Meet Zilin Zhou

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

Hi Zilin, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success is a combination of determination, persistence, and an unwavering commitment to innovation. From the moment I conceive a new idea, I am relentless in my pursuit of bringing it to fruition. This drive is rooted in my passion for design and my belief in the potential of what can be achieved.

As a designer, I am constantly pushing myself to explore new possibilities and to elevate the user experience. I understand that success is not a destination but a continuous journey of improvement and learning. This mindset has allowed me to lead groundbreaking projects at PayPal, such as the Tethered ID product and the PayPal Biometric ID Verification, which significantly enhanced our security measures and user trust.

Moreover, my determination is complemented by a collaborative spirit. I work closely with stakeholders across various teams—engineering, product management, legal, and more—to ensure that our solutions are not only innovative but also practical and impactful. By fostering a culture of collaboration and openness, I have been able to bring diverse perspectives together to create exceptional user experiences.

Ultimately, it’s this combination of persistence, passion, and collaboration that has driven my success and the success of the projects I’ve led. I believe that by continually pushing the boundaries of what is possible and never settling for mediocrity, we can achieve remarkable outcomes and make a lasting impact in the industry.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am an award winning digital user experience designer that expertise in the security experience design and inclusive product design, what set my part from others is my unique skill and special area of focus, I have been dedicate my career joinery on digital experience design for a long time, I want to design the best digital experience that make people life meaningful, I always believe technology should allowed everyone to use, I am most proud and most excited about is people who are using my product design to improve their quality of life, at PayPal I specially focus on design the digital security experience to help secure million of user worldwide, I have been dedicate design the experience to help against fraud and identity safe, in the mean time I focus on design the most inclusive product experience that allowed everyone be able to use globally. Because of my dedication, I have been award the one of the top and most prestigious design award red Dot award and also iF Design award, which make me so proud of. My career path, much like the UX design process itself, has been far from smooth. I have been sturggly in the past to understand what I really want, I used to think I would be able to doing something just peer Art, but technology make me excited, I want to do something that combine the art and technology together so, I spend lots of time to study, and over come different challenge such as leading coding, understand technology term, and build my soft skill to work with diverse group of people, I though about give up, but I know I can’t because I want to be the best digital experience designer in the world to help make people’s life better. I learned a lots along the way, I seek lots of advice from professional designer, and expertise in the field, they are super helpful to push me moving forward, I learned how to change the angel of perspective to solve the problem, sometime an new idea is the key to break in, I want to world know that I am keep pushing myself beyond the limited, I am facing so many challenge now, but I never give up, it’s take me a journey to become one of the top expertise in the digital experience design, there are so much that waiting from to solve and change.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
After college, the challenge of landing a job was my first real test. Despite pouring my heart and soul into my portfolio and pitching my work with all the passion I could muster, the road was tough. Rejection became a familiar companion, and the dream of making a mark in the design world seemed increasingly out of reach. But as is often the case, perseverance in the face of adversity began to pay off. My efforts and talent didn’t go unnoticed for long, and I eventually landed my dream job at PayPal as a product designer. It was a turning point that affirmed my belief in the value of hard work and the importance of never giving up on one’s dreams.

The challenges didn’t end there, though. Designing for technology, especially at a company as innovative and fast-paced as PayPal, brought its own set of hurdles. Creating user-friendly solutions that could seamlessly integrate into the complex ecosystem of digital payments was a significant challenge. There were moments of struggle, trying to land on ideas that not only solved the problem at hand but did so in a way that was intuitive for the user. Communicating these ideas, my design thinking, and the rationale behind my decisions to my team and stakeholders was another layer of difficulty. It required not just clarity and conviction in my vision but also the ability to engage others in that vision to see the potential impact of these designs on users’ lives.

These experiences, both the struggles of breaking into the industry and the ongoing challenges of innovating within it, have been invaluable. They’ve taught me resilience, the importance of empathy in design, and the critical skill of effectively communicating complex ideas. Each obstacle has been a lesson in itself, reminding me that the path to success is rarely linear. Just like in UX design, where understanding and meeting user needs is an iterative process full of tests and revisions, so too is building a career in design. It’s a journey of constant learning, adapting, and striving for better, even when the road gets rough.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people and organizations who have played a crucial role in my journey and success. First and foremost, I want to dedicate my shoutout to my parents. Their unwavering support and belief in me have been the bedrock of my confidence and drive. They’ve always had my back, encouraging me to pursue my passions and to never give up.

I also owe a great deal of gratitude to my mentors on ADPList. Their guidance, advice, and shared wisdom have been instrumental in shaping my career. They’ve helped me grow not only as a designer but also as a person, providing insights that have been invaluable in my professional journey.

Of course, I must also acknowledge my company, PayPal. Working at PayPal has given me the platform to innovate and push the boundaries of digital identity and security. The collaborative and forward-thinking environment at PayPal has been a significant factor in my success, allowing me to lead projects that have a real impact on our users.

Lastly, I want to give a shoutout to the UXPA (User Experience Professionals Association). My involvement with UXPA has connected me with a vibrant community of UX professionals and has provided numerous opportunities for growth and learning. The support and camaraderie within this community have been incredible.

In summary, my journey has been supported by a network of incredible people and organizations, and I am deeply grateful for each of them. Their support, guidance, and belief in me have been fundamental to my success.

Website: https://www.jasonzhouzilin.com 

Image Credits
All Image credit ( Zilin Zhou )