Designing Across Cultures: An Interview With Product and UX/UI Designer Daren Cheng

Daren Cheng is a cross-cultural product and UX/UI designer whose work blends deep cultural awareness with a sharp eye for emotional nuance and usability. Born and raised in China and now based in the U.S., Daren’s design logic is shaped by a rich intersection of Eastern philosophy, visual storytelling, and human-centered systems thinking. His award-winning projects have been recognized by the French Design Awards, London Design Awards, and the International Design Awards. Each reflects his belief that design is not just about solving problems, but about building bridges across experience, identity, and emotion.

As design becomes increasingly global, his work reminds us of the quiet power of cultural empathy in shaping products that not only function well but also feel intuitively familiar. In this conversation, Daren shares the stories and perspectives that guide his approach today.

What first drew you to design?

I didn’t start with a clear goal to be a designer. I was always curious—taking things apart, exploring photography and drawing—but it was a community project in high school that changed my view. We were creating materials for senior citizens, and I realized design could clarify, comfort, and connect. That was the moment I saw design as a human tool, not just an artistic one.

Having grown up in China and lived in the U.S., how has your cross-cultural experience shaped your perspective as a designer?

Growing up in China taught me to think in systems, rituals, and shared meaning; living in the U.S. brought exposure to individual expression and diversity. Together, they taught me not just to design for inclusion, but to translate between cultural logics. In Glowtopia, for example, we allowed users to customize color meanings because red doesn’t mean the same thing everywhere.

Glowtopia, your award-winning project recognized by the London Design Awards, blends smart home technology with traditional Feng Shui principles. What was your creative process for translating abstract concepts into usable features?

We began by identifying patterns in Feng Shui and Zi Wei Dou Shu—direction, energy flow, and rhythm—and mapping them to modern behaviors. That meant using layout, light, and timing to support well-being. The result was a “smart compass” interface and personalized recommendations that felt rooted yet modern.

Your interest in film, art, and painting—how do these creative passions influence your approach to digital product design today?

They trained me to see mood and pacing as key parts of interaction. Film helps me structure user flow like a story; painting taught me how color and space shape perception. These tools let me build digital experiences that feel intuitive and emotionally aware.

How do you view the role of designers as cultural recorders?

Design records how people live and relate. Every design decision shapes what we see as normal or desirable. I try to weave in traditions, memory, and emotion to keep the human texture visible—even in a world of standardized tech.

Sors, your finance app for Chinese international students and winner of a French Design Award, tackles both practical and cultural challenges. How did you determine which features were most relevant to your users?

We designed Sors not just for function, but to reflect the cultural realities of Chinese students abroad. Many faced financial anxiety not just from logistics, but from unfamiliar systems. We built features like holiday savings prompts and customized tags to make financial planning feel more familiar and less stressful.

You’ve worked on Patch, a platform focused on remote team diversity and inclusion. In your view, what makes a digital experience truly feel inclusive?

Inclusion is about structure, not just intention. On Patch, we designed emotion-based check-ins and flexible communication styles so people with different personalities or cultural norms could engage comfortably. Inclusion isn’t about controlling outcomes—it’s about opening space for people to show up authentically.

Patch emphasizes inclusion, communication, and emotional equity in remote teams. What specific design decisions helped bring those values to life?

We built features that supported feedback, visibility, and growth—like anonymous suggestion tools, personal development goals, and an “emotional pulse” dashboard. These tools helped create a sense of presence and agency for remote team members.

You recently led UX design at articuler.ai, a startup focused on AI-powered communication. How do you view the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence and design?

AI is moving from support to collaboration. At articuler.ai, our system didn’t just automate—it adapted to user tone and habits. This changes how we design: we now need to guide trust, transparency, and co-agency. Designers will need to shape not just interfaces, but the logic behind machine behavior.

What advice would you give to emerging designers in the industry?

Stay curious and reflective. Mastering tools is great, but learning how to think, frame problems, and tell your story is even more important. Don’t rush through projects—take time to extract meaning and share it. That’s how your work gains depth.