Interview with Yueling (Linda) Lai

I’ve always been fascinated by how design shapes human behavior and connects people. Seeing how thoughtful design can simplify complex problems inspired me to pursue UX/Product Design as a way to make technology more human.

It was a deliberate choice, shaped by my passion for creativity, humanity, and technology since an early age. My background in psychology also deepened my empathy for users.

I design user experiences (UX), interactions, and interfaces for digital products—ranging from AI-powered tools at TikTok to my award-winning caregiving app AlzCare. I most enjoy digital product and UX designs where innovation meets real human impact.

Stay curious, master your craft, and develop strong communication skills. Great design is not just about aesthetics—it’s about solving real problems and being able to advocate for your ideas.

A good designer creates solutions that work. A great designer goes further—anticipating future needs, inspiring others, and creating lasting impact.

A really good design solves the real human needs and true user problems. Good design is a combination of aesthetics and usability. I also look at how well it solves the intended problem, how intuitive it feels, and how sustainable it is over time.

Good UX design empowers humans by reducing friction and building trust with the technology/system, which can drive truly impactful positive change. Good design can increase business growth, improve human life, and even save lives.

I’d create inclusive digital tools for underserved communities—focusing on education, healthcare, and accessibility.

An adaptive design platform powered by AI that can tailor interfaces in real time to users’ cognitive, cultural, and accessibility needs.

Empathy, supported by research and iteration. Understanding people deeply is the key to creating solutions that truly work for them.

I’m inspired by Dieter Rams for his timeless “less but better” principles, Jony Ive for creating products that are both iconic and intuitive, and Don Norman for championing human-centered design and making usability a universal priority.

Apple’s interface design—it’s cohesive, user-centric, and shows how a clear design philosophy can scale globally.

My recent award-winning project AlzCare—it balances complex caregiving needs with an accessible, emotionally supportive experience. It integrates AI technology to empower human needs.

Seek feedback often, stay updated on design trends and technology, and learn to tell the story behind your design decisions.

I would have pursued a career in cognitive psychology, studying how people interact with technology.

Digital product/UX design is intentional problem-solving that bridges humans and technologies, simplifying complexities and empowering humans.

Mentors, supportive colleagues, and my family—who encouraged me to pursue creativity from an early age.

A constant willingness to learn, an openness to feedback, and a deep belief that design should serve people.

Early on, I had to prove the value of design in business contexts and learn to navigate complex stakeholder environments, especially for complex B2B products.

Through clear storytelling—outlining the problem you are solving, process, and impact, supported by visual design concepts and systematic thinking.

To create products that are innovative, inclusive, and socially impactful, and to mentor the next generation of designers.

Visionary thinking, consistent quality, and the ability to lead projects that inspire both users and fellow designers.

It makes technology more inclusive, accessible, and human—bridging gaps across cultures, abilities, and resources.

TikTok’s innovative generative AI creative tools that allow users to generate videos in seconds.

Projects where I can see real-world impact—like AlzCare, which addresses both emotional and practical needs for Alzheimer’s caregivers.

A stronger focus on accessibility, ethics, and sustainability as standard practice—not optional add-ons.

Toward AI-assisted personalization and predictive experiences—balanced with human oversight to ensure ethics and empathy.

With research—understanding the user, the problem, and the broader context before any concepts are created.

Design for people first; the impact will follow.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I’m excited by AI-powered design tools and scalable design systems. They enable efficiency, personalization, and global consistency.

When brainstorming in collaborative workshops with cross-functional teams—merging diverse perspectives always sparks unexpected ideas.

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.

A mix of curiosity, excitement, and determination. Every project feels like a puzzle waiting to be solved.

Pride, gratitude, and a sense of responsibility—especially when I see the design making a tangible difference for users.

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.

Clarity of purpose, user-centered execution, and craftsmanship.

Designers have the responsibility to create inclusive, ethical, and sustainable solutions that benefit not just users, but society at large.

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.

My award-winning app design AlzCare was recently exhibited at the Museum of Design (MOOD) in Italy in July this year.

I draw inspiration from user research and emerging technology. I also find creative fuel in traveling, attending design conferences, and exploring art and architecture.

Minimal yet human, functional yet expressive. My style blends strategic thinking with visual clarity, prioritizing user needs while making designs aesthetically engaging.

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.

Through close collaboration with stakeholders, iterative feedback loops, and user testing, ensuring every design decision is grounded in both user needs and business goals.

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.

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.

Mornings are for meetings and collaborative workshops; afternoons for deep design work and explorations; evenings for personal learning.

Tools are mainly Figma, Orgami Studio, and Adobe Creative Suite. "The Design of Everyday Things" is the most classic book for user experience design.

Designing products from 0–1, because it’s where creativity and strategy truly meet.