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Annie Zhou

A decade of experience in UX design and an MBA from Harvard Business School. My work sits at the crossroads of design and strategy, transforming insights into impactful, user-centered products.

I have over 10 years designing and launching products at leading tech companies like Google and Citrix, alongside side projects for emerging startups.
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My mission as a designer extends beyond crafting functional and beautiful products—I aim to build impactful businesses. In 2020, I left Google to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School, a decision that brought an analytical and strategic dimension to my design process.

This blend of business and design experience enables me to bridge the gap between creative and business teams effectively.
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Beyond work, I’m an avid traveler and artist. I’ve explored over 30 countries, and my travels inspired a published illustration book.
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For freelance and consulting inquiries, reach me at anniezhou.red@gmail.com.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Stay tuned

Work

Google Pixel Watch

2022 - Now

I’m a design manager at the Google Pixel Watch team, working on the fitness experience on Pixel Watch and Fitbit app. We announced Pixel Watch 3 in August 2024.

Airwallex

2021

Airwallex is a fintech unicorn startup in the APAC region. I was the product manager and led the team to launch the Airwallex Payment Link, generating $XXXk transaction volume within 2 weeks of product launch.

Google Pay

2019

I led the design for a new initiative at Google Pay to help young consumers in the US manage money more easily. Google halts the project before it sees the world.

IDEO Digital Confidence Kit

2019

I was one of the two designers from Google’s Next Billion Users team to collaborate with IDEO on this project. The Digital Confidence kit empowers product teams around the world to design inclusive products for people who have low digital literacy. We followed the IDEO design thinking process and ran research trips to learn about the end-users and understand the stakeholders in the APAC region.

Google Go

2017 - 2019

Google Go is a Lite Search app for users in emerging markets, where many people are coming online for the first time. I led the design of multiple high-profile features in the Google Go app, including one that I received a UK patent for — the text-to-speech mode that helps low-literacy users to read articles online.

Google Assistant

2015 - 2017

I was an early member of the Google Assistant team and designed many foundational features and products, including the Google Assistant iOS app, which won the Gold place in Indigo Design Award in 2018. I also led Google Assistant’s User Education and Growth area, working on the onboarding and voice actions discovery, where you can search and browse thousands of voice actions.

Citrix GoToTraining

2014 - 2015

GoToTraining is an online classroom and desktop sharing software before Zoom existed. I led the UX and visual redesign for its Android, iOS, and web apps.

APPROACH

1. Define the strategy

Business strategy isn’t just a checkbox for me; it’s part of the design DNA. With some Harvard MBA know-how in the mix, I partner with stakeholders to connect user insights with business goals—creating experiences that don’t just work for users, but work wonders for the business, too.

2. Learn from users

Every design decision begins with the user. Through a blend of methods—from interviews to usability testing—I uncover user motivations, needs, and pain points. These insights drive solutions that truly resonate and address real challenges.

3. Work with people

I thrive on bringing together diverse perspectives to shape a polished, cohesive product. Collaboration makes every solution stronger, more efficient, and impactful. As a manager, I’m all about building a team culture that’s both collaborative and fun!

4. Prototype with code

Yes, I write code! Using tools like Figma, Protopie, and web programming code, I create dynamic prototypes ready for real feedback. Each iteration refines the experience, bringing it closer to the needs of the user.