SIYUAN TU

ux researcher, designer, & strategist










PRACTICE & PEDAGOGY



AS AN ENGINEER-TURNED-DESIGNER, I'M PERPETUALLY LEARNING ACROSS DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES TO SHAPE THE WAY I UNDERSTAND PROBLEMS AND FORMULATE IDEAS.

Case Study: Draper

 For the capstone project at Carnegie Mellon, I capitalized on both my academic and work experience to create a framework and a prototype for co-adaptive interactions. Read more.  

Flue Damper Control Redesign, CMU, 2016

Whiskey Sour Poster, 2015

Homebrew Poster, 2015

Texas Climbing Poster, 2015

Allegheny National Forest Dashboard, CMU, 2016

Year One Infographic, 2013

Mobile Application Developer Academy, MicroStrategy, 2014

Big Red Hacks (Newbie Prize), 2015

FastCo + Target Retail Accelerator (Finalist), 2013

Clienteling Application, MicroStrategy, 2014

DATA & DESIGN



DESIGNERS WANT BEAUTIFUL VISUALIZATIONS; ANALYSTS WANT STRAIGHTFORWARD DATA. I SEE THE NEED FOR BOTH.


Case Study: MicroStrategy

 As a mobile advisor for an enterprise analytics software company, I’ve talked to clients across diverse industries with disparate needs. I designed analytics apps for different industries, devices, and varying contexts of use. I solve a pervasive problem: how do we make meaning out of data? Read more.  

PRESENT & FUTURE



DESIGNING FOR EXISTING TECHNOLOGY IS CONSTRAINED BY POWER AND SPEED. DESIGNING FOR A FUTURE OF WICKED PROBLEMS NEEDS A SYSTEMATIC WAY FORWARD. BY IMAGINING A DESIRED FUTURE, I CAN IMPART A THOUGHTFUL VISION AND CARVE OUT A ROLE IN CREATING THIS FUTURE.


Case Study: Wisp

 In a world of personal information overload, an ephemeral IoT-based interaction can be touching, elegant, and impactful. I designed Wisp, an in-car experience to create momentary connections between travelers on road trips. Read more.  

Memento: Ubiquitous Stories for Cemeteries, CMU, 2016

Project Veritidas: Exploring Inflatable Structures for Life on Mars, CMU, 2016

Game Design (SCIPR Lab), CMU, 2016

Kinetic Typography, CMU, 2015

Lasercuts, 2015 (Details soon)

T-shirt design, 2014

T-shirt design, 2016

Hand-cut greeting cards (Details soon)

DIGITAL & TANGIBLE



DIGITAL DESIGN IS PIXEL-PERFECT & ELEGANT. BUT TANGIBLE DESIGN LEAVES ROOM FOR MISTAKES: CREASES IN THE PAPER, UNEVEN CUTS, MISFORMED PRINTS. I LIKE TO MAKE THINGS THAT SPAN BOTH.


Case Study: Chromatic Boxes

 We often leave the multi-facted qualities of objects go unexplored. To take advantage of other senses, I created a simple musical device to make music-learning easier for the visually-impaired. Read more.  






WORK & PLAY

I've just completed a Masters in human-computer interaction by way of operations research engineering, with a foray into software consulting/UX design.

I believe that everything created by humans is designed (sometimes unintentionally), and they can almost always be designed better.

I've learned that at its core, human-computer interaction should facilitate human-human interaction. Technology should ground us in the people and the environment around us.

I want to use my experience to create change responsibly.

LinkedIn
I document my work and life with photography—not without the awareness that it takes me outside of the moment I want to be in. I often think about the digital externalization of memory, the ephemerality of life without it, and the role it plays in living with intention.

When I'm not working in front of a screen, I'm probably climbing (and failing at it).

I believe in traveling far and often...particularly towards mountains and oceans. Experiences outside of our own never fail to grow our perspectives.