# Qirui Zhao > UX Designer & Researcher Location: San Jose, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/qiruizhao Portfolio link: https://www.qrzhao.com I'm a dedicated UX Designer with 6+ years experience in UX discovery and delivery, with 3+ years experience in leading UX and product design related works. I have worked with various clients and start-up companies, delivering design solutions that align with their business goals. My expertise includes conducting comprehensive user research, analyzing insights, and translating them into intuitive and user-friendly designs. I have extensive experience in various domains, including E-commerce, e-learning, and web accessibility, enabling me to design solutions that cater to specific industry requirements. With strong problem-solving and organizational skills, I excel in managing multiple projects simultaneously, establishing priorities, and guiding cross-functional teams toward successful project delivery. I am driven by a design-thinking mindset and strive for excellence in every aspect of my work. ## Work Experience ### Freelance Web Designer @ Unknown Jan 2025 – Present | San Jose, California, United States ### Assistant Director of Web and Digital Strategy @ Gettysburg College Jan 2023 – Jan 2024 | Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States Web Project Management and Collaboration: Spearheaded web design and development projects, collaborating closely with diverse stakeholders including colleagues, campus partners, and community members. Managed multiple projects to coordinate, create, and update website content, ensuring accuracy and effectiveness while staying on the best practices to deliver an excellent user experience and adhere to accessibility guidelines and the College’s brand standards. Content Management System Training: Designed and implemented an online training program featuring video tutorials and a dedicated website to educate content contributors on the content management system. Managed contributor access and moderated submitted content to ensure alignment with College standards and maintain consistency across digital platforms. Analytics and Data-Driven Strategy: Conducted comprehensive data analysis on website traffic, user behavior metrics, and demographics of prospective students. Generated detailed reports and analyzed performance analytics data to drive strategic enhancements, present website improvements, and facilitate informed decision-making for campus partners. ### Product Design Consultant @ BRIGHT PEI Consulting LLC Jan 2021 – Jan 2023 | Chicago, Illinois, United States Leadership and Collaboration: Simultaneously managed multiple projects, established priorities, and guided the team to ensure successful project delivery with developed design solutions that aligned with the client's business goals. User Research and Analysis: Conducted user research to understand users' needs and behaviors in the client's industry; analyzed the findings and translate insights into design decisions by using Figma and related tools. Successfully delivered responsive website designs to help clients achieve their e-commercial objectives. Strategy Thinking: Analyzed a range of platforms including sales platform, e-commerce, procurement, and employee management based on clients' needs. Generated tailored reports with comprehensive strategies that helped the clients make informed decisions. Significantly assisted clients in building a business system that offers a seamless user experience for both clients’ customers and employees to streamline operations, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge. ### User Experience Designer @ KESAI LLC - Living Water Tea House Jan 2020 – Jan 2021 | Chicago, Illinois, United States Technical Skills: Developed a website from 0 to 1 on Squarespace using HTML/CSS and Javascript to fulfill 50% of customers' needs of online shopping and 80% of needs of menu and service checks. User Research and Design: Conducted in-store observations of 100 customers and 50 short interviews on 30 products, in-store and online services. Analyzed and summarized the results to develop personas, journey maps, and prototypes providing recommendations to enhance the overall customer experience. Information Architecture: Conducted a thorough analysis of the target customer group to understand their needs, pain points, and motivations. Used the information to organize the website's information architecture and developed site maps, content hierarchy and user-friendly navigation menus to create a consistent user experience through the website. Digital Marketing: Designed visually appealing and user-friendly graphic interfaces for menus, posters, and promotional materials. Presented targeted digital advertisements that engaged with over 5,000 Instagram, Yelp, and Google users. Investigated regular data analysis and performance tracking to optimize marketing strategies and ensure ongoing success. Attracted new customers by 80% and increased revenue by 30%. ## Education ### Master of Science - MS in Human Computer Interaction DePaul University ### Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Environmental Science UC Irvine ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/qirui-zhao - Portfolio: https://www.qrzhao.com --- Source: https://flows.cv/qiruizhao JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/qiruizhao/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13