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User Experience Design
I have always loved exploring the way we interact with the world and how design can enhance these experiences.
This passion led me to the user-centered seven-part Google UX Certificate program. Throughout the program, which focuses on the design thinking process, I honed my ability to empathize with users by conducting initial research, testing wireframes, and implementing design solutions.
This experience, along with personal projects and reading, has solidified my drive to be a part of creating user-friendly products with an emphasis on accessibility.
01
Japan Income Tax App
Designed for progressive enhancement, this app is guide to the Japanese income tax system while users fill out their documents, guiding them towards best practices for the entire process. I interviewed a representative sample of individuals, built empathy maps and personas, and created user stories and journey maps. Empathizing played a critical role in specifying users' needs.
After a competitive audit and much ideating, I sketched wire-frames. Conducting a usability study allowed me to make iterate on the design to better meet each user's needs.
One significant takeaway from this project is the importance of wire-frames, especially with a complex project with multiple forms.
02
DIY Tutorials Responsive Site
Designing a responsive website for DIY enthusiasts, I placed significant emphasis on user research to identify pain points when searching for tutorials. Through interviews and testing, I discovered that many users struggled to find relevant content and often had to sift through large numbers of irrelevant results.
Addressing this issue, I identified an unmet need for a custom filter that would allow users to omit or only show certain types of results. Based on user feedback, I found that it significantly improved the site's usability and user experience.
Overall, this project demonstrates the value of incorporating user research and feedback into the design process, and how identifying unmet needs can lead to innovative solutions that meet users' needs.
03
Namakemono Cafe App
The goal: Understand the needs and frustrations that relate to getting information on this particular café, notably in various languages. Using this location as a model for many country-side small business with inconsistent hours of operation and other unknowns, I made a model that is replicable for similar small businesses.
04
Japan Local Tours in Izu
As the designer, builder, and manager of a website for a local tour company in the Izu Peninsula catering to Muslim tourists, I prioritized user experience.
Certain principles applied were user research (empathy mapping and understanding pain points), visual design (consistency, hierarchy, navigation), and mobile responsiveness (looks good on all screen sizes). From ensuring the site was easily navigable to incorporating images of halal food and locally-subsidized prayer areas, I strove to create a seamless and enjoyable experience for potential customers.
By thoughtfully considering the needs and preferences of the target audience, I successfully created a website that enhanced the company's reputation and met users' needs.
05
Japan Tax App - Part 2
The goal: Design an app to guide users through the income tax system in Japan. Users can gain a better understanding of the various tax systems and procedures in Japan. They are guided from the collection of their own documents, to calculating their tax, to several options for submitting their documents.