Ann Li

is a multidisciplinary designer and researcher crafting creative research-driven experiences across platforms

Best viewed on desktop

Ann Li

Neurobiologist-turned designer driven by sense-making, systems thinking, and storytelling. Open to full-time product, interaction, experience design roles.

Work spans the digital and physical, including functional user interfaces, immersive experiences, mixed-methods research, and creative strategy.

Future of Spatial UX

Design, research, and strategy imagining the future of spatial user experiences in the home

Roles

Design Research
Interaction Design
 Concept Development
Spatial UX/UI
 XR/AR Prototyping

Context

Jun - Oct 2023

‍

Team

I led a team of 7 designers providing design and research consultation for Samsung Design

Tools

Figma
Bezi
Illustrator
Photoshop
Google Suite

Overview

Based on a limited client brief, I defined a nebulous problem space to identify new opportunities informed by business needs, industry trends, and qualitative user research.

We identified 4 novel use cases for spatial UX driven by emotional, social aspects of in-home experiences and defined guiding principles based on user research and prototyping. This resulted in actionable suggestions for the Samsung team, with 8 representative design concepts illustrating the potential of this defined opportunity space.

Due to confidentiality agreements, I'm not able to share the details of my work with Samsung. High-level contributions and select deliverables are as follows, and I’m happy to discuss further.

Outcomes

Designing the right thing : Designing the thing right

350+

quantitative survey responses

recorded in-home qualitative sessions

actionable recommendations addressing Samsung's key questions

Approach

Our exploration of the future of spatial user experiences consisted of four project phases

In the Discovery phase, we collaborated with the Samsung team to establish background, conduct high-level ideation, and frame opportunity spaces to focus on in the coming phase. Our main objective was to identify a meaningful user niche which aligned with Samsung’s future design directions.

I then began planning research initiatives in the Research Development phase, developing research protocols, scenarios, surveys, workshops, and creative qualitative methodologies to derive user insights in the home.

After review and refinement of these research objectives, we moved into the Research Experience phase to conduct user research and exploratory design immersion.

Insights from this phase informed the Actionable Analysis phase, resulting in the creation of a guiding framework, user scenarios and use cases, interaction modalities and taxonomy, interface paradigms, concept prototypes, and strategic recommendations.

‍

Degrees of Connection: WIP diagram produced to support process and outcomes

Diverge, converge, repeat

Identifying root questions to explore and distilling learnings into actionable insights. We checked in at each phase to ensure alignment and iteratively refine next steps.

needs

themes

subtopics

opportunities

In-home ethnography

Meeting people where they are

We used a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods to collect insights about people’s daily habits at home and identify opportunities for spatial UX to enhance existing systems and behaviors. I scoped and planned 10+ research studies, designing several novel methods and techniques adapted to an intimate, personal home context.

Exploring how the spatial arrangement and design of the home environment shapes and facilitates various activities within it

Beyond task-oriented design: visualization of survey data, key activities and emotions in the home

‍

Experiential Prototyping

Drawing from familiar tactile behaviors for intuitive everyday interactions

Using low-fidelity prototyping, we tested and defined the spatial interface's size, form, configuration, environment behaviors, and interaction patterns.

Referencing common objects for comfortable sizing of interface components

Spatial interactions: early user flow excerpt

A Changing Arctic, Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Augmented Learning Tools

Ann Li 2020

Don't be a stranger

If you think I'd be a good fit for your project or team, let's connect.