By: Ellison Blake

In this age of information explosion, interaction designers play a crucial role. They are not just bridges between technology and users but also artists creating delightful user experiences. Mianying Chen’s story is one of transformation from an ordinary student to an interaction designer at Microsoft, marking an inspiring journey of both chasing dreams and profound self-discovery.

Academic and Career Journey

Chen’s academic journey began at the Shanghai Publishing and Printing College, majoring in Digital Publishing. It was there that he first delved into Digital Magazine Design, igniting a strong interest in Interaction Design. His academic trajectory leaped forward with the continued study in Advertising at USST (University of Shanghai for Science and Technology), where he learned, despite a passion for artistic expression, he valued the long-term impact brought to the user through user experience and interaction design over the glamour of the advertising industry. Therefore, after graduating from USST, Chen joined the Data Visualization Lab at Shanghai University, focusing on data visualization and visual product design related to people’s everyday lives. Collaborating with his team, their works “Traceability” and “Image Measurement” won numerous awards and exhibition opportunities, ultimately leading to Chen’s admission to New York University’s Integrated Digital Media graduate program, marking a splendid transition in his academic journey.

After completing his graduate studies, Chen worked as a UX designer at Siemens Healthcare and SAP and currently holds a product designer position at Microsoft, dedicated to experience design and development for AI and cloud products.

Chen’s Design Career

Chen’s career began at the Data Visualization Lab of Shanghai University, where a series of innovative projects showcased his extraordinary talent in data visualization and user experience design. Not only focusing on advanced technological applications, Chen and his team also aimed for a higher mission of serving society, the environment, and cultural preservation.

Through projects like “Traceability” and “Image Measurement,” he cleverly transformed complex data into intuitive and easily understandable visual language, deepening public understanding and attention to environmental pollution and cultural heritage preservation.

In “Traceability,” Chen, as the lead designer, utilized cutting-edge data visualization technology to vividly present environmental data, significantly enhancing public awareness and engagement with environmental issues. His design not only made environmental data easily comprehensible but also sparked public enthusiasm and action for environmental protection. The project’s success also earned lab awards, such as the 2017 Alibaba Tianchi Visualization Competition and a top 10 global ranking in the Shanghai Soda Big Data Competition.

Another project, “Image Measurement,” showcased an example of cultural preservation. Based on the classic Tibetan Thangka standard document “Image Measurement Sutra,” Chen used data visualization technology to present Tibetan Buddhist art in an innovative way to the world. This project not only allowed users to experience the process of Thangka creation firsthand but also demonstrated his ability to integrate traditional culture with modern technology, as well as his profound insights into heritage preservation and promotion. Displayed at multiple exhibitions, including the Wenzhou Biennial, China Digital Visualization Conference, and San Francisco Cross-Boundary Art Exhibition, these projects not only laid the foundation for Chen’s career in interaction design but, more importantly, demonstrated his profound insight into using technology to address societal, environmental, and cultural issues.

Through these works, Chen not only made practical contributions to environmental and cultural preservation but also established his unique understanding and approach to interaction design.

Combining Artificial Intelligence and Product Design

After graduating from New York University, Chen embarked on his career journey at Siemens Healthineers, where he gained deep insights into the application of AI design in the healthcare industry, particularly in assisting radiologists in reading patient imaging data, significantly improving the work efficiency of healthcare workers.

Chen’s experience at Siemens Healthineers made him realize that the true value of AI in experience design lies in assisting rather than replacing humans, enabling professionals to work more effectively and efficiently. Transitioning to his designer role at SAP, Chen immersed himself in the experience design of conversational AI. He focused on building dialogue flow and AI voice design systems, allowing SAP to quickly build diverse dialogue systems to meet customer needs, significantly improving customers’ daily work efficiency.

Currently, at Microsoft, a global leader in the field of AI and technologies, Chen serves as a product designer for its Cloud and AI products. Drawing from valuable experiences at Siemens and SAP, Chen is dedicated to exploring how to integrate AI with cloud computing, aiming to further reduce the learning costs for the general public to use cloud technology for entrepreneurship and work and further improve the daily work and life efficiency of the public. In this process, Chen continuously pushes the boundaries of technology, aiming to serve society through innovative design.

Chen stands out in the design industry for his innovative approach to AI product design. His designs not only look appealing but offer personalized interactions based on anticipatory AI algorithms. With a deep understanding of human needs, Chen crafts intuitive AI solutions that resonate with the end user. Employing human-centered design principles, he ensures the AI products he designs are technically advanced yet empathetic. Chen’s ability to merge AI tech with user experience sets new standards in the field, leading to an age where design plays a crucially positive role in how people interact with advanced technologies.

As an interaction designer, Chen’s story inspires everyone, serving as a reminder that maintaining core values beneficial to society and a deep understanding of technology is key to success for every technology worker and designer. Ultimately, Chen’s journey is not just a reflection of personal growth but also a microcosm of the development of the field of interaction design. His story inspires everyone that, regardless of the starting point of their career, through relentless efforts and commitment to contributing to society, everyone can find their place in the information age and leave a unique mark.

Published By: Aize Perez