A Decade of Designing for Clarity
Proto UX was founded in 2016 to help teams design products that work in the real world—not just in theory.
Over the past decade, the tools have changed. AI now accelerates design and development. What hasn’t changed is the need for clear thinking, sound judgment, and accountability when products become complex.
Proto UX exists to provide that clarity.
Young Ryu, Ph.D.
Dr. Young Ryu founded Proto UX in 2016 after years of designing and researching complex digital systems. With a background in Human Factors Engineering, UX research and interaction design, Young brings a systems-level perspective to product challenges—bridging user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.
Young has partnered with startups, scale-ups, and enterprise teams to:
- Frame ambiguous product problems
- Model complex workflows and interactions
- Validate high-risk assumptions before engineering investment
- Design scalable systems and design foundations
Known for a hands-on, detail-oriented approach, Young works directly with clients throughout each engagement—bringing clarity, rigor, and accountability to every stage of the process.
How We Work
We partner with teams building complex B2B and enterprise software—where mistakes are expensive and decisions matter. Our approach is human-led and AI-accelerated:
- AI helps us move faster
- People remain responsible for decisions
- Evidence replaces opinion
- Systems matter more than screens
- This keeps teams aligned and confident before committing engineering effort.
What We Focus On
Proto UX is not a volume design shop. We focus on work where:
- Complexity is high
- Workflows are non-trivial
- Automation or intelligent systems are involved
- Decisions must be validated before scale
When clarity matters more than speed, we’re a strong fit.
Let’s Talk
If you’re navigating complexity, uncertainty, or scale, we’re happy to start a conversation.
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