Interview
Zhiyong Wang
1 Congratulations on winning the MUSE Design Awards! Can you introduce yourself and share about what inspired you to pursue design as a career?
Thank you! I am a Senior Game UI Artist and 2D Game Art Director with over 17 years of experience in the gaming industry, complemented by 9 years in graphic and animation design. I have loved drawing since childhood, which naturally led me to study visual design in college. I quickly discovered that bringing creative ideas to life gave me a profound sense of accomplishment. That realization was the turning point for me, and I firmly chose to pursue design as my lifelong career.
2 What does being recognized in the MUSE Design Awards mean to you?
It is an incredible honor and a powerful validation of a deeply personal philosophy. For years, I have worked on high-profile, commercial titles focusing on robust UI/UX systems. Winning a Gold Award for Nori proves that empathy and emotional connection are just as critical in design as mechanics and aesthetics. It validates the belief that interactive design can be a profound tool for social good and psychological support.
3 How has this achievement impacted your career, team, or agency, and what opportunities has it brought so far?
This achievement has significantly reinforced my commitment to accessible, inclusive design. As a lecturer who has established online courses for aspiring designers, this award provides me with a compelling case study to share with my students—demonstrating that design isn’t just about making things look good; it’s about solving real human challenges. Professionally, it has opened up broader conversations about how we can integrate empathy-driven UX not just in educational apps, but across mainstream interactive media.
4 What role does experimentation play in your creative process? Can you share an example?
Experimentation is the bridge between a good concept and a functional reality. In Nori, the core creative challenge was transforming empathy into a sustainable gameplay mechanic without relying on pressure-based timers or punishments. I had to experiment extensively with the UI flow and structural design. For instance, rather than forcing a linear progression, I tested an open-biome approach where children could freely choose environments based on their current interests. This iterative refinement was crucial in balancing emotional narrative with educational rigor.
5 What's the most unusual source of inspiration you've ever drawn from for a project?
The most impactful inspiration came from simply observing the daily emotional nuances of my own two children, particularly as they navigated the challenges of learning new subjects, like a second language. Watching how traditional, goal-oriented achievement systems often require parental pressure rather than sparking intrinsic joy directly inspired Nori. Additionally, speaking with families navigating learning differences like dyslexia and ADHD shifted my perspective entirely, showing me that the most powerful design inspiration comes from understanding vulnerable, real-world struggles.
6 What’s one thing you wish more people understood about the design process?
I wish more people understood that game UI/UX design is not just visual decoration; it is psychological architecture. Whether I am building a comprehensive UI design system for a massive action game or mapping out the emotional journey for an educational platform, the process is rooted in understanding human behavior, guiding attention, and creating a seamless, frictionless flow that speaks to the user's subconscious.
7 How do you navigate the balance between meeting client expectations and staying true to your ideas?
Over my 17 years in the industry, including working with major IP partners like Marvel and Wizards of the Coast, I’ve learned that this balance is achieved through establishing clear, comprehensive design systems early on. When an unconventional idea arises, I don't just argue for it; I prototype it. For example, if I believe dynamic in-game UI animations will enrich player immersion, I build the transition animations within the engine to prove it. You persuade with functional, polished visual storytelling that ultimately serves the overarching goals of the project.
8 What were the challenges you faced while working on your award-winning design, and how did you overcome them?
The primary challenge in Nori was structural: how do you maintain academic depth in subjects like math and science while avoiding stress-inducing engagement strategies? I overcame this by fundamentally reframing the motivation. I designed the system so children learn in order to care for and protect virtual animals. By turning learning into an act of compassion rather than a mandatory test, we bypassed the need for forced mechanics, relying instead on an adaptive AI framework to personalize the pace for each child.
9 How do you recharge your creativity when you hit a creative block?
I step away from the digital screen and focus on entirely different activities. Furthermore, mentoring and teaching other artists is incredibly revitalizing for me. Breaking down complex UI concepts to impart knowledge to aspiring designers often forces me to view my own creative processes from a fresh, fundamental angle, which almost always clears the creative block.
10 What personal values or experiences do you infuse into your designs?
Empathy, inclusivity, and technical elegance. Nori is a direct reflection of my desire to support diverse learning needs and foster emotional intelligence in children. This value of "user-first empathy" is also present in my commercial work, where my goal is always to transform complex wireframes into intuitive, player-centric designs that make the interactive experience accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
11 What is an advice that you would you give to aspiring designers aiming for success?
Master both the artistic vision and the technical execution. Don't just paint a beautiful interface; understand how it functions within the game engine. Learn to collaborate effectively with engineers and build cohesive design systems. Most importantly, design with genuine empathy. If you truly understand your end-user’s emotional and functional needs, your work will naturally elevate from good to extraordinary.
12 If you could collaborate with any designer, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would choose to collaborate with the late Satoru Iwata. While he is celebrated as a visionary game developer and executive, his core design philosophy was making interactive experiences intuitive, accessible, and inclusive for everyone, regardless of their skill level. His belief that technology should bridge emotional gaps rather than create barriers perfectly aligns with the empathy-driven framework I aimed to create in Nori. Collaborating with him to design interfaces that bring pure, frictionless joy to children and support diverse learning needs would be the ultimate masterclass in user-centric design.
13 What's one question you wish people would ask you about your work, and what's your answer?
Question: "How do you design for the moments when a user fails?" Answer: Failure states are the most critical touchpoints in UX. Instead of punishing the user, design should offer a soft landing and a clear, encouraging path forward. In Nori, this meant an AI that gently adjusts guidance and offers storytelling when a child struggles. In commercial games, it means using motion, color, and clear typography to turn a 'game over' into a motivating 'try again' rather than a moment of frustration.
