Mobile, Web, to Immersive Interactions

Starting as an interaction designer and developer, I've contributed to projects of varying scales, from small to large websites, throughout my career. My design philosophy revolves around meticulous information organization, intricate micro-interactions, and strategic color coding. Transitioning from an individual contributor to a director, I've prioritized crafting and enhancing efficient processes that foster seamless communication among designers, business stakeholders, and engineering teams. For instance at Uzabase, I translated abstract business concepts into tangible prototypes to facilitate smooth proof-of-concept phases. Subsequently, as a product director, while remaining hands-on with design due to the small team size, I also focused on gathering client feedback and developing processes for prioritization and scoping within the team.

View the full section on web apps

2022 - Current

Uzabase (Edge)

B2B Intelligence Platform

• From Abstract Concept to MVP: As the founding designer of the project, I transformed an abstract business idea into a series of tangible prototypes. This process was instrumental in refining the product to achieve optimal product-market fit.
• Design system: In order to speed up the POC phase, I organized reusable components into a design system.
• Refining Dev-Design Communication: Initially building a prototype in React app to expedite initial design discussions, then we transitioned into a standard design process as the team expanded.
• Shaping Product through Feedback: Engaged in sales and customer success discussions to gather feedback, subsequently collaborating with the team to prioritize and integrate it into our product roadmap.

I contributed with product planning as a Sr. Director of Product Design at Uzabase's Edge project

2022 - 2024

TNM

Media for the new generation

• UIUX Design: Explore the company's branding on its web presence, crafting development-ready designs.
• Exploratory design: Innovate interactions to reflect the brand and content. With the exploration, prototypes were made and tested using user testing websites.

For TNM, the interactive prototypes were made to communicate design detail options with different teams.

2016

PLEY

Customer feedback management system

• Feedback Trend Tracker: The combination of line charts and bar charts for average customer feedback score by categories at each store location. The system incorporates alerts on declining trends, triggering notifications to regional managers for timely intervention.
• Store Feedback Ranking: A straightforward yet impactful bar chart that ranks store locations based on feedback. The prototype was created using a blend of vanilla JavaScript and jQuery, allowing for more realistic user experience explorations.
• Product design for a POC: Developed screen designs for business owners and investors to refine the business strategy.
• Creating a Coded Prototype: Crafted a prototype using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (Angular and jQuery) for UX refinements and clearer explanation of the vision.

View project detail

UI Designs for PLEY: Developed UI designs for PLEY, a Customer Feedback Management System. These designs were then translated into a basic front-end coded interactive prototype to facilitate further UX improvements.

Inspired by cutting-edge architectural concepts that seamlessly integrated digital interfaces, one of my early projects involved designing and managing digital product projects within physical spaces, such as kiosks and digital walls equipped with touchscreens. Unlike the standardized  mobile or personal computer devices, these projects posed unique challenges from their various sizes, environmental contexts, and absence of established design standards. Moreover, as users often relied on their mobile devices for practical functions, I embraced the opportunity to explore design avenues that prioritized delight over mere functionality, aiming for unexpected effects that would captivate and enchant users. As a result, many designs had to be experimental, which challenged me to navigate the design process to align with schedules and budgets.

2012-2016

teamLab

Digital Information Wall, Observatories Navigation

• Project and Design Directions: Directed the project by producing designs and guiding client discussions.
• Project Management: Collaborated closely with the engineering team to ensure that both the software, with its unconventional requirements, and hardware were properly built and installed on site.
• Interactive Prototype Development: Produced visual designs and interactive prototypes to drive discussions with clients and engineering teams.
  

Digital Information Wall and its early prototype in OF (C++); project detail

Touch Interface for Observatories: Designed a touch interface allowing visitors to access contextual information about the sights they see directly in front of them.

2009 - 2012

Panasonic Digital Communication

Interactive vending machine, Interactive bank branch

• Project and Design Directions: Directed the project by producing designs and guiding client discussions.
• Project Management: Collaborated closely with the engineering team to ensure that both the software, with its unconventional requirements, and hardware were properly built and installed on site.

I was engaged as both a designer and project manager for the evolutionary touch panel vending machines, which saw widespread deployment across the greater Tokyo region.

2024

Sandbox AQ

Novel Cardiac Diagnostics

• Scanning device kiosk: An onsite kiosk device for operators to run scanning devices, providing proper onboarding guides and basic diagnostic assistance.
• Fleet management: A conceptual dashboard designed to monitor scanning devices across multiple medical locations, with a primary focus on identifying devices that may have issues requiring attention.
• Clinical portal: A conceptual dashboard designed for physicians to receive initial diagnoses from the scan along with patient information for further diagnosis.

SandboxAQ Collaborates with Mayo Clinic on Novel Cardiac Diagnostics | PR Newswire

With an academic foundation in architecture and a keen interest in digital interaction, I found myself increasingly involved in integrating digital products and solutions into physical spaces, as discussed earlier. While clients typically prioritize pragmatic functionality, I've learned that emphasizing entertainment and enjoyment is crucial for success in public contexts of such medium. This insight has influenced my subsequent involvement in VR and AR projects, shaping my approach to emerging trends.

2012-2016

teamLab

Interactive projection mapping, Interactive wall, Touchscreen

• A Table where Small People Live : The interactive table fosters spontaneous storytelling and collaboration among children, encouraging them to define their own goals and objectives without the constraints of traditional game structures.
• Digital Information Wall: To differentiate large screens in public spaces from personal mobile phones, the project balanced creating a 'wow' effect with simple interaction. It incorporated Kinect sensors to respond to people passing by, enhancing engagement.
• Concert interactive lighting: As project director, collaborated with event organizers and engineers to propose, develop, and execute dynamic lighting solutions for large-scale live events. This involved creating interactive light balloons, audience-engaging light pens, and projection mapping video content.

At teamLab, for the project "A Table where Small People Live", I collaborated with illustrators and engineers to develope an experimental interactive projection mapping for children.

2016 - 2018

Dow Jones

Google AR/VR partnerships, Mansion Global VR

• Google's VR and AR: As a launch partner with Google VR and AR, I collaborated closely with Google teams to explore design options for their new platforms. Leveraging content from Dow Jones, we optimized experiences for maximum impact.
• Mansion Global VR: Mansion Global is a real estate website focusing on high-end real estate. As a lead designer, I collaborated with an external agency to develop its VR prototype, also partnered with Matterport, a leading 3D spatial camera solution company.

Mansion Global VR experience prototype at Dow Jones; project detail

2024

appraze

MLS app with AR capability

• From Abstract Concept to MVP: As the initial designer of the project, I transformed an abstract business idea into a series of tangible prototypes. The refined prototype was then used by the client to request seed funding.
• Realistic interactive prototyping: Amongst various software options to create interaction prototypes, I discussed with clients to find the most optimal solutions within their budget and timeframe.

For appraze, a presentable interactive prototype was developed from the abstract business idea, enabling the client to present it to seed investors.

In my design portfolio, you'll find my passion for data visualization evident in every project. Transforming complex datasets into clear, insightful visuals is one of my strengths. My approach is rooted in simplicity; I believe in organizing information in the most straightforward manner possible, ensuring accessibility for all users. Colors play a pivotal role in my designs; I use them thoughtfully to categorize information and enhance comprehension. For design process, on top of standard design tools, I also use a diverse frameworks, including custom code, D3, and other charting libraries.

View the full section on data visualization

2022 - Current

Uzabase (EDGE)

B2B Intelligence Platform

• Trend Tracking Dashboard: Trend-tracking system analyzing key activities like early funding rounds, partnerships, and product launches to identify emerging technologies. The system includes early indicators of technological trends and will expand with broader datasets and enhanced customization post-beta release.
• Partnership visualization: Custom color-coded visualization representing corporate partnership, investment, and product development strategies. The visualization includes an interactive competitive comparison tool as well as timeline view for enhanced analysis.
• Network Diagram: Transformed from the partnership visualization, this network graph serves to identify common partnership strategies among multiple companies and assess relationship intensities. The prototype was developed using the D3 framework.

View project detail

One of partnership visualizations at Uzabase. The custom chart can visually communicate each company's focus area and competitive advantages.

2016 - 2018

Dow Jones

Market Visualization

• Market Visualization: A mobile stock watchlist management interface featuring a chart that not only displays basic stock information but also highlights significant news events on the chart timeline. As one of lead designers, I facilitated discussions with stakeholders to explore various design options.

At Dow Jones, I led the design of the Android adaptation, market visualization, and video player for WSJ's sister app.

2016

PLEY

Customer feedback management system

• Feedback Trend Tracker: The combination of line charts and bar charts for average customer feedback score by categories at each store location. The system incorporates alerts on declining trends, triggering notifications to regional managers for timely intervention.
• Store Feedback Ranking: A straightforward yet impactful bar chart that ranks store locations based on feedback. The prototype was created using a blend of vanilla JavaScript and jQuery, allowing for more realistic user experience explorations.
• Product design for a POC: Developed screen designs for business owners and investors to refine the business strategy.
• Creating a Coded Prototype: Crafted a prototype using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (Angular and jQuery) for UX refinements and clearer explanation of the vision.

View project detail

UI Designs for PLEY: Developed UI designs for PLEY, a Customer Feedback Management System. These designs were then translated into a basic front-end coded interactive prototype to facilitate further UX improvements.

Since my initial engagement with Facebook Messenger chatbots has been a valuable learning experience for me as both a product and UX designer. Through active participation in projects like this, I've gained insights into the advantages and challenges of chat UIs. Among the many discoveries from various research efforts, two standout advantages of chat UI are its support for text commands and the ability to easily review interaction history. However, these advantages also come with potential drawbacks. Text commands, while powerful, can require guiding users what to say or ask. Similarly, the ability to browse interaction histories can lead to confusion, as tapping a Call to Action (CTA) in the past may inject a new dialogue into a recent conversation, disrupting the flow.

Takuma Kakehi

Related research entry: Is the chatbot a hype of the past? What are the key takeaways?

Why did people get excited about chatbots?
Facebook debuted its Messenger bot platform in April 2016, and Google announced its Google Assistant in May 2016. During this time, I was on the team that launched The ...

2022-2024

USC Institute for Creative Technologies

Interaction Designer (Virtual Human Therapeutics Lab)

• Product and interaction designer: At USC ICT (University of Southern California, Institute for Creative Technologies), the Virtual Human Therapeutics Lab utilizes embodied conversational AI agents within evidence-based mHealth software applications to illustrate the potential role of Virtual Humans in fostering mental, emotional, and physical well-being, as well as facilitating behavioral change. As an interaction designer, I played an integral role in developing UIs and user flows. The application underwent testing with numerous veterans to validate the effectiveness of virtual humans in alleviating emotional distress among military veterans.

Project website

At Virtual Human Therapeutics Lab, with interviews with military veterans and clinical research, the app aims to ease their distress with coaching experience.

2016 - 2018

Dow Jones

FB Messenger Chatbot

• Facebook Messenger Chatbot: As a launch partner with Facebook for its Messenger chatbot, Dow Jones collaborated with their team to leverage Wall Street Journal content. In my role as a senior UXUI designer, I designed user flows and prototypes to facilitate partnership discussions within a tight schedule and amid initially unclear technical constraints.

WSJ FB Messenger bot was announced at F8 Developers Conference held in April 2016. As a senior UXUI designer,  I designed user flows and prototypes to facilitate partnership discussions.