Today we’d like to introduce you to Yuchan Wu

Hi Yuchan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

My journey as a UX designer has been driven by a deep commitment to problem-solving and creating intuitive, impactful digital experiences. Starting in industrial design, I quickly found a calling in UX as I became more immersed in the potential of technology to transform daily interactions and effect real-world change.

One pivotal role was with ToyzSteam, an EdTech company dedicated to empowering K-12 students in the STEAM fields. As a lead UX/UI Designer, I helped shape an educational platform that not only captivates students but also provides teachers with an interactive and robust portal to guide student progress. This project allowed me to address complex design challenges head-on, balancing educational depth with a playful, engaging interface. My approach integrated gamification and storytelling, creating a solution that’s both intuitive and inspiring for teachers and students alike, which has since scaled to thousands of active users across multiple states.

Following ToyzSteam, I joined Tapouts to design courses that help children develop emotional resilience. This role has expanded my scope in UX, allowing me to create digital tools that foster mental well-being, while also supporting high engagement and conversion rates—critical metrics for any impactful app. At Ekto VR, I ventured into VR experiences, where I crafted an immersive interactive tutorial for the EKTO ONE boots. Designing for VR required acute attention to detail and sensitivity to user comfort, which helped me hone a user journey that was both smooth and stimulating.
Beyond these projects, I co-founded Opaline, an eCommerce brand, which introduced me to the entrepreneurial side of design. And at BudgetSave, I developed a financial management app that balanced intuitive budgeting tools with strategies for user engagement. These diverse roles in AR/VR, EdTech, and eCommerce have given me a broad perspective, pushing me to combine innovation with user-centered, effective design solutions.

Today, I see my role as far more than designing interfaces—I am a storyteller and a problem-solver, shaping meaningful digital interactions that leave a lasting impact. Through each project, I strive to break boundaries, challenge norms, and deliver experiences that truly resonate with users.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

The journey has been far from smooth—each step in my career has come with its own unique set of challenges. One key lesson I’ve learned is that ambiguity is often the norm in design, especially when working within pioneering fields like VR and EdTech. Many projects begin with undefined problems or competing priorities, and as a UX designer, my role often involves navigating those gray areas to establish clarity through design.

At Ekto VR, for instance, I encountered significant hurdles when developing a tutorial for their EKTO ONE VR boots. Although these boots were designed to address motion sickness in VR, our initial user feedback highlighted some critical obstacles—many users found the boots heavy and were hesitant to walk in them, and there were technical issues like lag. As the lead designer, it was my responsibility to turn these challenges into something engaging. I crafted an astronaut-themed narrative to help reframe the boots’ weight as part of a “space mission” experience, incorporating visual cues like footprints to guide users. This transformed an initial drawback into an intuitive, immersive experience that reduced user anxiety and spotlighted the boots’ functionality. This experience underscored for me that design is not just about problem-solving; it’s about turning challenges into opportunities for creative innovation.

At Toyz, where I worked on the ToyzSteam platform, the EdTech space presented a different kind of complexity. Balancing the needs of students, teachers, and educational institutions, all while staying true to the company’s mission, posed unique difficulties. One of the most challenging aspects was achieving the right balance between gamification and learning outcomes—too much focus on one could compromise the other. After numerous iterations and extensive feedback from students and teachers, we ultimately created a platform that engaged students through superhero narratives while delivering real educational value. This required countless rounds of testing, iteration, and collaboration across teams, which refined my skills in creating designs that are both meaningful and engaging.

In my current role at Tapouts, the challenges are no less complex. Here, I’m creating digital tools to help children manage emotions and build confidence. This design space is particularly sensitive, requiring an understanding of both the children and the parents or teachers who use our platform. Balancing an engaging UX design with content that supports emotional well-being demands empathy, creativity, and focus. Each project at Tapouts allows me to refine these skills, growing as a designer who can navigate challenging design landscapes with resilience and purpose.
These experiences have shaped me into a more adaptable and innovative designer. The challenges I’ve faced have taught me that setbacks are often stepping stones to better solutions, and working through them has made me a stronger leader and problem solver. While the road has not been smooth, every challenge has offered invaluable growth and has ultimately shaped my career as an industry-recognized designer.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

As a UX designer, I specialize in creating immersive, user-centered experiences that integrate technology with meaningful human interaction. My expertise covers diverse fields—EdTech, AR/VR, and eCommerce—and I’m particularly known for my ability to navigate ambiguity and solve complex design challenges with creativity and intuition. My approach to UX goes beyond traditional interactions; I focus on designing experiences that resonate emotionally, ensuring that each interaction has a lasting, positive impact.

One of the projects I’m most proud of is my work at Toyz on the ToyzSteam educational platform, which empowers students in underserved communities to engage with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). Through gamification and storytelling, ToyzSteam encourages students to envision themselves as superheroes tackling real-world challenges. The platform provides a robust environment where students and teachers can set learning goals, track progress, and explore educational content. Currently serving over 2,000 active users monthly, ToyzSteam has partnered with multiple educational institutions, making a tangible impact on students’ lives. This project exemplifies how thoughtful design can inspire, educate, and empower, highlighting the role of UX as a transformative force in education.

At Tapouts, I continue to bring that same dedication to educational design, focusing on projects that support children’s emotional growth. Here, I design interfaces that emphasize mental well-being, creating supportive environments that foster emotional resilience. It’s a uniquely rewarding perspective within UX, allowing me to contribute meaningfully to young users’ development.

What sets me apart is my commitment to pushing UX beyond mere functionality to craft experiences that are engaging, impactful, and uplifting. For me, design is about creating connections, inspiring change, and empowering users, and I’m proud to bring this philosophy into every project.

What are your plans for the future?

For the future, I’m focused on broadening my impact in the UX design field, particularly by continuing to work on projects that bring meaningful change to people’s lives. I’m excited to explore opportunities that allow me to push the boundaries of user-centered design in emerging tech areas, like VR and AI, where there’s so much potential to create transformative user experiences. I’m also interested in further developing my leadership skills, as I’d like to take on more strategic roles where I can influence product vision and foster a collaborative, creative environment within design teams.

I see big changes on the horizon, both in terms of personal growth and in advancing my career toward roles that blend hands-on design with mentorship and team building. In the next few years, I’d love to work in a setting that emphasizes innovation, where I can continue refining my skills in interaction design, storytelling, and emotional engagement across different types of digital products.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yuchandesigns.com/

Image Credits

@EKTO VR
@Wizdrobe AI