Emma Lee Z. Robison
zaissa@gmail.com
“To describe something simply, you must really understand it deeply.” – Frances Frei
"You can't try all the syrup, there's only so many sides of a pancake." – My Mom
This is how I work.
I don’t toss research over the wall. That’s useless to Design, pointless to Engineering, and would kill my soul. (And I don’t want a dead soul.)
I translate research into actionable, buildable experience strategies — and lead designers and tech teams to deliver real, working solutions that matter.
I’m a UX strategist and designer who’s spent over a decade guiding Product and Development teams through user-centered design and HCI principles. Most of that time’s been in healthcare enterprise systems — the trickier the better. I like taking messy, complex workflows and turning them into clear, usable interfaces that make sense.
To get there, I lead discovery research, turn insights into design strategies that balance user needs and business goals, and always account for reality — scope, tech, time, and people.
I get pedantic about information architecture and how system paradigms, content, and context all play together. And I partner closely with business leads, stakeholders, developers, designers, and users — early and often.
I’m tactical by nature. I don’t lead teams that just wave our arms at Product and Engineering and shout “do better.” My teams' work only matters if it helps the organization actually do better — for the user and for the business — with the resources and time we’ve got.
You might not want to work with me.
Every company has its own way of defining the role of UX. I don’t believe there’s one good playbook. While I can coach and be coached, and I’m glad to be more about the assist than the dunk, I have to play to my strengths.
I’m the right player for a team that wants UX involved early, values honest partnership across disciplines, and plays to win together. I know where I will thrive and offer my best.
I should not be considered for roles if what's wanted is a…
…flashy designer. I’m a “boring” designer—and proud of it. I love the ifs, thens, tables, and standards. I care about details, structure, and flow. But I also love partnering with big-idea people and blending their flash with my rigor to create the sparkle.
…UI consultant. UX isn’t about critiquing screens at the end. We can’t guess whether something serves the user without being part of defining the problem and shaping the solution. Human-centered design starts with collaboration, not with having a design oracle on call.
…smartest person in the room (or actor who pretends to be). I bring a lot of experience, and a lot of what I have learned is to value debate, new ideas, and expertise that challenges mine. I trust my judgment but also know when to follow someone else’s lead. Trust only works both ways.
…design system librarian. Design systems are vital, but they’re not the point. A clean, consistent UI is great—but without a clear purpose or journey, it’s just a nice form with nowhere meaningful to go.
…manager who assigns and checks. I need to work alongside my team to build processes where collaboration and accountability happen naturally, so people take ownership and stay engaged. I’m there to enable, not police.