By: Katherine Watkins
San Francisco, CA – Yu Tong Tiffany Ling is an accomplished Product Designer who has made notable strides in UX/UI design, product strategy, and visual communication. With a career spanning multiple industries, including AI, workforce analytics, smart home applications, and e-commerce, Ling has established herself as a creative professional who often blends technology with user-centered design. Her award-winning project, XYG Window, demonstrates this synergy by merging traditional Chinese aesthetics with modern interface design.
Ling’s design career is built on a solid foundation of education and industry experience. She holds a Master’s degree in Integrated Innovation for Products and Services from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design from Parsons School of Design. Her expertise spans user research, interface prototyping, and branding, making her a highly capable leader in digital product design.
Currently, Ling serves as the Lead UI/UX Designer at DataPizza, where she has played a key role in the creation of a custom video data labeling platform for Adobe Firefly. By integrating a human-model-in-the-loop approach with ChatGPT API, she reportedly increased labeling accuracy from 70% to over 90%, surpassing many previous industry solutions. At GoodCompany, she directed workforce analytics and career platform design, contributing to the securing of three rounds of funding. Additionally, as the Lead Product Designer at MathGPTPro, she helped achieve a 47% increase in product usage, highlighting her impact on user engagement and business growth.
Beyond startups, Ling has also worked with major corporations such as CGI and Alibaba Group, leading initiatives like the design of a Progressive Web App for Southern Company, which reportedly enhanced operational efficiency by 25%, and the development of 3D fashion interfaces and AR features for Taobao, which were noted to improve online shopping satisfaction significantly. Her ability to optimize product experiences through both user research and technical design tools positions her as a respected figure in the UX industry.
Among Ling’s many contributions to the design world, her award-winning project, XYG Window, is particularly noteworthy for its thoughtful integration of traditional Chinese artistry with contemporary visual communication. Recognized with the Red Dot Design Award in 2023, XYG Window serves as the visual identity for XYG Studio, a creative agency that values both innovation and heritage.
Inspired by the ancient literati aesthetic, Ling sought to capture the elegance of traditional seal script and the architectural beauty of Suzhou’s classical gardens. By deconstructing the studio founder’s name and reconstructing it in seal script style, the resulting design aims to embody both historical reverence and modern minimalism. This careful balance between past and present is a defining feature of Ling’s work.
Beyond a striking visual identity, XYG Window extends its artistic philosophy to interactive elements. The website’s homepage navigation leverages the interplay between yin and yang spaces, turning the negative space left by the logo into functional interface components. This unique approach is designed to enhance the user experience by creating a dynamic yet intuitive way to explore the site.
The project’s development was guided by precision and mathematical harmony, incorporating the Fibonacci sequence and grid systems to refine the brand’s structure. Ling also curated a sophisticated color palette featuring traditional Chinese shades—“gangqing” (steel blue, R20, G35, B52) and “zaohong” (purplish red, R124, G24, B35)—which help reinforce the design’s cultural authenticity.
To further embed the brand into tangible experiences, Ling expanded XYG Window beyond digital design. The project includes an array of physical products, such as bloodstone seals, eco-bags, and business cards, ensuring that the studio’s branding extends seamlessly from the digital world to real-world interactions. This multi-faceted approach reflects Ling’s belief that design should not only capture attention but also tell a story—a philosophy deeply rooted in traditional Chinese art.
Yu Tong Tiffany Ling’s work on XYG Window illustrates her ability to weave historical elements into contemporary design, creating products that are not only aesthetically compelling but also deeply meaningful. As a product designer, she continues to explore the boundaries of UX/UI innovation, ensuring that each project she touches strives to enhance user experience while maintaining cultural integrity.
With her broad skill set and strategic mindset, Ling is poised to leave a significant impact on the design industry, suggesting that technology and tradition can indeed coexist harmoniously. As she continues to evolve as a designer and leader, the industry eagerly anticipates her next groundbreaking project.
Published by Drake M.
