Meet Emma Zhang, a Digital Product Designer at Wave Digital who loves turning client challenges into thoughtful, meaningful solutions. Learn more about her approach, inspirations and journey into design.
Can you tell us about your role with Wave – what challenges do you help clients to solve?
As a digital product designer at Wave, I work closely with our clients and our product team to clarify the problems we’re solving and shape thoughtful, effective solutions. My goal is to create experiences that are intuitive, visually appealing, and aligned with both user needs and business objectives.
A key part of my role is balancing real-world constraints – from timelines and budgets to brand guidelines, design systems, business objectives, and the needs of our target audience – while still delivering meaningful, high-quality outcomes. It’s about finding that sweet spot where user value, feasibility, and impact meet.
What drives and inspires you in your work with Wave?
What really motivates me is knowing that my work can solve real problems and make a positive impact. There’s something incredibly rewarding about creating designs that make people’s lives easier or experiences more enjoyable. I love the full process – from design thinking and collaboration, to seeing a polished, thoughtful interface come to life.
I also take inspiration from everyday design moments. When I come across a beautifully crafted product or experience – digital or not – it sparks a desire to keep improving and growing as a designer.
At Wave, I’m constantly energised by the variety of clients and products we work on. It keeps my mind engaged, pushes me to think in different ways, and ensures the work is always exciting and never repetitive.
Is there something on the horizon with Wave that you’re excited about?
I’m really excited about our AI-enhanced discovery service, designed to embrace emerging technology and accelerate early-stage ideation. We’ve been exploring how AI-powered prototyping and research tools can support our design process. While the technology is still evolving, it has huge potential to increase efficiency, spark new ideas, and help us move from concept to clarity faster than ever.
As someone who’s curious about new tools and workflows, I love being part of this evolution and experimenting with how AI can amplify human creativity – not replace it.
Looking back, are there any professional and life experiences that led you to this career? How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always loved creative work, but I wanted a career where I could collaborate, spark ideas, and make an impact. Studying IT in Melbourne introduced me to UI/UX – the perfect mix of understanding how people think and feel, creative problem-solving, and shaping meaningful, human-centered products.
Before joining Wave, I freelanced and discovered how rewarding it is to help clients turn messy challenges into well-balanced solutions. Seeing my designs not only look good but actually solve problems confirmed I belonged in this field.
What drives me now is that mix of empathy, logic, and creativity – bringing ideas to life in ways that truly help people, while learning from every project along the way.
How do you like to spend your time when you’re not designing apps with Wave?
I love trying a variety of activities outside of work. Tennis is one of my favourites – it’s challenging, and there’s a real sense of reward when I hit a good strike or serve. I also enjoy swimming, hiking, and spending time in nature.
Even though I’m currently based in Canberra, I make a point to visit the NGV in Melbourne each year to check out the latest exhibitions. Occasionally, I attend improv workshops to tap into the fun, spontaneous side of myself.
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