About Me - Ayu
I am a multidisciplinary creative leader and contributor with a background in Design, Art, and Team and Project Management. I specialize in creating engaging experiences that bring surprise and delight to users and audiences in products, games, and media. Additionally, I have extensive experience in designing experiences and contributing design leadership for product experiences in Technology, with a specialty in Education Technology (EdTech).
My process begins with understanding the business or client objective for the overall product and/or game experience and the end-user/player experience. Design considerations also include customers who may be involved in the product evaluation and purchase decisions. I work cross-functionally across teams, groups, and departments—Product Management, Curriculum, Design (Product, UIUX, Visual), Art, Engineering, Program Managers, Project Managers, Producers, Scrum Masters, Research, and Marketing.
My design approach is holistic and systems-thinking, with empathy towards both users and customers while also balancing design vision within an organization’s broader business objective and the overall market landscape. All with a generous sprinkling of fun and delight! …“Sparklemagique!”
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Education Technology Highlights
Key contributor and creative leader for a student product that is winner of multiple CODiE Awards for Best Mathematics Instructional Solution (2019, 2018, 2013); Best PK-12 Personalized Learning Solution in 2015, 2013. Also nominated for 2022 Best Mathematics Instructional Solution for Grades PK-8.
Designed and created the overall visual, animation, and sound style and brand new characters for the premier launch of DreamBox Learning’s intermediate (and middle-school) student engagement and lesson content, now played daily by millions of students.
Designing product experiences with a lens towards accessibility, localization, and platform constraints.
Provided UIUX and Product Design consultation internally for the DreamBox student product — engagement and lessons.
Stepped up to organize, lead, and conduct user studies with students during the lesson design process.
Managed the visual quality and library of all DreamBox Learning characters, including the original K-2 Primary characters.
Partnered with Marketing in providing oversight and advice on all DreamBox characters for Marketing campaigns and the broader brand experience.
Fun fact: worked directly with Marketing leadership in designing and creating all DreamBox-themed artwork for its new Bellevue, WA office space.
Video Game Development Highlights - 16 released titles as Art Director & Artist
Nancy Drew Adventure Series and Nancy Drew Dossier Series
Winner of multiple awards, including Parents Choice Gold Awards; Children’s Software Revue All Star Software; Amazon.com, Best Children’s Software; iParenting Media Award, Best Software; Yahoo Games Best Hidden Object Game
Cody Capers: Cody Pops the Case
Co-founded PassionFruit Games, an indie casual game company to develop and launch the game “Tiger Eye - Part I: Curse of the Riddle Box” based on the novel by Marjorie M. Liu—author and writer for Marvel comics. Major casual game publishers such as Big Fish Games and GameHouse picked up and promoted “Tiger Eye - Part I: Curse of the Riddle Box” on their respective platforms.