The very definition of product design is being rewritten, expanding far beyond the familiar confines of digital interfaces to influence the foundational architecture of the physical world. This profound shift is propelled by the integration of artificial intelligence into every facet of modern life, creating a demand for a new kind of designer—one who is as much a systems thinker and ethicist as a creator of user experiences. The career of product designer Yifei Wang offers a compelling narrative of this evolution, demonstrating how design has become an indispensable discipline for embedding intelligent systems into our public infrastructure. Her work serves as a blueprint for a more human-centered approach, one that places the long-term social, ethical, and safety implications of technology at the forefront of the creative process, ensuring that the intelligent environments of tomorrow are built on a bedrock of trust and transparency.
From Screens to Systems
This new paradigm in design is vividly illustrated by Yifei Wang’s leadership in product and system design for QCharge’s SuperQ Center, a high-power electric vehicle (EV) supercharging hub engineered for dense urban landscapes. This project, which earned a 2025 New York Digital Awards honor, treats artificial intelligence not as an afterthought but as a core infrastructural component. A central innovation lies in the integration of AI-enabled edge cameras directly into the charging stations. These cameras facilitate real-time vehicle identification, monitor for safety hazards, and detect misuse of the equipment. By processing this complex visual and behavioral data locally on the device—at the “edge” of the network—the system achieves minimal latency for immediate responses. More importantly, this design choice directly confronts growing public concerns about data privacy and surveillance in an increasingly connected world by preventing the transmission of raw, sensitive user data to centralized cloud servers, setting a new standard for responsible technology deployment in the public sphere.
The deliberate choice of edge computing within the SuperQ Center is a testament to a design philosophy that prioritizes human well-being over simple data collection. This approach ensures that the system’s intelligence is focused exclusively on its intended operational and safety functions. By keeping data processing localized, the design inherently builds a wall against potential data misuse or secondary exploitation, a critical consideration as AI-powered systems become more prevalent in transportation and energy sectors. This strategic decision transforms the charging hub from a potential point of surveillance into a secure, responsive, and trustworthy piece of public infrastructure. Wang’s work here demonstrates that the most impactful design decisions in the age of AI may not be about visual aesthetics but about the invisible architecture that governs how data is handled, how privacy is preserved, and how public trust is earned and maintained through transparent and accountable system behavior.
A Holistic and Human Centered Approach
Wang’s role in this complex project transcends that of a traditional product designer; she functions as a systems orchestrator, managing the intricate dance between computer vision algorithms, hardware limitations, rigorous safety protocols, and day-to-day operational workflows. Her human-centered methodology is distinguished by its remarkably broad consideration of stakeholders, moving beyond the typical focus on the end-user. The design of the charging experience meticulously accounts for the needs of not only EV drivers but also site operators managing the facility, maintenance teams responsible for its upkeep, and regulatory agencies overseeing compliance. This holistic perspective, often overlooked in consumer-centric product development, is crucial for building infrastructure that is not just functional but also robust, resilient, and sustainable over the long term. The philosophy guiding this work is that intelligent infrastructure must be transparent and legible, enhancing safety and efficiency without compromising user agency or eroding public confidence. At the heart of Wang’s work is an unyielding commitment to the principle of “privacy by design.” In a world where AI-powered cameras are becoming ubiquitous, she proactively addresses the associated challenges of surveillance, data misuse, and regulatory compliance at the very inception of the design process, rather than treating them as problems to be solved later. By prioritizing on-device processing and establishing clear, unbreachable system boundaries, her designs guarantee that biometric and behavioral data are used strictly for their intended purpose of ensuring operational safety and system integrity. This forward-thinking approach is in lockstep with emerging global standards for the responsible deployment of AI, positioning intelligent infrastructure as a dependable public good rather than an inscrutable “black-box” system. A colleague at QCharge affirms this unique mindset, noting that Wang designs for how systems behave under the immense pressures of the real world, a rare and essential quality in the infrastructure technology sector that is vital for building lasting public trust.
A Consistent Philosophy Across Diverse Domains
This dedication to building transparent, human-centered systems has been a consistent hallmark of Wang’s career across a variety of complex and high-stakes domains. Prior to her work in EV infrastructure, she led the design of a national-scale smart sports venue platform in China for Ball Soul Technology. This advanced system integrated 5G and IoT technologies to create an invisible layer of intelligence capable of performing real-time crowd analytics, monitoring equipment status, and implementing adaptive environmental controls. Based on live occupancy data, the platform could dynamically adjust lighting, ventilation, and even emergency evacuation routing, thereby enhancing both routine daily operations and critical emergency preparedness. The project’s success and innovative approach were recognized with national accolades, including an Excellent Product Award at China’s National Sports Science & Technology Innovation Competition, showcasing her ability to apply systemic design thinking to large-scale public environments.
The versatility of this design philosophy is further demonstrated in her work in the consumer fintech space, where she shaped the core user experience of Uthrive, a hyper-personalized credit card rewards application featured by prominent financial media. Here, her primary design focus was on fostering transparency and empowering users. She ensured that the platform’s sophisticated algorithmic recommendations were always accompanied by clear, understandable explanations. This design choice helped users grasp not just what the system was suggesting, but why it was making those suggestions, thereby demystifying the AI’s logic and enabling them to make more informed financial decisions. This project underscored the principle that artificial intelligence should serve to augment human agency rather than diminish it, proving that a commitment to legibility and user empowerment is as crucial in a consumer app as it is in a sprawling piece of public infrastructure.
The New Mandate for Design Leadership
Ultimately, the work of Yifei Wang represented a new class of product designer whose influence extended far beyond surface-level aesthetics and into the critical domains of policy, ethics, and system governance. Her career consistently demonstrated how to translate complex, AI-driven logic into experiences that felt legible, fair, and profoundly human-centered. This approach decisively challenged the conventional view of design as a final, cosmetic layer, arguing instead for its central role in shaping how society experiences and integrates profound technological change. Her philosophy was best encapsulated in her own guiding principle: “Design is not about controlling users… It’s about anticipating consequences.” By embedding empathy and accountability into the very architecture of physical systems, she pioneered a more responsible and humanistic path for building the intelligent infrastructure of the future, where the most important interfaces may have been invisible, but their societal impact was felt everywhere.