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About

Hi, I'm Helen.

I design products from how people actually think: trained in cognitive science and psychology, and responsible for the research as well as the interface.

Currently product designer at AlmostBroke Studio. Previously moderated 50+ research sessions at Apple. Studied cognitive science and psychology at UC Santa Cruz.

Helen Li at dinner holding sushi with chopsticks
Yes, this is my “About me” photo. I love sushi.

The moment it clicked

Gestures are learned, not universal

In college, my immigrant parents got an important file in iMessage and asked me to help forward it. It sounded simple. It wasn't. Long-press, the three-dot menu, and knowing which tap does what were familiar to me, not obvious to them.

  • What happened

    A simple forward request stalled on gestures I never had to think about.

  • What I noticed

    Shared interface knowledge is assumed more often than it is taught.

When an interface assumes otherwise, it fails the design.

How I got here

  1. 2023-2024

    UX Design Bootcamp

    Springboard

    Back when I was just learning the basics ✏️ 350+ hours with mentors, figuring out how to ship screens someone else could use.

    Springboard logo

  2. 2023

    Lead Product Design Intern

    LOOKR

    First time leading a design team: blank brief, 4 weeks, 2 interns, and a camera that had to work on location.

    View case study

    LOOKR app icon

  3. 2024

    UX/UI Designer

    NKOMOR

    Helped people in Africa get more access to medicine through pharmacy tools and storefront design.

    View case study

    NKOMOR logo

  4. 2025

    Product Designer

    Job Marketplace

    Solo designer where I was living and breathing design, planning an onboarding from the ground up.

    View case study

    Job Marketplace onboarding intro modal from the case study

  5. 2025-2026

    UX Moderator

    Apple

    Back where the curiosity started: 50+ research sessions on spatial computing, mostly listening 👂

    Apple logo

  6. 2026

    Now

    Product Designer

    AlmostBroke (Venture Studio)

    Worked on a team where we build spaces truckers, shippers, and admins can actually run a load in, not another dispatcher spreadsheet.

    View case study

    AlmostBroke logomark

A little more, for the curious

Outside work I'm still curious. Same instinct to try things, zero professional pressure to perform it.

  • Pilates 🧘‍♀️

    Moving my body and eating right is important to me.

  • Makeup & Skincare 💄

    I take my makeup and skincare seriously, finding what's right for my features and specific needs.

  • Fashion 👟

    I love putting together Y2K & streetwear outfits that fit my body type.

  • Experimenting with AI ✨

    Love experimenting with AI to see what I can build design-wise. Currently experimenting with making 3D textures/scenes.