We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Wenwen Jiang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Wenwen, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

One of the most significant trends currently shaping the UX/UI design landscape is the deep integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create personalized and intuitive user experiences. AI has transitioned from a futuristic concept into a practical tool that enhances user interactions by predicting user behaviors, preferences, and needs with impressive accuracy.

This trend brings numerous opportunities. For designers, it means the ability to create experiences tailored uniquely to each user, significantly increasing user satisfaction and engagement. Businesses benefit from higher retention rates and increased brand loyalty, as customers feel understood and valued.

However, this powerful capability also raises important concerns. There’s a delicate balance between personalization and privacy—too much personalization can quickly start to feel intrusive, creating discomfort instead of delight. Designers and companies must carefully navigate privacy considerations, transparently communicate with users about data usage, and ensure that the control over data remains in users’ hands.

I remember clearly a project I led for a cybersecurity application. We introduced an AI-driven onboarding flow aimed at reducing user friction during setup. The AI analyzed previous user interactions and automatically suggested configurations tailored to their behavior. Initially, users appreciated the simplicity and time saved. But we quickly learned, through user feedback, that many felt uneasy about the system predicting their choices too accurately without clear communication about how their data was being used.

We adapted by making the AI functionality transparent—clearly explaining how suggestions were generated and allowing users easy control over their data preferences. This change turned user hesitation into appreciation, significantly boosting user trust and satisfaction.

This experience highlights that while AI holds immense potential for UX/UI, careful, empathetic design decisions remain critical. The future belongs to designers who can thoughtfully balance technology-driven convenience with genuine respect for user privacy and autonomy.

Wenwen, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Sure! I’m Wenwen Jiang, and right now I’m the Principal UX/UI Design Lead at Fortinet. My career’s really been a blend of creativity and tech—I started out with a passion for both, and that’s taken me into UX, UI, product design, and even engineering. Over the last 18 years, I’ve worked on everything from blockchain platforms and payment systems to IoT, eCommerce, and cybersecurity products, across both Asia and the U.S.

These days, what I do best is help companies translate complex technology into products that just feel easy and delightful to use. I dive deep into user research, sketch out flows and prototypes, and get really nerdy about those small UX details that can make or break an experience. I’ve always loved using design psychology to make things intuitive, but I’m also focused on building scalable systems that support big visions.

Along the way, I’ve been lucky enough to lead design teams at places like Google and Fortinet, author textbooks and research papers, and earn a handful of patents and industry awards. I’m also really involved in the global design community: I’ve served as a UX Examiner for the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), acted as a Gold Judge for several international UX and design competitions, and reviewed submissions for top organizations like UXPA.

I’d say what sets me apart is this mix of hands-on design skills, a strategic mindset, and the ability to connect with everyone from engineers to executives to end users. Plus, I love mentoring—helping up-and-coming designers land their dream jobs is one of the most fulfilling parts of my work.

If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s that I’m passionate about making technology more human, one digital experience at a time. Whether it’s through a global product launch, an award-winning project, or community work with international organizations, my goal is always to create designs that genuinely make life easier and more enjoyable for people.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

A story that really illustrates my resilience happened early in my career when I was leading the design of a complex cybersecurity application. After months of dedicated work, our team launched the first version of the product, only to receive challenging feedback from initial users who found it confusing and overwhelming. Honestly, it felt disheartening at first. But instead of dwelling on disappointment, I quickly rallied the team, took a deep breath, and dove back into user research to understand exactly where we had missed the mark. We meticulously redesigned the user journey, made the interfaces simpler and clearer, and relaunched. This time, user satisfaction soared, transforming initial setbacks into significant learning and growth opportunities.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey is deeply driven by the mission of making technology not just usable but genuinely delightful and human-centric. I believe technology should seamlessly blend into people’s lives, enhancing their daily experiences without friction or frustration. At the heart of everything I create is empathy—understanding people’s real challenges and aspirations. My ultimate goal is to craft designs that not only solve immediate problems but also foster meaningful, lasting connections between users and the technology they rely on every day.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @wwchiang94, @creativemagic94
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wenwenjiang94/