This section showcases various UI designs I work on in my free time, along with explanations of my thought process and design decisions.

My UI Design Ideas

ZuneHD Android Music Player

In the post-CD era, the game-changing iPod was embraced by many.. I personally preferred Microsoft’s take on the mp3 player, Zune HD. I’m still a huge fan of the Metro UI which inspired this design.

  • Instead of crowding the screen with controls, the user simply swipe left or right for the previous or next song.

  • The back button is very prominent to get back to the top view within one tap

  • The ability to pin your favorite songs, albums, and playlists for easy access

  • History feature for quick access to songs users previously listened to.

Windows Phone Operating System

It's regrettable that Microsoft was slow to take smartphones seriously. By the time Windows Phone hit the market, Android and iOS pretty much had the smartphone industry on lock. Expanding on the Metro UI, Microsoft brought a refreshing experience to the smartphone. It was ahead of its time. A lot of features you see today in Android and iPhone devices today was inspired by Windows Phone.

  • Customizable tiles on the home screen to pin your favorite apps and choose the color or image of your choice.

  • Quick access to music player controls and weather

  • The ability to see notifications from specific apps directly on the home screen.

  • On the lock screen, always on screen with time and relevant data

Whisper Anonymous App Concept

I was inspired by a user I saw on X (formerly Twitter) that was taking anonymous questions on her profile. The problem was that it wasn’t truly anonymous. You could easily track down the user who posted questions. And we also live in a time where you can by cyberbullied for sharing unpopular ideas or thoughts.

So I designed an app that users can be completely anonymous to share their thoughts or ask for advice.

  • All users will be anonymous. Only avatars can be used, similar to Reddit

  • Thoughts and posts can be separated by category

  • Ability to have timed posts up to 24hrs if you’re just asking for quick advice or taking a poll to make a decision

  • Ability to search by categories and distance (without disclosing their location)

Ghost Note Music Magazine Concept

I had the idea to combine a music blog with the look and feel of a print magazine. But most music blogs focus too much on tweets, so I created a concept for real music lovers to organically discover new music and stay up-to-date with their favorite artists.

  • Ability to discover new local artists by distance

  • Keep up with your favorite artists w/the latest reviews, singles, and features

  • Features contain deep dives such the inspiration and process behind new music releases

  • Be notified of the latest news from your favorite artists including tour dates and album releases

Book Exchange App Concept

I was walking in the park one day and saw a book exchange next to the track. So I had the idea of creating a digital book exchange app. I did some research on similar apps and came up with ways to improve the experience.

  • The ability to search for book by distance and title

  • Integrated chat platform to make offers and arrange book exchange

  • Users can either arrange for in-person exchange or via mail

  • Review system for books and for users to ease the decision of meeting an user in-person for book exchange

Weevrbird Social Media App

I miss the old days of social media when it was more about making connections with similar interests than about influencer culture and celebrity worship. Today’s social media apps are built to feed the ego, through follower counts and like notifications. So I wanted to create a social media app opposite of that. My design was inspired by print magazines and old school Blogspot.

  • Navigation bar is at the bottom instead of the standard of being at the top, to make it easier to reach with your thumb

  • Customized feeds by latest posts, favorites, and nearby location instead of the crazy, forced algorithms we see today

  • Follower count is not shown publicly

  • Instead of using the word “follower”, I use “links”

Spotify Wrap-up

I love music. I basically listen to music all day, everyday when I’m working. I like the Spotify wrap-up animations they release every year. I thought I’ll put my take on it and spin it as Bento UI.

  • List of top artists I listened to in the past year

  • Images of some of my favorite artists

  • List of top songs in rotation

  • Minutes listened and top genres

Office Space Lighting Hub

Every year in the U.S., $30 billion of electricity is waster on unused lighting in empty rooms. I worked with a startup that created a multi-sensor datalogger device that helps save businesses thousands of dollars a year from unnecessary light use by turning off lights in rooms when not in use.

  • Track analytics of all five sensors: light, motion, humidity, temperature, and pressure

  • Instant analytics of each room

  • Added a filter to gather data by date ranges to detect patterns