Designing UIs for a Better Reality with Ting Chieh Lin
Lindsay Schardon (Zenva)
August 9, 2019 in Success Stories

Hey everyone! We are back with another interview – this time with Ting Chieh Lin, a UI / UX Designer currently studying for his Masters.
Thanks for being here, Ting! We’re immensely excited that you made some time to speak with us in the midst of your studies. Let’s jump in with an introductory question: what got you into software development?
While studying for a master’s degree, my research was to help patients recover as soon as possible. For my first semester, I experimented with using virtual reality to help their rehabilitation. I designed a virtual environment that would encourage patients to use more force. There are a variety of attractions to make them participate, such as mass destruction and particle effects from weapons.
Your work with patients sounds amazing! We’re definitely glad to have you as part of the industry. Could you tell us how you came to specialize in UX / UI design, and how you think it shapes the overall user experience?
I am an inquisitive and curious person, lol. Thus, I always ask myself questions like “why is the button there?” and try to imagine how people feel when they go to a website or use a product. This is why I decided to focus on UX / UI design for my studies and future career. Furthermore, I think that UX / UI is usually integral to software development. Therefore, working towards a better user experience is beneficial, because it will help to improve the user flow and operation of applications.

We appreciate you being so forthcoming about your opinions on UX / UI design! With your skills, you’ve managed to complete several games, as can be seen in your portfolio. Could you tell us a bit about them? Which ones are you most proud of and what inspired you to make them?
I believe that Virtual Reality has changed things beyond recognition, so I made a part of many of my research projects. One of my favorite works is my VR Punching Game, because I recorded how people interacted with it and how it might improve their arm if they got injured. I saw people continue to punch and trigger their controllers. It is so fun to see how the virtual environment can cause change and create an enjoyable experience.
Your projects are definitely impressive, being both fun and practical! We’re glad to know that our courses have played a role in your success. How have they helped you, both when it comes to creating games and in your studies?
My first course was in Virtual Reality, and it helped me develop my projects for my first semester. Next, I learned from the Full-Stack Web Development Mini-Degree in order to build my portfolio, as you can see clearly here. I am glad that Zenva keeps updating content and solves the problem when you ask.
While we initially reached out to you in 2019, you’ve since created a new project in 2020 called Animal Village. Can you tell us about your latest VR game project?
Animal Village is a playful and encouraging virtual reality game. During the game, you play as a brave farmer and are assigned to save the village from enemies invading their home. There are 5 waves that have a variety of design elements in order to make you explore Animal Village. You’ll immerse yourself in deep environmental interactions, storytelling, playful exploration, and combat. In the game, you must pick up animals to bring them to a safe location while fighting off enemies. The game features an animated and dynamic environment as well as lively storytelling.

Where did you get the inspiration for Animal Village?
The novel Coronavirus has drawn increased international attention as it has spread. This has caused people to stay at home. From the perspective of someone who plays video games, I decided to create an interactive game that was highly immersive in VR. Whether people stay home or are feeling tired after work, I wanted them to feel comfortable and have a great experience while playing Animal Village.
It looks like time is almost up, so let’s finish this fantastic interview off with one last question! What advice do you have to other software developers when it comes to UX / UI design or the user experience in general?
From my perspective, software developers should take the foundation of UX / UI into account. It provides multiple benefits – it helps you to communicate with designers and improves your products. Customers don’t think about the technical solutions that you use to build software, they just want to use software easily and have an enjoyable experience.
That’s all we have time for today, so we will end this interview with a big thank you to Ting for the special insight into UX / UI design – we can’t wait to see where his career takes him!
Want to take a more in-depth look into Ting’s professional experience? Check out his LinkedIn profile.
Alternatively, you can check out all the fun and amazing things Ting has created in his updated portfolio.
You can also watch the game trailer for Ting’s latest VR game “Animal Village” on his YouTube channel.