We were lucky to catch up with Ryosuke Arichi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ryosuke, thanks for joining us today. Let’s talk about innovation. What’s the most innovative thing you’ve done in your career?

There were several moments throughout my career as a UX designer where I worked with augmented reality and location-based services, and ever since I started working on these realms I focused on designing interactions that deeply rooted in our tangible reality and meaningful memories, rather than simply trying to project flashy content. My first attempt in doing this was when I designed an app during my student years that allowed users to create and share location-based markers that capture their real-world experiences. As I recognized AR’s true value in its fusion with reality, I carried this insight into my work on Pikmin Bloom in my current role. This game rewards players’ real-world exploration by transforming their experiences into characters and recording their memories within the game’s universe. Whether it’s a grand adventure to a new country or a leisurely stroll through a familiar neighborhood, we wanted to provide a platform for users to cherish their memorable moments and the places they visit. The core essence is to celebrate real-world experiences through the lens of AR, and I continue to achieve this as I prioritize meaningful connections between digital interactions and the world around us.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Ryosuke Arichi and I am a UX designer born and raised in Los Angeles, currently based in Tokyo. As a UX designer, my job is to create useful and enjoyable products and services for users to interact with. My journey to becoming a UX designer began with a childhood passion for creativity, as I deeply enjoyed coming up with ideas and building them hands-on ever since I was young. I eventually delved deeper in to the world of visual aesthetics, learning graphic design and crafting logos and graphics, but my path took a turn when I soon discovered the world of UI/UX design, which ignited a new passion. The fusion of aesthetics and user-centric functionality captivated me deeply and I instantly knew this was something I wanted to pursue. Since then I’ve navigated through diverse settings, designing products for large corporations, startups, and individual clients.
Currently I work as a UX designer at Niantic, where I build products that inspire people to explore and connect with the physical world through augmented reality and gaming. Here in Tokyo, I’m currently designing a product called Pikmin Bloom, a game that encourages its players to walk and spend time outside. It’s been an interesting journey so far, where we try to merge technology and the unique media franchises of this country to create delightful and meaningful experiences for our players.

Have you ever had to pivot?

There was a period in my career as a UX designer where I also had to take on the role of Product Manager. I’ve been designing interfaces and interactions up until then and I suddenly had to shift to consider business and growth aspects, so I was anxious at first. It felt like I was being pushed away from designing user experiences, which were my passion. However, as I conceptualized products and aligned user needs with business goals in my new role, I discovered a significant overlap between product management and design. Both roles required me to understand user needs and apply creative design thinking. Interestingly, my time as a Product Manager had a positive impact on my UX design skills when I returned to the field. I became better at using metrics for result measurement and more confident in making day-to-day decisions. My experiences also enriched my ability to tell compelling stories to users. Effective storytelling involves connecting users to the product’s or brand’s narrative. I was able to understand users and identify their needs as a designer, but my insight into product strategy and marketing helped me tie together the user’s values with the brand’s story even more.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal as a UX designer is to fulfill the user’s needs and provide them with memorable and meaningful experiences. To accomplish this, the most important thing for me is to empathize with the users. And sometimes users don’t fully realize what it is that they truly need, so it’s important to not just listen to them but to actually understand them. To do so its crucial that we carry out user research and to get in touch with our users.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rarichi.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryosukearichi/

Image Credits
Niantic, Inc.