Yitian Zeng

Specialized in Packaging Design.

Yitian Zeng

About Yitian Zeng

Yitian is a passionate Product Designer dedicated to creating impactful digital solutions that resonate with users. Her design approach is centered on the belief that design is an iterative process, constantly evolving to meet the needs of its users. With a deep empathy, a collaborative mindset, and a keen understanding of emerging trends, Yitian brings a unique blend of creativity and execution to her work.

  • Winner of the A' Design Award.
  • Specialized in Packaging Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Packaging
Stickman Brand Design

Stickman Brand Design

Packaging Design

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Interview with Yitian Zeng

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?
From a young age, I was inspired by my grandfather, an urban planner, to sketch and create. This early passion led me to study digital and game design, where I explored interaction, storytelling, and user engagement. Over time, my work experience deepened my interest in human-computer interaction and how thoughtful design shapes digital experiences.
What is "design" for you?
To me, design is about solving real problems and improving people’s lives whether by making something more efficient, more accessible, or simply more enjoyable.
What kinds of works do you like designing most?
I’m most passionate about service and system design, especially when it involves helping professionals improve their work efficiency. I find this type of work more challenging because it requires a deep understanding of workflows, problem-solving at scale, and designing with long-term impact in mind.
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
My favorite material is my drawing book and my Wacom. Also love Figma, Adobe. Midjourney, GPT etc.
When do you feel the most creative?
I feel most creative when I’m curious about a problem—especially in the early stages of a project, when possibilities are wide open.
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
I focus most on understanding the “why” behind the design. Why we’re creating it, what problem it’s solving, and what caused that problem in the first place. To me, a strong foundation comes from uncovering the root needs and motivations behind user behavior.
What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
Curisity, excitement, and responsibility. Curiosity drives me to explore new ideas, excitement comes when those ideas start taking shape, and responsibility reminds me that good design can truly impact someone’s life—for better or worse.
What makes a design successful?
To me, successful design considers multiple aspects such as adoption and retention rates. We can use the metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the design in attracting and retaining users over time.
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
I focus on the target users and whether the functional aspects solve their problems. A good design, to me, is one that meets user needs and also aligning with business goals.
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
Designers should create solutions that useful and ethical, also sustainable, minimizing harm and promoting positive impact on people and the planet.
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
"design field" is evolving a lot and merging with AI, or using AI like design's tool/weapon, it can help us build a sustainability products. The future of design lies in creating adaptive, ethical, and inclusive solutions that shape both digital and real-world experiences.
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
My inspiration comes from real-life observations. I feed my creativity by staying curious—exploring different fields like sculpture, art history, gaming, psychology, and tech, and by paying close attention to how people interact with the world around them.
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?
To me, I combine usability, gamification, and emotional resonance. Curiosity drives me to try new tools, learn continuously, and observe how people interact with products. My approach is user-centered and problem-driven. My approach is understanding user needs through research, then explore solutions through iteration, usability testing, prototyping and feedback loops.
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?
I live in California, but I'm originally from China. This cross-cultural experience gives me a broader perspective, blending Eastern values like harmony and subtlety with Western on clarity and usability. It helps me design with empathy for diverse users, though it can also be a challenge to balance different aesthetic and communication styles in global projects.
Can you talk a little about your design process?
I follow an iterative design process: starting with understand users first, research, defining problems, ideating, design, testing, and refining/launch.
Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
Figma, Adobe, AI tools, and I use other tools to support my prototyping, such as Maya, Unreal Engine, etc.
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
I also like to set daily tasks to focus. But if I get stuck, I will either take a break or change to another task to focus.
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
It depends on the scope of project, sometimes longer, sometimes short. From my past experience, a project could take 2 weeks or more than a year.
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
I love the most of digital design, but now the more attract me is data visualization. I think it's challenge and I want to use my skills make the complex data into a simple way.
What are your future plans? What is next for you?
I hope to use my skills and creativity to tackle more complex, meaningful challenges that benefit people’s lives. Beyond designing for enjoyment and gamification, I want to create solutions that make daily life simpler, smarter, and more human-centered.

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