It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that the executive team at BlackHägen Design announces the sudden passing of Robert Sean Hägen, the company’s co-principal, founder, and director of research and synthesis.
Hägen spent 28 years building BlackHägen Design to support clients in the development of “mission-critical” products that are both safer and easier to use. He was pivotal in the advocacy of human factors and good design practices for medical devices and was at the forefront of patient safety initiatives, helping to found the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) Patient Safety Committee.
During Hägen's two terms on the IDSA Board of Directors as the vice president of Special Interest Sections, he led the organisation in developing professional continuing education strategies and initiatives. Sean loved mentoring young designers and engineers throughout his career and had been looking forward to doing much more of the same in subsequent years.
“Working closely with Sean throughout the years, I know our entire team is honoured to continue carrying out his vision for BlackHӓgen Design. His professional focus has always been to make a measurable difference by applying innovative user-centred design, informed through robust human-factors research, that improves the user experience for clinicians with better outcomes for patients,” said Philip Remedios, Hägen's business partner of 21 years. “He was a brilliant yet humble leader and designer who cared deeply for his colleagues, his family, and his clients. Sean will be greatly missed, but his wisdom and legacy will certainly be carried on by those he inspired, led, and nurtured.”
Jeff Morang, an executive-level human factors engineer and long term professional friend to BlackHägen, has been promoted to the position of director of Human Factors Engineering. Morang joined the company in September of 2022 and has over 18 years of Human Factors experience in corporate and consulting roles.
Rich Newman continues his role as usability engineering test manager, overseeing and conducting formal usability testing and other Human Factors activities. Newman has 30 years in the medical device industry and has been with the firm since 2016.