Alan Wu

A multidisciplinary researcher, designer, and strategist passionate about the evolving intersections of human-computer interaction (HCI), artificial intelligence (AI), and extended reality (XR). I thrive at the intersection of emerging technology and human-centered experience, driven by collaborative innovation that enhances usability, fosters creativity, and empowers meaningful self-expression through thoughtful design solutions.

📚 Research Skills

User Interview
User Survey
Thematic Analysis
Ethnographic Study
Wizard-of-Oz Study
Particitory Design
Co-create Workshop
Usability Evaluation
Statistic Analysis
Work Snap

Driven by a deep curiosity about how humans interact with technology and their environments, I bring a strong foundation in spatial thinking, user-centered design, and interaction principles to every project. My work blends visual storytelling with rigorous UX research and strategic insight, creating intuitive interfaces and experiences that are both functional and meaningful for users.

🎨 Design Skills

Design System
User Persona
User Journey Map
User Storyboard
Design Thinking
Prototyping
Wireframing
Interaction Design
Responsive Design
Figma
Adobe PS / AI / ID

Selected Projects

UMJoin

A UX design project addresses critical commuting challenges within the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor community. By conducting a rigorous context inquiry, including user persona development, story mapping, and user journey, I identified key pain points regarding safety and accessibility. The resulting solution is a university-backed ride-share platform designed to prioritize passenger and driver security while fostering deeper engagement across the campus ecosystem.

UX Design Project

Cool Cook

A UX design srpint for IBM iX + Adobe Design Jam. I led a team of three to design an energy-aware cooking app targeting college students. Instead of addressing broad climate statistics, we focused on micro-habits, creating a prototype that tracks real-time kitchen energy usage and provides personalized efficiency tips. The project was highly successful, earning our team a Top 10 ranking out of 60+ north American competitors.

UX Design Sprint

Robot Mining Game Insights

An interactive visualization aims to help users understand the process and outcomes of the Robot Mining Game, where two teams compete to acquire robots through bidding, with each robot having unique reporting times and social networks. These factors influence team access to subsequent robots over time. This project utilizes various visualization techniques to effectively present quantitative, qualitative, hierarchical, network, and time-series data.

Data Exploration Dashboard

GDP and the Olympics

An interactive visualization explores the link between GDP and Olympic performance using Segal and Heer’s “Martini Glass” structure, blending guided storytelling with customizable data exploration.

Communicative Visualization

About Me

I explore the intersections of design, technology, and human experience through research, creativity, and hands-on experimentation. Whether I'm designing intuitive interfaces, prototyping with AI and XR, or capturing moments through photography and music, I’m driven by curiosity and a desire to make ideas tangible. My work is shaped by a passion for artful problem-solving and the belief that great design emerges from deep empathy and playful exploration.

🛠️ AI | Development Skills

Python
MCP / MCP App
Agent Skills
RAG
Prompt Engineering
Harness Engineering
HTML / CSS / JavaScript
React.js / Vue.js
Three.js / A-Frame
Git
Docker
AWS