Christie
Shen
Product Designer, Artist, Floral Enthusiast
My interest in UX and product design started with the urge to improve accessibility considerations in museums and gallery spaces.
In my undergrad, I was in nanotech engineering before switching into fine arts. Since then, I've been pursuing opportunities in the arts including public programming, arts education, and residencies. I've also had the joy of creating public art so if you're ever in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, you might see some of my stuff around!
In my personal practice, I want to make work that makes people feel things when they see it, and I hope to continue this through my UX career. My dream is to be able to combine my traditional art background with my design interests and goals to make public spaces and digital experiences more functional and inclusive. Whether it be through art installations or the design of a new digital product, I want to create things that are meaningful to people.
Outside of art and design, you can find me crying over K-dramas, attempting to bake, and currently rediscovering my love for Stardew Valley. I'm also extremely passionate about mangoes (and other food).
Twitter Bookmarks Redesign
As an avid Twitter user with a tendency to forget or miss interesting things, the option to bookmark or save the posts I see on my timeline is always a crucial feature for me. However, without an organization system, trying to find a bookmarked tweet becomes an endless void of scrolling until you either a) find what you need, b) give up, or c) continue scrolling until you wither away as the years pass by.
This solo project explores what a redesign of Twitter's Bookmarking feature might look like. The intention was to improve bookmarking organization and functionality to improve navigation and discoverability. By adding an independent search option and dividing bookmarks into categories, users are able to easily find what they're looking for.
Bonus: I designed a 'Gallery' feature for user profile pages. Users are able to showcase their top posts or work for better visibility.
The ROM-Mate: A Digital Docent
When there's so much to see in a museum, where do you start?
Working with our industry partner, the Royal Ontario Museum, we developed a digital product meant to extend the museum experience and make it more memorable, especially after the visit. The ROM-mate is a companion guide to enhance the in-person experience while at the museum. Like a personal docent, this mobile app weaves museum artifacts into a cohesive narrative, leading visitors through what's on display through storytelling.
As part of a team, my main responsibilities were user research and testing, ideation/conceptualization, and prototype design.
