Hi, I’m Kyle. A Japanese-Filipino American Designer based out of Southern California. I help create intuitive products quickly and iteratively. Fueled by Pad See Ew and episodes of The Office.

Passion for Design: From Streetwear to Wireframes, My Journey So Far.

Hi! My name is Kyle Kawakami and I recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon as well as hold a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from Chapman University.  

During my time in the MHCI program at Carnegie Mellon University, I've built upon foundational design principles and learned how they apply to interaction design. I've also gained a fundamental understanding of front-end development languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript that have allowed me to intentionally design in collaboration with engineers. I've gotten exciting experiences working with faculty designing marketing for a seminar lecture by the CEO of GoogleX, writing a research paper overseen by renowned games researcher Geoff Kaufmann, as well as partnered in a 9-month capstone project with Aerial & Field Delivery Services working with advanced technologies (Robotics, Smart Materials, Computer Vision) to create an automated parachute packing process.
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My passion for design started when I was young, screen printing  T-Shirts in my bedroom to wear to school the next day . That led me to pursue a BFA in Graphic Design from Chapman University with a dream to work in the Los Angeles Streetwear industry. A few  years later I got the opportunity to do just that at CRFT by Maki where I was an Art Director in large, community-based social events. In addition, I worked in-house at KAP7 International, one of the largest water polo equipment suppliers in the world. There, I collaborated across the sales, marketing, and design teams to develop products to be sold all over the world while also maintaining their brand image through a complete redesign of their website. It was working in web design that piqued my interest in UX/UI design and prompted me to pursue a Masters Degree in Human-Computer Interaction (MHCI) at Carnegie Mellon University.
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In my spare time, I enjoy collecting vintage denim, training Muay Thai Kickboxing, designing t-shirts for the clubs I run in the MHCI (MHCI Fight Club and MHCI Football Club), as well as some novice watchmaking.I'm always excited to collaborate on new projects and would love to hear from you. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or want to talk watches!‍