Y. Wayne Wu
About Y. Wayne Wu
Y. Wayne Wu is a UX Research Manager at Workato, where he has built the ResearchOps function and manages a growing research team. He has extensive experience in user experience research, having previously worked at notable companies such as Google, Airbnb, and Facebook.
Current Role at Workato
Y. Wayne Wu serves as the UX Research Manager at Workato, a position held since 2022. In this role, he manages a fast-growing research team and is responsible for building the ResearchOps function from the ground up. His leadership focuses on enhancing user experience through structured research methodologies and team collaboration.
Previous Experience at Workato
Before becoming the UX Research Manager, Y. Wayne Wu worked at Workato as a User Experience Researcher from 2019 to 2022. During this three-year tenure, he contributed to various projects aimed at improving user interactions and overall product usability.
Internships and Early Career
Y. Wayne Wu gained valuable experience through several internships. He worked as a User Experience Researcher Intern at Serionix, Inc. for two months in 2019 and at Google in the Social Marketing Tools division for three months in 2017. Additionally, he interned as an Experience Researcher at Airbnb in 2018 for three months and as a Software Engineer Intern at Facebook in 2013.
Education and Expertise
Y. Wayne Wu holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Human Computer Interaction from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, completed between 2013 and 2019. He also earned a Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science from Stanford University from 2010 to 2012 and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Computer Science from Bard College from 2006 to 2010.
Mentorship and Team Development
In his current role at Workato, Y. Wayne Wu actively mentors junior researchers. This aspect of his role emphasizes the importance of knowledge sharing and professional development within the research team, contributing to a collaborative and growth-oriented work environment.