My Product Design Journey
My Product Design Journey
My Product Design Journey
Dec 2022 – Discovering Product Design
Dec 2022 – Discovering Product Design
After realizing that diplomacy (international relations) and later video-making weren’t my true passions, I discovered product design while working at a nonprofit. I noticed that our poorly designed website, was causing us to lose potential donors. Determined to fix it, I began exploring design solutions, which led me to enroll in the Google UX Design Professional Certificate course.
After realizing that diplomacy (international relations) and later video-making weren’t my true passions, I discovered product design while working at a nonprofit. I noticed that our poorly designed website, was causing us to lose potential donors. Determined to fix it, I began exploring design solutions, which led me to enroll in the Google UX Design Professional Certificate course.
May 2023 - Designing My First Passion Project
May 2023 - Designing My First Passion Project
As a film enthusiast, my first passion project was redesigning the Landmark Theatres mobile app. My goal was to increase visit frequency and support this niche cinema chain. After conducting a deep analysis of the product, competitors, positioning, and users, I developed a unique concept to help the app stand out from established players in the industry, which I later sent to them.
As a film enthusiast, my first passion project was redesigning the Landmark Theatres mobile app. My goal was to increase visit frequency and support this niche cinema chain. After conducting a deep analysis of the product, competitors, positioning, and users, I developed a unique concept to help the app stand out from established players in the industry, which I later sent to them.
June 2023 - Quitting My Job to Pursue Product Design
June 2023 - Quitting My Job to Pursue Product Design
Realizing that product design was what I truly loved to do, and what I’m good at, I decided to quit my job as an Administrative Assistant at the Beacon Hill Civic Association. Having my savings, I moved to Southeast Asia to dedicate myself fully to learning and practicing product design craft.
Realizing that product design was what I truly loved to do, and what I’m good at, I decided to quit my job as an Administrative Assistant at the Beacon Hill Civic Association. Having my savings, I moved to Southeast Asia to dedicate myself fully to learning and practicing product design craft.
September 2023 - Landing My First Big Contract Project
September 2023 - Landing My First Big Contract Project
I joined Lakuemas, one of Indonesia’s leading digital gold investment platforms, as a contract Product Designer. Collaborating with the CEO, marketing, and engineering teams, I worked on rebranding and redesigning their website to educate first-time investors and promote digital gold.
This experience taught me not to make assumptions when designing for a new culture. I researched Southeast Asian design trends, mobile-first habits, and cultural quirks, which helped creating a design that connected with our audience, something many competitors overlooked.
I joined Lakuemas, one of Indonesia’s leading digital gold investment platforms, as a contract Product Designer. Collaborating with the CEO, marketing, and engineering teams, I worked on rebranding and redesigning their website to educate first-time investors and promote digital gold.
This experience taught me not to make assumptions when designing for a new culture. I researched Southeast Asian design trends, mobile-first habits, and cultural quirks, which helped creating a design that connected with our audience, something many competitors overlooked.
December 2023 - Leveling Up My Programming Skills
December 2023 - Leveling Up My Programming Skills
I realized how challenging it was to collaborate smoothly with engineers without programming skills. To create more technically feasible designs, prototype faster, and propose smarter solutions, I decided to learn how to code.
Through Udemy, I learned JavaScript and React, which gave me a much deeper understanding of how web applications are built. This new knowledge also helped me see how my design decisions impact the development process.
I realized how challenging it was to collaborate smoothly with engineers without programming skills. To create more technically feasible designs, prototype faster, and propose smarter solutions, I decided to learn how to code.
Through Udemy, I learned JavaScript and React, which gave me a much deeper understanding of how web applications are built. This new knowledge also helped me see how my design decisions impact the development process.
February 2024 - Moving to San Francisco
February 2024 - Moving to San Francisco
Aspiring to work at the global hub of innovation, I moved to San Francisco to focus on AI-native startups. While working as a freelance product designer and contributing to the Figma Community, I began refining my portfolio to pursue my next big opportunity.
Aspiring to work at the global hub of innovation, I moved to San Francisco to focus on AI-native startups. While working as a freelance product designer and contributing to the Figma Community, I began refining my portfolio to pursue my next big opportunity.
April 2024 - Landing My First Interview at a Top Company
April 2024 - Landing My First Interview at a Top Company
Facing a competitive market, instead of applying traditionally I decided to get creative. I spent weeks analyzing and creating a case study for the companies I admired. One of these companies was Front, an AI-powered customer service platform, where I earned an interview.
However, nerves got the better of me, and I didn’t perform as well as I’d hoped. Rather than feeling discouraged, I treated the experience as a learning opportunity.
Facing a competitive market, instead of applying traditionally I decided to get creative. I spent weeks analyzing and creating a case study for the companies I admired. One of these companies was Front, an AI-powered customer service platform, where I earned an interview.
However, nerves got the better of me, and I didn’t perform as well as I’d hoped. Rather than feeling discouraged, I treated the experience as a learning opportunity.
June 2024 - Designing for a Y Combinator Startup
June 2024 - Designing for a Y Combinator Startup
The founder of Spokn, a platform for branded employee videos, reached out to me after learning about my video-editing background. I joined the team to design a new video editor and revamp the Explore section, improving how users organize and share content.
The founder of Spokn, a platform for branded employee videos, reached out to me after learning about my video-editing background. I joined the team to design a new video editor and revamp the Explore section, improving how users organize and share content.
August 2024 - Deepening My Design System Expertise
August 2024 - Deepening My Design System Expertise
While working with Spokn’s extensive design system, I realized how challenging it is to keep it consistent and organized during changes. To improve, I joined Memorisely’s Design System Bootcamp, where I learned insights and best practices from the Head of Design Systems at Microsoft and Desjardins.
While working with Spokn’s extensive design system, I realized how challenging it is to keep it consistent and organized during changes. To improve, I joined Memorisely’s Design System Bootcamp, where I learned insights and best practices from the Head of Design Systems at Microsoft and Desjardins.
September 2024 - Almost Landing a Role at HashiCorp
September 2024 - Almost Landing a Role at HashiCorp
After a month-long interview process with HashiCorp, I went beyond answering standard questions by analyzing their product, identifying opportunities, and proposing actionable solutions to demonstrate my potential value from day one.
Although I didn’t get the role, the experience taught me how to present myself and my work.
After a month-long interview process with HashiCorp, I went beyond answering standard questions by analyzing their product, identifying opportunities, and proposing actionable solutions to demonstrate my potential value from day one.
Although I didn’t get the role, the experience taught me how to present myself and my work.
November 2024 - Launching an AI-Native Startup Redraft
November 2024 - Launching an AI-Native Startup Redraft
During seven months as a designer at an early-stage startup, I led the design of Redraft, an AI-native account research tool for enterprise sales teams. This end-to-end platform was my first major product launch, and it challenged me to build trust with non-technical users by integrating AI into a seamless, intuitive workflow.
As the sole designer, I gained valuable insights into how users perceive and adopt AI, how to position complex technologies clearly, and how to create solutions that improve human capabilities. Through iterative testing and user behavior analysis, I was able to ensure the product brought meaningful value to its target audience.
During seven months as a designer at an early-stage startup, I led the design of Redraft, an AI-native account research tool for enterprise sales teams. This end-to-end platform was my first major product launch, and it challenged me to build trust with non-technical users by integrating AI into a seamless, intuitive workflow.
As the sole designer, I gained valuable insights into how users perceive and adopt AI, how to position complex technologies clearly, and how to create solutions that improve human capabilities. Through iterative testing and user behavior analysis, I was able to ensure the product brought meaningful value to its target audience.
So, what comes next?
So, what comes next?
As the child of a single physician mother, I saw firsthand the pressures of healthcare work—challenges now compounded by workforce shortages and an aging population.
That is why I aspire to work for AI healthcare companies that support doctors like my mother, to create solutions that ease burdens in both clinical and operational workflows.
Thank you!
Thank you!
