Hello! I'm Vidal

These are the values and topics that matter to me.

Growth ⇲

I remain in a growth mindset. To persevere through tough times and turning failures into useable information.

Community ⇲

I'm thankful to be part of a loving community that values the strength of unity and sharing new ideas.

Connections ⇲

I appreciate having an open conversation that allows me to understand the most effective way to tackle a problem.

Podcasts ⇲

Listening to podcasts allows me to multitask by learning new information while I work.

I am Vidal Nikko Luchana, a dedicated information enthusiast who finds solace in immersing myself in podcasts like 99% Invisible and TED-Ed videos. My unwavering curiosity centers on the profound impact of design on our daily lives, particularly how our environment and applications can shape human behavior. Embracing diverse perspectives and opinions through open conversations empowers me to approach challenges with heightened effectiveness, much like navigating through an uncharted forest as a product designer. My commitment to giving back to the design community is exemplified by my mentorship contributions to emerging designers through ADPList.

As a designer, I hold in high esteem the invaluable feedback received from peers and participants in my user testing sessions. The process of synthesizing critiques and comments to pinpoint key areas for enhancing my current designs is both rewarding and humbling, especially witnessing the gradual evolution of my work through diligent iterations.

Currently, I’m a Product Designer at Kargo, a trailblazing mobile-first advertising company renowned for its innovative campaigns catering to over 200 world-renowned brands. Leading usability tests with internal stakeholders, I diligently identify recurring pain points to address and enhance Kargo's product offerings. Drawing insights from user interviews, I construct comprehensive action plans to guide the next round of revisions, while also producing high-fidelity prototypes to elevate existing products and gather user feedback for future improvements.

In my previous role as an interactive designer, I crafted visually stunning animations for mobile and desktop advertising experiences. Collaborating closely with Client Service Managers (CSM), I brought ambitious concepts to life through rigorous internal discussions and adeptly utilized rich media authoring tools like Celtra to produce standards-compliant interactive ads. My communication with CSMs was instrumental in successfully representing our client's brands and achieving campaign goals. On average, I produced over 150 animated ad designs per month and spearheaded the development of the innovative Trio Unit, a cutting-edge product enabling brands to showcase three products within limited banner space.

At the start of my position as a product designer, I was challenged to work on designing a Video Player and Video CMS Dashboard. In the beginning, there were no concrete directions to follow, rather just analyzing competitors’ overall designs and product use. I had to learn the different functionality of a Video Player that is housed within a publishing article. I had to conceptualize the CMS Dashboard to get a better understanding of the product itself. I had the opportunity to present my initial design drafts to various stakeholders to get feedback from them. There were many push and pulls in the beginning because there were no specific Product Managers assigned to these projects. When we finally had a product manager, there were still unsolved decisions that needed to be made in the middle of the design process. I was able to pivot and shift my designs depending on the last-minute updates I received from stakeholders.

On top of my main projects, I had the opportunity to tackle an emergency product request that stakeholders needed a better way to demo their InStream Ad product executions. So I was able to design the platform to take in a VAST URL and convert it to a working demo that Client Managers could use to share their InStream Ads more seamlessly.

Because of the lack of resources, we don’t have a fully function QA team in our production process. So I took the initiative to meticulously coordinate with our engineers on the QA process to make sure it’s functioning correctly before deploying.

I had the opportunity to be a facilitator for 2 innovation workshops! The Video Player Workshop focused on innovative ways to come up with new creative exclusive formats for our video player. We invited various individuals in our internal teams who all have different backgrounds and expertise. While having a diverse group of people, we can all tackle the same problem from different angles to ensure that our exclusive formats are feasible and meet our business goals. At the end of our workshop, we were able to use the prioritization matrix to sort out the ideal formats to work on first.

For our Ad Innovation Workshop, we focused on collaboration. I had the opportunity to present our UX research to share KPIs that our clients are looking for in a successful campaign. Our talented Interactive Ad Designers and juggernaut Engineers teamed up to develop new ad formats in just a few hours! After the first prototypes were created, we contacted our internal team for feedback. The internal team consisted of Product Managers, Client Service Managers, Engineers, and many more. With a wide range of expertise, our design team was able to jot down key takeaways to improve their ad formats. At the end of our workshop, we were able to deliver about 15+ new ad formats & executions that met our client's goals.

Holding a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems with a specialization in Digital Media from Stony Brook University, I seized a transformative opportunity to study abroad in Madagascar. This enriching experience allowed me to swiftly acquire proficiency in the Malagasy language and participate in meaningful environmental conservation activities. My artistic prowess was further honed through illustration work for the published book "The Sage of the Oak" by J.A. Scheffer, a challenging yet immensely rewarding endeavor that involved persistent refinement of the mythical characters.

I possess extensive expertise in design thinking, innovation, graphic design, branding research, and community management. I derive great satisfaction from witnessing the humble evolution of design projects from nascent ideas to polished products. My unwavering dedication to experimentation and analyzing design interactions propel me forward in this dynamic field. Gratitude fills my heart for the opportunities I have been granted, and I remain steadfast in my pursuit of expanding my knowledge and honing my skills to become an even more accomplished designer.