Xianghan Wang, Jing Yao, Rui Xi

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Xianghan Wang, Jing Yao, Rui Xi ("XWJYRX") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

XWJYRX : We come from diverse but complementary backgrounds—motion design, product design, and engineering—united by a shared passion for human-centered innovation. Xianghan Wang holds a Master’s degree in Integrated Digital Media from NYU and is currently an XR/Motion Designer at Apple. Her work focuses on immersive experiences and spatial computing, often blending culture and technology through motion. Jing Yao is a product designer with a background in fintech and creative agencies. She now works at Klarity Health, where she leverages AI to transform healthcare systems into more intuitive and accessible experiences. Rui Xi studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Berkeley and is a product creator and entrepreneur. He brings a technical and strategic perspective to emotionally resonant consumer products, with one of his past creations reaching over 5 million MAUs. Together, we draw from our interdisciplinary backgrounds to design emotionally intelligent, culturally reflective, and future-forward digital experiences.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

XWJYRX : We are motivated by the belief that design can make the invisible visible—emotions, memories, culture. We became designers because we wanted to build experiences that resonate with people on a deeper level, not just functionally but emotionally and spiritually.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

XWJYRX : t was a clear choice—driven by a desire to combine art, empathy, and impact. Each of us pivoted from different disciplines, but we were drawn to design because it gave us a language to connect with others and shape meaningful futures.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

XWJYRX : We design emotionally intelligent digital experiences—AI companions, immersive wellness tools, and cultural XR narratives. We wish to design more cross-cultural, AI-augmented experiences that support memory, healing, and intergenerational connection.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

XWJYRX : Stay humble, listen deeply, and design from your values. Learn to critique yourself kindly but honestly. Design isn’t about tools—it’s about clarity, courage, and care. Let your work reflect who you are, not just what you can do.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

XWJYRX : A good designer solves problems. A great designer reveals truths. Great designers design with empathy, see the world through systems and stories, and inspire others to feel or think differently.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

XWJYRX : Good design is useful and intuitive. Really good design feels inevitable—like it couldn’t be any other way. It’s emotionally aligned, ethically considered, and culturally aware.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

XWJYRX : Good design improves quality of life. It reduces friction, preserves dignity, and adds emotional richness. It’s not a luxury—it’s a language that shapes how we live, learn, and connect.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

XWJYRX : We’d design tools for people who need support emotionally—interfaces that help preserve memory, support grief, and foster intergenerational storytelling. These voices deserve to be heard, remembered, and celebrated.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

XWJYRX : A multisensory museum that brings lost cultural memories to life through AI and XR—an emotional time capsule where visitors can walk through stories, rituals, and identities across generations.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

XWJYRX : Empathy with follow-through. We don’t just understand emotions—we translate them into form, flow, and feedback.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

XWJYRX : We are especially inspired by Lin Huiyin, a pioneering architect, designer, and poet. Her work represents a rare blend of structural rigor, artistic sensibility, and deep cultural preservation. She broke barriers in a male-dominated field and used design as a way to protect heritage while shaping modern aesthetics—a legacy that continues to guide our own values and vision.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

XWJYRX : We deeply admire the architectural restoration work led by Lin Huiyin, particularly her efforts in preserving historical landmarks like the Temple of Confucius and the Forbidden City’s architectural records. These projects were not only technically precise but also carried immense cultural and emotional weight. Her work reminds us that design is not just about creation—it is also about preservation, storytelling, and care.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

XWJYRX : Livia is our greatest collaboration so far. It’s not just a product—it’s a companion. It merges memory, voice, AI, and emotional well-being in a seamless, meaningful way.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

XWJYRX : Reflect constantly. Make space for solitude. Observe without judging. For us, journaling, reading psychology, and mentoring have all helped sharpen our intuition and ethics.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

XWJYRX : One of us might have become a therapist, another a writer, and another an AI researcher. All of us would still be exploring human behavior and emotion in some form.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

XWJYRX : Design is a form of care. It’s how we shape the invisible forces that influence people’s choices, feelings, and memories.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

XWJYRX : Users. Hearing from someone that our work helped them feel seen or supported has been the biggest motivation.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

XWJYRX : Curiosity, resilience, and emotional discipline. And a willingness to unlearn as much as we learn.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

XWJYRX : Navigating uncertainty, learning to self-advocate, and bridging cultural or language gaps in design thinking.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

XWJYRX : Not just as outcomes—but as processes, stories, and values. Let people see not just what you made, but why and how.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

XWJYRX : We’re expanding Livia into AR environments that let users walk through their memories. We're also prototyping grief-support tools rooted in cultural rituals.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

XWJYRX : To build emotional infrastructure—to design not just for utility, but for healing, remembering, and reconnecting.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

XWJYRX : To balance innovation with responsibility. To listen deeply. And to act not only with vision, but with integrity.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

XWJYRX : Design can dignify lives, surface hidden voices, and heal invisible wounds. When done with care, it becomes a civic act.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

XWJYRX : We’re developing a memory-based AR experience and a companion grief-support toolkit. Both blend technology with culture, ritual, and emotion.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

XWJYRX : Projects that deal with memory, loss, or identity. Because they require emotional courage—and offer emotional return.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

XWJYRX : More cross-cultural sensitivity, slower design cycles, and funding models that support emotional or social impact—not just monetization.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

XWJYRX : Toward emotional intelligence, biocentric systems, and memory-aware interfaces. Design is moving from screen to space, from interaction to presence.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

XWJYRX : From weeks to years—it depends on the emotional depth, not just scope. We iterate until the intention is clear and the experience feels whole.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

XWJYRX : ?We start with a feeling. Then we map the emotional journey, identify user needs, and align on cultural context.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

XWJYRX : Design with care. Lead with clarity. Finish with purpose.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

XWJYRX : Visionary design sets trends. But ethical design resists trends. We try to ask: “What will still matter in ten years?”

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

XWJYRX : Technology is our medium, not our driver. It enables—but it’s our values that shape what and why we build.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

XWJYRX : Figma, After Effects, Unity, Blender, Notion, and custom AI prototyping tools. Plus sketchbooks and whiteboards for grounding ideas.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

XWJYRX : They form the emotional language of a space or interface. We use them to guide mood, memory, and meaning.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

XWJYRX : We hope people ask, “What problem does this design solve?” It’s one of the most meaningful questions because it shifts the focus from surface aesthetics to purpose. Behind every visual or interaction decision, we aim to address a real emotional, cultural, or usability need. Design, for us, is always about intention.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

XWJYRX : “How did they get there?” We reverse-engineer the intention and imagine the team’s process.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

XWJYRX : Each other—and yes, deeply. Co-design creates richer, more layered results. It allows friction to become insight.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

XWJYRX : Our mentors, thoughtful users, and collaborators from other fields—psychologists, educators, cultural historians.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

XWJYRX : Two books that have deeply influenced our design thinking are The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin and Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. The Three-Body Problem expands our sense of scale, time, and technological imagination. It encourages us to think beyond the immediate interface and consider design in the context of civilization, uncertainty, and the unknown. Sapiens reminds us that all design exists within human narratives—our myths, tools, and systems of meaning. It grounds our creative decisions in history, anthropology, and the psychological roots of human behavior. Together, these books push us to design with both cosmic imagination and human insight.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

XWJYRX : Through deliberate practice, reflection, collaboration, and building real things for real people.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

XWJYRX : We would love to meet and talk with Li Bai, the legendary Chinese poet. His ability to express emotion, imagination, and transcendence through language continues to inspire generations. As designers, we’re fascinated by how his poetry evokes space, movement, and feeling—qualities we also strive to capture in our immersive and emotional experiences. A conversation with him would be a journey through beauty, rhythm, and the timeless human spirit.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

XWJYRX : Grateful—but we don’t design for fame. Awards help amplify our message, but what matters most is the lives we touch.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

XWJYRX : Our favorite color is black—timeless, understated, and full of potential. Our favorite place is Los Angeles, a city where ocean, desert, snow-capped mountains, and forests coexist. It’s a place of contrasts and creativity, which fuels our design thinking. Favorite brand: Apple—for its commitment to design excellence, innovation, and emotional clarity.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

XWJYRX : During early testing for one of our emotionally aware AI projects, we accidentally triggered a bug where the AI started enthusiastically reflecting on the wrong user’s diary entries in a live demo. It confused two testers and began recalling memories that weren’t theirs—resulting in a mix of awkward laughter and panic on our side. While it was a bit embarrassing at the time, it reminded us how powerful—and delicate—designing for memory and emotion can be. Ever since, we triple-check context tracking in anything remotely personalized!

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

XWJYRX : When a user says “I feel understood”—that’s everything. We also keep daily journals and inspire each other with small moments of joy.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

XWJYRX : We were always observing, sketching, organizing, or building—even if we didn’t yet call it design. The desire to shape the world was always there.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

XWJYRX : We hope design will be more symbiotic—with nature, memory, and collective emotion. Perhaps the best designs will be invisible: intuitive, kind, and regenerative.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

XWJYRX : We design with heart. Every detail you see was made with care, and every story you interact with holds a piece of something real. Thank you for feeling it.