Zhiyue Wu and Ying Yan: Start Small and Messy
UX Designers
by Elizabeth Lavis
|08 Apr 2025
Zhiyue (Joey) Wu and Ying (Stella) Yan are officially UX Designers at Nottoo but unofficially Cartographers and Alchemists, focusing on the journey rather than the end product to create great results. “The best advice I’ve ever heard is to prioritize process over outcome,” Wu says. “It reminds me to focus on moving forward.”
Wu’s advice for aspiring designers is to leap directly into creating. “Don’t be afraid to start small and messy,” he says. “There is no such thing as bad design. Design is as much about iteration as it is about creativity. Also, learn to take feedback well; it’s a gift that will push you to grow.”
Yan’s philosophy hinges on the journey, too. “I think, ‘what’s the best that could happen?’” she says. “When I get stuck with overthinking, asking this question shifts my focus from fear to possibility, encouraging me to take more chances and embrace uncertainty. From there, ‘progress not perfection’ reminds me that growth happens step by step, even when things aren’t perfect.”
As a child, Wu imagined becoming an engineer or working in the culinary world. “I still dream of becoming a chef one day,” he says. “But aren’t those, engineering and cooking, forms of design too? Looking back, I spent years drawing as a child and was often the one my parents relied on for furniture decisions. I’ve always had a passion for design- I just didn’t realize it then.
"UuUp, a Better Alarm App", Cozi UX Studio
According to Yan, she had the creative spark of design in childhood, too. “I’ve always felt drawn to anything visual, but growing up, I didn’t have many opportunities to explore it,” she says. “I was always known as the friend with the good eye; I’d take photos, give advice on outfits, or suggest little design tweaks. I had a knack for sensing when something wasn’t working as well as it could, even if I didn’t know the term ‘user experience’ yet.”
Notttoo, originally Cozi UX Studio, became a place for Yan and Wu to channel their design philosophy into meaningful and impactful work for the communities they care about. The name “Nottoo” reflects both design philosophies and balance in everything they do.
This year’s Indigo Design Award, UuUp, was based on one of Yan’s struggles, waking up. “I rely heavily on alarms to get out of bed,” she says. “I used to set multiple alarms five minutes apart and often hit snooze without even knowing how long it would last. When I talked to Joey (Wu), we realized we both had different but equally frustrating alarm habits- so we thought it would be a fun project to solve.” The app focuses heavily on the unique user experience to tackle the challenge of rising and shining.
When handling several projects at once without getting burned out, Wu relies on his passion to keep him motivated and excited. “Passion is key, but balancing multiple projects still takes intentional effort,” he says. “Exercise helps a lot, and staying active through CrossFit gives me the energy to take on new challenges.”
Yan stays creative under pressure by staying curious and open-minded. “I think staying open to different influences is one of the best ways to avoid burnout,” she says. “It helps me recharge and return to work with fresh eyes, ready to solve problems creatively.” When she’s not working, Yan indulges in her guilty pleasures to enjoy some downtime. “I love chips and ice cream, sometimes both in one sitting,” she says. “I have to admit, I love sniffing my dog’s paws. It’s one of those little things that instantly makes me happy and helps me unwind after a busy day.”
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