaker 2 (4:12) but after that it was like a quite a walk in the heat towards the actual building we had to go to which was tech 2 but there were signs and sign boards and we even came across coffee beans and tea leaf and then there was this mini grocery store there so we were happy we were like okay at least Speaker 1 (4:32) if we get hungry we have a place to be exactly you see how they dealt with the space like you're right it's a huge space and it's such a a room for innovation is not going to be small. It's going to be huge. But what they did, from my understanding, is instead of you walking in the sun like a straight corridor, they introduced other activities. Like they introduced a cafe, they introduced grocery stores. So it's kind of like, like just as you said, you know, you feel like, okay, we're not going to die. We're not going to die because of the weather here. But we also... you know like we're not just gonna get bored of walking through a long corridor and things like this so i wanted to understand the space as uh in terms of the use of the vastness of the space and the what was the next thing that you did when you went there like what was the first thing what was the space like when you went there how how did you guys interact with this space like Speaker 2 (5:36) you mean when we entered the building or like on the way to the building? No, Speaker 1 (5:41) when you entered the building. Speaker 2 (5:42) Oh, when we entered the building, we could hear like the crowd on the opposite side of the building. So we knew exactly where to go right when we entered. Speaker 1 (5:51) Yeah. Speaker 2 (5:52) And it was like, there was like a screen and behind the screen, there were people and then someone was talking on the microphone. So we knew that's where we had to go. We didn't really have to ask anybody. Speaker 1 (6:04) Yeah, it was already there. Like it was. it was pretty obvious for you yeah right and then what was uh how did they arrange the space was it like um an open area with like seats chairs or or was it like segregated divided into different spaces or how was the space like it Speaker 2 (6:23) was on the ground floor so it was in an open area it wasn't like inside a room or anything and they placed a lot of chairs and yeah so if you just walk into the building and see a group of people on the opposite side you know exactly where to go so we don't have to ask the security guard. Speaker 1 (6:41) So Speaker 2 (6:41) in terms Speaker 1 (6:41) of wayfinding it was pretty smooth for you only the part where you were outside and then it's a huge area so obviously there's going to be but once you're in the building I think everything has