# Ryan Kao

> Product Designer | Masters of Human-Computer Interaction

Location: Fremont, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/ryankao

Passionate and detail-oriented product designer skilled in prototyping, usability testing, and cross-functional team collaboration who transforms insightful data into engaging and impactful technological user experiences.

Let's connect on LinkedIn or reach out to me at ryankao0415@gmail.com if you want to discuss further.

## Work Experience
### Product Designer @ DT Research, Inc.
Jan 2025 – Present | San Jose, California, United States

### Product Designer @ Future Farms
Jan 2024 – Jan 2024 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Doubled subscriber base by launching an interactive e-commerce website with revamped visual design and curated recommendation experience
- Increased user engagement by 50% through interview and usability testing sessions to inform final design decisions

### Product Designer @ The Mentoring Partnership of SW PA
Jan 2024 – Jan 2024 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Reduced navigation time by 66% with AI-based search experience to serve ~500 local mentoring programs
- Collaborated cross-functionally with engineers and program leaders to guide product vision and develop a 0 to 1 design system to ensure scalability and brand consistency
- Spearheaded comprehensive research with 30+ stakeholders to uncover organizational framework and current challenges

### Product Designer @ Amarah Studio and Boutique
Jan 2023 – Jan 2023 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Drove 25% increase in customer engagement by directing end-to-end packaged pass design initiative to surface service offerings and reestablish business partnerships
- Conducted 30+ interviews with local stakeholders to validate design concepts and identify growth opportunities

### Product Designer @ Gluey Notes
Jan 2023 – Jan 2023
- Collaborated with developers and designers to strategically elevate brand identity by proposing redesigned logos and visual elements
- Reduced note aggregation time by 25% by employing heuristic evaluation to optimize interface usability

### Product Usability Tester @ DT Research, Inc.
Jan 2022 – Jan 2022 | San Jose, California, United States
- Orchestrated usability testing for 50+ all-in-one computers and tablets to comply with OEM and government standards before shipment to 20 enterprise clients
- Increased documentation literacy by 50% by revising usability testing protocols for 9 product lines to optimize internal workflows

### User Researcher @ UCSD Design Lab
Jan 2022 – Jan 2022 | San Diego, California, United States
- Documented and raised awareness of democratic control over surveillance technology and its impact on public spaces
- Prepared weekly research briefings by compiling and synthesizing 100+ news and academic sources to support publication initiatives

### Case Investigator/Contact Tracer @ Foothill-De Anza Community College District
Jan 2021 – Jan 2021
- Presented guidelines regarding self-isolation, daily symptom monitoring, and access to testing toward positive COVID-19 cases and potential COVID-19 exposures on Foothill-De Anza College campuses
- Scheduled vaccine appointments weekly for COVID-19 cases and exposures who were unvaccinated and interested
- Utilized Google Forms to calculate isolation and/or quarantine period and fill out clients' personal data
- Identified clients considered high, medium, low-risk based on their COVID-19 status to prioritize resources for underserved individuals and communities

### Office Assistant @ Justin Shih Dental Fremont
Jan 2021 – Jan 2021 | Fremont, California, United States
- Digitized 1200+ patient data from traditional medical record collection to Excel spreadsheet
- Organized patients' records by separating insured and non-insured to make sorting and finding patients efficient
- Helped with advertisement and promotion through social media and traditional mailing

### Case Investigator/Contact Tracer @ Santa Clara County Public Health Department
Jan 2021 – Jan 2021
- Presented guidelines regarding self-isolation, daily symptom monitoring, and access to testing toward 100+ positive COVID-19 cases and potential COVID-19 exposures in Santa Clara County
- Scheduled vaccine appointments weekly for past COVID-19 cases who were unvaccinated and interested
- Utilized CalConnect program to calculate isolation and/or quarantine period and fill out clients' personal data
- Identified clients considered high, medium, low-risk based on their COVID-19 status to prioritize resources for underserved individuals and communities


## Education
### Master's degree in Human Computer Interaction
Carnegie Mellon University

### Bachelor of Science - BS in Cognitive Science, Specialization in Design and Interaction
UC San Diego

### Ohlone College

### Mission San Jose High School


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/-ryan-kao
- Portfolio: https://www.ryankaodesigns.com

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Source: https://flows.cv/ryankao
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/ryankao/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-13