Meet Clayton Lin | Digital Product Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Clayton Lin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Clayton, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I’m a Digital Product Designer — a role that blends technology and art, bringing creative ideas to life through interactive experiences. My journey started with a fascination for technology. About ten years ago, my dad bought me a Google Cardboard VR. He put his phone inside and played some immersive videos. At that moment, it felt like I was opening the door to the world of technology. Sometimes I became a bird flying over the Amazon rainforest, and sometimes a noble walking through a castle in the Middle Ages. Technology took me to places I might never visit in my life. Even though the video had low resolution and the audio wasn’t clear, the experience was still powerful. It made me realize for the first time that technology is not just a tool — it can also carry emotions. Since then, I have always closely followed the development of technology and tech products.

What really led me into the design field was reading Don Norman’s book The Design of Everyday Things. The book talks about common design problems in daily life. For example, some doors are hard to tell whether to push or pull because they don’t have clear visual signs. A pilot once pulled the wrong lever because the landing gear lever and the flap lever looked too similar. I found these examples really interesting, and they sparked my interest in design. Since I have always loved technology, this book made me start to notice design problems in tech products. I realized this was what I really cared about — like, why did the iPhone remove the Home button? What makes the design of MacOS different from Windows? These questions made me want to learn more, and that’s why I chose to become a digital product designer.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I see design as my greatest passion. For me, it is not only a skill or a job, but also a way of life and a journey of talking to myself and understanding who I am. I love many forms of art, movies, books, music, architecture, and games. When I see a piece of art that I admire, I always want to learn from it, understand its meaning and feeling, and bring that inspiration into my own design. I also really enjoy traveling. By visiting different countries and regions, I can experience many kinds of cultures and see how people from different backgrounds think and communicate. These experiences often give me a lot of inspiration. So I often see myself as an artist, but one who lives in the business world.

In daily life, I like to observe the world through the eyes of a designer. After buying a cup of coffee, I might think about how the receipt is designed. When I walk through a park or campus, I sometimes think about how the design of the map or signs could be improved.

What also sets me apart from other Product Designers is that I have strong technical skills, such as programming and building physical prototypes, so I can often see future trends in many fields. Long before ChatGPT became popular, I had already designed some similar concept products. Now, I am working on the design of some AI Agent and VR products. I believe that one day, these creative ideas will slowly become part of people’s daily lives.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I always feel that LA is a great city to visit. It has a strong cultural atmosphere and also many natural places to see. Although I didn’t grow up in LA, I have lived here during all my college years. This city has become an important part of my life.

Here are some of my favorite recommendations:
1. Have a quiet moment with great thinkers from history at the Getty Center.
2. Watch the sunset at Santa Monica Beach.
3. Go whale watching in Long Beach.
4. Take the studio tour at Universal Studios Hollywood and see how famous movies and shows are made.
5. Walk around the campuses and libraries of Caltech and UCLA to feel the academic spirit and enjoy the beautiful buildings.

For me, these special experiences are what make Los Angeles so unique and different from other cities.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Absolutely. First, I want to thank my parents for supporting my decision to study design. They’ve always offered guidance on life choices, helping me make decisions that I wouldn’t regret later on.

I’m especially grateful to the professors and friends at my school. They are all talented designers who have supported me in many ways.

I also want to thank everyone else who has helped me along my design journey. In 2024, I worked as a Product Design Intern at Microsoft for four months. Our team was responsible for designing the Weather app on Windows and MSN. At the time, I was only a sophomore in college, and my previous experience was limited to school projects and small startups. Being suddenly exposed to such a large company and high-impact product was overwhelming. But my entire team — especially my mentor — gave me so much encouragement. I learned not only professional design skills but also how to communicate effectively. That experience gave me the confidence to grow as a designer.

Website: https://claytonl.net

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quting-lin/