Aligning people, operations, and technology behind complex products.

Approach

I work best in complex, constraint-heavy environments. I bring structure when things feel unclear, aligning technical realities with operational needs and user experience so teams can move decisions forward.

Let's get in touch

serenakuo@hotmail.com

View Resume

What brings me here

I originally studied education but realized the field was not where I felt most engaged.

Discovering UX thinking changed that. I began exploring UX through a BrainStation bootcamp during the Sketch and InVision era, and later continued my training in the New Media Design and Web Development program at BCIT as the industry shifted toward Adobe XD, where I also participated in several Adobe Creative Jam hackathons.

Today I find myself designing in the Figma and AI era, and the journey of learning and adapting in this field is still continuing.

👩‍🏫

Studying education shaped how I observe people and understand their needs. That perspective continues to influence how I approach products, balancing human behaviour with system constraints.

// Work is always better when I’m surrounded by dogs.

Selected Work

0→1 Product · Public Infrastructure · Mobile × Hardware

Bike Storage System for the City of Burnaby

Integrating digital and physical touchpoints into a city-wide bike storage experience.

Product Redesign · Design System · Ecosystem Design

Refining BlueBox for Reliability and Scalability

Improving reliability across resident, staff, and operational workflows.

HMI Interface · Operational Workflows · Platform Scaling

Scaling Pickup Operations for Retail and Campus Networks

Supporting configurable pickup workflows across retail and campus networks.

Nonprofit Product · Impact Reporting · Responsive Design

Designing for Donor Transparency and Trust

Exploring how transparency and storytelling can strengthen donor trust.

How I approach complex product design

Framing the Problem

I look at where the product sits within its market and operational context. This helps me frame the problem with user needs and real-world constraints in mind.

Structuring Systems and Flows

I turn complex requirements into clear flows and structures. This keeps the product intuitive for users while supporting the operational realities behind it.

Aligning Teams Through Design

I present design decisions in a relatable way to both development teams and non-technical stakeholders, helping teams align on how the product should work.

Staying Close Through Implementation

I stay involved through development and QA to ensure everything works as intended. This helps me catch issues early and maintain quality through to release.

How I think