By: Katherine Watkins
San Francisco, CA – As a highly skilled Product Designer, Yu Tong Tiffany has developed innovative solutions across AI, workforce analytics, e-commerce, and sustainability-focused design. Her expertise in UX/UI, product strategy, and visual communication has contributed to multiple prestigious awards. One of her notable projects, Miles, demonstrates her ability to blend intuitive design with cutting-edge AI to support environmental sustainability.
Ling’s career trajectory reflects her deep understanding of user-centered design and cross-functional collaboration. With a Master’s degree in Integrated Innovation for Products and Services from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.F.A. in Communication Design from Parsons School of Design, she has built a strong foundation in both technical and aesthetic aspects of design.
Her extensive industry experience includes roles at DataPizza, GoodCompany, MathGPTPro, CGI, and Alibaba Group, where she has contributed to high-impact projects. At DataPizza, Ling designed a custom video data labeling platform for Adobe Firefly, which helped increase labeling accuracy to over 90%. At MathGPTPro, she oversaw web and mobile app design, leading to a 47% boost in product engagement. Her tenure at CGI included developing a Progressive Web App for Southern Company, which supported a 25% improvement in operational efficiency.
Beyond her technical contributions, Ling is also known for her leadership in product design. She has guided design teams, streamlined workflows, and collaborated with engineers and product managers to align design goals with business strategies. These achievements highlight her reputation as a forward-thinking designer with a notable ability to enhance user experience while aligning with business objectives.
Among Ling’s impactful contributions is Miles, an award-winning app designed to encourage eco-friendly transportation habits. Recognized with the Top Design Award and the Creative Communication Award (C2A) in 2022 and European Product Design Award (ePDA) in 2022, Miles stands as an example of Ling’s commitment to sustainability through design.
The app leverages AI-driven tracking and prediction technology to reward users for adopting environmentally friendly transportation methods. By providing incentives for sustainable mobility choices, Miles aims to transform the way users interact with their daily commutes, supporting greener living through seamless digital experiences. Unlike conventional reward-based applications, Miles integrates real-time user data to deliver a more personalized experience, helping make sustainability an accessible and engaging habit.
A standout feature of Miles is its Trips Page, which showcases the app’s core competency: Trip Differentiation. This feature allows users to split a single trip into multiple segments based on different transportation methods or combine multiple trips into one, offering flexibility for modern commuting habits. This approach acknowledges that users often switch between modes such as walking, biking, public transit, or carpooling within a single journey.
To optimize usability, Ling prioritized an intuitive interaction model and visually engaging design. The app’s clean interface helps users navigate trip data effortlessly while receiving real-time feedback on their eco-friendly choices. By merging AI-powered insights with user-friendly interaction, Miles strives to deliver a frictionless experience that encourages sustainable behavior. The detailed yet minimalistic visual language was crafted to reduce cognitive load, allowing users to access essential information quickly without overwhelming complexity.
Furthermore, the app’s integration with smart home assistants and wearable devices enhances accessibility. Users can receive sustainability insights through voice assistants or track their carbon savings on their smartwatches. This cross-platform accessibility helps ensure the app meets users where they are, making sustainable habits more convenient.
Ling’s design philosophy is grounded in the belief that technology should be both functional and inspiring. By integrating AI-driven analytics with an aesthetically appealing interface, Miles offers a gamified and rewarding experience for users looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Gamification elements, such as achievement badges, daily challenges, and progress tracking, are designed to keep users engaged with their sustainable habits.
Her approach to sustainability-focused UX/UI extends beyond technical execution. By combining data visualization, seamless navigation, and an intuitive trip categorization system, she aims to create a product that remains both effective and engaging. The result is an app that not only tracks eco-conscious behavior but also seeks to motivate it.
Miles also includes a community feature, where users can share their sustainability achievements, join eco-conscious groups, and participate in environmental challenges. This social aspect helps foster a sense of shared environmental responsibility. By encouraging community engagement, Miles aspires to inspire users to make sustainable choices while influencing others.
Yu Tong Tiffany Ling’s work on Miles illustrates her ability to design for both aesthetic appeal and functional impact. Her careful consideration of user needs, combined with her expertise in AI-integrated UX/UI, has helped shape Miles into an innovative solution for sustainability.
As a designer focused on innovation, usability, and environmental consciousness, Ling continues to explore the future of product design. With projects like Miles, she demonstrates that technology and sustainability can work together, contributing to a more eco-friendly and user-centric digital world. Her ability to translate complex data into intuitive, rewarding user experiences underscores her commitment to human-centered design. By blending AI-powered innovation with thoughtful UX principles, Ling has developed a tool that not only assists users in adopting greener habits but also makes sustainable living an engaging experience.
Ling’s journey as a designer highlights the evolving role of UX/UI professionals in shaping sustainability efforts. As industries increasingly explore ways to integrate environmental consciousness into digital products, designers like Ling play an important role in bridging technology and social responsibility. With a portfolio that effectively combines functionality, aesthetics, and impact, her work serves as an example of how thoughtful design can drive meaningful change.
Looking ahead, Ling remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of UX/UI design, exploring new ways to merge emerging technologies with sustainability-focused solutions. Whether through AI-enhanced interactions, community-driven engagement models, or cross-platform integrations, her contributions continue to influence the industry. In an era where technology plays a growing role in environmental concerns, her work offers insights into how design can help guide us toward a more sustainable future.
Published by Jeremy S.
