UX architecture · systems thinking
Ahoy! I’m JB Ong, a UX Architect who helps teams make complex products easier to understand, use, and evolve—through systems thinking, research, information architecture, and design leadership.
See the parts. Design the relationships.
Three projects where the interface was only part of the problem—and the relationships between people, technology, policy, and business shaped the solution.
I helped define how Caesars Rewards appeared inside a newly white-labeled sportsbook—connecting loyalty education, product requirements, research, design-system constraints, and multi-state delivery.
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I mapped Fitbit’s employee-facing I.T. ecosystem, then redesigned the wiki, onboarding, equipment requests, and communications around a clearer, more coherent support experience.
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I helped turn an unclear entertainment-fashion concept into a more legible commerce experience—using research, product mapping, and mobile-first design to shorten the path from discovery to purchase.
Read case studyPerspectives from product, design, and technology leaders across complex systems and teams.
“What sets JB apart is his holistic approach to design—he considers every angle and anticipates user needs with an almost uncanny foresight, ensuring that the final product isn’t just functional but also intuitive and engaging.”
“JB excels at presenting ideas and technical materials in a manner that tells a story while drawing the audience in and making them a partner and stakeholder of the experience.”
“JB consistently demonstrates an easiness to build interpersonal relations with others. If you ever need someone to deliver under pressure, no slip-ups, just results, JB is your man!”
“We needed a lot of help building our UX from the ground up and JB was integral in that process. He managed all of the user feedback and testing, worked on site flows, created a UX documentation process, and many other things!”
“On occasion I have sought guidance from him on matters of information architecture, user experience and management and he would provide insightful and actionable advice.”
Architected the UX and information architecture for a healthcare insurance contract lifecycle management platform, shifting a developer-led build toward a user-centered, market-ready solution.
2025 — 2026
Led and directed work across biometric login, affordable insulin, promotions and discounts, durable medical equipment, rapid eCommerce deployment, and design-system stewardship.
2022 — 2024
Led Caesars Rewards integration, initiated a white-label program during the Eldorado merger, and supervised developers and QA for compliant multi-state releases.
2019 — 2022
Moved client work from discovery through design and development, using ecosystem research and UML models to shape differentiated MVPs.
2017 — 2019
My path runs through fashion, entertainment, and technology—fields I’ve been around since childhood. That range taught me how to enter complex situations, find the meaningful connections, and build a useful path forward.
My studies in spiritual and narrative psychology shape how I listen, collaborate, and think about the stories a system tells through its behavior.
I approach design as a system: not just the interface, but the people, processes, incentives, constraints, and future consequences around it.
Gaia Gauge is where I make systems thinking useful—tracing the feedback loops, hidden costs, and relationships shaping UX, leadership, business, technology, culture, and everyday life.
Featured videos
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11:52This one metric is going to kill your company!A raw stream of consciousness on Monthly Active Users, live-service business models, and the systems beneath the metric.
19:05Every Second We Are Influencing SomeoneThoughts on the blurred line between influence and leadership—and what leading by example means beyond the workplace.
07:02Mass Effect, Anthem, BioWare, and Bad UXHow a unifying technology decision created a domino effect across a business, its teams, and the player experience.Latest writing
When a Mooncake Becomes a Financial LoopA Chinese-Filipino family tradition meets China’s mooncake voucher market. Follow the reinforcing loop and see who gains, who pays, and what changes.
When the World Answers Back: What Half-Life Taught Me About Good UXFrom King’s Quest and Commander Keen to Half-Life, games taught me that good interaction design notices our choices, answers clearly, and makes progress feel worth pursuing.
ABC, Not AAA: Why Choice Makes a System MoveRepeating the same step is not a learning loop. See how attention, choice, and change help a system move—and why every return carries new information.