Veronika Zakharchenko

During her studies, Veronika had the opportunity to undertake a placement with NatureScot, the Scottish Government body responsible for natural heritage. Her task was to modernise the organisation’s IT helpdesk system by integrating AI to boost efficiency and user experience.

In today's fast-paced workplaces, technical queries are on the rise, and traditional support methods struggle to keep up.

To assist NatureScot in tackling this challenge, Veronika developed a cutting-edge prototype AI model, specifically customised to address common queries. This model drew its insights from a rich dataset of historical helpdesk interactions and data. By leveraging this historical data, Veronika's AI model was finely tuned to understand and respond to the recurring issues and inquiries that NatureScot routinely encountered.

My project streamlined how NatureScot’s IT support services, making them more efficient and user-friendly. This showcased the practical impact of AI in improving workplace support through data-driven solutions.

Veronika is originally from Ukraine where she earned a bachelor’s degree in electronic computer science from Kharkiv National University of Economics. After graduation, she began a career as a business and marketing analyst.

Veronika's passion for mathematics and statistics was a driving force behind the decision, but it was the UX component that convinced her to apply. User experience, or UX, focuses on how users interact with and experience a product, system, or service.

I was fascinated by how much of UX is really just psychology – it’s all about understanding how people use systems and how to create experiences that are not only intuitive but also enjoyable and satisfying.

Veronika’s move to Dundee in May 2022 was a bit of a culture shock but she quickly fell in love with all things Scottish, including kilts, tartan and the fact that Harry Potter was written in Edinburgh.

Upon arriving at Abertay, Veronika was struck by the University’s strong focus on technology and was particularly impressed by the School of Design and Informatics which houses the National Centre of Excellence for Computer Games Education. She also valued that the teaching was industry-focused and rooted in practice.

Veronika was so passionate about the UX aspect of the course that she's now gearing up for a PhD in Psychology at Swansea University. Her plan is to apply the knowledge she gained at Abertay to delve into the fascinating connection between AI technology and psychology. Her advice for fellow students is simple: seize opportunities, aim for a balance between practical experiences and academic learning, and keep an open ear for feedback along the way.

View the MSc in Applied Artificial Intelligence and User Experience

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