Muhammad Faizan Nawaz · UX researcher

Field log

updated oct 2026

open to: UX research internships and working student (Werkstudent) roles
based in: Siegen, Germany
strongest at: Generative & speculative research
domains: HRI · neurotech · nature
studying: M.Sc. Human-Computer Interaction, University of Siegen (2025 – 2028)
speaks: English (professional) · Urdu (native) · German A2, learning
last on stage: NMUN 2026, New York · Outstanding Delegation Award

Field studies

Three studies, each with something you can try. Every one starts with a thing for people to react to.

people + nature · team of 2 · 5 participants

Nature Blanket: shadows as a way back into the park

askedCan an autonomous technology help people see nature in a different light?

foundPeople explored more and noticed light and shadow, but solving the puzzle soon outshone noticing nature.

try it · the sun is the interface

At 12pm the statue's shadow lines up with the purple outline on the blanket.

Read the case study: Nature Blanket →
public robots · team of 4 · 4 hikers

TrailMate: a public robot that pairs hikers anonymously

askedCan a public robot help strangers connect on a trail without sharing who they are?

foundAnonymity lowered the barrier to connect, but it also raised safety fears and broke immersion in nature.

try it · walk two matched hikers together

Distance between hikers

The kiosk dispenses a wristband with sensors, carrying only that anonymous profile.

Read the case study: TrailMate →
03
neurotech · team of 3 · 17 participants

Passive BCI for cognitive fatigue recovery

askedHow can passive BCI support recovery from cognitive fatigue in deep screen work?

foundPeople will accept a brain-reading assistant only if it advises rather than decides, and fatigue data stays private.
try it · the human barometer

“A headset that can tell when my brain is tired is something I'd want.”
in the workshop, participants took a stance on statements like this one. how their views moved:
- “I would rather stay at home than go through this everyday.”“I would accept as long as its role is to take note of fatigue values and possibly recommend an action.”
- “A constant reminder about my mental health will make me more stressful.”“Useful when it supports my awareness of fatigue. But not if it's restrictive.”
Read the case study: Passive BCI →

Methods I've used

Each study picked its methods to fit the question. Most of my work is generative: getting people to react to something that doesn't exist yet.

Research methods used in each study
Method	Nature Blanket	TrailMate	Passive BCI
Prototype testing in context
Semi-structured interviews
Participatory co-design
Field study
Observation
Pre / post surveys
Speculative design workshop
Human barometer
Thematic analysis

How I work

frameFind the real gapSharpen a question nobody has answered yet, like how passive BCI should support rest.
provokeMake something to react toA shadow blanket, a wristband mock-up, a scenario from 2068.
listenWatch and ask, in contextOn the trail, in the park, in the workshop room, with playful prompts that surface real limits.
translateTurn themes into decisionsThematic analysis into design implications a team can build on.

On stage

Since 2019: 50+ national and international MUN and debate competitions, adjudicating in Pakistan and Switzerland, and the Outstanding Delegation Award at NMUN 2026. Shuffle the pile.

Receiving a certificate at GIMUN · Gießen
Outside UN Headquarters · New York
Universität Siegen · StuPa

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Beyond the lab

Making immersive music videos in Vilnius, a sound map of Trento, a logistics summer school in Slovenia, and the people who make the work worth doing. Tap a photo to see it up close.