Hi! I'm Ivy (Xiaowei).
I’m a product designer with 8+ years of experience working on SaaS, AI, and cloud infrastructure products, focused on turning complex technical constraints into clear, usable experiences that hold up in real-world use.
Most recently, I designed security systems, data platforms, and developer workflows at NGINX. Along the way, I’ve worked on products acquired by Microsoft and Lenovo, supported enterprise customers, and contributed to platforms used by millions of people.
My background is rooted in industrial design, which shapes how I approach software. I think in systems, constraints, and structure, and care deeply about how complexity is represented, navigated, and maintained over time.
Philosophy
System Thinking First
I start by understanding the underlying architecture—API structures, data models, and workflows—before drawing a single pixel. A good UI is a transparent layer over a well-designed system.
Complexity ≠ Clutter
Enterprise tools don't have to look like spreadsheets. I believe in "progressive disclosure"—giving users the right information at the right time, without hiding the power they need.
Co-Creation with Engineering
The best designs emerge from close collaboration. I work side-by-side with engineers to ensure feasibility, performance, and scalability are baked into the design from day one.
What I’m good at
System-level thinking
I work on products with many moving parts—configuration, data, permissions, dependencies—and help make them understandable and usable without oversimplifying the underlying system.
Working closely with engineering
I design with implementation in mind, focusing on tradeoffs, edge cases, and constraints so systems remain reliable as they scale and evolve.
Shipping and iteration
I’ve worked on products at different stages and focus on what actually gets built, adopted, and improved over time.
Selected Work
A selection of product, system, and exploratory work across software and physical design.
These projects span enterprise applications, experimental interfaces, and early industrial design work, most built under real technical, organizational, or operational constraints, reflecting how I think, prototype, and ship systems across different scales and mediums.
Beyond the Interface
A few things currently inspiring me — music, books, and ideas.
Exploring
Claude Code · Figma Make · Manus · Spline
Reading
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
The Surrender Experiment