Design Philosophy

I design from the real. I keep what’s real, using limits to define form. If beauty shows up, it’s because the thing works. Value should be discovered in the hand and over time. I treat software and electronics as craft, not magic.

Resume

Yiyang Zhang

Summary

Interaction Design student specializing in prototyping and user testing. I build Arduino/web prototypes and document decisions to drive iteration.

Skills

  • Design: user research, usability testing, wireframing, prototyping
  • Technical: Arduino (sensors/I-O), HTML/CSS, basic JavaScript
  • Workflow: scoping, versioning, build docs, test planning
  • Tools: Figma; Photoshop/Illustrator/After Effects/Premiere Pro; TouchDesigner; Cinema4D; XD; WordPress; Spark AR; Spline; Arduino IDE; VS Code

Education

Honours Bachelor of Interaction Design — Sheridan College • Sept 2024 – Expected Apr 2028 • GPA: 3.7

Certifications & Training

Experience

IXD Designer (2023–Present)

  • Prototyped interaction concepts and built web/Arduino demos; integrated sensors and UI flows into working installations.
  • Scoped requirements and system integration; maintained versioned build docs, test checklists, and handoff notes.
  • Created music-interaction experiments and environmental coordination pieces for showcases.

Drone Photographer (2021–Present)

  • Captured aerial footage and stills; delivered edited videos and photos for events and promos.
  • Managed on-site logistics and post-production workflows; coordinated with clients and venues.

Music Producer & Composer (2019–Present)

  • Wrote and arranged 36 original tracks across 7 self-released albums; handled end-to-end production from composition to basic mastering.
  • Published on Spotify and other streaming platforms; provided original cues for student projects and interaction demos.

Volunteer Work

Video Creator — Nanjing University High School, China (2018–2021)

  • Shot news photos, short videos, and drone footage for the school and its affiliated middle schools.
  • Produced and released a Teachers’ Day short film; led editing and post-production.
  • Supported multiple promotional shoots; coordinated schedules and on-site direction.

Projects

Languages

English; Chinese (Mandarin)

More Work — quick jumps

Case Study — Making Data Use Visible

Context

People rarely know what happens to their content once it's shared. My role was to translate privacy language into an interface that feels direct, visual, and easy to act on.

Approach

  • Designed mobile-first screens that stay readable on small devices.
  • Kept interactions lightweight, fast, and accessible without extra libraries.
  • Mapped a simple story: Collect → Process → Control.

Design Moves

  • Used progressive disclosure to reduce overload.
  • High-contrast typography and direct labels instead of abstract icons.
  • No hidden or sticky UI that blocks screen readers.

Validation

  • Test prompt: "Show me what happens to your story after you post."
  • Clearer answers from users, fewer wrong taps, more confidence in flow.

Impact & Next Steps

  • Improved comprehension of data movement inside the app.
  • Future additions: a plain-language glossary and a "download my data" path.