I’m Nanwei Cai, a product designer based in NYC. Currently, I design at Palantir Technologies, where I focus on making powerful data systems more accessible through AI-driven UX innovation. My work has contributed to scaling products, integrating patented systems, and driving user growth.

Before Palantir, I designed at GE Appliances, optimizing UX for connected consumer products in GEA’s SmartHQ ecosystem. I’m passionate about leveraging emerging technologies like AI to transform complexity into pleasant experiences, creating value for users and businesses.

I became a designer because I’m drawn to solving complex problems through creativity and technology. Design offers a unique lens through which I understand and shape the world. It fosters collaboration, allowing me to learn from engineers, domain experts, and users while aligning diverse perspectives.

As a tool for untangling complexity, design transforms intricate systems into intuitive and accessible experiences. I find fulfillment in design because it empowers users through technology while driving both business and social good.

I’m a Product Designer at Palantir Technologies, leading user experience strategy and designing AI-powered enterprise data tools that streamline complex workflows. I spearheaded UX efforts to expand the user base of Palantir’s flagship data engineering system, integrating AI capabilities and contributing to multiple patents.

The products I’ve designed are widely used by leading organizations across industries. My role bridges advanced technologies like AI with user-centered design, delivering intuitive solutions that drive user value and business impact.

To me, creativity is the ability to shift perspectives, challenge conventions, and reimagine solutions. It’s about bridging logic with intuition, turning constraints into opportunities, and bringing clarity to complexity.

To me, a creative design is one that approaches a problem with clarity, balance and precision, solving it in a way that feels effortless yet impactful.

My iterative design process begins with research to build user empathy and deeply understand the problem domain—finding user signals in the field and using the product to experience pain points firsthand. From there, I whiteboard, ideate, and prototype the workflow quickly. I always love to collect feedback from both users and my team early and often, continuously refining designs through testing.

I closely collaborate with engineers to ensure feasibility while embracing experimentation to push design and technological boundaries. This cycle of research, prototyping, testing, and iteration drives intuitive, scalable solutions that evolve with user needs and technological possibilities.

My favorite part is prototyping and gathering user feedback. Prototyping makes ideas tangible, allowing me to tell the user story and workflow intuitively.

Seeing how users interact with a design—what works, what doesn’t, and where they struggle—provides invaluable insights for improving the design. This stage is highly iterative, enabling continuous improvement based on real user needs.

My creative style is minimalist, iterative with high velocity. I focus on stripping away the unnecessary to create designs that are intuitive, functional and elegant. Fast iteration is at the core of my process, ensuring continuous improvement while maintaining clarity and simplicity.

My creative style allows me to deliver value to user quickly and effectively.

We entered Easel, an AI-powered museum app, into the 2024 MUSE Creative Awards because it represents our passion for blending emerging technology, design, and culture. Easel personalizes museum experiences using generative AI and AR, making art more accessible and engaging.

The project reimagines how people interact with cultural institutions, turning passive viewing into an immersive and interactive journey.

Winning has been a great recognition to my impact of designing AI-driven experiences. This recognition has reinforced my belief in the power of design to bridge technology and human needs, motivating me to push creative boundaries further and continuously innovate at the intersection of emerging technology and design.

Technology democratization – Design makes complex technology intuitive and accessible, enabling more people to benefit from technological innovations.

Endless innovation – There’s always room for new ideas, fresh perspectives, and bold experiments, with limitless possibilities.

Collaboration and diversity – Design brings together diverse perspectives, fostering collaboration across cultures and disciplines, leading to richer, more impactful solutions.

I view my growth as an iterative process—just like a prototype, I test, refine, and improve. I remind myself not to fear asking questions or seeking feedback, and I often find that people are more willing to help than I expect.

Adaptability is just as crucial; learning new skills and exploring new technologies keep me evolving. I see every challenge as an opportunity for growth rather than a roadblock, embracing change as a natural part of the process.