Cindy

Nice to meet you, I'm Cindy

I’m a new grad UX Designer with a unique blend of majors from UC Davis—Design, Chinese Studies, and International Relations. My interests in people, languages, and cultures drive me to design experiences that are human-centered, inclusive, accessible, and cross-cultural.

My UX Journey

I began college as a double major in Chinese Studies and International Relations with an emphasis on World Trade and Development and East Asia (a mouthful, I know). I aspired to become a Chinese to English translator and/or interpreter to help break down language barriers faced by Chinese immigrants in the US after witnessing my parents struggle to assimilate due to the language barrier.

During the pandemic, I worked at the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce as an Administrative Assistant to service my community and practice my language skills. However, COVID-19 resulted in the rapid shift towards digitalization, online platforms, and electronic solutions, and I noticed that many community members and business owners struggled to adapt due to their low digital literacy and language barrier. To help them, I taught the elderly to use Zoom so they could host community meetings virtually, assisted business owners to apply for online grants, help them build their online presence, and more; however, I knew these were only short-term solutions. This experience motivated me to seek more long-term solutions to make these services more accessible.

While researching solutions, I discovered the world of user experience design. Realizing the impact I could make through this field, I triple majored in Design my senior year and became inspired to create functional, accessible, inclusive, and cross-cultural products that could bridge gaps and improve the lives of individuals facing similar challenges as members of my community. My goal as a designer is to help companies provide additional lanaguage options such as Chinese and to create simple digital experiences that are more inclusive of growing immigrant populations.

Experience

Special Projects Coordinator @ Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce (OCCC)

July 2023 - Nov 2023

Product Designer @ AggieWorks

Jan 2023 - Sept 2023

UX Design Consultant @ Design Interactive

Jan 2023 - June 2023

UI/UX Design Consultant @ Playground

Jan 2023 - June 2023

group photos

When I am not designing, I am...

🎬

Watching Asian Dramas and Films

Asian dramas and films are not only my favorite pastime, they also helped me learn languages, gave me a glimpse of other cultures, and made me a curious and empathetic individual. My interest for cross-cultural design stems from my interest in comparing and contrasting design preferences across different cultures by analyzing the posters and apps or websites seen in the dramas/films.

✍🏻

Learning Languages

Ever since I learned Mandarin by watching Taiwanese dramas as a kid, I developed a deep interest in learning new languages. I am fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. And though a bit ambitious, I would like to be fluent in Korean, Spanish, and Japanese one day. I am currently learning Korean through comprehensive input aka an excuse to watch more K-dramas.

👩🏻‍💻

Learning Front End Code

I developed an interest in web development after completing the Interactive Media series at UC Davis which taught me how to use HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript. Though I could have used a website builder, I decided to code my portfolio from scratch to continue honing my skills. Feel free to check out my past projects from my DES157A and DES157B classes.

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Being A Foodie

I am the biggest foodie I know. I spend my weekends trying out new restaurants, boba shops, and cafes, and my weekdays thinking about which ones I should try on the weekend... and designing of course. There really is nothing that a cup of boba, an iced mocha, or a meal of AYCE hot pot, cannot fix.

Creative Inspiration

Chungking Express
Favorite Movie

Chungking Express

Guo Pei
Favorite Exhibit

Guo Pei: Couture Fantasy

Chungking Express
Favorite Designer

Huang Hai