Michael Yang
About Michael Yang
Michael Yang is a Lead User Experience Designer and Strategist currently working at COHLEY in Atlanta, Georgia. He has a diverse background in UX design, mentorship, and culinary arts, with experience at The Home Depot and a commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the field.
Work at Cohley
Michael Yang has served as the Lead User Experience Designer and Strategist at Cohley since 2021. In this role, he focuses on enhancing user experience through strategic design initiatives. His responsibilities include leading design projects, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and implementing user-centered design principles. His tenure at Cohley has allowed him to apply his extensive knowledge in UX design to improve product offerings and user satisfaction.
Previous Experience at The Home Depot
Prior to his current role, Michael Yang worked at The Home Depot in various capacities from 2019 to 2021. He held positions as a UX Researcher & Designer, Senior User Experience Designer, and Product Designer during his time there. His work involved conducting user research, designing intuitive interfaces, and contributing to the overall user experience strategy for the company. His experience at The Home Depot provided him with a solid foundation in enterprise UX.
Education and Expertise
Michael Yang's educational background includes studies at the International Culinary Center, where he trained in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management from 2006 to 2007. He later pursued User Experience studies at General Assembly, completing the User Experience Immersive UXDI program in 2018. His diverse skill set encompasses workshop facilitation, wireframing, prototyping, and visual storytelling, with proficiency in tools such as Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision, and Figma.
Mentorship and Advocacy
Michael Yang is actively involved in mentorship through UX Helpers, where he has guided over 20 individuals in transitioning to design or product roles. He has also participated in speaking engagements at events like World Interaction Design Day, focusing on his UX journey and advocating for diversity and inclusion within the design community. His commitment to mentorship and advocacy reflects his dedication to fostering growth in the UX field.
Career Background
Michael Yang began his career in the culinary field, working as a Chef Tournant for the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group from 2004 to 2006. He then transitioned to UX design, starting as an Enterprise UX Design Intern at Betta Innovations, LLC in 2019. His career trajectory has included creating unique experiences in restaurants and hotels across multiple continents before specializing in enterprise UX, where he has developed expertise in qualitative research methods, interaction design, and usability studies.