What can design truly do for people?
For Fu Yue ’26, a graduate of ShanghaiTech University’s School of Creativity and Art, that question has guided much of her undergraduate journey. From designing classroom bulletin boards in high school to exploring AI, human-computer interaction, and entrepreneurship, she has come to see design not simply as a way to create products, but as a way to better understand people and respond to real-world needs.
That perspective will accompany her as she begins a master’s program in the field of design at Tongji University.
When Fu was in high school, she found that she was interested in designing classroom bulletin boards, with her thoughtful design influencing the atmosphere of the classroom and bringing enjoyment to others. This led to her journey of considering design for her university major.
At ShanghaiTech, her understanding of design expanded.
Her first year was not without challenges. Faced with her first visual communication assignment, she struggled to turn ideas into practical design solutions. However, with the guidance of Professors Liao Shulin and Daniel Koo, she gradually developed a systematic approach to design.
“Design is not simply about inspiration,” she said. “It is a way of thinking that can be learned, analyzed and refined.”
Inspired by the cross-disciplinary learning environment at ShanghaiTech, Fu began exploring new technologies through collaborative projects. She joined classmates from the School of Information Science and Technology and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences to develop an interactive game using generative AI for ShanghaiTech’s Generative AI Innovation Challenge. The interdisciplinary project received both the First Prize and the Best Creativity Award. She later participated in additional projects involving AI interaction and digital media, continually exploring how emerging technologies could be transformed into practical design solutions.
As her studies progressed, Fu became increasingly interested in a different question, “Could the design methods I learned in class make a meaningful difference beyond the studio?”
During the summer after her freshman year, she joined a STEAM education program for young students, where she taught courses combining design and engineering concepts. Preparing lessons forced her to rethink ideas she had previously taken for granted.
“Interestingly, teaching helped me understand what I had previously learned much more deeply,” she recalled.
The experience also showed her that design could do more than create products—it could make knowledge more accessible. By the end of the program, students she mentored had earned national awards and patents.
That same summer, Fu participated in ShanghaiTech’s Field Immersion Program in Liangshan Region, Sichuan Province.
Working with teammates on surveys and field research introduced her to local residents and communities—people she describes as the “users” beyond the classroom. She realized that, rather than beginning with a designer’s assumptions, meaningful design starts with understanding users’ everyday lives and genuine needs.
What impressed her deeply was the experience of teaching an art class at a local school where she encouraged students to share their observations and ideas through short films. “The same lesson has to be taught differently for different students,” she said. “Design works the same way. Effective solutions begin with an understanding of the people you’re designing for.”
Later, a sophomore course “Mixed Reality Design” introduced Fu to digital media and interactive installations. One of the course projects was later exhibited at the Ars Electronica 2024 in Austria, giving her the opportunity to present her work on an international stage. Yet, rather than pursuing artistic expression for its own sake, she found herself increasingly interested in how design could address real-world problems.
During an overseas study program at the University of California, Berkeley, she enrolled in an entrepreneurship course at the Haas School of Business. Working with teammates, she visited local hardware retailers and found that many still relied on handwritten records to manage inventory.
The team responded by developing a mobile inventory management tool that used image recognition, voice input and automated record matching, making daily inventory management simpler and more affordable for small businesses.
“The project received positive feedback from investors,” Fu said. “More importantly, it reinforced something I had gradually come to understand—that technology creates value only when it helps solve real problems.”
Looking back on four years at ShanghaiTech, she sees a clear thread running through experiences that ranged from classroom projects and AI competitions to community engagement in Liangshan and entrepreneurship at Berkeley.
For Fu, meaningful design is not just about showcasing technology. It begins with understanding people, identifying real needs and creating solutions that improve everyday life.