We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yueling (Linda) Lai ("Y(L").
Yueling Lai is an award-winning User Experience/Product Designer based in California, USA. Her design works have been recognized by prestigious design awards, including the Red Dot Design Award, A’ Design Award, Core77 Design Awards, Muse Design Awards, IDEA (International Design Excellence Awards), European Product Design Awards, etc. Currently a Senior Product Designer at TikTok, Yueling uses design thinking to solve complex business problems and designs world-class digital products that connect millions of businesses and audiences. She leads design for TikTok Ads Manager and various business experiences, focusing on global business growth and building efficient, scalable product UX for businesses of all sizes globally. She has championed globally impactful product launches, which have been covered in major news like TechCrunch, Business Insider, and Vogue Business. With a double degree in HCI and Psychology, she is a multidisciplinary designer with well-rounded skills. She innovates with an understanding of people and culture and then bridges people with technology using delightful designs.
Yueling (Linda) Lai Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yueling (Linda) Lai.
Yueling (Linda) Lai Design - Alzcare Mobile Application
Designer Interview of Yueling (Linda) Lai:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
Y(L : I have a dual academic background in Human-Computer Interaction and Psychology from the University of Washington, which gave me a strong foundation in understanding both the technical and human aspects of design. I’ve always been fascinated by how design shapes human behavior and creates meaningful interactions. Early on, I was inspired by the idea of using design to solve real problems and connect people across cultures, which led me to pursue UX/Product Design as a career.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
Y(L : I am currently a Senior Product Designer at TikTok, where I lead design for the TikTok Ads platform and business products used by millions of advertisers worldwide. My work focuses on building scalable, easy-to-use business platforms and 0–1 innovations, including TikTok’s first AI-powered automated ads experience. Outside of my day job, I started "AlzCare"—a mobile companion app designed for caregivers and families of people with Alzheimer’s disease. It's designed to ease daily caregiving tasks, improve patient safety, and provide emotional support to caregivers, combining thoughtful AI technology with empathetic design.
DI: What is "design" for you?
Y(L : For me, design is the bridge between technology and humanity. It’s the art of making complex systems simple, intuitive, and emotionally resonant, all while delivering measurable impact.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
Y(L : I enjoy designing solutions that solve real human problems and truly make people's lives easier. I'm also fascinated by innovative technologies like AI. And I'm passionate about how we use design thinking to translate emerging technologies into real human-centered solutions.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
Y(L : My favorite is my recent design "AlzCare", a mobile app I designed for caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients. This app has won prestigious design awards including A' Design Award, Red Dot Award, and Core77 Design Awards. AlzCare app is designed for caregivers and families of people with Alzheimer’s disease. The app combines medication reminders, symptom tracking, and AI-powered real-time support. This design project was deeply meaningful because it tackled both practical and emotional needs for a vulnerable community.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
Y(L : In my designer role, I worked at a technology incubator startup in Seattle. I designed and launched a conference-calling app from scratch, which includes the user research, mobile app UX/UI design, and brand design. It shaped my ability to take an idea from concept to launch.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
Y(L : I’m excited by AI-powered design tools and scalable design systems. They enable efficiency, personalization, and global consistency.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
Y(L : When brainstorming in collaborative workshops with cross-functional teams—merging diverse perspectives always sparks unexpected ideas.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
Y(L : I focus on the user experience (UX), especially the intersection of usability and aesthetics. A design should feel visually elegant and crafted while delivering a user-friendly experience.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
Y(L : A mix of curiosity, excitement, and determination. Every project feels like a puzzle waiting to be solved.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
Y(L : Pride, gratitude, and a sense of responsibility—especially when I see the design making a tangible difference for users.
DI: What makes a design successful?
Y(L : When a design solves real human problems and truly makes people's lives easier. When it resonates with users and brings joy. When it simplifies complexity.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
Y(L : Clarity of purpose, user-centered execution, and craftsmanship.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
Y(L : Designers have the responsibility to create inclusive, ethical, and sustainable solutions that benefit not just users, but society at large.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
Y(L : Digital product design & UX design is becoming more integrated with AI and data-driven insights, allowing for hyper-personalized and predictive experiences. The future will be about balancing automation with authentic human touch.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
Y(L : My award-winning app design AlzCare was recently exhibited at the Museum of Design (MOOD) in Italy in July this year.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
Y(L : I draw inspiration from user research and emerging technology. I also find creative fuel in traveling, attending design conferences, and exploring art and architecture.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
Y(L : Minimal yet human, functional yet expressive. My style blends strategic thinking with visual clarity, prioritizing user needs while making designs aesthetically engaging.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
Y(L : I live in the San Francisco Bay Area in the US, the "Silicon Valley", which is a hub for technology and innovation. The tech culture in the Bay Area allows me to learn about emerging technologies and engage in the revolution of interaction designs for various technologies. Additionally, growing up in China and working globally has given me a cross-cultural perspective, influencing me to design with inclusivity and cultural sensitivity.
DI: How do you work with companies?
Y(L : Through close collaboration with stakeholders, iterative feedback loops, and user testing, ensuring every design decision is grounded in both user needs and business goals.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
Y(L : Choose a designer who is not just visually talented but strategically minded. Foster an environment where they can contribute to product vision, not just execution.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
Y(L : My process is human-centered and iterative. I start with deep research—interviews, field studies, and data analysis—to uncover real user needs, as I did when speaking with Alzheimer’s caregivers for AlzCare. I then move into design concept ideation and prototyping, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to explore solutions that balance usability, scalability, and emotional impact. Designs are validated through usability testing, refined with feedback, and implemented in close partnership with engineers. Post-launch, I track performance and iterate, ensuring the product continues to deliver value over time. For me, great design is a continuous cycle of empathy, creativity, and measurable impact.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
Y(L : Mornings are for meetings and collaborative workshops; afternoons for deep design work and explorations; evenings for personal learning.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
Y(L : Tools are mainly Figma, Orgami Studio, and Adobe Creative Suite. "The Design of Everyday Things" is the most classic book for user experience design.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
Y(L : Designing products from 0–1, because it’s where creativity and strategy truly meet.