This project explored a new approach to digital communication, with a focus on mobile and tablet experiences. Aimed at making interactions more expressive, visual, and emotionally resonant, it led to a number of new UI/UX innovations that reimagined how people connect in more creative, intuitive, and human-centered ways.

I developed a series of UX innovations that have since been deployed on over 25% of all smartphones worldwide. These features introduced new, emotionally resonant ways for users to communicate and interact, going beyond conventional text and voice, and have become part of everyday communication for millions of users globally.

For several years my colleagues and I at Daylight worked with Bay Area incubator HopeLab to understand the psychology behind sedentary behavior in teens, helping the client address a growing public health crisis. Through in-depth research with adolescents, the work uncovered key emotional, social, and environmental drivers of inactivity. These insights informed strategic recommendations for designing interventions that resonate with teens and encourage more active lifestyles.

Led the user research strategy for a startup that was later acquired by Google for $50M. The work involved defining key research priorities, establishing scalable methods, and uncovering insights that shaped product direction and helped the team focus on the highest-impact opportunities. Research played a central role in aligning cross-functional teams and demonstrating user value to investors and acquirers.

This project explored how music is discovered and shared through social connections, both online and in person. Research and concept development uncovered opportunities to leverage the network’s infrastructure to enable richer sharing, real-time engagement, and new forms of social connection.

I worked with this medical startup to design a SaaS platform for managing a chronic health condition, balancing the needs of patients and healthcare professionals. It began with synthesizing existing research into design opportunities, followed by ideation, prototyping, and collaborating with an offshore development team to bring the product to life.

I led the UX/UI design for a new medical device that reinvented a common laparoscopic procedure using a sensor-based, electronics-driven system. Replacing analog tools, it introduced entirely new workflows and interactions. I worked closely with surgeons and engineers to design an intuitive, safety-focused interface that improved patient outcomes.