Hi👋 I am Yaya

I built and led a design team from the ground up, seamlessly integrating visual and product design to optimize workflows and drive company-wide growth.

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I am a Design Lead at AlleyPin with a background in visual communication design and eight years of experience in web and mobile platforms. Beyond design, I have developed a strong foundation in product strategy and management, ensuring that our team goes beyond aesthetics to create solutions that truly align with both user needs and business goals.

At AlleyPin, I lead a team of 10 designers, fostering a strong design culture and professional growth. I believe that design is not just about creating visually appealing interfaces—it’s about building cross-functional trust, driving product value, and empowering designers to grow and make an impact.

In my free time, I enjoy learning new skills and sharing insights through writing. I have a passion for cooking and love exploring ski resorts in Japan—experiences that have taught me to adapt in dynamic environments and find the best solutions. This mindset has also shaped my approach to design, making me more flexible and forward-thinking in decision-making.

Design Method

I specialize in product design strategy and design team operations, with the ability to define design direction from a holistic perspective, establish scalable design processes, and drive decision-making aligned with product, engineering, and business goals.

Beyond individual design execution, I value collaboration and talent development. I’m experienced in design mentorship and workflow optimization to improve team output and elevate design impact. My design philosophy centers around user value, combining data and insights to create sustainable, evolving product experiences.

My Values

Innovation

Prioritizing user needs at the core of every design decision, combining creativity and practicality to deliver exceptional user experiences.

Alignment

Balancing user needs and business objectives to create strategic, impactful solutions, especially in the B2B domain.

Leadership

Leading and managing design teams while fostering a creative environment. Experienced in building teams from scratch and establishing efficient, scalable design processes.

Kind Words

I had the chance to work with her as a data analyst on optimizing a SaaS product, from digging into data and conducting user interviews to refining the UI/UX. We went through the full product optimization cycle together. She’s not just a design lead—she’s someone who truly connects data, user behavior, and product strategy to drive smart design decisions.

Her designs aren’t just about looking good—they’re all about solving real user problems and making the product better. Every choice she makes is backed by data and user insights, so there’s always a clear reason behind her decisions. She has a great way of balancing user experience with business goals, making her an essential part of any product team.

I've worked with Yaya for years at AlleyPin's design department. She excels as both designer and leader, bringing meticulous attention to UX and visual details, which has resulted in exceptionally designed SaaS products.

Yaya combines strong product design skills with dedication and continuous learning. As Design Lead, she effectively manages projects, facilitates cross-departmental communication, and takes ownership of outcomes. Her commitment to knowledge sharing has established her as an outstanding product designer and valuable team member.

During our time working together at AlleyPin, Yaya and I collaborated on a SaaS platform. As the Product Manager, I worked closely with her in her role as a UI Designer. Throughout our collaboration, I noticed her strong attention to user experience and her high standards for design quality. She consistently approached her work with a critical eye, ensuring that the final product met both functional and aesthetic expectations. Her dedication to refining designs contributed to a more polished and enhanced user experience.

My Design Process

I execute my design process by combining research, strategy, collaboration, and iteration. At every step, I ensure that user insights and business objectives drive decision-making, allowing me to deliver solutions that are functional, meaningful, and impactful.

01.Understand & Align

Deeply understand user needs and business goals to set a clear design direction.

02.Ideate & Strategize

Combine insights and strategy to develop actionable, user-centered solutions.

03.Design & Collaborate

Work with cross-functional teams to create scalable, impactful designs.

04.Test & Optimize

Validate, iterate, and optimize designs to deliver measurable outcomes.

Reward

The product 1.Talk, which I led the design for at AlleyPin, won the Good Design Award in 2024, recognizing our design philosophy and the value of our product.

1.Talk integrates with the LINE official account to streamline clinic appointment processes, allowing patients to easily schedule, confirm, or modify their appointments while receiving real-time updates on their consultation status and reminders. This reduces unnecessary waiting times. We designed a cloud-based management system that enables clinics to automate Google Booking appointments and integrate Google Reviews, improving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Additionally, 1.Talk provides real-time scheduling updates, helping clinic staff manage appointments flexibly and minimize resource wastage due to no-shows. We also introduced paperless questionnaires, replacing traditional paper forms to support sustainability and digital transformation. Our design prioritizes user experience (UX) to ensure that both medical professionals and patients can intuitively and efficiently use the system.

With its innovative, user-friendly, and highly efficient design, 1.Talk won the Good Design Award in 2024, affirming our commitment to digital healthcare solutions and sustainable development.