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A UX Designer
Background
From quality assurance to user experience design — a career evolution that created my unique strengths
QA Engineer
12 years
I was a QA engineer for 12 years, focusing on usability issues and edge cases, while collaborating closely with developers, PMs, designers, and end-users.
Solid understanding of development lifecycles Attention to edge cases and hidden flaws Effective cross-team collaboration Deep user empathy from testing real scenarios
Career Transition
UX Designer
Present
After a career transition, I became a UX designer. This shift gave me unique strengths that shape how I design today:
This journey didn’t just change my career — it gave me unique strengths that define how I design today.
Unique Strengths from My Journey
A laser focus on user experience and pain points
Deep understanding of pain points from years of testing real user scenarios
Deep knowledge of the software development cycle and ecosystem
Intimate knowledge of technical constraints and possibilities
The ability to understand diverse team perspectives and bridge gaps
Ability to translate between diverse stakeholders and understand multiple viewpoints
The Result
I design with the empathy of a user, the eye of a QA engineer, and the collaboration of a product partner.
Building on these strengths, I completed an AI for UX Design course at UX Academy and now apply it through research and prototypes to explore how AI can enhance workflows and user-centered design.
Driving Growth Across Diverse Industries
I've shipped software that not only delivers value but also drives growth across diverse industries.
Self-service ordering platform for restaurants, stadiums, and event venues
mobile, kiosk, handheld, and POS systems at cheq (cantaloupe)
B2B restaurant systems for online reservations
OTRESTAURANT SYSTEM AT OPENTABLE
B2B & B2C interior design platform for interior designers and clients
STUDIO MINE AT MINE
B2C backend tools for a major automobile manufacturer
DESIGN PROJECT AT BTRAX
What it's like to work with me
Laura Kincade
Account Executive/ Interior Designer
MINE

Yasuko and I worked together for three years at MINE. During that time, they co...

Tomas Amado Loppacher
Software Engineer
MINE

I had the pleasure of working with Yasuko for over three years at MINE, where she ...

Caleb Morrel
Software Engineer
OpenTable

I worked with Yasuko for 8 years, and she was ...

Pamela Jones
Product Manager
OpenTable

I worked closely with Yasuko in her role as ...

Denis O'Sullivan
Engineering Team Lead
OpenTable

I was Yasuko's manager for 3.5 years. Yasuko ...

Caleb Morrel
Software Engineer
OpenTable

I worked with Yasuko for 8 years, and she was ...

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