Stella Zhou
[ˈstɛl.ə dʒoʊ] • Product Designer
Stella designs to make everyday moments a little brighter, and a lot more human. She believes the best design isn’t just seen, it’s felt.
She brings structure to ambiguous problems, balances user needs with business goals and technical constraints, and designs with purpose, speed, and a creative edge.
Her Journey ↓
How it shifted from industrial design
She thought she enjoyed designing tangible products. But somewhere along the way, her focus shifted toward people: their stories, their frustrations, and the small moments they wish worked better. Now she designs to advocate for users while balancing business goals and product requirements.
When design sparks joy
She never set out to be an artist, but art found its way into her work. It taught her that good design, like good art, makes people feel something. At Harman, she saw a light show and a song turn into a shared, joyful memory. That was the moment it clicked. The best experiences aren't just used. They are felt and remembered. And that’s the kind she wants to create more of.
Then things got messy (in the best way)
HCI didn’t give her answers. It gave her questions. Questions about ethics, systems, and consequences. At IUB, she learned that good design is not a straight line. It is messy, full of trade-offs, and sometimes uncomfortable. But that is also where the real work happens: asking better questions, sitting with complexity, and knowing when to pause instead of push.
Now: Designing with Impact in the People Business
At BCG X, she helps clients turn chaos into clarity. She works closely with consultants, PMs, engineers, data scientists, researchers, and external stakeholders to design thoughtful solutions and bring value to every collaboration. She’s not just focused on shipping outputs; she’s committed to owning outcomes. She believes thoughtful design drives change, builds trust, and leads to real-world impact.
When She’s Not Writing About Herself in the Third Person
When she’s not designing, Stella’s probably writing half-finished short stories on her typewriter or dreaming up entire worlds while lost in a book or a show.
She turns memories into watercolor sketches. It’s how she slows down, and reminds herself that some things just can’t be digitized.
She sees movement as meditation and believes change is the only constant. If she ever disappears from tech, check the stationery café where the Wi-Fi is slow but the pens are excellent.
