Hi, I’m Ken — a UX/UI Designer & Front-End Developer currently studying at the Wilson School of Design.
I create human-centered digital experiences shaped by over a decade of teaching design at the high school level and storytelling through my work as a freelance wedding and portrait photographer.
Design Bubble – UI / UX Concept
As a former design studies teacher, I saw firsthand how students often struggled to find high-quality, engaging resources tailored for design education. This inspired me to create Design Bubble — a concept for a web-based encyclopedia that curates the best content from across the internet for learners exploring design topics.
My process was guided by Jesse James Garrett’s Five Planes of UX. I began by identifying user needs and goals, then defined the necessary scope of features and content. From there, I developed structured user flows, followed by the interface and the visual design — to bring the platform to life.
Memory Express – Responsive Redesign
I was inspired to redesign the e-commerce website for Memory Express because I have invited my less technology savy friends and family to try them. In the end, many of them end up going back to big box stores like Best Buy. I wondered if it was because the website for this store seems out dated, and doesn’t follow modern responsive standards.
My Story
After earning my BFA in 2008, I looked at the mountain of challenges I’d need to overcome to start a creative career in Edmonton, AB. I told myself the odds were slim — so I made a practical choice. I pursued teaching, a path that offered structure, stability, and purpose.
I spent 14 years as a high school educator, mentoring students in graphic design, photography, and communication technology. I worked hard to create a classroom that was fun, inclusive, and creatively empowering. Seeing my students take risks, grow in confidence, and pursue their creative careers was deeply fulfilling. But every time one of them took that leap of faith, I felt a quiet reminder: I still had unfinished business with design. I had encouraged others to follow their dreams, while quietly shelving my own in the name of safety.
In 2024, a pivotal conversation with my dad changed everything. He reminded me how, when he immigrated to Canada in 1987, he gave up a steady engineering job in Hong Kong to work in a factory and support our family — all at the age of 38. “It’s never too late to change,” he said. Those words struck me. Here I was, hesitant to take a chance on myself, when my parents had moved across the world with nothing but hope and two young children in tow.
I realized I’d spent over a decade helping others pursue their dreams — but hadn’t given myself that same permission. So I finally did it: I left my career, moved to Vancouver, and enrolled full-time in the Front-End Development for Interactive Applications program at the Wilson School of Design. This is my second chance — and I’m all in.
What surprised me most is how well my background in teaching translates into design. Years of breaking down complex ideas for students now helps me approach UX problems methodically and with empathy. I’ve grown a lot as a designer in the past year, and I’ve never felt more energized.
One of my favorite projects so far has been redesigning the Memory Express e-commerce experience. I began with user interviews and usability testing, translated insights into personas and user flows, and built a responsive, mobile-first prototype in Figma using auto layout, variables, and components. I’m now developing the live site in WordPress, which I configured from the ground up on my own hosting environment.
For me, UX is a natural extension of what I loved most about teaching: helping people feel seen, understood, and empowered to take action. A former student recently reached out to say that our time together “changed the trajectory of her life.” That message reminded me exactly why I do what I do.
