👋🏻 I'm Xiaotong (Carol) Wang.
Before becoming a UX designer, I had a background in the film industry and also worked as a journalist. Whether as a designer, a film professional, or a journalist, these jobs all have one crucial requirement: being able to understand and connect with others on a deeper level, which can be concluded as a word - empathy. That also comes naturally to me.
I was born on the Loess Plateau, where I spent my childhood in cave dwellings and fields. Later, I grew up in small towns in China, and for my education, I moved to Beijing and then London. Currently, I am settled in the Santa Clara Bay Area.
My life's journey has carried me from a simple mountainous upbringing to the high-tech center of Silicon Valley. Along this path, I've encountered diverse living situations and engaged with people from different social backgrounds. These experiences, spanning various regions and social strata, have deepened my sense of empathy.
From a young age, I discovered that I love trying to understand what makes people tick. I enjoy listening to people's stories and imagining what life is like from their perspective.
Discovering people's life stories, experiences, and needs is my passion. It's what initially drew me to careers in journalism and filmmaking and continues to drive my transition into UX.
Empathy is my guiding principle.
While I know that empathy alone isn't enough for success as a UX designer, I understand the importance of gaining more skills. I'm relatively new to UX with just 18 months of design experience, but I believe my past work experiences are valuable.
As a journalist, I regularly conducted interviews, making me comfortable with user interviews in UX. In the film industry, we did internal screenings and made adjustments based on feedback, similar to UX usability testing. Additionally, I've collaborated with developers to launch new features for a film festival's website.
In summary, despite being new to UX, my prior media and film experiences have equipped me with valuable skills and insights that I can apply effectively in my current role.
