Takao Umehara
🙂

Takao Umehara

Product Design in New York, he/him

actively looking for next opportunities

2 years ago

About

With over a decade of experience as a product designer, I have focused on crafting holistic experiences that seamlessly integrate product strategy, innovation, technology, and business. My journey has involved designing and launching more than a dozen products across dynamic sectors such as EdTech, FinTech, Blockchain, Commerce, AI Productivity, Web3, and Retail. Beyond designing digital products, I am passionate about creating end-to-end holistic CX/UX experiences that resonate on every level, supported by data-driven design decisions that enhance user engagement and satisfaction.

My distinct edge lies in my ability to integrate a comprehensive range of skills—from conducting in-depth user and market research to identify core opportunities for innovation to collaborating closely with researchers, technologists, and business strategists. I excel in facilitating design sprints and product innovation workshops, creating & testing prototypes, and building compelling brands for products. My work involves designing business models for products and services and extends to visual design, ensuring aesthetic coherence and brand alignment across all touchpoints.


I regularly run workshops to foster collaboration among teams from diverse disciplines, adept at aligning team and client visions, navigating conflicts, and helping teams overcome cognitive biases that block innovation  (using the BreakBias tools). As a design mentor, I have supported the growth of other designers through mentorship and training in design strategy, innovation, and practical design techniques, enhancing their ability to deliver impactful and strategically sound designs.

Projects

2023

A white-label custodial Web3 wallet to streamline asset management, enhance security, and ensure compliance within corporate environments.

Winners at the 2023 Merit Awards for Technology in the Metaverse and AI categories.

2023

I led the UX strategy and design for their EngageNY web platform.

2023

We helped the mobile telecommunication company reimagine their customer experience with AI voice assistance to place an order on a tablet/Web portal to reschedule the pick-up. Store staff customer management tool, in-store digital kiosk, and new retail environment design.

2017

The Perception Academy Quest is an in-class immersive ELA learning product by Amplify Education. Through 5 days of lessons, students move through the periods of a school day as though they role-play one of the patients with the perception disorders described in Oliver Sacks’s book The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Watch the link for the intro video.

Writing

2023

Article for product innovation ideation

2005

I co-authored a fun book to massage your creativity. Even though it's been published a long time ago, it has a timeless value that anyone can enjoy.

Awards

2022

High school ELA curriculum offering – Odell Education High School Learning Program (HSLP) – has received the highest rating of “All-Green” Meets Expectations by EdReports for 2022.

2021

2021 American Graphic Design Awards for DO! NUTS Tokyo Branding

Work Experience

2021 — 2023
New York

I led UX strategy and Service Design for Multi/Omni channel experience design in the financial, mobile telecommunication, insurance as well as consumer retail brands. I also worked on Web3/AI-related projects.

  • Web3 Non-Custodial Wallet

  • D2C (Direct to Consumer) experience for Pharmacy and sports apparel brands with AR/VR and AI technology.

  • Reimagining the customer experience with BOPIS experiences and in-store staff customer management digital experience

  • Heuristic evaluation for the Life Insurance application process on the mobile web

  • Redesigning the online banking experience

2018 — 2021
New York

Led end-to-end design process from research, strategy, workshop, ideation, prototyping, and implementation.

  • Helped Odell Education to design the entire digital experience for the online curriculum for High School Literacy Program. T

>> Result: The project has received the highest rating of “All-Green” Meets Expectations by EdReports for 2022.

  • Reimagining Service Design and Branding for a Hair Salon chain in Tokyo.

>> Resulting in a 400% increase in female customers.

  • Creative Direction for the Social Innovation Platform and help launch DO!NUTS TOKYO.

>> Resulting in winning 2021 American Graphic Design Awards.

2019 — 2020
New York

Design Expert In Residence

For Food-X and D-Lab (Blockchain) Accelerator Program, I mentored 20 founders in Food startups and Blockchain startups for UX and branding through weekly coaching sessions.

Startup includes: EDI Health, Reveal, Yofit, Bevv, Milennia Tea, Your Local, Nutrient, Diwala, Credmark

2015 — 2018
New York

I was responsible for developing frameworks, facilitating workshops, UX strategy and design for digital product design projects from design research, rapid prototyping, development of design systems, and implementation.

  • Led UX/UI Audit and Redesign the entire UX/UI for the Networked Improvement Learning and Support (NILS™.)

  • Led UX/UI Audit; Persona Development; Storytelling; Visual Design; UX/UI Design for SRI Education The Menlo Math Program

  • Led School Design strategic tool development, XQ Canvas, for XQ Institute

2012 — 2015
New York

Responsible for shipping the following products. Led entire product design effort including product ideation, learning experience design, UX/UI, and creative direction.

• Tom Sawyer Quest
• Edgar Allan Poe Quest
• Declare Yourself Quest (History of American Independence)
• Perception Academy Quest (Brain Science)
• Viking Quest (History of Vikings)
• Myth World Quest (Greek Mythology)
• The Contraption Quest

Also developed Quest Method strategy cards to help creating more Quest experience with speed and efficiency.

2009 — 2012
New York
  • Led UX/UI for Reading 3D, early literacy assessment app for smart phone

  • Led UX/UI for TPRI and Tejas LEE early reading assessment app for smart phone and tablet

  • Led Learning Map UI design

  • Led introduction of Design Thinking approach for entire company

Volunteering

2023 — Now

Mentoring designers and design strategists

Education

Japan

Attended Policy Management Department. Studied Internet Sociology and HCI

Los Angeles

Graphic Design Department
Focused on Interaction Design and Branding

New York

Attended the first year of Strategic Design and Management while working full time.

Certifications

Contact

LinkedIn