About Jac

Curiosity is my core driver - it makes me throw myself into the unknown, I’ve lived across three continents and I am now back in Sydney, Australia. Besides the sun, I simply couldn’t resist the quality of coffee back here.

Over the years, my experiences across branding, strategy, media, and experiential design have all contributed to my unique strategic approach to product design. This is where my heart belongs.

Currently, I'm focusing on creating content to support the community. I also lecture UX design at General Assembly Australia, mentor designers at Adplist.org, speak at various product events, occasionally write about design and life, and talk about creative stuff on Youtube. 

I'm open to chat about design lead role opportunities. Innovative products, big juicy problems, out-of-the-box creatives, growth mindset team empowered within an experimental culture are the ingredients I'm hungry for.

When I'm not around my desk, you'd find me experimenting with my own recipes in the kitchen, creating contents , learning and writing , discovering new tunes , connecting with nature . I also dedicate a good portion of time to traveling or on "work-ation" .

The "business designer"

I had a go at starting my own business in 2017 - an ethical clothing label, now a sustaining business on its own. That experience has truly transformed the designer in me and the way I solve problems.

What they say about the insane level of resilience required for start-up founders is all true.

Building a business from ground zero pushed me to think 10 steps ahead - I grew from a T-shaped designer to an "X-shaped" problem solver and became comfortable with experimentation. I'm obsessed with measuring outcomes, thinking holistically, and prioritising meaningful actions to move the needle. Most importantly, guiding talent towards the north star in a supportive environment.

I am shameless in claiming this as my superpower - I have the sensibility to align business, brand, strategy and product to drive market differentiation and push the competitive advantage.

I'm a natural-born status-quo challenger

It's in my DNA to question how things are done and to experiment with new processes. I see everything in life as an experiment. When one approach fails, it's an opportunity to learn through the process and in turn produce a better outcome the next time around.

I am not afraid to question existing processes and I encourage my team to challenge my thinking every day. 

Collaboration - “together, independent”

My strength is my ability to connect teams. I listen, empathise, and create opportunities to enable each individual to grow in their unique way. Creative problem solving thrives in a collaborative and open-minded environment. I will always provide the autonomy a team needs - knowing when to collaborate and when to allow breathing space - all guided by effective communication and trust.

I like to encourage my teams to push boundaries when possible, and tackle problems in unconventional ways while balancing measurable outcomes that align with business values in minimum viable sizes. I guide them to share design as an impactful tool to shift perspectives and influence the wider business.

Giving back 

Creating positive impacts to shape a world I want to be part of is my personal vision. Since the birth of my clothing label - The Rushing Hour, I’ve made giving back a core value - with every full-price garment sold, we donate to support one girl’s education for a month in West Africa (in collaboration with One Girl Australia).

"If you educate a woman, you educate a family, if you educate a girl, you educate the future."
- Queen Rania of Jordan

The Rushing Hour has contributed funds to send more than 450+ girls to school so far.

Supporting design communities

2020 was a wild year. Many designers across the world suddenly found themselves at a crossroads. When I discovered the designer support platform ADPLIST.org (aka the Amazing Design People List) - which aims to connect designers with mentors for support - I did not hesitate to put my hand up.

Fast forward to today, I've had the privilege to mentor more than 350 designers across the globe and hosted 50+ workshops that reached 10,000+ designers worldwide across various design communities. It’s truly a life-changing experience - I've grown so much as a designer and as a leader.

I'm always open to supporting the design community.
If you have an event coming up and are looking for a speaker or panelist

Jacalin Ding

Product Design Lead / Product Consultant / UXD Instructor / Mentor / Speaker / Workshop Facilitator

What I do

Product strategy
Product design
Brand vision & value clarity
Branding direction
Design process
Team culture
Mentorship
Workshops
Teaching
Speaking

Monthly Newsletter

Get my monthly newsletter with curated content, tips and industry insights + my free subscriber-exclusive resources.