Hi, my name is Daniel Lau and I'm a UX Designer based in Oakland, CA. I took an unlikely path to UX Design. I began my career as a frontend engineer, went to school for management information systems, and worked as a business systems analyst for over a year. In the business analyst role, I often posed usability questions to business stakeholders, asking them how users would interact with the systems we were implementing. When the concepts became too abstract, I began creating wireframes to help stakeholders visualize these concepts and workflows. This evolved into becoming a one-man design machine, where I began creating prototypes and design specifications for digital applications developed at Intuitive Surgical. My passion for solving complex problems and alleviating customer pain points led me to attain a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction and Design at the University of California, Irvine.

One of the biggest initiatives I led at Intuitive Surgical was the design of Intuitive Learning, our company’s e-learning platform for surgeons, residents, first assists, robotic coordinators, and OR staff. Since our launch in Q1 2019, we’ve seen over 25,000 unique users from 3,300+ hospitals worldwide complete online training and download certificates. It’s become the fastest growing online surgical robotic training in the world.

Although I took an unlikely path to UX design, I would argue that my past experiences brought me to where I am today. I leverage my knowledge of frontend engineering, product management, and information systems to create user-centric designs. I challenge myself everyday to take on the most complex problems my users face.