Interviews with Yuka Fukuoka

I was born in Tokyo, Japan. I studied information design at Tama Art University when I was undergraduate student. After graduation, I joined Yahoo! JAPAN as a Designer. I was in charge of branding and graphic design, and I also worked in UI / UX design to redesign Yahoo! JAPAN’s Internet donation service. After that, I moved to New York, and received my MFA from the Design for Social Innovation program at the School of Visual Arts (SVA). While in school, I worked as a graphic design intern at UNDP.

After I graduated the school, I worked at Marketing Agency in New York. After that, I started working at the current company, Happify Health since I realized I am passionate about Design × Mental Health through the experience of creating VRbal and STACHA which are awarded design works.

I wanted to become a designer for two reasons: first, I loved to draw when I was a child. The second is that I have stuttering and I was not very good at speaking. Therefore, I decided to become a designer like an artist who can convey messages to people through the power of visuals.

When I work on a design, I first make a sketch in my notebook. Then I use digital tools to quickly create a mock-up. I mainly use Adobe applications, for instance Photoshop, Illustrator, inDesign and AfterEffects. I use visuals and videos mostly to tell the story and concept.

When I design, I feel a sense of fulfillment and joy.

In the future, technology will solve the issues we once had as humankind by enhancing the abilities of our race. In other words, insights from interviews with designers and the imagination that arises from our own sketching minds will pinpoint the true essence of our problems, and offer solid solutions to tackle them with. This is will be exceedingly important in the times to come.

Therefore, my future plan is to become a Designer who can make use of technology to solve issues in society.

Don't limit your field of interest, havean interestin everything. Don't limit yourself to one field. Read many philosophy books, going to museums to see many arts.

I usually get my inspiration mainly from the Internet. Since the pandemic happened due to Covid, I've been spending a lot of time at home. These days, I mainly research award-winning works. When it comes to my designs, I try to keep up with the latest trends and technology.

Good design is strategic. Strategic design increases the company's brand and product value, so CEOs should invest in design in particular.

My biggest design works are STACHA and VRbal.

The STACHA is a device which enables wearers to experience the symptoms of stuttering. When a person with this disorder stutters, a distinguishing feature is an overactive usage of the muscles in the throat.

Vrbal is a smart VR experience that uses machine learning to help the user prepare for a specific anxiety inducing event of their choice. By creating step-by-step daily tasks, Vrbal gradually exposes the user to the situation.

I admire Yusaku Kamekura, who designed the logo and poster series for the 1964 Summer Olympics. He is amazing Japanese Graphic Designer.

Designers have the power to create excellent visuals that are strong enough to change the preconceived ideas held by people. This is why we always have the responsibility to visualize based on correct information, rather than based on incorrect information.

As a designer, winning an award is very important. First of all, it gives you confidence in your work. It also makes you famous. By being published in the media and becoming famous, you will be able to get more opportunities. By meeting good clients, you will be more likely to succeed professionally. It is also important to expand your network at award ceremonies.

I majored in information design when I was an undergraduate, and then majored in Social Innovation Design at graduate school.

When I was small, I loved the creative play of drawing and making things. As an extension of that, I became interested in design.

I chose the designer as a creative profession who can contribute to society.

Design can change the perspective of social problems in the society.

Read many philosophy books, going to museums to see many arts.

Good designer just designs what they need to submit to clients and boss, great designer creates their masterpiece contains the deep concept who is like an artist

Good design is strategic. Strategic design increases the company's brand and product value, so CEOs should invest in design in particular.

I have an interest in real-estate and healthcare industries.

I admire Yusaku Kamekura, who designed the logo and poster series for the 1964 Summer Olympics. He is amazing Japanese Graphic Designer.

I like the Tokyo 1964 poster designed by Yusaku Kamekura. One of them is uses the rising Sun in powerful red, and Olympic symbols and copy in gold. It’s simple and classic. Also, it contains strong message.

Both STACHA and VRbal are great design. Conducting a lot of research and user tests makes it great design.

Following a strong passion to solve own issues makes them better designers.

Design is tool to solve problems.

My biggest supporter is my parents, partner. And project members who worked together in the past.

My obstacle is how to communicate with target audiences, and how to let them join my project by attracting.

I want to eventually own my own company. And I want to utilize design as a core value in my business.

Design can be a tool to solve problems for those who face them. And by publishing work that contains a message, we can change society's perspective towards problems, and then society will change in the long term.

I am working on digital tools for people who have mental issues, so I am excited to work on it.

I think anyone can be designer in near future like an amateur. However, I would like to see more professional, sophisticated, and craftsman-like designers.

It’s about 2-3 months.

“Design is a bright song of life.” – Yusaku Kamekura

Technology is core of my design works.

I mostly use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, inDesign and Sketch when I design.

Taro Okamoto's Book “Jibun no naka ni doku o mote (To Have Poison Inside Yourself-Can You Discard Your Common Sense?)”

I like deep blue.

When I was a kid, I wanted to become an Artist. But it turned a Design eventually, and then I want to become a Designer like an Artist now.

I am a stutterer. When I could not speak well because of my stutter, I learned how to express myself through drawing. From there, I got interested in art and design in my life. Through these experiences, I became a designer who uses visuals and graphics to solve problems of people in the society.

Design is a tool to solve problems through storytelling to make an impact in the society.

I like works that are visually sophisticated. I especially like works that not only have excellent visuals, but also tell a story to the viewer.

I mostly designed the website and app UI for the company I worked first time since I graduated from the college.

My favorite technology is Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.

I feel the most creative when I imagine the plan of final output by sketching ideas.

I always pay attention to the visuals. It doesn't matter how much of a message is included in the work, if the visuals are not sophisticated, the impact of the first impression will not be conveyed to the viewers.

Most successful design contains message and story for people who needs to be delivered.

Designers have the power to create excellent visuals that are strong enough to change the preconceived ideas held by people. This is why we always have the responsibility to visualize based on correct information, rather than based on incorrect information.

Future design is boundary crossing. Today, the boundaries between all disciplines are becoming blurred. Designers need to cross disciplines and become familiar with each field.

My inspiration comes from communicating with people who face the problems. Also, I try to go to museums, read the philosophy books to find the design inspiration in the great works of the past. Because the nature of human problems remains the same.

I produce a large variety of online and printed design materials. Focused mainly on improving the User Interfaces of mobile apps and web platforms.

First, through research, I determine what the problem is.

For research, I interview the target users and participate in working with them in the community. We then derive insights based on the research results. From these insights, we are able to make a hypothesis about the essential nature of the problem that the user is faced with. The process of testing the hypothesis is repeated to finally identify the essence.

After the problem is set, a prototype is built and user testing is repeated to determine effectiveness. We then get closer to the final output.

You should be interested in all fields, not just design. Above all, make sure to stay interested in yourself.

I believe that design that solves my own problems, rather than design that solves people's problems provides the highest value. That's why you should always be in the habit of asking yourself.

Polishing your senses is very important. As I said above, sophisticated visuals always grab people's attention first. On then are you standing at the start line. If your visuals are not sophisticated, you will not be able to attract the attention of people. You won't even be standing on the starting line.

I always use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, inDesign and Sketch as Design Tools. To edit a video, I use Adobe Premiere, iMovie and After Effects.

The biggest work experience for me were those gained while working at Yahoo. By working as an in-house designer for the first

time, I was able to understand just what the position of a designer inside a company is. In contrast to this, Happify Health where I currently work is a startup, so I am able to learn about a culture that is completely different from that of a large company.

In the future, human capabilities will be expanded by technology and enable us to solve problems that could not be solved up to now. To this end, I believe that it's important for a designer to solve problems using their own imagination, expressiveness, insightfulness as well as by ascertaining the essence of things. Using my own suffering from stuttering as fuel, I want to create social systems that make it easier for those persons concerned as someone who is closer than anyone else to them, as a designer who can utilize my own output ability.

Please email me.