💬
A friend once asked me if the rise of AI makes me nervous.
I said I feel nervous yet excited. I’ve been preparing for the future, learning to go beyond a single role. Every opportunity to explore feels like a step toward becoming whole.
User research
User research
User research
Projects
2023 ServiceNow ｜ Heuristic Evaluation, User Interviews, and Concept Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I led a series of alignment workshops, heuristic reviews, and moderated interviews with 11 IT managers across 8 enterprise customers. The goal was to uncover how managers assess team performance, conduct coaching, and make data-driven decisions within complex service environments. The research revealed that managers often relied on manual tracking, lacked visibility into performance trends, and needed clearer context for why coaching was triggered. These findings guided our problem framing and informed the design team’s move toward AI-driven solutions that enhance clarity, trust, and workflow efficiency.
2022 Uber｜ Heuristic Evaluation · Competitive Analysis · Tree Testing · Usability Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I uncovered key UX challenges in Uber’s internal hub—fragmented navigation, unclear structure, and low employee engagement. Insights shaped a redesign that streamlined workflows, improved discoverability, and strengthened connection across teams.
2021 Meta Reality Labs ｜ Secondary Research, Competitive Analysis, User Survey, User Interviews, Storyboarding, Ideation Workshop
Wearing my researcher hat, during the master’s program our team collaborated with Meta Reality Labs to explore social interactivity in virtual reality through Horizon Worlds, Meta’s flagship VR social platform. Using a combination of user surveys, competitive analysis, and in-depth interviews, we investigated how users develop comfort, trust, and engagement within immersive environments. The research revealed clear behavioral differences between new and experienced VR users, which directly informed design directions to improve onboarding, safety, and social connection in virtual worlds. Impact: Delivered a research-informed framework for social interaction in VR; deepened understanding of comfort, trust, and community formation in immersive spaces; and contributed to Meta’s ongoing exploration of future virtual work and social experiences. The design insights and proposed interaction models were later adopted and implemented by the Meta team.
2021 Alaska Airlines | Accessibility Study | Heuristic Evaluation, Moderated Usability Testing, Affinity Mapping, Severity Rating
Wearing my researcher hat, I work with other three researcher conducted a usability study evaluating AlaskaAir.com’s accessibility for low-vision users. Through 7 moderated sessions, we uncovered key usability barriers—from inconsistent visual cues to assistive tool incompatibility—and prioritized them for design recommendations. Impact: 12 critical accessibility issues identified; improved organizational awareness of inclusive design.
2021 Yakima Rescue Shelter Website Redesign ｜ Stakeholder Interviews, Card Sorting, Task Analysis, Persona Creation, Journey Mapping, Usability Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I redesigned the Yakima Valley Pet Rescue website to help volunteers manage rising adoption inquiries during the pandemic. By conducting stakeholder interviews, analyzing customer support data, and validating site structure through card sorting and usability testing, I uncovered major content hierarchy issues and improved the website’s information architecture. Impact: Reduced repetitive support inquiries by 60%; improved usability score (SUS) from 48 → 77; established a clear, trustworthy digital experience for the rescue organization.
Projects
2023 ServiceNow ｜ Heuristic Evaluation, User Interviews, and Concept Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I led a series of alignment workshops, heuristic reviews, and moderated interviews with 11 IT managers across 8 enterprise customers. The goal was to uncover how managers assess team performance, conduct coaching, and make data-driven decisions within complex service environments. The research revealed that managers often relied on manual tracking, lacked visibility into performance trends, and needed clearer context for why coaching was triggered. These findings guided our problem framing and informed the design team’s move toward AI-driven solutions that enhance clarity, trust, and workflow efficiency.
2022 Uber｜ Heuristic Evaluation · Competitive Analysis · Tree Testing · Usability Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I uncovered key UX challenges in Uber’s internal hub—fragmented navigation, unclear structure, and low employee engagement. Insights shaped a redesign that streamlined workflows, improved discoverability, and strengthened connection across teams.
2021 Meta Reality Labs ｜ Secondary Research, Competitive Analysis, User Survey, User Interviews, Storyboarding, Ideation Workshop
Wearing my researcher hat, during the master’s program our team collaborated with Meta Reality Labs to explore social interactivity in virtual reality through Horizon Worlds, Meta’s flagship VR social platform. Using a combination of user surveys, competitive analysis, and in-depth interviews, we investigated how users develop comfort, trust, and engagement within immersive environments. The research revealed clear behavioral differences between new and experienced VR users, which directly informed design directions to improve onboarding, safety, and social connection in virtual worlds. Impact: Delivered a research-informed framework for social interaction in VR; deepened understanding of comfort, trust, and community formation in immersive spaces; and contributed to Meta’s ongoing exploration of future virtual work and social experiences. The design insights and proposed interaction models were later adopted and implemented by the Meta team.
2021 Alaska Airlines | Accessibility Study | Heuristic Evaluation, Moderated Usability Testing, Affinity Mapping, Severity Rating
Wearing my researcher hat, I work with other three researcher conducted a usability study evaluating AlaskaAir.com’s accessibility for low-vision users. Through 7 moderated sessions, we uncovered key usability barriers—from inconsistent visual cues to assistive tool incompatibility—and prioritized them for design recommendations. Impact: 12 critical accessibility issues identified; improved organizational awareness of inclusive design.
2021 Yakima Rescue Shelter Website Redesign ｜ Stakeholder Interviews, Card Sorting, Task Analysis, Persona Creation, Journey Mapping, Usability Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I redesigned the Yakima Valley Pet Rescue website to help volunteers manage rising adoption inquiries during the pandemic. By conducting stakeholder interviews, analyzing customer support data, and validating site structure through card sorting and usability testing, I uncovered major content hierarchy issues and improved the website’s information architecture. Impact: Reduced repetitive support inquiries by 60%; improved usability score (SUS) from 48 → 77; established a clear, trustworthy digital experience for the rescue organization.
Projects
2023 ServiceNow ｜ Heuristic Evaluation, User Interviews, and Concept Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I led a series of alignment workshops, heuristic reviews, and moderated interviews with 11 IT managers across 8 enterprise customers. The goal was to uncover how managers assess team performance, conduct coaching, and make data-driven decisions within complex service environments. The research revealed that managers often relied on manual tracking, lacked visibility into performance trends, and needed clearer context for why coaching was triggered. These findings guided our problem framing and informed the design team’s move toward AI-driven solutions that enhance clarity, trust, and workflow efficiency.
2022 Uber｜ Heuristic Evaluation · Competitive Analysis · Tree Testing · Usability Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I uncovered key UX challenges in Uber’s internal hub—fragmented navigation, unclear structure, and low employee engagement. Insights shaped a redesign that streamlined workflows, improved discoverability, and strengthened connection across teams.
2021 Meta Reality Labs ｜ Secondary Research, Competitive Analysis, User Survey, User Interviews, Storyboarding, Ideation Workshop
Wearing my researcher hat, during the master’s program our team collaborated with Meta Reality Labs to explore social interactivity in virtual reality through Horizon Worlds, Meta’s flagship VR social platform. Using a combination of user surveys, competitive analysis, and in-depth interviews, we investigated how users develop comfort, trust, and engagement within immersive environments. The research revealed clear behavioral differences between new and experienced VR users, which directly informed design directions to improve onboarding, safety, and social connection in virtual worlds. Impact: Delivered a research-informed framework for social interaction in VR; deepened understanding of comfort, trust, and community formation in immersive spaces; and contributed to Meta’s ongoing exploration of future virtual work and social experiences. The design insights and proposed interaction models were later adopted and implemented by the Meta team.
2021 Alaska Airlines | Accessibility Study | Heuristic Evaluation, Moderated Usability Testing, Affinity Mapping, Severity Rating
Wearing my researcher hat, I work with other three researcher conducted a usability study evaluating AlaskaAir.com’s accessibility for low-vision users. Through 7 moderated sessions, we uncovered key usability barriers—from inconsistent visual cues to assistive tool incompatibility—and prioritized them for design recommendations. Impact: 12 critical accessibility issues identified; improved organizational awareness of inclusive design.
2021 Yakima Rescue Shelter Website Redesign ｜ Stakeholder Interviews, Card Sorting, Task Analysis, Persona Creation, Journey Mapping, Usability Testing
Wearing my researcher hat, I redesigned the Yakima Valley Pet Rescue website to help volunteers manage rising adoption inquiries during the pandemic. By conducting stakeholder interviews, analyzing customer support data, and validating site structure through card sorting and usability testing, I uncovered major content hierarchy issues and improved the website’s information architecture. Impact: Reduced repetitive support inquiries by 60%; improved usability score (SUS) from 48 → 77; established a clear, trustworthy digital experience for the rescue organization.
Programming
Programming
Programming
Projects
2024 FictionGPT | Experimental Chat App | OpenAI API, React, Node.js,speech-to-Text, TTS Integration
Wearing my engineering hat, I built FictionGPT — a fun side project developed with a friend to experiment with ChatGPT’s API and conversational UX. The app lets users “bring book characters to life” — you can select a novel, choose a character, and interact with them in real time using voice. I used ChatGPT’s API for narrative generation, coupled with basic front-end logic and audio pipeline integration to simulate live dialogue between users and fictional personas. Impact: Strengthened my ability to prototype conversational AI experiences, integrate multimodal APIs, and explore how LLMs can create emotional, story-driven interactions.
2023 Unity Game | Unity Engine, C#, Unity Netcode (or Photon), 3D Asset Integration
Wearing both my game designer and developer hats, I coded and designed this multiplayer strategy game from the ground up. The game is a 3D adaptation of the Saboteur board game, where players are assigned hidden roles as either "Miners" or "Saboteurs." Miners must collaborate to build a path to a hidden treasure, while Saboteurs secretly work to disrupt their efforts. I implemented the complete game loop, including the hidden identity system, the tile-based path-building mechanics, and an action card system that allows players to sabotage opponents or repair equipment. Impact: This project solidified my end-to-end game development skills using Unity and C#. I gained significant practical experience implementing complex multiplayer networking logic to synchronize game state and actions. It also sharpened my ability to translate the social deduction and asymmetric goals of a physical board game into a compelling 3D interactive experience.
2023 VR Travel | Unity Engine, C#, Oculus SDK, VR Interaction, 3D Environment Design
Wearing my developer hat, I built VR Travel — a passion project developed to experiment with immersive game design and the Oculus SDK. The game lets users “travel the world” in VR — you can pilot a vehicle through stylized 3D environments, controlling it entirely with the Oculus headset and controllers. I used the Oculus SDK for the core VR camera rig and input handling, coupled with custom C# physics scripts for the vehicle's movement and low-poly 3D assets to ensure a stable, high-frame-rate experience. Impact: Strengthened my ability to prototype end-to-end VR applications, integrate hardware-specific SDKs, and grasp the core principles of immersive design, particularly performance optimization for user comfort.
2023 Sunlight Seeker | An Autonomous, Light-Seeking Plant Pot ｜ Arduino (C++), Light Sensors (LDRs), Motor Driver, Hardware Prototyping, Lego
Wearing my "maker" hat, I built the Sunlight Seeker — a fun personal project developed to experiment with environmental sensing and simple robotics. The prototype lets a plant "chase the sun" — it automatically senses where the brightest light in a room is and physically carries the plant towards it. I used an Arduino-compatible microcontroller (the Adafruit Feather shown) to process the core logic, coupled with multiple light-dependent resistors (to compare light intensity) and a motor driver to power an autonomous, Lego-built chassis. Impact: Strengthened my ability to build physical hardware prototypes from scratch, integrate sensors with actuators, and explore how embedded systems can create simple, automated solutions to tangible, real-world problems.
Projects
2024 FictionGPT | Experimental Chat App | OpenAI API, React, Node.js,speech-to-Text, TTS Integration
Wearing my engineering hat, I built FictionGPT — a fun side project developed with a friend to experiment with ChatGPT’s API and conversational UX. The app lets users “bring book characters to life” — you can select a novel, choose a character, and interact with them in real time using voice. I used ChatGPT’s API for narrative generation, coupled with basic front-end logic and audio pipeline integration to simulate live dialogue between users and fictional personas. Impact: Strengthened my ability to prototype conversational AI experiences, integrate multimodal APIs, and explore how LLMs can create emotional, story-driven interactions.
2023 Unity Game | Unity Engine, C#, Unity Netcode (or Photon), 3D Asset Integration
Wearing both my game designer and developer hats, I coded and designed this multiplayer strategy game from the ground up. The game is a 3D adaptation of the Saboteur board game, where players are assigned hidden roles as either "Miners" or "Saboteurs." Miners must collaborate to build a path to a hidden treasure, while Saboteurs secretly work to disrupt their efforts. I implemented the complete game loop, including the hidden identity system, the tile-based path-building mechanics, and an action card system that allows players to sabotage opponents or repair equipment. Impact: This project solidified my end-to-end game development skills using Unity and C#. I gained significant practical experience implementing complex multiplayer networking logic to synchronize game state and actions. It also sharpened my ability to translate the social deduction and asymmetric goals of a physical board game into a compelling 3D interactive experience.
2023 VR Travel | Unity Engine, C#, Oculus SDK, VR Interaction, 3D Environment Design
Wearing my developer hat, I built VR Travel — a passion project developed to experiment with immersive game design and the Oculus SDK. The game lets users “travel the world” in VR — you can pilot a vehicle through stylized 3D environments, controlling it entirely with the Oculus headset and controllers. I used the Oculus SDK for the core VR camera rig and input handling, coupled with custom C# physics scripts for the vehicle's movement and low-poly 3D assets to ensure a stable, high-frame-rate experience. Impact: Strengthened my ability to prototype end-to-end VR applications, integrate hardware-specific SDKs, and grasp the core principles of immersive design, particularly performance optimization for user comfort.
2023 Sunlight Seeker | An Autonomous, Light-Seeking Plant Pot ｜ Arduino (C++), Light Sensors (LDRs), Motor Driver, Hardware Prototyping, Lego
Wearing my "maker" hat, I built the Sunlight Seeker — a fun personal project developed to experiment with environmental sensing and simple robotics. The prototype lets a plant "chase the sun" — it automatically senses where the brightest light in a room is and physically carries the plant towards it. I used an Arduino-compatible microcontroller (the Adafruit Feather shown) to process the core logic, coupled with multiple light-dependent resistors (to compare light intensity) and a motor driver to power an autonomous, Lego-built chassis. Impact: Strengthened my ability to build physical hardware prototypes from scratch, integrate sensors with actuators, and explore how embedded systems can create simple, automated solutions to tangible, real-world problems.
Projects
2024 FictionGPT | Experimental Chat App | OpenAI API, React, Node.js,speech-to-Text, TTS Integration
Wearing my engineering hat, I built FictionGPT — a fun side project developed with a friend to experiment with ChatGPT’s API and conversational UX. The app lets users “bring book characters to life” — you can select a novel, choose a character, and interact with them in real time using voice. I used ChatGPT’s API for narrative generation, coupled with basic front-end logic and audio pipeline integration to simulate live dialogue between users and fictional personas. Impact: Strengthened my ability to prototype conversational AI experiences, integrate multimodal APIs, and explore how LLMs can create emotional, story-driven interactions.
2023 Unity Game | Unity Engine, C#, Unity Netcode (or Photon), 3D Asset Integration
Wearing both my game designer and developer hats, I coded and designed this multiplayer strategy game from the ground up. The game is a 3D adaptation of the Saboteur board game, where players are assigned hidden roles as either "Miners" or "Saboteurs." Miners must collaborate to build a path to a hidden treasure, while Saboteurs secretly work to disrupt their efforts. I implemented the complete game loop, including the hidden identity system, the tile-based path-building mechanics, and an action card system that allows players to sabotage opponents or repair equipment. Impact: This project solidified my end-to-end game development skills using Unity and C#. I gained significant practical experience implementing complex multiplayer networking logic to synchronize game state and actions. It also sharpened my ability to translate the social deduction and asymmetric goals of a physical board game into a compelling 3D interactive experience.
2023 VR Travel | Unity Engine, C#, Oculus SDK, VR Interaction, 3D Environment Design
Wearing my developer hat, I built VR Travel — a passion project developed to experiment with immersive game design and the Oculus SDK. The game lets users “travel the world” in VR — you can pilot a vehicle through stylized 3D environments, controlling it entirely with the Oculus headset and controllers. I used the Oculus SDK for the core VR camera rig and input handling, coupled with custom C# physics scripts for the vehicle's movement and low-poly 3D assets to ensure a stable, high-frame-rate experience. Impact: Strengthened my ability to prototype end-to-end VR applications, integrate hardware-specific SDKs, and grasp the core principles of immersive design, particularly performance optimization for user comfort.
2023 Sunlight Seeker | An Autonomous, Light-Seeking Plant Pot ｜ Arduino (C++), Light Sensors (LDRs), Motor Driver, Hardware Prototyping, Lego
Wearing my "maker" hat, I built the Sunlight Seeker — a fun personal project developed to experiment with environmental sensing and simple robotics. The prototype lets a plant "chase the sun" — it automatically senses where the brightest light in a room is and physically carries the plant towards it. I used an Arduino-compatible microcontroller (the Adafruit Feather shown) to process the core logic, coupled with multiple light-dependent resistors (to compare light intensity) and a motor driver to power an autonomous, Lego-built chassis. Impact: Strengthened my ability to build physical hardware prototypes from scratch, integrate sensors with actuators, and explore how embedded systems can create simple, automated solutions to tangible, real-world problems.
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Projects
2018 Food Delivery ｜ Food Delivery Meta-Engine & Social Platform
Wearing my founder hat, I conceptualized and drove the product strategy for https://www.google.com/search?q=Hungryet.com from the ground up — a startup project built to tackle a major gap in the food delivery market. The platform acts as a "meta-search engine" for food delivery, letting users instantly compare the true total cost—including delivery fees, service fees, and delivery times—from services like Doordash, Ubereats, and Postmates. I drove the entire product lifecycle, from deep market and user research (identifying pain points like non-transparent fees and a "boring" process) to defining the MVP. This core comparison logic was coupled with a robust social feed ("Friend Activity") to boost engagement and discovery beyond just price. Impact: This market-first approach validated a clear business model and product-market fit. It strengthened my ability to identify a market opportunity, define and scope an MVP, and articulate a compelling value proposition to users in a crowded tech space.
2025 Immersive AI Shopping Platform (Concept) ｜ Product Strategy, AI Productization, Go-to-Market Strategy, Business Model Innovation
Wearing my founder hat, I conceptualized and architected the complete business blueprint for this product — a blue-ocean strategy designed to disrupt the stagnant "list-and-filter" model of traditional e-commerce. The platform reframes shopping from a "transaction" into an "experience," making it feel like "watching a movie or visiting Disneyland." I defined the core product, moving from market-gap analysis (identifying user frustration with cluttered, impersonal interfaces) to a multi-stage business model. The experience is driven by an AI Stylist (digital human) coupled with a semantic "Me Filter" to provide hyper-personalized, story-driven discovery instead of static product grids. Impact: This project outlines a complete go-to-market plan and a phased revenue model (Affiliate > B2B SaaS). It strengthened my ability to identify a stagnant market, leverage emerging AI to design a transformative user experience, and build a comprehensive business case from concept to scale.
Projects
2018 Food Delivery ｜ Food Delivery Meta-Engine & Social Platform
Wearing my founder hat, I conceptualized and drove the product strategy for https://www.google.com/search?q=Hungryet.com from the ground up — a startup project built to tackle a major gap in the food delivery market. The platform acts as a "meta-search engine" for food delivery, letting users instantly compare the true total cost—including delivery fees, service fees, and delivery times—from services like Doordash, Ubereats, and Postmates. I drove the entire product lifecycle, from deep market and user research (identifying pain points like non-transparent fees and a "boring" process) to defining the MVP. This core comparison logic was coupled with a robust social feed ("Friend Activity") to boost engagement and discovery beyond just price. Impact: This market-first approach validated a clear business model and product-market fit. It strengthened my ability to identify a market opportunity, define and scope an MVP, and articulate a compelling value proposition to users in a crowded tech space.
2025 Immersive AI Shopping Platform (Concept) ｜ Product Strategy, AI Productization, Go-to-Market Strategy, Business Model Innovation
Wearing my founder hat, I conceptualized and architected the complete business blueprint for this product — a blue-ocean strategy designed to disrupt the stagnant "list-and-filter" model of traditional e-commerce. The platform reframes shopping from a "transaction" into an "experience," making it feel like "watching a movie or visiting Disneyland." I defined the core product, moving from market-gap analysis (identifying user frustration with cluttered, impersonal interfaces) to a multi-stage business model. The experience is driven by an AI Stylist (digital human) coupled with a semantic "Me Filter" to provide hyper-personalized, story-driven discovery instead of static product grids. Impact: This project outlines a complete go-to-market plan and a phased revenue model (Affiliate > B2B SaaS). It strengthened my ability to identify a stagnant market, leverage emerging AI to design a transformative user experience, and build a comprehensive business case from concept to scale.
Projects
2018 Food Delivery ｜ Food Delivery Meta-Engine & Social Platform
Wearing my founder hat, I conceptualized and drove the product strategy for https://www.google.com/search?q=Hungryet.com from the ground up — a startup project built to tackle a major gap in the food delivery market. The platform acts as a "meta-search engine" for food delivery, letting users instantly compare the true total cost—including delivery fees, service fees, and delivery times—from services like Doordash, Ubereats, and Postmates. I drove the entire product lifecycle, from deep market and user research (identifying pain points like non-transparent fees and a "boring" process) to defining the MVP. This core comparison logic was coupled with a robust social feed ("Friend Activity") to boost engagement and discovery beyond just price. Impact: This market-first approach validated a clear business model and product-market fit. It strengthened my ability to identify a market opportunity, define and scope an MVP, and articulate a compelling value proposition to users in a crowded tech space.
2025 Immersive AI Shopping Platform (Concept) ｜ Product Strategy, AI Productization, Go-to-Market Strategy, Business Model Innovation
Wearing my founder hat, I conceptualized and architected the complete business blueprint for this product — a blue-ocean strategy designed to disrupt the stagnant "list-and-filter" model of traditional e-commerce. The platform reframes shopping from a "transaction" into an "experience," making it feel like "watching a movie or visiting Disneyland." I defined the core product, moving from market-gap analysis (identifying user frustration with cluttered, impersonal interfaces) to a multi-stage business model. The experience is driven by an AI Stylist (digital human) coupled with a semantic "Me Filter" to provide hyper-personalized, story-driven discovery instead of static product grids. Impact: This project outlines a complete go-to-market plan and a phased revenue model (Affiliate > B2B SaaS). It strengthened my ability to identify a stagnant market, leverage emerging AI to design a transformative user experience, and build a comprehensive business case from concept to scale.