About Me

Bio

I’m Nelson Leung, a product designer who enjoys turning complex systems into clear, trustworthy experiences.

My work spans product strategy, systems, and interface design, often on products where people need to understand complex information and make meaningful decisions. From investing in real estate to securing housing abroad to understanding the impact of charitable giving.

CV

Lead Product Designer

2024 -> Now

World Vision Canada

Design Director

2020 -> 2024

With (formely DVXD)

Senior Design Lead

2017 -> 2020

Thoughtworks Canada (formerly Connected)

Senior Design Lead

2016 -> 2017

HUGE Inc.

Creative Lead

2008 -> 2015

Teehan+Lax

Design Approach

Much of my work involves designing products where people need to make meaningful decisions without having all the information. In those moments, clarity and trust matter.

How I Work

The best work usually starts with a problem that’s still a little messy. Working closely with product managers, researchers, and engineers helps bring clarity to what we’re solving and gives ideas something concrete to push against.

My role tends to move between the big picture and the details, from shaping the direction of a product to refining interactions and interface design. Prototypes help make ideas tangible early and give the team something to react to. Staying close to implementation also keeps the work grounded in what can actually be built.

Leadership & Design Culture

I care about creating the conditions for designers to do good work, with clear standards, thoughtful critique, and strong collaboration with product and engineering.

A lot of that happens through the things around the work: shared systems and practices, regular critique, and creating opportunities for designers to learn from each other. I also spend time coaching designers as they grow and helping the team adapt as the tools and expectations around product design change.

I still like staying close to the work itself. For me, leading design and doing design aren’t really separate things.

Builder Mindset

I like experimenting with new tools and ways of working, particularly when they can shorten the distance between an idea and something real.

More recently, that has meant experimenting with AI, code, and new ways of prototyping and building. I’m interested in where these tools can help designers explore ideas faster, make things more tangible, and work more closely with engineers.

The tools will keep changing. What interests me is figuring out where they genuinely make the work better, or open up new ways of making things.

A bit more about me

I started out in graphic design and still have a soft spot for typography, layout, and the craft of making things. My work has changed a lot since then, moving into digital products, systems, and strategy, but I still find myself coming back to those fundamentals.

I’ve been designing professionally for close to two decades, through a few different eras of the web and product design. I’m still curious about new tools and new ways of making things, which is a big part of why I still enjoy the work.

Outside of design, I make music, write from time to time, play softball, and spend probably too much time reading and thinking about theology and culture. I’m also a husband and dad, which occupies a good amount of the rest of my time.

Colophon