Profile: Keith Instone

OhioX Team Spotlight:
Keith Instone

Name: Keith Instone
Title: Director, Community Experience
Organization: OhioX
Hometown: Bowling Green, Ohio
Current City: Maumee, Ohio

Q: In three sentences or less, describe what your company does and your role.

I have a 1-person consultancy where I help various types of organizations define, design, and deliver great user experiences. 

For OhioX, that means event planning, engaging with stakeholders, and researching trends that will help Ohio be a tech leader.

Q: What's a day-in-the-life for you like at OhioX?

Some OhioX days are “work from home” days: planning events, writing, and researching. If you have been a speaker at an OhioX conference recently, you probably have met with me a few times to prepare.

Some OhioX days involve driving around the state to host OhioX events like the AI Roundtable, meeting with members, and learning about the amazing things happening in tech in Ohio. 

Q: How did you get your start in tech?

I started young, writing my first video game in junior high and earning money writing software for the local TV station while still in high school. After getting my Master’s in Computer Science at BGSU, I did human-computer interaction research there, setting the stage for my career as a user experience practitioner in industry.

Q: What's a trend in tech or innovation that doesn't get enough attention?

Technology, such as AI, is more than just a "tool" that we use to be more efficient. We shape our tools and then our tools shape us. We are building socio-technical systems that change the way we think, behave, interact with each other, and govern our society. We have to spend more time designing for the long-term implications of technology on humanity.

Q: What's your favorite coffee shop in Ohio?

I did not drink coffee, so my favorite coffee shop is not based on their ability to make a good latte, but by the number of important meetings I have had there. With that criteria, my local Panera has been my go-to place for years. 

Q: What's a fun fact about you that most people wouldn't know?

I played on the “Ohio international ice hockey team” that competed in the OhiOntario International Friendship Games between sister cities Bowling Green & St. Thomas (Ontario).

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Learn more about Keith’s work by connecting with him on LinkedIn.