Posts in Design
How to Use Storytelling to Present Your Design Work

Imagine this: you’ve been asked to share your design work with stakeholders, product managers, and engineers. It’s a big moment. Everyone’s looking at you, ready to hear your ideas and give feedback. But then it hits you, where do I even start?

You’ve got 15, maybe 30 minutes. What do you show? How do you explain your decisions? How do you make sure the feedback you get is actually helpful?

Well, here’s an idea: tell a story.

 

Start with the overview

Every great story has a reason for being told, and so does your design work. Start by setting the scene. Why does this project exist? What problem are you solving, and why is it important?

Share a few key points to give everyone the context they need. Maybe it’s a customer pain point you uncovered or a business opportunity that your design is addressing. This part doesn’t have to be long—just enough to get everyone on the same page.

 

Bring in the Customer

Your customer is the heart of this story. Help your audience see the problem through their eyes.

What are they struggling with? What’s frustrating or confusing for them? Use specific examples from your research—whether it’s a quote, a behavior, or a stat that highlights the problem. Then, zoom out a little. How does this challenge fit into the bigger picture?

By now, your audience should feel like they know the customer. They’re rooting for them, which means they’re rooting for your design to succeed.

 

Share What You’ve Learned and the opportunities

Next, it’s time to share the insights that shaped your work.

What did you discover about your customer that made you think, “This is what we need to solve”? Highlight the key takeaways from your research or testing that connect directly to the problem you’re solving. If it makes sense, show how these insights map onto the customer’s journey.

This part is crucial—it builds the bridge between the problem and your solution.

 

Reveal the Solution

Now for the big moment: your design.

Walk your audience through the features you’ve created. Explain what they are, how they work, and, most importantly, why they matter to the customer. Keep it simple and focused.

Show static screens or mockups—something visual that everyone can engage with. Talk about the flow of your design and how it solves the problem. And don’t forget the details—mention any edge cases you’ve already considered and invite your team to share more.

 

Wrap It Up with Next Steps

Finally, close the story with what happens next.

What’s your plan moving forward? Are there specific areas where you need feedback or alignment? Wrap up with a clear set of next steps and invite your audience to weigh in.

Storytelling doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be thoughtful. By taking your audience on this journey—starting with the “why,” showing the problem, and then revealing the solution—you’re not just presenting your work. You’re helping everyone see the bigger picture and empowering them to give meaningful feedback.

So, the next time you’re asked to share your work in a meeting, don’t panic. Just remember: a little story can go a long way.

Yours,

Wynne

Design, Leadership, Collaboration, MentorshipWynne Leung
Product Design Portfolios That Inspire

During mentorship and coaching, I’ve had the privilege of coming across so many unique and beautiful portfolios from designers all around the world. These portfolios come in all shapes and forms—created on platforms like Figma, Framer, Notion, SquareSpace, or even hand-coded from scratch. Whether it's a sleek PDF or an interactive website, I always come back to one key point: It doesn’t matter how you share your portfolio or which platform you use, as long as it’s accessible to the person viewing it. It’s as simple as that—we want our audience to access and engage with our work seamlessly.

In fact, this has become one of the most common questions I get from mentees—how to showcase their work in a way that not only displays their skills but also tells a compelling story about who they are as designers. It’s not just about what you’ve created; it’s about who you are and the why behind your designs.

To help inspire your own creative journey, I’ve compiled a list of portfolios that have resonated with me. Keep in mind that these designers may be at different stages in their careers, and their disciplines may vary. What I found most inspiring, however, is their ability to not only showcase their work but also share their personal stories in a way that feels authentic and engaging.

These portfolios serve as a great example of how to blend creativity with storytelling. I hope they inspire you to create a portfolio that’s not just a display of your projects but also an expression of who you are as a designer.

Enjoy exploring!

 
Design, Leadership, MentorshipWynne Leung
Portfolio review template for emerging Designers

Portfolio reviews and The Art of Storytelling

At their core, portfolio reviews are about storytelling. It’s your opportunity to showcase not just your work but also who you are as a designer. Here’s a structure that’s particularly effective for emerging product design positions:

1. Your Storytelling Skills

You’ll likely have only 15–30 minutes to present, so focus on a concise, compelling narrative. Choose one project that allows you to tell a complete story, from identifying the problem to researching, designing, and delivering the solution.

Think of this as sharing one “episode” of a series—not the entire Netflix season. Carry one or two consistent themes throughout your story to maintain focus and clarity. A good story captivates, informs, and leaves a lasting impression.

2. Your Product and Business Understanding

Great product design goes beyond aesthetics. It’s about aligning with the product’s purpose, understanding the customer, and contributing to business goals.

During your presentation, illustrate your understanding of:

  • Product Fit: How does your solution align with the product’s vision?

  • Customer Insights: What do you know about the customer’s needs, motivations, and pain points?

  • Business Impact: How does your design contribute to the business strategy or goals?

By addressing these areas, you demonstrate that your designs don’t just look great—they deliver real-world value.

3. Your Visual and Motion Design Skills

Your presentation is also a stage to showcase your craft. Include screenshots, visuals, or even better, open a Figma prototype or live demo. Showing your work in action demonstrates your ability to bring ideas to life and gives your audience a tangible sense of your design style and technical proficiency.

4. Showcasing You

Your portfolio presentation isn’t just about the work; it’s about you. Let your unique passions and strengths shine through. For instance, if you’re deeply interested in data analytics, weave that into your narrative. Sprinkle in moments that highlight your values and what excites you most about the design process.

Your passion and personality are as critical as your technical skills—don’t be afraid to let them show.

Template for Success
To make things easier, I’ve created a portfolio presentation template. It’s designed to help you organize your story and showcase your work effectively. Below is a template that I created to support you emerging designer for your portfolio review. Hope it helps you on your journey.

Remember, every presentation is a chance to connect, inspire, and leave your mark. You’ve got this!

Warmly,
Wynne

Design, MentorshipWynne Leung
Navigating Portfolio Choices as a Product Designer

As a staff product designer, I’ve been noticing something interesting lately: mentees feeling overwhelmed by choice when it comes to their portfolios. Should they be long or short? Should they focus on breadth or depth? I’ve reviewed so many different types of portfolios over the last year, and here’s the thing—they’re all different. So, how do we decide what kind of portfolio aligns with the role we’re aiming for? Let’s explore what companies are looking for in product designers today.

From my conversations on ADPList and coaching sessions, I’m starting to notice some patterns:

What Companies Want from Product Designers

  1. Execution-Oriented Designers: Companies are often looking for designers who can jump in and execute on challenging, time-sensitive projects. If your portfolio demonstrates a wide range of skills—from research to implementation—it’s likely to catch their attention.

  2. Team-Leveling Roles: I’ve also noticed companies hiring designers to "level up" their teams. Highlighting skills like teaching, coaching, and mentorship in your portfolio can make you stand out for these roles.

  3. Design Principles Expertise: Employers are increasingly valuing a strong grasp of design principles. Make sure you can demonstrate how you’ve applied these principles in your work.

  4. Collaboration Experience: Collaboration is key. Show that you’ve worked effectively with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders. Strong collaboration skills are non-negotiable for many roles.

  5. Showcasing Impact: How do you show the value of your work? Companies want to see the impact of your designs—include measurable outcomes and stories that highlight the difference you made.

  6. Relationship Building: Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport with managers and cross-functional teams are becoming essential. Demonstrate this in your portfolio wherever possible.

  7. Design Systems Knowledge: An understanding of design systems—how to build and implement them—is a major plus for many hiring managers.

  8. Navigating Disagreements: Learning how to disagree constructively and show what that means in practice can reflect emotional intelligence and maturity.

 

Back to Basics: Designing, Thinking of the User, and Collaboration

When it comes to creating your portfolio, it can be helpful to align with the foundational pillars of product design. Coursera’s definition of a product designer breaks this down nicely into three areas:

  1. Designing: Your core task is to design. Show off your ability to create—whether it’s through your mastery of color, typography, or layout—in well-crafted artifacts.

  2. User-Centered Thinking: Fold UX principles into your work. Show examples of A/B testing, surveys, wireframes, prototypes, and journey maps that demonstrate your ability to think of the user.

  3. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Product designers take a holistic view, working across teams to align with company goals. Highlight your collaboration with other designers, researchers, and business teams to showcase this aspect.

 

Adding Business Acumen to the Mix

Interaction Design’s definition of product design adds another layer: the business side of things. Beyond crafting delightful and usable products, product designers also:

  • Define product goals and roadmaps.

  • Guide teams and stakeholders on ROI and strategic concerns.

  • Ensure designs align with feasibility and market success.

By integrating these elements into your portfolio, you position yourself as a candidate who not only understands design but also its broader impact on the business.

 

A Call to Action

If you’re feeling lost while putting your portfolio together, try anchoring it in the core principles of product design: Designing, Thinking of the User, and Collaboration. From there, add layers of business strategy and measurable impact to create a compelling narrative.

Your portfolio is more than a showcase of your work—it’s a reflection of who you are as a designer. By aligning it with today’s job market expectations and the foundational principles of product design, you’ll craft something that not only stands out but also feels true to you.

What do you think your portfolio says about you as a designer? How might it tell the story of the impact you want to create? And hey, if your portfolio feels like a never-ending work in progress… welcome to the club! Just remember, even the Mona Lisa took years to finish.

 

Resources

Mentorship, Design, PersonalWynne Leung
Exploring Boundless Creativity: A Journey of Connection and Growth

In my journey as a coach, I've embarked on a quest to understand the intricate dynamics of relationship building and teamwork, particularly within the creative realm. Along the way, I've encountered a recurring theme among designers - the yearning for deeper connections beyond the confines of the workplace.

In response to this shared desire for creative connections and personal development, I've compiled a list of inspiring spaces and resources that have enriched my own journey and may resonate with yours:

Online/In-person Creative Spaces:

  1. Creative Mornings
    These in-person events are a treasure trove for designers and creatives alike! From invigorating talks to interactive workshops, Creative Mornings provide a platform for meaningful connections and inspiration. Explore your local chapter for upcoming events and immerse yourself in a community of like-minded individuals.

  2. ADP List
    Connect with peers and fellow designers through ADP List, a platform dedicated to fostering insightful conversations and mutual support. Engage in discussions, seek advice, and expand your network within this vibrant community.

  3. Makerspace
    Venture into a local makerspace or craft studio to unleash your creativity and forge connections with fellow makers. Whether you're exploring pottery, woodworking, or electronics, these spaces offer a haven for innovation and collaboration.

In addition to these spaces, consider exploring:

  • Art Classes or Workshops: Delve into the world of artistic expression by enrolling in classes or workshops in your community. Embrace the opportunity to learn new skills and connect with fellow creatives in a supportive environment.

  • Local Art Galleries or Design Spaces: Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of your community by attending events hosted by nearby art galleries or design spaces. Engage with local artists, gain insights into their creative process, and find inspiration in their work.

  • Collaborative Projects: Collaborate with other creatives on projects that ignite your passion and spark innovation. Whether it's a freelance gig, a passion project, or a community initiative, collaborative endeavors offer a platform for growth and connection.

As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of creativity and innovation, let's remember to embrace the journey with curiosity and openness. What's one creative endeavor you're excited to explore or project you're currently working on? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

Warm regards,
Wynne

Design, Mentorship, PortfoliosWynne Leung
Designing Futures: Harnessing Collective Wisdom in Portfolio Reviews

I decided to host Group Portfolio Reviews on ADP List because many people were coming to see me on ADP List for portfolio reviews. I realized that my feedback would only be a fraction of what we all knew out there. The experience so far has been inspiring and amazing. I cannot wait to tell you.

Group Portfolio Reviews, Wynne Leung

Earlier in May, I booked a few sessions and simply called them "Group Portfolio Reviews". I created three sessions in May, one for every Wednesday, and only allowed for 5 participants. I thought I would use my group coaching skills learned at UBC to create a safe space for designers to come together, ask questions, and get help from each other.

To my surprise, all the spots were booked up within a few days. The waitlist had more than 12 people for each event, and I felt excited and shocked. I created artifacts to support the sessions as well as a fun takeaway: a checklist of items that helped me with my portfolio (I’ll let you know later how much that totally wasn’t helpful, later).

Adapting Strategies: Feedback and Experimentation

RSVP example sent to participants, Wynne Leung

In the first session, I was so excited. It was May 1st, and I was thrilled to see the 5 participants show up. To my surprise, only one person arrived. I felt embarrassed and guilty that this lone participant wouldn’t have the generative group experience. To my surprise, they didn’t mind at all. They were happy to discuss, and I was pleased to give feedback on their portfolio. At the end of the session, they recommended a great idea to me: to send a group email to ask people to RSVP to the event. I was so grateful for that feedback; I thanked them and decided to try that for the following week. I wasn’t able to "uninvite" people on ADPList, so I had to try something different.

I decided to experiment with two things:

  1. Increase the number of participants from 5 to 25. I thought that if I did that, it would allow more people to show up in case they decide not to come.

  2. Send out an email to ask people to RSVP to the event 48 hours in advance. I thought that if I did that, then I would get a better idea of who said they would come and who actually came.

Refinement and Results: Successful Implementation

I did both of these things, and in the end, I had 30 people who said they were coming on ADPList, and then 12 people said they would come. During today's event, there were about 12 people, and 10 people stayed the entire 90 minutes. The conversations were generative, exciting, and I felt amazed at how eager we all were to help each other. It made me feel happy and connected to my discipline all over again. We were all giving great feedback, and it was received with sincerity and respect. I think I really needed this, considering how things are at my usual competitive daytime job. It made me realize what a difference it makes when there is a system that enables people to behave a certain way; then they will.

Looking Forward: Optimizing Future Sessions

The next session is next week, and I’ve updated the event’s attendance policies and notified participants that only 10 people will be invited to join. I’m feeling excited and grateful that I designed something that is really helping us with our design portfolios and creative process. It honestly makes me feel so happy. As for the one-pager takeaway. I learned that almost most of everything in that list wasn’t relevant to any of the questions people had about their portfolio designs.

I cannot wait for the next session on Wednesday! What about you, what has worked well for you in portfolio design and development?

More to come,

Wynne

Design, PortfoliosWynne Leung
Crafting Your Design Identity: A Portfolio Design Guide
Crafting Your Design Identity: A Portfolio Design Guide

Are you an aspiring designer eager to break into the field but unsure how to showcase your talent effectively? Your portfolio is your gateway to opportunities, serving as a reflection of your skills, creativity, and unique design perspective. As a principal product designer with years of experience in the tech industry, I understand the challenges that aspiring designers face when it comes to crafting a compelling portfolio. That's why I'm excited to share with you a comprehensive portfolio design outline that has proven successful in my own projects.

 

Portfolio Piece Outline:

Use this guide below to format your portfolio piece:

Title: What is the title of your portfolio piece?
Your Role: What was your role in the project?
Duration of Project: How long did the project last from start to finish?
Roles of Collaborators: What were the roles of the people you worked with?


1. What problem were you trying to solve?

  • How did you determine it was a problem?

  • How did you know it was a problem?

  • Who is the problem impacting?

  • What was the problem statement? Here’s an example: "I am a [user persona], I am trying to [achieve a goal], but [encounter an obstacle], which makes me feel [emotion].”

2. Why was the problem interesting to you?

Why did the problem interest you considering your role, team, personal interest, or design perspective?

3. How did you solve the problem?

  • What process or framework did you use?

  • Why did you choose this framework?

  • What specific actions did you take to solve the problem?

4. What was the outcome?

  • What happened after the project ended?

  • What changes resulted from your efforts?

5. What did you learn?

  • What aspects went well?

  • What lessons did you learn?

  • What would you like to experiment with next?

 

tips:

  • Demonstrate a breadth of your design skillset, including cross-discipline collaboration, research, UX and UI design, product design thinking, content design, data analytics, and prototyping skills.

  • Feature an end product shot at the top of the page so that recruiters can see how you reached the end of the project process.

 

Printout takeaway

Feel free to download this free resource below to create your portfolio.

Portfolios, DesignWynne Leung
Practice

Being a designer there’s a part of me that really wants to evaluate, understand and measure everything that happens. What can I do more of to improve this? How come this happens to me? Why is my plant dying? Things like that.

I end up trying to control everything in my life.

To be honest, the only that that has worked all my life is to continue to practice the things that matter to my heart, such as making time everyday to practice; meditation, design, exercising, drawing and being with my family. One of my favorite quotes from my daily meditation is by Dr. Elliot S. Dacher that I say practically everyday after my practice. He says (on meditation):

“Be willing to not judge your practice as successful for unsuccessful or compare one session to another.

This is a mental trap.

Just follow the practice and it’ll be perfect as it is.

No judgement, striving or excess effort or perfectionism.

Be pleased grateful for your good fortune to have the time and motivation to practice.”


Thank you, thank you and thank you.

Wynne

Design, PersonalWynne Leung
5 Ways to Introduce User Experience in Game Design
unsplash-image-v9FQR4tbIq8.jpg

One of my goals this last year is to introduce more user experience design processes to the team. So, this past year I’ve been applying variations of the design thinking processes to a free to play gaming team. The intention is to include all team members into the design thinking process. Learning how to connect solutions to problems.

After year and a half, three features later here are some techniques that have worked for us:

 

1.Plant the Seed for Collaboration - Condensed Two Hour Design Thinking Workshop

Introduced a short version of a design thinking workshop with the intention of creating structured collaboration. Link to original Google Design Sprint.

  • Session 1 - What is the problem we’re trying to solve?

    • 60 minutes

    • 5-6 participants from different disciplines

    • Problem Prompt/Task

    • Lightning Talks (15 mins)

      • Research team - 3 mins talk about the problem space

      • Game Design team - 3 mins talk about the problem space

      • UX team - 3 mins talk about the problem space

    • How Might We? (30 mins)

      • Get all team members to list out “how might we?” problems - 5 mins

      • Vote up on problems together - 5 mins

      • Open discussion - 20 mins

  • Session 2 - Sketch and vote

    • 60 minutes

    • Same participants as first session

    • Crazy 8’s (8 mins)

      • Give each participant a “how might we” to sketch solutions for

    • Share (10 mins)

      • Give each participant two minutes to share their ideas

    • Upvote (5 mins)

      • Each participant votes on three ideas they feel solves the problem best

    Engineering and design connected on design constraints and surfaced new ideas.

 

2. broaden problem space: Lightning Talks

Invited representatives from different disciplinary team to come forward to share 3-5 minutes of insights on the problem space. This gives all participants in the workshop a broader way to understand the problem. More space and time to focus on discussion common problems and more time to come up with solutions.

 

3. structure design feedback: curiosity before feedback

Something that has been working well during feedback sessions is giving space to ask questions. Often when we are in review sessions someone will show a design and then ask for feedback. We need to give space to ask clarifying questions before giving feedback so that the feedback that we give empowers the designer to reflect on their work and in turn evaluate the feedback.

 

4. Design patterns

Creating a cloud document that has all the design patterns helped us ship and create quick features. A designer on our team, Hernaldo created one for us. This was a bit more challenging to maintain given the speed of the project, but having one space for all the design assets made all other UX designer’s work faster.

 


5. VISUAL Sitemap

Something that I tried to do this year is to identify all the routes going in and out of different areas of the game. We were able to use it to gauge any dead-ends, game loops and evaluate funnels.

 

Today, the team now is much more focused on creating smaller prototypes using the existing design patterns. We’re learning more about our design solutions and continue to work with research to test our hypothesis. About 20 - 30 participants have engaged in a workshop from IC level to Director level. It created a space for open discussion on problems and to build stronger relationships.

DesignWynne Leung
Scale Friendly VS. Innovation Friendly

When Cam and I decided to leave San Francisco to be closer to my mom in Canada I knew that we were taking a risk. For a long time, I lived my life in a scale friendly way, which included writing a plan, raising money to do that plan, building (getting that job and promotion), and then saving money for the future and then finally I re-evaluated last year and realized that a lot of what I was doing and the way that I was living my life had no value to me.

I took a chance, quit my job and relocated to Canada with Cam. We had eight humongous luggages with us to start our new life. Thank you Uber! I remember seeing a senior couple 5am in the airport who came up to us to ask, “What are you guys up to? Moving today?” and Cam said, “Yup! We are moving out of here to start something new”. He replied with, “I wish I did that back in the day! Good luck!”

I know that we needed more than luck. Years of working in agile in SF taught me a lot about innovation friendly practices, which is why a lot of how we are living now is an experiment. We are continuing to test to see if our new life meets our values. So the basis of innovation friendly practices, based on agile is:

1. Asking why; why is this person or something currently doing this? 

  • We moved back to Canada because we wanted to be closer to family, spend more time together as a couple and with my family.

2. Then ask to surface values: Why is this person or something doing this? Usually people do something in a way because there is something that is valuable to them. People usually don’t do something that doesn’t work. Discover why they are doing that thing rather than how.

  • Living in the city; we spent a lot of time commuting and I really enjoy the time that Cam and I got to spend together. It would be nice to be able to do that as a newlywed as well.

  • Living away from my mom for seven years I just miss her. I hope that living in the same place will give us more time to spend together and enjoy our life!

  • I also want to live in a place where we can buy a home. Living in the city the houses were close to a million dollars.

3. Create a simple prototype - test it out see it works (duct tape); and if it’s true.

  • We moved to Kelowna with only things that we needed. We wanted to start off fresh. We sold everything else in the city and gave away a lot to our friends.

  • Living in a small town we are getting a lot more time to spend together because it’s no longer taking three hours to commute to work.

  • We are also spending a lot more time together as a family

  • We are also living in a place where we can buy a home where the average price of a home is about $500,000 CAD. Much more achievable!

4. Then we build a product around that’s really tightly defined what was important 

  • We continue to build our live here with my new design business and taking on a new full time position in January. So, we continue to add concrete plans around what’s important and valuable.

5. We scale this up - we are constantly looking to see if it is valuable to the user or not

  • This honestly is anything from taking a job to purchasing more expensive items for our home. We started off with a lot of second hand items and now we are slowly adding more higher quality items.

  • We continue to evaluate by talking a lot as a family. Is what we’re doing valuable to us? And the more that we do this, I notice we gradually reveal and develop what we value more as a family together.

Design, PersonalWynne Leung
They Say Data is the New Oil

I’ve been taking this Digital Transformation class on Coursera and today they introduced a model to help companies use data to create solutions that help build their vision. I learned through it that NASA was trying to solve a problem for Solar Particle Events. They tried to solve it for 40 years and was unable to solve it. They decided to use data and crowdsourced the solution. They were able to successfully find the solution in three months for $30,000. That’s 160 times faster and in less than 1% of the original time used of 40 years(0,625%).

So, I wondered if I can use the same model towards my personal vision: Live together as a family, own our home, do meaningful work, continue to save for our retirement and make money to support those endeavors. Here’s what I made:

Basically learned that there’s a lot to learn and that I’m not nearly using the amount of data available online. I can probably go section by section to continue learning. I noticed that the more that I learn, the more confident I feel towards my vision

If you’ve been thinking about your next adventure and are looking for a fun activity - I re-created the PDF above into a template; you can download it below:

Have a great day!

- Wyns

Personal, Data, DesignWynne Leung
Ambidexterity for growth
person-writing-equation-on-chalkboard-with-both-hands-because-they-are-ambidextrous.jpg

The problem that we’re trying to solve is how do we both grow through our professional and personal life through this digital transformation?

What makes this problem interesting; is finding different ways to analyze and research ways to solve it. To do this, we found a strategy that firms apply for innovation called, ambidexterity.

It’s a constant orchestration and balance of what we can exploit: based on who are, and explore: what we want to know (innovate). This allows us to both explore and continue to generate an income on what we’ve already built.

The goal is to achieve ambidexterity; which is the ability for firms, in this case for us to balance both exploitation and exploration. Less than 11% of firms achieve this.

Here is what I learned so far in our exploration space:

Exploration Questions:

  • What are the types of remote jobs available today for design?

    • Remote Women - Great community with lots of remote jobs and a very supportive Slack channel

    • Ladies Get Paid - Also has a remote channel to search for remote jobs

  • Who are the leaders in disrupting the traditional way of conducting business and learning about design?

    • Chris Do - The Futur - Business and Design Education, Revolutionized. Chris offers tons of free tutorials that support designers into implementing strategy and solutions to their clients on YouTube.

  • Learn more about digital transformation and how does it affects us and what we want to know in this journey?

    • Took classes on Coursera - I did this because I wanted to layer on knowledge to my actual experience, which are two different things. It’s helping so far as I feel have through it picked up new topics to explore further.

  • What are the local creative communities in Kelowna?

    • OKColab - Coworking space in Downtown Kelowna

  • How does it feel to be close with family and spending our time together?

    • So far, I noticed myself feeling much happier and supported. I never knew this is really whatI needed. I’m so grateful.

  • What does retirement look like for us? What do we need and when do we want to retire?

    • For this we contacted someone from the community who helped us create several different routes towards our retirement. If you want the name of this person, please contact me directly. We learned how much we needed to save everyday and decided on when we wanted to retire. This helped us tremendously in deciding the type of work that we needed and where we want to live.

  • What really matters to us?

    • For this we are both getting support for life coaching and therapy with Megan Lipsett at Copia Health. Megan supports both of us in our mental, spiritual and professional growth by encouraging us to continue to challenge ourselves and to go through the challenge.

  • What is it like to be self-employed again?

    • Working with clients directly is something that I really enjoy and have enjoyed in the past when I was freelancing. I think that having the autonomy to apply process and try new methods with clients is something that makes me feel excited. I also feel really free when I get to just decided to take on new clients and always glad to be part of the process to help them with their business needs.

So, the orchestration continues. I hope this was helpful and talk again soon!

- Wynne

Design, PersonalWynne Leung
Physical Products That Met My User Needs

It was just Black Friday guys and I cannot help but to post something about the “things” that I bought recently that sparked joy. Cam and I sold, gave away almost everything when we came to Canada with our three luggages each. After I did that I kind of didn’t want to buy anything unless it “sparked Marie Kondo Joy”.

Some of my favorite items that we bought recently not only sparked joy but thinking about them; they were designed really well.

Umbra, is one of my favorite brands. They do a really great job at creating products with have lines, colors, shapes and materials that are in harmony with a specific space. The design never tries to combat or take the spotlight of any space; rather the way in which it’s designed to be used is so natural to the way that a user would use it; which is what makes it a have great user experience. This makes the products acceptable and adaptable for folks like us who are always moving.

I bought not one but three trash bins from Umbra because they didn’t look like traditional trash cans. Every time I throw something in and see the lid naturally sway back into neutral makes me feel so understood! Under each side of the lid are weights that ensure that the lid is closed every time you put a piece of trash in it. Leaving it closed also hides the garbage so the user doesn’t have to see it.

I collect jewelry when I go on trips and I’ve been trying to find a meaningful jewelry box where I’m able to see all the pieces but not always wear them. Umbra designed a jewelry tray that allows me easily see, sort and arrange my little gifts from afar. I appreciate that the design is much different than the conventional jewelry box that closes off and doesn’t let the beautiful pieces of jewelry be seen.

I also recently bought a large portfolio bag to house all my paper artwork. The bag was made out of felt, which made me feel secure knowing the paper pieces would be cozied up and kept flat in a dry space. Felt is also so versatile and can be rolled up or transported if need be. I much prefer this one to the large plastic portfolio bags with zippers.

As newborn folks in a smaller town we joined Costco and purchased a set of beautiful ceramic bowls. Putting away my mom’s delicious meals and my own in these beautiful bowls with easy to use lids just makes me feel so proud of the meals that we made. The ceramic material also upgraded the experience of eating leftovers when seeing the beautifully decorated ceramic bowls in the fridge; instead of seeing floppy plastic throwaway dishes.

Wynne

Design, PersonalWynne Leung
Collaborations For Shared Resources

I grew up in a family that wasn’t mine. I was kind of like adopted with love to my aunt and uncles who were all engineers. Cousins that I grew up with were also focused on math, sciences and engineering. I struggled, every year to compete with them in grades but I would always be second, third or fourth place. Yes, that is a real thing though not sure if it just made me feel worse :D

I loved the arts. I just did. I loved making it, drawing, colors and painting. But nobody else in the family did. Through learning math and art I found myself in the field of design. For years I wondered where are my people at! Where are all the painters and artists? However, knowing how to do math, did help in design. As I learned I equally enjoyed making something that is fully functional, works and is beautiful :) Like a real Marie Kondo kind of sparks joy.

During my time in San Francisco I explored that a lot hoping to love the two different pieces of myself completely.

I am so grateful for the friends and co-workers who joined in to explore that together and made me feel less alone. My friend Ann and I organized a series called Sip & Sketch; where we would create art in tech companies and at the YMCA. I didn’t know it then; but I know now that I did it hoping to find people like me; who were also interested in both art and engineering.

The world of public arts is still unfortunately not well funded at all, compared to the amount of money in tech. I joined a fellowship called Emerging Arts while in SF that was funded by the city. They gathered twenty five public workers such as teachers, program directors and gallery managers. Once a month we met at a warm public space that is donated by the city. Depending on where we got space sometimes the gathering was in SF, but sometimes we would need to travel to Oakland or other parts of the city like the Tenderloin. When I opened the fridge in those spaces I usually saw neatly packed lunches and maybe sometimes I saw milk. This made me feel shocked. Compared to the daily fresh free meals I received working in tech and all the free snacks. It just felt confusing how different those two worlds were. How can this be, if both worlds needed each other that one didn’t have the same as the other? Experiencing those two worlds I often felt guilty for having so much for free yet knowing there is another part of me that also belongs to a place that doesn’t have the same resources.

I wonder what will happen to us in the future? I hope that both worlds come closer together. I think they are. I’ve seen more collaborations between the arts and tech companies in the last year. Such as commissioning large murals and more artwork in tech spaces. I guess we’ll see.

Wynne



Collaboration, Design, Art, PersonalWynne Leung
What does a competitive cycle look like for a designer?

I’ve been taking a class on Coursera called, Digital Transformation. It’s a four week course on how to help companies continue to thrive and compete through digital transformation and disruption; which I learned is not new as per the examples given for Blockbuster, Kodak and Borders.

I’m really enjoying this course and feel excited to use the strategies suggested in my design practice and perhaps understand and learn more about what’s going on in our world today and why sometimes it feels like it’s going a thousand miles an hour.

Here are a few ways for companies to have more of a competitive edge:

  1. Strengthen intellectual property with things such as patents

  2. Consider complimentary assets and skills

  3. Consider your customer’s loyalty and branding to your services

  4. Imitation - how easy is it for someone else to imitate you?

  5. Diffusion - maybe creating an idea that is really fun and copied by all then fizzes out; also isn’t such a bad idea

  6. Be the second mover - maybe you aren’t the first mover like Amazon did with books; but maybe you can be the second mover like Lyft and take a dominant space in the marketplace

I applied my design career to the Competitive Cycle the instructor made and this is what I learned:

Competitive Cycle - Wynne Leung

I learned that we can speculate that I have seven more years in the mature phase; and then I will go back to the disrupt phase. It feels both exciting and reassuring. I’m excited for what’s to come. Next week we’ll be learning about how artificial intelligence, big data and robotics will “shake up” this digital transformation.

On the other hand, not so logically… How this cycle just like seasons is natural and necessary. It is necessary for something to die in the Winter so that new can grow in the Spring. The idea of renewal is so natural. Here is where I’m at all the time. Sitting between art and logic. Somehow really needing to measure all the time, but on the other hand and heart knowing that there is a beauty in the natural ways that things will happen on its’ own, when it’s ready.

Wynne

DesignWynne Leung
What to do when you're in outer space

Preparing for interviews and practicing out-loud.

That’s what I’ve been doing the past four weeks. I am often sitting at my desk in this senior home apartment talking at the computer practicing out loud.

I know now that things were more accessible for me, as a designer when I was in a city. Interviewing and looking for jobs. I went from one job to another. I was able to go on interviews through a click on the phone and an Uber would arrive and whoosh I would arrive at the job interview. Recruiter emails arrived daily on LinkedIn (not sure how many were robots, but no worries!).

After I moved here and updated the location it’s like I moved to outer space. Barely anyone contacts me on LinkedIn. I got one person who contacted last week which is what I’m doing now, preparing for that interview. It’s confusing because I haven’t changed only my location did. Why are you hating on me LinkedIn! I’m trying to not take this personally, can you tell? But I am. Judge away!

All of this makes me feel vulnerable, discouraged, frustrated and also kind of - entitled. For that reason, I am committed to doing my very best, even though I don’t feel like it. Which is to prepare for the best interview presentation that I can possibly make; and hopefully make contact with Earth!

Through that, ironically I’m learning so much about design and feeling more connected and confident.

I’m actually really enjoying this process of learning and clarifying design, user experience, user testing and visual design. Was super pumped to learn that the practices that I’ve been applying in visual design; are actual principles: Gestalt Principles of Design. These moments make me feel more hopeful to continue this journey as a designer even though I do feel insecure about being so far away from what I’m used to.

Here’s to learning more about design :)!

Wynne


Personal, DesignWynne Leung
Why does it matter to do what you're good at and enjoy?
Why does it matter to do what you're good at and enjoy?


Because you are unique and a powerful creator.

There’s nobody out there just like you. As humans, we are creators, Gods. If we look around and see the beautiful buildings, bridges and planes those were created by us, humans. I remember reading somewhere that in a certain religion we greet each other in a prayer because we acknowledge that inside each of us is a powerful creator.

Because of the way our lives are structured and the opportunities available; many of us had to do work; work, meaning exchanging a service or item for money that may not align to what we’re good at and enjoy. Why does the feeling of joy, matter? It matters because joy is the feeling that helps guide us to the powerful creator we are inside.

Today we are all collectively experiencing the results of a digital transformation that’s been growing exponentially. This digital transformation has deconstructed the traditional value chains and transformed our ability to transact with businesses and one another. No more linear value chains. The necessity to align with what we’re good and who we are will feel more urgent.

For me as a Product Designer, there are so many more designers that are very capable to solve problems. Wherever I look there’s a new designer coming up and hundreds graduating everyday. If I try to compete with them I will generally fall on the wrong side.

So tonight I asked myself: “Wynne, what have you really done really well in your career the past ten years?"

Activity: Take 5 minutes to list out everything that you think you’ve been good at in your career. Then, for every answer, clarify it with an action and start with: I’m really good at… Here were my statements and I’m really good at statements:

  • Adapting in new places whether it’s been a city or a new job

    • I’m really good at making myself feel comfortable and safe in uncomfortable situations that others may find stressful or fearful

  • Making people like me

    • I’m really good at building relationships

  • Seeing the best in others

    • I’m really good at being compassionate

  • Implementing design processes

    • I’m really good at understanding what people might need and then introducing it to them

  • Influencing people

    • I’m really good at talking to people

  • Design

    • I’m really good at solving problems

  • Design work

    • I’m really good at doing the work to solve problems

  • Art

    • I’m really good at making new things from nothing

  • Painting

    • I’m really good at imagining and self-expressing

  • Drawing

    • I’m really good at picturing things and explaining through my hands

  • Sketching

    • I’m really good at communicating with my hands and imagination

  • Looking online for answers

    • I’m really good at looking for the answers

  • Being down to earth

    • I’m really good at telling the truth

  • Making people laugh

    • I’m really good at knowing what makes people laugh

  • Motivating people

    • I’m really good at making people feel like they are awesome

  • Hardworking

    • I’m really good at being under a lot of stress and pressure and still finish the job

  • Self-motivating

    • I’m really good at encouraging myself to never give up

  • Hopeful

    • I’m really good at inspiring myself and others around me

Here’s where I noticed that the things that I’m really good at aren’t necessarily things that I enjoyed. So, I crossed off the ones that I didn’t enjoy and here is what I’m left with and replaced “I’m really good at” with “I really enjoy” and here’s what I found:

  • I really enjoy trying new things

  • I really enjoy solving problems

  • I really enjoy making new things from nothing

  • I really enjoy imagining and self-expressing

  • I really enjoy looking for the answers

  • I really enjoy making people laugh

  • I really enjoy inspiring myself and others around me

I ended up updating my resume to reflect a lot of the things that I do enjoy and that I’m good at (above). It’s been super helpful to make my resume feel more honest to who I am. I’ve also noticed that when I speak to recruiters and potential clients that I am much clearer on what I’m truly good at and what I enjoy.

Chris Do at The Futur has an awesome template for resumes that you can download here.

Wynne


Design, Leadership, PersonalWynne Leung
Taking a Risk
Taking a Risk

It’s been quite the whirlwind relocating back to Canada. I quit a high paying job and decided to come back to Canada for comfort. It was a huge risk to do that, because stepping into the unknown always feels terrifying for me. I moved back to be with my family though, something that I sacrificed not being around for seven years while I worked away. I missed them terribly. I thought that if I just move back and just find any design job that I can just resume my peaceful life of being a designer.

That didn’t happen. I did, end up finding a design job but it didn’t work out. I was wrongfully terminated because I did what I always do, ask user experience questions. I’m just not willing to do any design work that doesn’t have adequate design thinking behind it because I value the work that we use out there; and with the mass amounts of content and devices we use; we all deserve to have something that’s at least been vetted through a design process.

I again tried to apply for more remote positions and even local jobs. I got several interviews but I noticed during the interviews that I didn’t know, what I wanted to work on. I couldn’t answer their questions when they asked that. That I confidently answered questions on what I did in the past; that when I was asked on what I wanted to do; I had no response. It was even scarier that somehow, now that I have the freedom to choose what I want to work on that not knowing was going to be the thing that really doesn’t get me the job.

I felt frustrated and less of myself. I didn’t know what to do. I had a portfolio with all this work but somehow still couldn’t find anyone to hire me.

I told my husband about everything yesterday and how I once again offered to be everything to everyone. I was even creating a new business plan for my freelance work where I would offer to do all work for everyone!

My husband, listening to this stopped me. “You need to do what you want to do, Wynne.” And for me, I know what that is. I really love design consulting and facilitating workshops. That’s truly what I feel confident at doing. So, I’m going to stick by that. It’s actually what I said during interviews too, when they asked me.

I also noticed that I did everything for everyone the way that they wanted to because I wanted to please them. I thought that by pleasing them, them being my previous directors and managers that I would be liked; and that I would then get promoted. And that somehow, I would feel safe. Safe from being overlooked. Safe from being laid off. That if I, just conformed and did whatever anyone asked me to do; that I would just be accepted. And for a whole decade that’s what happened. I didn’t get overlooked. I never got fired (well, until I spoke my truth). I never got laid off. Sure, I felt safe but I didn’t know how to stand up for who I really am and what I truly believed in.

I believe in making work on purpose. I believe in intentional product design.

We are surrounded by new devices, services and experiences everyday. We have an excess of it all. I want to be able to make products that are validated by people. Which is what product design is:

Product design is the process of identifying a market opportunity, clearly defining the problem, developing a proper solution for that problem and validating the solution with real users.

I’ve updated my website, as you can see with no options to do one-off freelance work but only option to consult and help small business grow, through design thinking. I’ve seen the powers of it at work in the past and I will stand by it.

I’m also taking a few courses on Coursera today and going to apply for that Consultation job at Deloitte :)! Wish me luck!

Wynne

And since it’s Monday and all, here’s my favorite Tina Turner, I hope that you don’t ever lose you :) !

Personal, Design, LeadershipWynne Leung