Miki Lau
About Me
Design Human-Centred Learning Experience for a Changing World
I have always been fascinated by one question:
How can we better understand people to design experiences that help them learn, grow, and flourish?
That question first emerged while I was studying Interactive Systems Design. Learning interaction design taught me that meaningful innovation begins not with technology, but with people. Before designing any product, interface or service, we first seek to understand human needs, behaviours and aspirations. More than twenty years later, that principle continues to shape everything I do.
Rather than pursuing a career solely in product or interaction design, I chose to apply Human-Centred Design to education. I became increasingly interested in how the same design principles could transform not only products, but also learning experiences, educational systems and society itself. This journey has taken me across Digital Education, Teacher Education, curriculum innovation, participatory culture, Digital Humanities and the responsible integration of Generative AI.
Today, my work is guided by what I describe as Human-Centred Learning Experience Design—an interdisciplinary approach that brings together design thinking, the learning sciences and emerging technologies to create learning experiences that are inclusive, ethical and meaningful. I believe educational innovation should never be driven solely by technology; it should begin with understanding people and designing learning that enables individuals and communities to thrive in a changing world.
Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working across almost the entire educational lifespan, from early childhood and school education to higher education, teacher professional development and lifelong learning. Along the way, I have collaborated with universities, schools, governments, charities and community organisations across Hong Kong, Japan and the United Kingdom. These experiences have reinforced my belief that while educational contexts differ, meaningful learning always begins with people.
Whether I am researching participatory culture, designing a curriculum, mentoring teachers, developing AI literacy resources or working with community organisations, I continue to return to the same principle I first learned as an interaction designer:
Design should empower people. Education should help them flourish.
Academic Background
PhD in Japanese Cultural Studies
The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
Research focus: Fandom, participatory culture, digital communities, cultural anthropology, and new media.
MSc in Multimedia and Entertainment Technology
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR
Study focus: Interaction design, multimedia systems, digital technologies, and edutainment.
BA (First Class Honours) in Interactive Systems Design
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR
Study focus: Interaction design, user experience, user interface, information architecture, design culture, and design innovation.
My academic journey has been shaped by three interconnected disciplines: Design, Society & Culture, and Education. Beginning with Interaction Design, I became interested in how people make sense of information and technology. My doctoral research in Japanese Cultural Studies deepened this interest by examining participatory culture and digital communities. These experiences eventually led me into digital education, curriculum innovation, AI literacy, and my current work on human-centred approaches to knowledge and learning design.
My Journey
01
Interaction Design
How do people interact with technology?
Studied Interactive Systems Design to understand how Human-Centred Design, usability and interaction design shape people's experiences with products, services and digital technologies.
02
Human Behaviour & Participatory Culture
How do people participate, create and learn within communities?
Explored digital culture, fandom, media participation and identity through anthropology and cultural studies, examining how communities form, collaborate and create knowledge in increasingly connected societies.
03
Digital Learning Design
How can we design more meaningful learning experiences?
Applied Human-Centred Design principles to educational technologies, instructional design and digital learning environments, translating educational research into engaging and inclusive learning experiences.
04
Teacher Education
How can educators design better learning?
Worked with pre-service teachers, practising educators and educational leaders to strengthen digital pedagogy, research capability and professional identity through curriculum design and teacher professional development.
05
Curriculum Innovation
How can educational systems respond to change?
Led curriculum redesign across higher education, integrating Digital Education, authentic assessment, interdisciplinary learning and evidence-informed pedagogical innovation.
06
Generative AI & Digital Humanities
How should education evolve in an AI-enabled world?
Investigated the responsible integration of Generative AI, Human–Computer Interaction, Digital Humanities and emerging technologies to support ethical, creative and human-centred educational futures.
07
Human-Centred Learning Experience Design
How can we design learning that helps people flourish?
Today, my work brings together design, education and society through Human-Centred Learning Experience Design—a research agenda that integrates Human-Centred Design, learning sciences and emerging technologies to create meaningful learning experiences that enable individuals, educators and educational systems to thrive in a changing world.
Current Research vision
Educational Knowledge Design
How should educational knowledge be designed to support human understanding?
This question now guides my current and future research. Drawing together design, education, AI and the learning sciences, I am developing an emerging research agenda on Educational Knowledge Design to explore how knowledge can be intentionally organised, represented and experienced to cultivate deeper human understanding.
08
Design
My Research Philosophy
Understanding people before designing solutions.
Education
Designing meaningful learning experiences.
Society & Culture
Using education to support positive societal change and cherish cultural differences.