ABOUT
ZHU
PRODUCT DESIGNER. LIFE TRACKER. FULL SNACK DEVELOPER.
Hi, I'm Zhu, a product designer/UX Designer with a hybrid background in design and marketing. Because of the diverse experience, I'm good at balancing the user needs and the business goal, which sometimes go against each other in reality. Transferring to design from a non-design field makes me feel stronger because I own the bonus skillset and mindset out of the design world. So far, my design equipment is the human-centered design methodology, storytelling skills, and business thinking.
Other than a designer, I define myself as a professional life tracker. I have tracked myself and my life for 20 years. One proud achievement is taking a photo every day for 11 years. Thanks to the experience, I pay more attention to details that seem invisible in life. Applying that to design, I'm fascinated by "little big details" that the designs are invisible but smoothing the experience.
Currently, I live in Seattle pursuing a master's degree in design management at SCAD and will graduate in Dec 2021.
Things I have kept doing
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11 YEARS
Writting down my dreams when I wake up.
11 YEARS
Tracking places I have visited and streets I have walked.
6 YEARS
Digitalizing my clothes, shoes, handbags, and accessories.
Places I have lived for years
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Tattoos I added to my body
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Hair colors I have tried
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Lifestyle I enjoyed
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My Cake Ritual
I buy a cake on every holiday or special day. It is my way of celebrating my wonderful life.
Moments of Cheers
In China, we usually “干杯” when people are having meals together. It’s like the moment when people say “Cheers” in western countries. The moment of “Cheers” makes me feel warm and happy. So, I decided to capture the moments of joy. I have been doing this for 11 years.
Geocaching
I like indie puzzle games. I enjoy living in cities. Geocaching perfectly combined these two charms. There is a hidden world that muggles are unable to see.
Products I Currently Use
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Currently Learning
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Reading
Exhalation: Stories — Ted Chiang
Nudge — Richard H. Thaler, Cass R. Sunstein
Listening
Design Details Podcast
Design Better Podcast
UX Coffee Podcast
迟早更新 Podcast
文化有限 Podcast
Sounds of raining
Recently Enjoyed
Storytelling · Digital Detox · Technologies of the Self · Safe to Try · Little Big Details
Values
“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.”
– William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking
“Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.”
– Ms. Frizzle, The Magic School Bus
“Product design is the art of interpretation.”
– Zhu
