Tian Cai
tcai.dejar@gmail.com 1 267 317 6971 SPECIALIZATION Social Practice Research
Human Centered Design
Curation
Concept Visualization
Co-creating engagement toolkits with (and for) socially engaged artists and experts to connect with local communities in order to unconver meaningful insights and promote social changes.
Facilitating and delivering accessible solutions through meaningful research, synthesis, prototypes and iteration based on people’s needs.
Coordinating closely with artists, communities and organizations in various aspects, including crosscultural art exchange events and contemporary art forums.
Transforming data into actionable ideas in order to engage with communities to seek new opportunities and effective solutions.
EXPERIENCE Philadelphia
Shanghai
BFA. Integrated Art & Design Shanghai Institute of Visual Art
MDes in Design for Social Impact The University of the Arts
2007 - 2011
2011- 2013 The program promotes a design process that facilitates collaboration across disciplines, and that produces actionable models and scenarios to create sustainable change. Previously known as Master of Industrial Design (MID).
Assistant Art Director LOWE Advertising Agency 2010 - 2011 Worked on projects which include assessment and market campaign for new consumer technology and products in a multi-international advertising agency.
Design Strategist Good Company Venture Program
Talent Art, Interior Design Co.
2010 Decorated site and selected art; Created installations; Designed creative scenarios based on clients’ needs.
2013
Analyzed target audience and created branding for socially responsible startups to achieve ideal investment image.
Design Researcher Social Practice Research
Assistant Curator
2012- present
Collaborated with Asian Arts Initiative on Social Practice Lab program and co-created various solutions with artistsin-residence to improve community engagement and promote impact.
Nordic+Chinese Art Festival 2009 - 2010 History in the Making Shanghai Art 2009 Coordinated with curators to arrange and organize art work selection for display; Selected documentation; Designed the exhibiton and flow.
The Hub Meeting, Event Centers 2012 Identified the demands from the current and potential users to help the Hub to rethink future co-working space based on users’ actual needs. 2011-2012 Liberty Resources Designed a mixture of needs assessment, as well as ways of integrating new technology to those who have physical limitations and need new approaches to deliver services.
SKILLS Hard Skills
Data Visualization Generative Toolkit Co-creation Rapid Prototype Modeling
Adobe Illustrator Adobe InDesign Adobe Photoshop
Soft Skills
Human-centered Action Research Participatory Contextual Interview Synthesis and Sensemaking Workshop Facilitation
Chinese English