Designing Human-Centered Products with Strategic Empathy and Emerging Technology
Over the last decade, I have led product design efforts across EdTech, AI, VR/AR, and fintech, solving complex challenges with elegant and intuitive solutions.
What I’ve learned: a thoughtful, evolving UX process is the foundation of product success.
My approach combines user research, systems thinking, UI/UX execution, and collaborative leadership, paired with the creative flexibility to integrate tools like AI, accelerating ideation, insight, and iteration.
🧭 Step 1: Problem Discovery & Research
Great design begins with clarity. That means uncovering the real problem beneath the surface.
In this phase, I focus on conducting user interviews, analyzing behavioral data, conducting competitive audits, and ensuring stakeholder alignment. Increasingly, I have integrated AI tools to identify patterns in user behavior and sentiment, thereby speeding up insight synthesis and making our research more actionable.
Example: At AllHere, I partnered with district leaders to uncover the root causes of family disengagement. Using qualitative interviews and machine learning-based behavior analysis, we identified patterns that shaped a redesigned engagement experience, boosting response rates by 20% within the first three months.
💡 Step 2: Ideation & Conceptualization
With the problem framed, creativity begins, grounded in user needs and team insight.
I lead collaborative ideation workshops that bring together product managers, developers, educators, and users. From napkin sketches to AI-powered concept generation, this stage is about broad exploration before converging on the most promising directions.
Example: At Kangarootime, early co-creation sessions with developers and daycare staff led to the design of a mobile experience that dramatically simplified daily administrative workflows—a key differentiator in the market.
🧱 Step 3: Wireframing & Prototyping
This is where structure takes shape.
Low-fidelity wireframes allow us to test flow and functionality without getting lost in aesthetics. I often use AI-assisted prototyping tools to quickly generate variations, accelerating decision-making.
Interactive prototypes help simulate real-world use. At Mainstay, I led rapid testing of prototypes with students and advisors—uncovering friction early and saving engineering cycles later.
👀 Step 4: User Testing & Feedback
No design is complete until it's been tested with real users.
Whether through moderated usability testing, remote surveys, or AI-analyzed session replays, I prioritize direct feedback loops to validate assumptions. I also track micro-feedback—the quiet moments of confusion, hesitation, or delight that guide critical design pivots.
Example: While leading UX for Clydesdale Bank’s mobile revamp, deep usability testing revealed accessibility issues that weren’t obvious in design files—but fixing them directly improved task success rates and customer satisfaction.
🔄 Step 5: Design & Development Collaboration
Great products are born from alignment—not handoffs.
I work closely with engineering teams to ensure that the design intent translates into a scalable, high-performing build. This includes maintaining shared design systems, hosting handoff reviews, and leaving room for flexibility when implementation constraints arise.
Example: As Head of Design at Kangarootime, I embedded design reviews into agile sprint rituals and co-built a design system in Figma that sped up front-end implementation while preserving brand integrity.
📈 Step 6: Continuous Improvement & AI-Powered Iteration
Launch isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of learning.
I treat live data, user behavior, and feedback as fuel for iteration. I integrate tools like Mixpanel, Hotjar, and custom AI dashboards to monitor real-time usage trends and prioritize what to improve.
My philosophy: products should evolve as users do. This means staying responsive, curious, and committed to better.
Conclusion: A Modern, Evolving UX Approach
Designing successful products means more than aesthetics—it’s about creating systems of value that adapt over time.
By blending deep research, AI-enhanced workflows, cross-functional creativity, and continuous iteration, I design with purpose. From classrooms to financial dashboards, my process is rooted in empathy, empowered by data, and driven by outcomes that matter.
A great product is never finished. It’s a conversation with users—and I make sure it always stays human.