Hello

i'm owen— a designer, technologist, researcher, and AI Super User with the know-how to research a problem, design the product, and build it well enough to put in someone's hands — and right now an MS student in Engineering Design Innovation at Northwestern.

currently exploring UX, product design, and HCI — across healthcare and human-centered services.
see my work ↓

approach point of view · two vignettes

I design the handoffs — the moments a person is passed from one system, role, or place to another, and quietly dropped.

I found it by accident. At Beijing Ai-Robotics I surveyed 103 rehabilitation patients expecting complaints about the hardware. The hardware was fine. The whole problem lived in one unmanaged moment — the day the device went home and a family member inherited a therapist's job. I've been looking for that moment in every project since.

vignette 01 · applied science / r&d

The hardware was fine.

AiWalker · Beijing Ai-Robotics · 2025

the context

I joined an exoskeleton company to study the device, and surveyed 103 patients across regions expecting complaints about weight, battery and price.

my take

None of that was it. When a capability doesn't reach people the science is usually fine — nobody designed the moment it changes hands.

how i work

Benchmark before committing. Then draw it: a blueprint on one page ends an argument faster than a deck, because people can point at where they disagree.

“The product didn't fail. The handoff did.”

read the case study →

vignette 02 · health ux / ui

Design for the worst morning, not the demo.

Dosage-Pal · medication management for elderly users

the context

Dosage-Pal manages medication for elderly users. The person using it is tired, often frightened of getting it wrong, and did not choose to become a user.

my take

Accessibility isn't a pass at the end. Low vision, tremor, panic, one free hand — in health that isn't the edge of the distribution, it's the middle.

how i work

Research, wireframe, prototype, test. I design the worst morning first; the happy path takes care of itself. It never works the other way round.

“Health software is used by people who never chose to be users, on their worst day.”

read the case study →
skills in order of relevance / proficiency

Product Design

  • Figma
  • Framer
  • Interaction Design
  • Prototyping

UX Research

  • User Interviews
  • Usability Testing
  • Journey Mapping

AI Development

  • LLM APIs
  • RAG
  • AI Agents
  • Claude Code
  • Cursor

Full-Stack

  • TypeScript
  • React
  • Next.js
  • Python

Creative & Physical

  • p5.js
  • Three.js
  • TouchDesigner
  • Arduino
  • Raspberry Pi

3D & Real-Time

  • Unity
  • Blender
  • Rhino
  • Grasshopper

Languages

  • Chinese
  • Japanese
  • English
about product design · ux/ui · ai
Owen Chen
owen chen · 2026

I'm a product designer working across UX/UI and product management, focused on handoffs — the moments a person is passed between systems, roles, or places and quietly dropped. Most of that work sits in healthcare and other regulated, high-stakes services, where getting the moment wrong has real consequences.

I'm an AI Super User. I don't only design with LLMs, I build with them — prototyping interfaces, synthesizing research, and shipping working code — so I can carry an idea from research to something testable without waiting on a handoff of my own.

I grew up across Japan, China, and the United States. That's probably why I keep noticing what doesn't survive a transfer.

This site is hand-built in HTML, CSS and JavaScript, with Claude Code and OpenAI Codex as coding partners — I lead the direction and review every iteration.

currently
MS, Engineering Design Innovation · Northwestern
focus
UX/UI · Product Design · Product Management · HCI
domains
Healthcare & human-centered services
resume experience · education

Shoucheng (Owen) Chen

Designer & technologist · Northwestern EDI

owenchisan@gmail.com  ·  +1 929-620-4511

education

Northwestern University · McCormick School of Engineering

Sep 2026 — Sep 2028

MS, Engineering Design Innovation · Chicago, IL · Current

Parsons School of Design

Aug 2022 — May 2026

BFA, Design & Technology · New York, NY · GPA 3.93

work experience

BYD Auto Co., Ltd.

Jun 2026 — Aug 2026

Product & Customer Experience Intern

  • Managed customer experience across the Ocean, Denza, Yangwang, and Fangchengbao brands throughout the pre-sales, delivery, and after-sales stages.
  • Conducted 50+ customer interviews and surveys, producing 3 research reports to support product improvements.
  • Identified delivery pain points, driving service optimization and supporting product refinement and regional marketing.

AI-robotics Technology Co., Ltd

Jun 2025 — Aug 2025

Product Service Design Assistant · Beijing, China

  • Published user survey questionnaires and collected backend feedback from 103 users across different regions.
  • Managed the UI and error reporting for the company's main site — resolving bugs and testing UX logic.
  • Conducted competitive research on 20+ comparable rehabilitation devices and enterprises while promoting client products.

IKEA China

Jun 2024 — Jul 2024

Visual Merchandising Team Intern

  • Supported the Visual Merchandising Team by collecting and organizing 120+ pieces of materials and reference data for vignette exhibitions.
  • Built 15+ detailed 3D Nordic-style kitchen furniture layout models in SketchUp.
  • Provided face-to-face seasonal informational support to 40+ customers about area discounts and promotions.

XAUAT · Robotic & CNC Fabrication Laboratory

Sep 2023 — Sep 2024

3D Parametric Product Design Intern · Xi'an, China

  • Collaborated with faculty and students to design (Rhinoceros) and print 20+ cat shelters for stray cats in the city.
  • Participated in long-term market research exploring the commercial potential of large-scale parametric spatial installations.
  • Co-developed user-centered 3D-printed spatial installations using industrial robotic arms; optimized spatial experience and structural integrity.

Brokencigs

Sep 2023 — Mar 2024

Game Design Intern · New York, NY

  • Designed 3–5 level storylines for the game's virtual environment, providing creative continuity.
  • Conducted 10+ beta tests to ensure smooth UI functionality and seamless progression.

Shanghai E-pub 360

May 2023 — Aug 2023

HTML-5 / Midjourney User Experience Design

  • Generated multiple mainstream-related interactive media short videos using Midjourney via WeChat Mini Programs.
  • Designed a series of wedding-attire change templates themed around traditional Chinese festivals — Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn, and Dragon Boat Festival.
relevant projects

Behavioral Design on Global Consumer Goods — Procter & Gamble

Present
  • Designing a product concept and behavioral strategy to shift a household air-care product from reactive to proactive use.
  • Leading user research and usage-journey mapping to identify behavioral triggers and barriers, translating insights into concept prototypes.

Clean AI Energy Deployment Strategy — Guzman Energy

Present
  • Designing strategies to accelerate clean energy asset deployment and remove real-world barriers to decarbonization.
  • Applying human-centered design methods alongside MBA and engineering peers to shape business strategy.

Kellogg Abrams Climate Academy

Jul 2026 — Present

Research Fellow

  • Selected for the competitive Abrams Climate Academy Fellowship, working with local US enterprises such as Guzman Energy.
  • Collaborating with Kellogg, McCormick, and industry mentors to translate climate innovation into practical business and sustainability strategies.

Royal College of Art (RCA) — "Immersive Acts" Symposium

Dec 2025 — Feb 2026

Keynote Speaker · London

  • Designed core 3D environments for "Insight Realm," an XR prototype peer-reviewed and selected for the RCA symposium.
  • Externalized psychological states like perceptual bias into navigable spatial environments ("Perceptual Self Box"), built with Team Echo Studio.

MIT Reality Hack 2025

Jan 2025

Volunteer

  • Managed distribution and guidance on Apple Vision Pro headsets; offered technical support for Unity, Maya, and Unreal.
  • Coordinated event logistics — scheduling, meeting setups, and operational matters — and provided support to participants.

Korea – Japan Youth Conference

Jul 2021 — Aug 2022

Organizer · Tokyo

  • Fostered thought-evoking dialogues between ~100 young people from Korea, China, and Japan, addressing contemporary issues stemming from historical conflicts.
  • Organized and facilitated online and in-person events in Tokyo.