#WCW May with Minjun Chen
We are thrilled to have Minjun Chen as our guest of the Women Crush Wednesday series! Minjun works as a UX designer at Amazon.
Welcome Minjun! Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi ladies! My name is Minjun. Originally from China, I’m a UX designer at Amazon, helping Prime member growth and engagement. During my career, I’ve been working at early-stage startups in addition to large tech companies like Wayfair and Amazon. I enjoy working on a variety of product domains, from AR/VR, online education, membership subscription, and tools for fulfillment centers.
Outside of my work, I’m remarkably passionate about helping students and new designers who want to transition into UX design fields — particularly those who identify as women of color. For the past year, I’ve been offering free mentorship sessions to more than 100 new designers. I love to give back to our design community by sharing my knowledge and giving advice in several ways.
When I’m not designing or mentoring, I enjoy playing with video games and having fun with my two-year-old kitty. I am a big fan of Nintendo, so I named him after Nintendo’s most beloved character, a pink alien named Kirby. I also enjoy hanging out with my friends and finding the best damn coffee while visiting my local coffee shops. Honestly, I’m a coffee-infused human being who cannot live without three cups of espresso every day.
How did you get involved in the tech industry and specifically in Product Design?
I initially became interested in product design while studying at the University of Pennsylvania. There, I took a couple of design courses at the art school. I learned design fundamentals by working on various school projects across brand design, information visualization, and art installation. Since then, I began to use design as a tool to facilitate the discussion around social issues. My courses at UPenn gave me an entirely new perspective and passion for the type of “designs” I could be creating. At the time, I was particularly interested in designing interactions between digital and physical spaces.
My interest in experience design influenced me to pursue another degree in Human-Computer Interaction and Design at the University of Washington. Long story short, I learned these UX/product design and research methodologies at UW and landed my first job after graduation. Since then, I started leveraging my UX design skills to lead multiple UX projects in diverse companies and industries.
Let’s talk about Amazon. What does a UX designer do at Amazon?
I’m currently a UX designer on the Global Prime Experience team at Amazon. I have two primary focus areas: working on tactical design projects and building product visions. I work closely with my cross-functional partners, including the Product, Engineering, UX Research, and Prime Brand teams, to ensure that we bring UX thinking to the customer journey from beginning to end. I collect feedback from my cross-functional teams to make design iterations through daily check-ins and weekly design reviews. Not only am I driving the scope of the MVP with design iterations, but I am also involved in the user research process by conducting user interviews and usability testing.
As you can imagine, Prime is a core business interconnected with a myriad of products and services across the entire company, such as Prime Video, Prime Music, and Amazon Pharmacy. So, working with large companies like Amazon gives me a masterclass in collaboration. To navigate my role as a UX designer at Amazon, I need to be highly collaborative, be open to all types of feedback, and facilitate open discussions about my design work. In the meantime, driving cross-organizational alignment and consistency with various stakeholders and design teams plays an essential part in my daily responsibilities.
Outside of my product-related work, I’m also involved in several programs to build and grow our design community at Amazon. For example, I join with UX Design/Research Student Programs as an interviewer to encourage aspiring student design interns to join Amazon.
By the way, what’s your favorite Amazon Prime benefit?
I love everything included in our Prime memberships. My most recent favorite Prime benefit is the Prescription Savings Benefit. The Prescription Benefit is a project I lead, and it’s a huge step toward making medical prescriptions more accessible for our Prime members. Another favorite benefit of mine is free delivery from Whole Foods. Thanks to our shoppers, I can stay safe at home while having healthy and organic food and life essentials delivered to my door. It’s been a major lifesaver for me, especially during the pandemic.
What does your typical day look like?
After waking up, I typically make a cup of coffee for myself and enjoy a sweet pastry to start my day. Then, I will check my emails and calendar and mentally prepare myself for “working mode.” My day is usually a combination of iterating on design mocks, checking in with my product managers, and meeting with cross-functional teams to gather feedback on my design iterations. I also spend my time attending user interview sessions or reading through user research reports to understand customer pain points and motivations to use our products.
What does the design team culture look like at Amazon?
It’s been especially exciting to see how Amazon has established a community for UX designers, visual designers, UX researchers, and writers to connect, learn, and grow. In the Amazon design community, we have a monthly networking shuffle, where we can engage in a coffee chat with a small group of Amazon UX folks to expand our network.
We also have an internal mentorship platform for UX disciplines. This internal mentorship platform allows us within the UX discipline to either find mentors and help further our own careers, or offer mentoring assistance for others who may be looking to advance in the industry. It creates a very inclusive space for me to ask questions and look for career advice. I feel lucky enough to have multiple design mentors inside Amazon who bring a lot of assurance and support to help me grow in various areas. In addition to the networking shuffle and internal mentorship platform, we’re consistently allowed to learn from other design teams at Amazon through internal design events and conferences or merely have fun drawing.
What do you love most about your job?
My head is in the clouds while my feet are on the ground. As a UX designer, I enjoy thinking big while pushing pixels to create tangible and simple solutions for our users. I have so many opportunities to work on fascinating problems in diverse areas, from the two-sided marketplace to logistics to membership subscriptions.
Drawing is one thing that’s been a constant since I was a child. I naturally apply my drawing skills to my UX design work. I’m always eager to throw my (very messy) ideas on paper or artboards in Figma or Sketch to visualize the entire journey and design concepts.
I also love the aspect of being able to conduct user research and user interviews. For enterprise products, I have many opportunities to learn and experience how other jobs work and get a glimpse of their typical workflows. For example, I once worked on building tools for warehouse associates, where I got the chance to take on the role. I learned how to pick up items from the shelves and pack them into shipping boxes, going through the same motions that our associates repeatedly do for their daily jobs. By immersing myself in these activities and interviewing with our associates, I can build up my empathy and feel the pains they go through to help develop the solutions that address them. For customer-facing products, I experience plenty of “aha” moments when I’m talking with customers. How the majority of customers feel about our services and products is completely different from my assumptions. This customer research helps me understand their problems, behaviors, and motivations. I also have opportunities to travel internationally when I’m working on products for emerging markets. Once we see an end to the pandemic, I hope to travel to Brazil or Mexico for my next international research trip.
How do you stay up to date on the latest trends in digital design?
I’m a big fan of podcasts. Before the pandemic hit, I would listen to plenty of podcasts in Design & Product during my commute to the office. Here’s my secret list of podcasts:
→ Design
→ Product
I also follow women design leaders on Twitter, such as Julie Zhuo, Kylie Timpani, Lily Konings, and Paola Mariselli, to keep myself updated on the latest trends and discussions in digital product design. Sometimes I will jump into Clubhouse for some interesting topics and exchanges, such as growth design and the early design days at Facebook.
Beyond these things I mentioned above, I’ve always looked for other creative fields. I enjoy visiting art museums, and I am always inspired by immersive art installations. The artists use different mediums and materials to simultaneously evoke and subvert cultural traditions or social issues. They’re designing experiences for the audience in the physical space. Thinking through an entire journey is a unique and advantageous skill that can be transformed into digital design.
Five things you cannot live without as a designer?
- Figma — NO.1 design tool I will use until I retire.
- MacBook Pro — Thanks to Apple, I never feel stuck in pushing pixels.
- The perfect coffee blend — You already know I’m a coffee person.
- Moleskine notebook — It gives me freedom to throw out ideas on paper and document meeting notes.
- My cat — Although he brings so much trouble by regularly breaking my laptop and coffee mugs, he’ll always be my angel.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’d see myself become a proactive woman design lead with deep experiences in prototyping, interaction design, and product strategy. I will be taking on more challenging work and leading large-scale initiatives across the entire product lifecycle. I’m hoping to have more influence with my cross-functional partners through the thought design leadership that I’ll develop to lead the right product strategy for our users. I am also eager to see myself ship many products for B2B and B2C with huge impacts globally.
I’m also very passionate about how we can democratize design education, especially for women of color. I’d like to become a part-time lecturer at schools to teach interaction/UX design courses and share my knowledge from the industry to help underprivileged people transition into the UX design field.
What advice would you give to those who want to become UX designers?
Focus on your primary goal, and everything else will follow. We want to study in Ivy League schools, we want to work for well-known, large companies, we want to make more money, and we want to get promoted. We always want to go beyond what we already have. I’ve been struggling with these things for such a long time and have always felt depressed or stressed out when things don’t work out as I expected.
My mentor shared this advice with me: “Usually there is one single driving force that is the most important to you, and if you can go back to that place and get aligned with it, you can be your own motivation through tough times.” For me, my original and ultimate goal is to become a better designer. I find that my inner self becomes much more tranquil when I focus on my primary goal over time. I continuously grow my design skills and push myself to overcome challenges. Now, I have become prouder of my failures, mistakes, setbacks, and learnings than of my accomplishments.
No matter where you come from or how you begin your career in UX design, working on a single goal will help you focus on what you can control and think on your feet when things don’t go according to plan. I believe, and I am living proof, that all of your hard work will pay off one day. Stick with what you’re doing, no matter how hard it gets. Of course, anything you want comes with time and persistence. Be patient and persistent while you work on your one goal.
Beyond this top advice, I also have some additional advice that I’d like to share. I will continue to carry these concepts with me throughout my career:
- Your career is your responsibility. Design it with intention.
- Feedback is a gift. So, be open and thankful for the feedback you receive.
- Be bold and strong. You’ll be able to stay one-up on what used to get you down.
- Advocate for yourself when it’s necessary.
- Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it is not the end.
What has been your personal mentorship experience that helped you advance your career?
I have been very fortunate to meet rockstar designers and have them as my mentors, who constantly share their advice, feedback, and encouragement on my career and work. My mentors push my boundaries and encourage me to step out of my comfort zone and be more vocal when presenting my design work. I’ve learned the most valuable things; not only the practical work and career tips, but also the attitudes they’ve shown me, which have impacted me, both as a designer and a woman.
Right now, I am also beginning to mentor young designers by giving them feedback on their portfolios, helping them practice job interviews, and sharing my career advice in terms of design leadership, promotion, and communication skills. I’ve grown considerably being both a mentee and a mentor and will continuously contribute to the female design community.
How did you hear about Ladies that UX Boston and how long have you been a member?
I heard about Ladies that UX Boston from one of my designer friends in Boston. She recommended I join the group to expand my design network in the Boston area. I have been a member for almost three years now. I enjoy every in-person and online meetup that Ladies that UX Boston has hosted so far, and I’ve met so many amazing women designers in our group.
You recently relocated from Boston to Seattle. What do you miss most about Boston?
I definitely miss the people and food in Boston the most. I miss the local events held by Ladies that UX Boston. I miss my colleagues at Wayfair, especially these days; before the pandemic, we would fly to the warehouses to conduct user research. I also miss seafood, Newbury Street, and nearly every place I have been to in Boston.
Favorite brunch spot in the area when in Boston?
What a tough question! I will pick three of my favorite brunch spots:
- Tatte — I adore their bakery, especially their pistachio croissants.
- Revival Cafe + Kitchen — I love their seasonal drinks, my favorites are their Lavender Mocha and White Chocolate Mocha. The food at Revival is delicious, too. I highly recommend the Carrot Cheesecake, the Jimmy Pesto, and the Black Cap.
- The Daily Catch — if you’re a big fan of Italian and seafood, try their Aglio Olto Full.
We know you’re obsessed with coffee. What’s your favorite coffee shop in Seattle?
Humm, this is an especially difficult question to answer; I have far too many. Here are my top five favorite coffee shops in Seattle:
- Broadcast Coffee — I highly recommend the Disco Pony, a mix of espresso, maple syrup, half-and-half cream, and sparkling water.
- Victrola Coffee
- Seattle Coffee Works
- Espresso Vivace
Thanks so much for sharing your story, Minjun!
Thanks for having me, ladies! I’m glad to chat with you and share my design journey here. And thank you so much for all of your time and efforts in Ladies that UX Boston. I feel so grateful to become a member of Ladies that UX Boston as I started out my career. I’ve learned so many great things from all of you and met with awesome women designers here. Thanks for everything.
