Herman D'Hooge is an Innovation Strategist with Intel's Channel Platforms Group where he established the user-centered design and innovation competency chartered with bringing innovative and exciting new end-user experiences to personal computing that are informed by real user needs and desires. The approach relies on a team of ethnographers, user researchers, human factors engineers, industrial designers, interaction designers, technologists and engineers who bring a user-centered approach to envisioning new user experiences and informing technology development.

Herman joined Intel in 1981 and has held various positions in technology research, development, platform architecture, industry evangelism, and management in areas ranging from multi-processor computer architectures, PC system architecture, operating systems, computer security, fault tolerance, distributed systems, computer-telephony integration, and "new users, new uses" applications research. In 1998, he co-founded the Intel Smart Toy Lab and later became director of User-Centered Design for Intel's branded consumer products (peripherals, cameras, audio players, toys).

Mr. D'Hooge received an MS in Electrical Engineering and an MS in Computer Science, both from the University of Ghent, Belgium. His professional interests are in understanding how technology can meaningfully impact people's lives and how user-centered methods can be applied practically to inform product innovation.