We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yuwei Li. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yuwei below.

Hi Yuwei, thanks for joining us today. Let’s go back in time to when you were an intern or apprentice – what’s an interesting story you can share from that stage of your career?

I’d like to tell a story that I insisted on high standards but failed due to business constraints.

During my internship at Microsoft, I tackled a project to redesign the weather answer card on Bing’s search page. Initially, the product team envisioned minor tweaks to match the existing website design. However, the design team was actively revamping the website’s overall look and feel, including color scheme and layout.

Driven by a desire for design consistency, I proposed using the latest design elements for the answer card. While my suggestion ensured consistency, the product team highlighted their long-term vision. They explained that the website redesign was a continuous process with ongoing iterations before finalization. Implementing significant changes immediately would disrupt the product development cycle.

This insightful discussion with my product manager revealed a valuable lesson: maintaining high design standards shouldn’t come at the expense of business goals.

Yuwei, 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?

I’m a UX designer with a visual storytelling superpower and system thinking. I have 3 years of industry experience. Previously I designed B2B and B2C products and systems to deliver pixel-perfect solutions and simplify some wicked problems.

As one of my mentors said to me, ‘Every choice will lead you to a different door.’ I am a curious designer who constantly pushes my boundaries. No work experience of mine is a repetition of past experiences. Each different project gives me different inspirations and leads me in new directions.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I believe design has the superpower to change the way we see and interact with the world. It can create new perspectives, experiences, and relationships with our surroundings for different users. I think the joy of design lies in the balance of dynamic elements. All elements are interconnected with the human experience, which in turn is driven by technology. Ultimately, technology serves to enhance the lives of people.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

As a UX design intern at Alibaba Group, I faced a thrilling challenge – designing an interactive experience for a music festival within the Figgy travel app. Initially, I proposed a gamified mobile game with on-screen elements users would click during the festival. However, after presenting my idea, I received valuable feedback from the product team. They pointed out a crucial user scenario limitation: during a music festival, people’s primary focus is likely on the stage performance, not their phones.

Recognizing the validity of this point, I took a calculated risk. I decided to change the design direction to create a more natural and engaging experience that wouldn’t require users to be glued to their screens. This was a pivotal moment, showcasing my ability to be adaptable and prioritize user needs.

To achieve this, I embarked on a three-pronged approach:

Competitive Analysis: I studied successful games that incorporated physical interaction, seeking inspiration for innovative solutions.
User Behavior Analysis: I analyzed videos from past music festivals, focusing on common user behavior. Most attendees were captivated by the music and swayed their bodies in rhythm. This sparked a design opportunity!

Technical Feasibility: I collaborated with product managers and developers to explore the best technical methods for implementing physical interaction using the phone’s gyroscope and accelerometer.
Within two days, I presented my research findings and a revised design proposal, complete with strong rationales and technical feasibility. My team was impressed, and we collectively agreed on the new direction.

Our final design leveraged the phone’s motion sensors, allowing users to engage with the music festival experience through their physical movements. This innovative approach resonated with users – we received overwhelmingly positive feedback! The solution also achieved our success goals, boosting key metrics like DAU for the Figgy app.

This experience solidified the importance of being flexible and user-centric in design. It also showed me that sometimes, the most successful path is not the most obvious one. Don’t be afraid to take calculated risks and iterate based on new information. This adaptability is a valuable skill for any designer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yuvyli.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuwei-li-99a54b183/