Xintong Liu, a distinguished UX/UI designer renowned for her minimalist, user-centric, and pixel-perfect designs that narrate the story of a brand. Currently serving as the Design Lead at Zoom, Shantelle focuses on crafting eCommerce solutions for zoom.us, emphasizing product growth, monetization, and new product introductions. Her diverse experience spans across various industries and includes notable stints at Apple, Microsoft, governmental agencies, and start-ups. With years of practice in UX/UI design and a unique background in journalism, Shantelle has mastered the art of storytelling and developed a profound understanding of human-centered design methods and processes. Beyond her design work, Shantelle is an accomplished public speaker, having delivered presentations at numerous international conferences and being featured in esteemed media outlets such as International Business Times, Vogue China, and Madison Graph.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your journey into UX design and what led you to your current role at Zoom?

Liu: My journey into UX design started with my background in journalism. This might seem like an unusual path, but journalism instilled in me a deep curiosity and the ability to ask the right questions, which are crucial in understanding user behaviors. I transitioned into UX/UI design because I wanted to use these skills to create meaningful, user-centric designs. Now, as a UX Designer at Zoom, I focus on creating minimalist, pixel-perfect designs that tell the story of a brand through the user's experience.

Q: You’ve mentioned that UX design is inherently user-focused. Can you elaborate on what makes it evidence-based and how this approach benefits the users?

Liu: The beauty of UX design lies in its foundation of evidence-based decisions. Every design choice is backed by user research and data, ensuring that the solutions we implement truly serve the users' needs. This approach benefits users by providing them with intuitive, efficient, and enjoyable interactions. However, when targeting large, diverse audiences, we must consider factors beyond the immediate screen, such as cultural nuances and accessibility.

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Q: Speaking of cultural nuances, how do you approach UX localization? What challenges do you face, and how do you overcome them?

Liu: UX localization goes beyond simple language translation. Research shows that only 9 out of 100 newcomers to the online population use, speak, or write in English. Automatically translating text into another language doesn’t solve deeper issues, such as the need for mirrored interactions when translating into Arabic. Localization involves adapting number formats, currencies, and ensuring the cultural appropriateness of graphics and images. It's about tailoring an international product to a specific group’s language, interactions, laws, and culture.

Q: Recently, you spoke at The Womentech Global Conference about reducing customer friction in online checkout. Can you share some insights from your speech?

Liu: It was an incredible experience to speak at WTGC, the largest global conference for women in tech. I began my speech with a startling statistic: 69.57% of online shopping carts are abandoned before checkout completion. This high abandonment rate is often due to unexpected costs, lengthy or complicated checkout processes, and navigation difficulties.

To address this, I highlighted several UX methods to understand and mitigate these issues. Techniques like Heatmaps and Session Recordings help us see where users struggle, while A/B Testing allows us to experiment with different solutions. Simplifying the checkout process by minimizing steps, optimizing form fields, and offering diverse payment options can significantly enhance the user experience and reduce friction.

Q: What do you believe is the most effective strategy to improve the online checkout experience?

Liu: One of the most effective strategies is to minimize the number of steps required to complete a purchase. By simplifying each interaction, businesses can create a more seamless and efficient checkout experience. This means removing unnecessary fields, providing clear instructions, and ensuring that the entire process is as intuitive as possible. It’s all about reducing friction and making it easy for users to complete their purchase.

Q: What’s next for you in your career and your work in UX design?

Liu: I’m excited to continue exploring the complexities of UX localization and finding innovative ways to make digital experiences more inclusive and user-friendly. At Zoom, I’m working on projects that challenge me to think globally and consider diverse user needs. I’m also looking forward to more opportunities to share my insights and learn from others in the UX community.

Q: Any advice for aspiring UX designers?

Liu: Stay curious and always be willing to ask “why.” Understanding the reasoning behind user behaviors is key to creating effective designs. Also, never underestimate the power of empathy. Putting yourself in the users’ shoes and experiencing things from their perspective will guide you to better design solutions. And lastly, always be open to learning and adapting, as the field of UX design is constantly evolving.