Zad (Zaw Lin Myat)
I leverage human-centered architecture and UX design to create value and build successful businesses. As a design manager, I have helped organizations to improve user experience of their products through planning, conducting studies, creating wireframes, improving information architecture, managing design systems, and advancing their online presence. I have developed two major hospitality projects working with cross-functional teams to enhance and improve traveler’s experiences through architecture, branding and web design to deliver a 360-degree experience, competing with international hotel brands. In any work that I do as a designer, my top priority is to understand the users' needs and advocate for them because I believe that solving the users' problems brings more business in the long run.
My background in architecture, branding, web design, experience design and business development makes me a well-rounded design professional. I strongly believe ideas should cross-pollinate across disciplines, and I intend to be the inter-disciplinary bee who pollinates! There are many exciting opportunities to integrate emerging technology to our built environment. I hope to continue contributing positively to our society through design.
I AM....
KIND
TO BUILD BETTER DESIGN
I believe in kindness or "mettā" which is a more encompassing word. "Mettā" or kindness is a Buddhist life philosophy that teaches us to have benevolence, loving-kindness, good will and active interest in others' well-being. As a designer, being kind and having "mettā" opens my mind and heart to understand and empathize with people's needs. As an architect, I try my best to incorporate these values in design, whether it is a bench for people waiting at the portico or a ramp for users with different abilities to overcome height obstacles. I enjoy helping people through design and I have volunteered over 800 hours for pro-bono work in the causes I believed for several educational institutions in Burma.
PASSIONATE
FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
I studied architecture because I am passionate for the built environment that impacts the way we live and the culture we build. While working as an architect for hotels and resorts in Burma, I was also tasked with designing their digital presence. I learned that when physical and digital experiences go hand in hand, the user experience becomes effortlessly pleasing. As we increasingly merge the two dimensions, I believe I am in a unique position to contribute my learning and practice in architecture in the field of UX design. We can capitalize technology to integrate digital and physical space to provide a more seamless experience for our built environment whether it be in raising living standards or for sustainability of our future.
NERDY (seriously) but
FUN (mostly when not serious)
I like to read. Sapiens and Homo Deus are the books that impacted me on my perspectives. White Umbrella, Freedom from Fear, and Quiet are my life compass in navigating this world. Big Harry Potter fan and I'm a Ravenclaw! Oftentimes, I usually find myself descending into a rabbit hole of finding and reading a lot of random stuff on Wikipedia (but not nerdy enough to make edits).
I love dogs (and lately, cats. Historically, anything that's alive from ladybugs to hermit crabs.) Nature gives me the most inspiration. If I weren't a designer, I'd likely be a farmer, delivering fresh tomatoes and chilies to you. Currently, I have two cherry tomato plants and one chili plant on my windowsill for myself. If the flowers turning into edible fruits is not a design magic, I don't know what is!
