An experience designer transforming pixels into “Ta-Da!” experiences, currently based in Bay Area 🌉
你好, 我是丹蕾!
Hi there, this is Dani!
Bonjour, je m'appelle Dani!
Hey there!👋 I’m Dani Huang (she/her), a Bay Area-based experience designer. 🌉 I’m currently diving deeper into my craft through a grad program in Interaction Design at the California College of the Arts. My journey here has been fueled by a mix of philosophy, French, and socio-legal studies, which together shape my approach to design. Philosophy sharpens my thinking, French opens up the world to me, and socio-legal studies bring clear structure to my creations.💡
Driven by a commitment to inclusivity, my studies in disability have pivoted my focus towards creating accessible and empathetic user experiences. Whether I'm at Baidu, Nintendo, or various NGOs, I’m all about crafting user experiences that are intuitive and truly resonate. I’m a team player at heart, always eager to learn and tackle new challenges with a smile. My knack for connecting with people helps me foster environments where everyone can thrive.🙌
Outside of work, you’ll find me training for triathlons or enjoying the great outdoors—activities that keep my creative juices flowing and remind me that design isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life. I’m also an avid gamer, a lover of music and crafts, and quite the cook when I get into the kitchen. 💚
Beyond mere design, my work encompasses business marketing, content creation, information architecture, strategic planning, systematic analysis, usability testing and user research.
Design, to me, transcends looks and functionality—it's a reflection of our societal values. Echoing Steve Jobs, design's essence is in its operation, yet I argue it must also embrace accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability. As society progresses, so must our design ethos, moving beyond mere aesthetics or utility to address broader concerns like compassion, equity, and environmental stewardship.
In an era enriched by technology and AI, design's horizon expands towards a future where what truly matters takes precedence. My philosophy advocates for a vigilant approach to design, one that integrates our core values with the demands of the present, crafting solutions that are not only elegant and practical but also ethically sound and universally beneficial.
Which humans are we truly centering? My approach goes beyond surface-level customer focus. It's about continuous discovery to solve unspoken needs and deliver meaningful benefits. Human-centered design is for the billions, but also for the individual. We design for the masses and the niche, the 1000 and the 1.
I insist on job-to-be-done theory and service design principles to deeply understand people's functional needs and contextual lives. Human-centered design requires empathy for each person's reality, not just designing for a statistical average. It considers intersecting identities, abilities, and circumstances.
Centering humans means making the invisible visible - seeing people's true pains and desires, then creating inclusive solutions that improve real lives. It's an ongoing practice of listening without assumptions and co-creating with the very humans we aim to serve.
My problem-solving mantra is "Don't say yes to the first answer." I'm an eternal optimist, fueled by the belief that better solutions and opportunities always exist until the very final moment. This conviction guides me to exhaustively explore all possibilities, never easily giving up or discarding options.
Even when an answer seems satisfactory, I maintain an open, curious mindset - continuously digging deeper through rigorous examination to uncover truly innovative, exceptional resolutions. This arduous process of persistent scrutiny from diverse perspectives allows me to transcend constraints and create masterpieces that comprehensively tackle the core issues.
Ambiguity is inevitable in design, but I see it as an opportunity. When objectives are unclear, I don't freeze up. Instead, I consult experienced peers, immerse myself in learning relevant domains, and research comparable strategies to navigate the uncertainty.
Dealing with ambiguity means leveraging our collective smarts through collaboration while dedicating myself to continuous learning. Crucially, I synthesize insights with my own critical thinking to develop tailored, high-quality approaches. It's an iterative process of making the unknown known through resourcefulness, open-mindedness, and blending diverse perspectives with my problem-solving abilities.
I prioritize engaging challenges and teamwork within a friendly, supportive team dynamic that fosters an inclusive learning environment. My background in outdoor activities and sports nurtures my love for teamwork and camaraderie in design, a field that thrives on interaction with users, clients, and colleagues.
I embrace opportunities to connect and learn from diverse people, having organized large events and immersed myself in various domains and cultures. This drive to understand and share experiences underpins my design philosophy.
