Interview with Yixuan Song | Creating Human-Centered Digital Experiences

I’m Yixuan (Sonia) Song, a UX designer with a strong foundation in psychology, design, and information science. My career path has been a bit unconventional but deeply rewarding—starting in illustration, exploring psychology, and ultimately finding my home in user experience design. This journey has shaped my belief that design can be a powerful bridge between people and technology, especially when it comes to tackling real-world issues.

Wealthwoods is a project that reflects my mission to make financial knowledge accessible, engaging, and, above all, useful for young adults who face growing financial challenges in a fast-paced world. I’m also passionate about creating interactive, human-centered digital experiences and always strive to keep the user’s needs at the forefront of my work.

I’ve always been motivated by the potential to use design as a tool for problem-solving, particularly in areas that directly impact people’s lives. When I noticed how many young adults struggle with personal finance and feel lost managing debt or savings, it struck me that traditional financial education wasn’t cutting it for this generation.

Wealthwoods came from that “aha” moment—the realization that financial literacy could be transformed into something people look forward to rather than dread. By bringing together elements of gamification and AI-driven personalization, I wanted to make learning about finance something that’s not just useful but actually fun. Watching users engage with Wealthwoods and take control of their finances is what makes it all worth it for me.

In my role as the lead designer and creator of Wealthwoods, I am responsible for envisioning and executing the user experience from start to finish. This includes everything from defining core user interactions to working closely with our engineering team to bring the product to life. For a professional in marketing, media, or communications, success requires a blend of empathy, creativity, and adaptability.

You need to understand the audience on a deep level, have the creative vision to translate insights into powerful visuals and messages, and possess the resilience to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. Communication skills are also crucial—being able to clearly articulate ideas and collaborate across different teams is key to delivering a successful project.

Wealthwoods is all about bridging the gap in financial education for young adults who are often left to figure things out on their own. Our goal is to make financial literacy approachable, intuitive, and genuinely engaging. We leverage cutting-edge AI and gamification techniques to create a platform that speaks to digital natives in their language.

By integrating features like personalized insights, a rewarding progression system, and even a virtual forest that visually grows as users complete modules, Wealthwoods turns financial learning into a journey of growth. It’s more than just an app—it’s a financial wellness companion that empowers users to make informed decisions about their money while rewarding them for their progress.

A successful project is one that resonates with its audience on a personal level, creates real value, and inspires action. For us, success with Wealthwoods means that users not only understand the financial concepts we teach but also feel empowered to apply them in their daily lives. It’s not just about delivering information; it’s about fostering a genuine connection and ensuring that users feel supported on their financial journey.

A well-executed project should leave a lasting impact and serve as a trusted resource. If our users walk away from Wealthwoods feeling more confident in managing their finances, then we’ve achieved what we set out to do.

I approach my work with a user-centered mindset, balancing creativity with structured processes. I believe in being thorough, which means taking time to understand user needs, dive into research, and experiment with various design solutions. At the same time, I emphasize adaptability—staying open to feedback, evolving ideas quickly, and integrating new insights as they come.

This style has been invaluable in my career because it allows me to produce work that not only meets high standards but also adapts effectively to changing project goals or user requirements. With Wealthwoods, this approach helped me iteratively refine our features, ensuring they resonate with users and align with our mission to provide engaging financial education.

My ideation process begins with immersing myself in the problem space. For Wealthwoods, I started by researching the financial habits and challenges that young adults face today. From there, I brainstormed features that could make financial literacy more engaging, like gamification and personalized insights. I tend to sketch out early ideas and explore different ways of presenting information in a user-friendly way.

Once I have a rough concept, I test it with users to get their feedback and refine the ideas accordingly. I see ideation as an ongoing, iterative process rather than a one-time step. By staying open to new ideas throughout the project, I’m able to create solutions that are both effective and adaptable to users’ evolving needs.

Winning the NYX Awards is both thrilling and deeply meaningful for me and the team. It’s a validation of the work we’ve put into Wealthwoods and a signal that our approach to financial education is genuinely impactful. This recognition gives us even more motivation to keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in this field.

It’s exciting to know that our work is appreciated not just by users, but also by industry professionals who see the potential in what we’re building. For me personally, this award is a reminder that creative, thoughtful solutions to big problems—like financial literacy—can truly make a difference.

Winning an international award like NYX has really boosted our visibility. It highlights Wealthwoods as an innovative solution to a critical issue and shows potential collaborators and users that we’re serious about making financial education accessible.

The award has opened doors for conversations with industry leaders and even sparked interest from investors who see the potential for Wealthwoods to scale and reach even more young adults. It’s incredibly rewarding to have our hard work recognized on a global stage, and it reinforces our belief that creative, user-centered design can have a profound impact.

One of the biggest challenges with Wealthwoods was finding the right balance between making financial education engaging and ensuring it remained informative. Financial literacy can be complex, and we didn’t want users to feel overwhelmed. We had to be very thoughtful about integrating AI and gamification elements in a way that supports learning without sacrificing clarity.

Another challenge was ensuring that our personalized insights felt relevant and actionable for each user, which required careful fine-tuning of our AI algorithms. Ultimately, these challenges made Wealthwoods a stronger product by forcing us to think critically about user experience and information design.

Being based in the U.S., I’ve had direct exposure to the financial challenges facing young adults here. The U.S. has a complex financial landscape, from student loans to credit card debt, and navigating it can be daunting without the right resources. This reality pushed me to create a platform like Wealthwoods, which aims to simplify financial education and make it accessible to people who may not have had the opportunity to learn these skills otherwise.

The diverse, tech-forward environment here also influenced my design approach, encouraging me to incorporate cutting-edge AI technology and gamification to make the learning process as engaging as possible.

Right now, I’m especially excited about AI personalization and gamification—two trends that heavily influenced Wealthwoods. AI is opening up new ways to provide highly customized user experiences, which is incredibly valuable in education-focused platforms.

Gamification, on the other hand, has shown us that learning can be fun, rewarding, and motivational, helping to engage users who might otherwise be intimidated by complex topics like finance. I’m also intrigued by the rise of interactive storytelling in media, where users can actively participate in content. This kind of engagement mirrors what we aim to achieve with Wealthwoods: a dynamic, user-centered learning experience.

1. Creativity: This industry is all about innovation and thinking outside the box. I love that we’re encouraged to find creative ways to solve problems and engage audiences.

2. Direct Impact: Few fields allow you to connect with people so directly. Whether it’s through a campaign, a product, or a digital experience like Wealthwoods, we can make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.

3. Rapid Evolution: This industry never stands still! There’s always something new to learn or a new trend to explore. This constant change keeps me inspired and motivated to keep improving my skills and stay relevant.

For anyone looking to elevate their ideas, I’d recommend starting with foundational resources like design and psychology books—understanding the “why” behind user behavior is crucial. I’d also suggest attending design conferences, networking with other professionals, and staying curious about new tech trends.

User research tools are also a must for testing ideas in real-time and understanding what resonates with your audience. For hands-on resources, I’d suggest tools like Figma for design exploration, Medium for articles from industry leaders, and platforms like Coursera or Udemy to learn new skills on the go.

In the next 5-10 years, I believe these industries will see even deeper integration of AI, VR, and AR technologies. This will allow us to create even more immersive, personalized experiences that speak to users on an individual level. I expect a growing emphasis on mental health and user well-being, especially in educational tools and platforms.

Additionally, I think we’ll see a shift towards more ethical design practices, focusing on data privacy, inclusivity, and sustainable tech solutions. These advances will make marketing and media more human-centered, enabling us to connect with people in ways that are supportive, engaging, and genuinely impactful.

Honestly, one of my greatest inspirations is my cat. At a solid 18 pounds, he’s not only the embodiment of comfort but also a daily reminder of living life to the fullest. He’s got this remarkable ability to lounge without a care in the world—completely unbothered by stress, deadlines, or complex financial systems (if only we could all be so lucky!).

Watching him, I’m reminded of the importance of balance, rest, and the occasional indulgence. His peaceful attitude inspires me to approach challenges with calm, not take myself too seriously, and prioritize well-being—qualities that are essential in a creative field like design.

My key to success has been staying curious and never losing sight of the user. Design is all about empathy, and to succeed, you need to constantly put yourself in others' shoes. I also believe in the power of perseverance—projects like Wealthwoods can take a lot of trial and error, but if you stay focused on your goal and keep iterating, you’ll get there.

My advice to anyone starting out? Don’t be afraid of failure; it’s a natural part of the process. And keep learning! The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to face new challenges and adapt to changes in the industry.