Alan is a designer interested in people, their journeys, and how digital products can make them better.
CurRently...
I work on the product design team at Ramp. Based in New York City.
Before that, I ran an independent practice called Alan & Friends where we built novel experiences for the new generation. Friends include: Aritzia, Mejuri, H&M, ecobee, Club Quarantine, Merck, Telus.
In a past life...
I got a finance degree from Ivey Business School. My education was a mishmash of Judith Butler and financial modelling. I started with a major in gender studies and meandered my way into a finance degree ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
Throughout school, I had an untapped fascination with people, their journeys, and how digital products can make them better.
That's how I started in design. I grew up making things on the internet. But decided to formalize it by studying design at NTU Singapore for a semester. I also took a gap year to help creatives showcase their work at Format.
My first job was at Metalab - where I worked agency-side for notable names such as Uber, Amazon, Walmart, Sam Harris, Credit Karma, and D-Wave.
Shortly after, I led design at a start-up called Sokanu, where we help people find their dream careers. I built a small design team and it was acquired in 2021.
Fun Facts
_ I’m left-handed with abnormally dry hands for someone who works on a computer all day
_ I’m grateful for the amazing people around me that I get to call my friends
_ Fashion is a scam that I'm willing to buy into… maybe a bit too much sometimes
_ I’m queer and I want to see more of us with opportunities to pursue our hopes and dreams
_ Simone de Beauvoir is my all-time idol
codes to Live/Work by
_ Products are never purely utilitarian. They tell stories, impact behaviours, and create new modes of thinking
_ Build for people, not for features
_ Pay attention to fashion... it reveals hidden narratives woven in our social fabric
_ Practice a slow approach to fast and iterative making
_ Commit to self-care and maintenance as a form of urgency