TEDxSFU: Reflection Conference
Creating social and physical assets promoting the annual TEDxSFU conference.
Timeline
May 2024 - April 2025
Tools
Figma, JIRA, UserTesting, Sketch
Contribution
Designed wireframes and high-fidelity mockups, created custom icons, conducted competitive research, built feature prototypes, developed research plans, and reviewed UI through QA testing and ticket submissions.
Overview
TedxSFU Conference
TEDxSFU is a local, self-organized initiative that embodies the nonprofit TED mission of "Ideas Worth Spreading" by bringing the community together for a day of transformative live speakers and curated TED Talks. This year, the event centers on the theme of Reflection, inviting attendees to pause and examine the past to better navigate the complexities of the future. While TEDxSFU operates under the general guidance of the global TED organization—famous for its world-class conferences and massive digital library of insights—it remains an independent platform dedicated to sparking deep discussion and meaningful connection right here in our community.
Conference Theme
Reflection
TEDxSFU Reflection encourages all to reflect on their own accomplished journeys. Our current situations have been shaped as a result of a change in direction in our lives. We believe it’s important to give serious thought and consideration to your past choices, innovations and struggles, and use these reflections as a drive to shape the present and the future. This year, TEDxSFU invites people who dare to reflect on themselves and the issues surrounding the world. People who have stepped out of the norm and broken their comfort to embark on a journey unknown, people who visualize their accomplishments, people who celebrate their bloom through reflection. We want to hear your innovative and empowering stories of reflection, what makes you unique, what is your reflection?
Art Direction
Conceptualizing "Reflection"
We were tasked with developing the art direction for this year’s TEDxSFU, our primary challenge was to visually synthesize the abstract concept of Reflection into a cohesive brand experience. This process entailed creating a visual narrative that captures the duality of the theme.
Knox Manage Interface – Co-designed for iF Design Awards 2025
My role and responsibilities:
As a UX Design Co-op, I gained hands-on experience across multiple stages of the product lifecycle from discovery and ideation to final delivery. Since I’m bound by the noble shackles of an NDA, I can’t share everything here, but I’d be happy to talk more about the specific tasks, features I worked on, and my design process. Just reach out and let’s chat!
Here are some of my key responsibilities:
UX design tickets
Collaborated with PMs to discuss JIRA ticket requirements, created wireframes and UX documentation that outlined design flows for senior designers and PMs to review before handoff to developers.
High-Fidelity GUIs
Designed pixel-perfect, developer-ready GUIs aligned with the Knox design system. Also created custom icons to support new features.
Competitive analysis:
Researched competitor UEMs to inform design decisions, identify feature gaps, and support team discussions to plan improvements.
Quality Assurance (QA)
Reviewed over 100 design tickets post-release to ensure visual and functional accuracy. Flagged inconsistencies by filing bug tickets in JIRA and worked closely with developers to resolve them.
Visual Assets
Roles & Responsibilites
Team Photoshoot
As the primary photographer and editor for this year’s conference, my role was to translate the abstract theme of Reflection into a tangible visual narrative. I focused on capturing the team through a lens of fluidity, prioritizing natural light and candid moments to instill a sense of flowing conversation and open dialogue.
Internal team photoshoot edited for Instagram story
Social Media Posts
I created social media posts for Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, producing everything from static posts and stories to specialized Reel covers. We worked closely with the marketing team and I maintained a strict 1–2 day turnaround for all assets, ensuring our digital presence stayed synchronized with the fast-paced nature of the conference.
Internal team photoshoot edited for Instagram story
Reflection
At the end of my journey
Designing through constraints
One of the key challenges of working in-house was navigating the balance between what UX aims to achieve, what product managers prioritize, and what developers can realistically build. At a large organization like Samsung, not every idea makes it into production due to tight timelines, technical limitations, or shifting business goals. Instead of stepping back when faced with constraints, I learned to advocate for design by clearly communicating its value and finding practical compromises. This often meant breaking solutions into phased releases or rethinking designs to be more intuitive and easier to implement, while still maintaining a strong user experience.
Clear and accessible deliverables
As students, we often design to ourselves, without needing to communicate with developers or product managers. In a real-world setting even the best design isn’t effective if it can’t be easily understood and implemented by others. I learned to anticipate questions, include developer-friendly notes, and structure my documentation in a way that supports both clarity and long-term usability. Well-organized, thoughtful files not only reduce confusion but also ensure others can build on your work after handoff.
Moments with the incredible UX team who made this journey unforgettable