It’s important to have a network for career development, especially as a self-employed or freelance designer. However, over the past few years, I have had difficulty concentrating on work—not entirely due to the tempting calls from social media platforms, but also because of the endless back-and-forth messages. It is easier said than done to stay within a time limit for message responses; however, with full remote working settings, it is sometimes necessary to prioritise urgent or emergent tasks. I found myself spending loads of attention and fragmented time distinguishing the type of message it falls under.

In my experience as a designer, I've found that ordinary experiences are rich sources of ideas. Communication is the root of most fruitful collaborations, in my opinion as a contributor. Yet, I might be inhibited and eroded by my own beliefs, sacrificing my inner peace and mental condition to respond to others. This leads to putting extra effort into my personal time to restore and recharge, convoluted with the difficulties of separating private mode from work mode.

After listening to the podcast, I realised I haven't been working smart enough to learn how to protect my time and boundaries, both at work and in life. The ideology of making a highlight of your day and prioritising what delights is truly a fruitful thought. Another takeaway is how to communicate your responsive frequency to set up expectations intentionally.

My character is often described as "easy-going," tending to avoid having a firm or strong attitude regarding communication style, which is getting more challenging as I grow older. Seeking more joy than satisfaction, learning how to guard my heart by saying no in a soft tone is a new learning chapter and a belated 2024 goal.

[Lenny’s podcast about make time on substack](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/making-time-for-what-matters-jake)

Protect your mind

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2Fpl3D0fbvxDXvBwZeQ2ThO4G1igh2%2Ffruit-for-thought%2Fcb5f65f7-0b73-4d8e-8045-0764341cf75b.jpg?alt=media&token=e22b8224-7162-4d40-a2a9-2aad2434316c","id":"cb5f65f7-0b73-4d8e-8045-0764341cf75b","width":3024,"height":4032,"filename":"IMG_2141.jpeg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

Today I was at the London Bridge station and spotted this St Thomas street with a preconceived "share" meaning icon in front of it; wondering.. since when we're embedded the correlation meaning from this symbol to the abstract concept, such as "share,”?\
\
Remember when I was teaching my 72-year-old dad using Gmail on his phone. He was trying to learn how to forward an email to a client. For me, everything was so straightforward: a left-pointing arrow meant to reply, and a right-pointing arrow meant forward. I couldn’t remember when this incident occurred, yet back then, there was no existing text following the icons. We were talking over the phone, and after a few presses, he got lost and then confused by the Android system navigation from the app - it was a mess.\
\
There’s another memory of me teaching a 76-year-old well-educated Hong Kong lady to transfer money with her mobile banking. She has multiple bank services, and some of the banks select the receiver before the sender, and some do it the other way around, where she’s always confused.\
\
I’m not writing to judge a UI design or UX for elderly users. Still, I want to share that it was at these moments strikes me, realising that the meaning of iconography may only exist under a certain education level and or an age group. Some of the norm that we’re exposed everyday may not be the same to some people that the product is engaging with. That is why it’s so crucial for us, as a product designer, to know who we’re designing for and to ensure user testing with our target audience.

Iconography and its meaning

```cv
youtube
{"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UAsN9wvePE&t=4s","width":200,"height":113,"thumbnail":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8UAsN9wvePE/hqdefault.jpg"}
```

This video may give you enough reasons for why you may or may not hire me as your designer. 

Born and raised in an eastern Asian background, I culture-blend and self-taught a lot, trying to navigate through the work fields. Still, I mentally struggle with a lot of the preconceptions that my past experiences have put on me, and I inevitably try to please my surroundings when I can. 

The further I walked along the path, the more I realised that I was not alone in the struggle. Seeing people discuss the topic sheds light on the way, which gives me more ways of thinking about how and why to see myself.

How culture inform design decisions

I'm so slow, you probably don't have the time to get to know me

Part artist, part internet freak

Creating AI companion in London as a female founder - Ep.1 with Celeste

Celeste Tsai: from graphic design to Digital Product Designer & Visual Creator

Digital Product Designer Redefining Grief Support with AI

Designing the Codex Vaticanus Thesis book cover was an exciting and collaborative endeavour. The author's goal was to visually narrate the 350-year scholarly journey within the thesis.

We started by delving into the historical context and the central themes. The design aimed to seamlessly blend the past and the present, symbolising the ever-evolving scholarly understanding of the Codex Vaticanus.

Crucial to the process was constant collaboration with the author, who provided invaluable insights and feedback. We shared drafts and exchanged ideas, making sure the final design accurately mirrored their vision.

The end result is a cover that conveys the manuscript's historical significance and its transformation over time. It transitions from classical sepia tones, representing the manuscript's origins, to a window that overlooks the history of the river.

The project culminated with the delivery of meticulously prepared print-ready files, ensuring a smooth transition from digital design to a tangible book cover. This cover is more than just an image; it's a gateway to a fascinating 350-year scholarly voyage.

From Erasmus to Maius

Designed the logo, album cover and the visual identity for the artist Pan Liang Music.

What the keys will open

Photography

Having worked as a self-employed freelance designer for over a decade, I possess expertise in various design domains. I serve clients worldwide in various fields, including graphic design, UI/UX design, and branding. In 2023, founded SIIXX, a remote-based entity fusing innovation and design in the metaverse and NW London.

SIIXX LTD

Grieft is an approach to provide emotional support and promote unity among individuals going through the grieving process. It incorporates an AI chatbot for empathetic emotional support, guide practices, and counselling schedulling. The app aims to fill a market gap by offering a sense of connection and support accessible anytime, anywhere.

Grieft

[Confused Girl](https://www.instagram.com/confusedgirl.art) is my search for people with whom I share the same questions. Not every question has an answer; however, seeing others who are asking the same questions makes me feel less alone. Let us walk the path to becoming bold, brave, maybe kind, independent beings.

Confused Girl

During my volunteering journey at Hillsong London, I've had the incredible opportunity to contribute my design skills to various meaningful initiatives. From shaping the giving experience to supporting social justice efforts and even participating in [the Discipleship Project](https://thediscipleshipproject.org/), I've been privileged to work on projects that align with my values and passions. This experience has not only allowed me to grow as a designer but also as a collaborator and communicator within a diverse and dynamic team. It's been a fulfilling journey, helping visually convey our mission and promote transparency and connection with our community.

Hillsong London

UI/UX Design

A voice AI to automate complex phone calls for healthcare providers

Lead Product Designer

Glints is Southeast Asia's leading platform for tech-driven talent discovery, upskilling, and career exploration. My team developed key career development features for desktop and mobile, enhancing the job search process to quickly deliver value to users. Our focus covered onboarding, profile setup, job search, and application tracking.

To improve the user experience, we conducted usability studies and used data to refine UX. Key improvements included reducing friction with loading indicators, login reminders, and raising usability scores to exceed SUS 68.

We drove product metrics by understanding user needs and collaborating closely to boost engagement, sign-ups, and retention. Notable results include:

* 14.2% increase in Day 1 retention by improving mobile onboarding.

* Sign-up conversions jump from 58% to 74%.

* Google login success rate increased from 71% to 92%.

I also built an internal design system with reusable components, speeding up collaboration and delivering consistent, scalable designs across products.

Senior Product Designer

Operate as a high-versatile Product Designer within the capacities of graphic design, UI/UX, video editing and diverse creative fields. Function as a designer-researcher in the early stage among the team to digest and analysing client industry, composing digital strategies based on reliable records and data. Not only managing the visual aspects for the Marketing Department but also work closely with stakeholders to develop an outcome which striking the balance of objectives and requirements with available resources. With a malleable characteristic who can work both autonomously and can collaborate with other designers.
- Take complicated tasks and processes and make them seem natural and intuitive.
- Partner with business stakeholders to understand their objectives and requirements.
- Apply user-centred and data-driven design strategies to projects that range from mobile applications to complex business systems.
- Map the journey of a user and identify opportunities for design solutions based on findings from user research.
- Provide intuitive, meaningful, and elegant interpretations of complex concepts based on client information and subject matter experts.

Tenten

UI/UX Designer

Grieft is an approach to providing emotional support and promoting unity among individuals going through the grieving process. The app would incorporate an AI chatbot for empathetic emotional support, guidance practices, and counselling scheduling. We aim to fill a gap for seeking mental help by offering a sense of connection and support accessible anytime, anywhere.

Cofounder

Spark Protein is a Taiwanese brand founded in 2018 by fitness enthusiasts. They create protein snacks that cater to local taste preferences, attracting both fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious individuals. With high-quality ingredients and options for dietary restrictions, Spark Protein has become a trusted local brand, meeting the evolving needs of the Taiwanese market and standing out in the protein snack industry.

Lead strategic conversations that help rethink and reimagine the brand communicate with customers and potential customers, apply a feasible approach to a wide variety of products, communications, and experiences—owing to the translation of business objectives into marketing strategies.
Incubated two subsidiary brands, Plantiigood and Black, under spark protein to diverge different market domains.
Translate ideas into pixel-perfect mockups and design specs
Lead a collaborative design process from conception to launch, involving engineers, product managers, and cofounders.
Partner closely with diverse teams, including Brand, Marketing, Operation, Finance, Product, and Customer Services, and groups outside, including Video Productions, Photographers, and Suppliers.
Research, interview and analyse our customers to iterate the products
Working versatilely from digital experiences to publishing units
Construct a team collaboration process by adopting Jira tasks for project management and assisting in the setting of automation between Woo Commerce and the ERP system.
Elevate the hiring process by injecting HR CRM
Gather questionnaires for customer journey mapping and qualitative user interviews, analysing the CSAT and NPS feedback in cadence to elevate the shopping experience.
Marketing design using Mailchimp: dig into the open rate and UTM details with A/B testing.

Brand & Design Director

Manage a diverse workload of print materials, digital design, packaging, photo retouching, and book editing. Experienced in creating visual concepts that inspire and captivate the consumer while creating a consistent brand representation across all materials. Developing creative ideas and concepts proposed to suit the client’s business objectives while project-managing at the same time.

Self Employed

Director

Firstbase strive to empower companies by offering a comprehensive lifecycle solution for remote employee equipment. \
\
I have led the design and implementation of the Asset Management system, which includes the creation and editing of assets, the launch of the tagging feature, and the enhancement of lifecycle tracking. Furthermore, I have contributed to the conceptualisation of the Product Catalogue, enabling IT administrators to manage and add products within their organisation. Additionally, I have envisioned the AI assistant feature to facilitate team onboarding and shape our product roadmap.\
\
I also leverage my expertise in branding and graphic design to assist the team with crucial partnership collaboration materials, polish shareholder pitching decks, and contribute to the sales drive.

Concepting and executing creative work across multiple platforms, collaborating with team members from all disciplines. Consistently seeks to enhance the level of creativity executed on all projects and works with the Art Director and Project Managers to ensure deliverables meet all standards and requirements. 
- Play the essential role of encouraging design team members to achieve objectives and goals. 
- Maintaining an interest in commerce, digital and creative industries also social and cultural trends. 
- Mentor and oversee junior design team members.

Associatge Art Director

Act as an advocator for high-end brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, execute with graphic layout and art editing magazines—experienced printing production, which includes inspecting colour proofs, Leading brainstorming meetings for proposals.
• Managing and executing the design and visual elements of a global magazine under the corporate publishing department.
• Overseeing the production process, including selecting images, designing layouts, and ensuring quality and consistency.
• Ensuring that the magazine's visual style aligns with the brand's overall identity and message.
• Collaborating with printing shop business partners to ensure a smooth magazine production process.
• Participating in business development activities, such as identifying new revenue streams and exploring growth opportunities.
• Offering a range of services within the corporate publishing department, including graphic design, editorial support, and branding and marketing.