AlipayHK advice Youth Tech Innovation & UX Design Competition | Secondary Division | Workshop Recap

We recently hosted a 7-hour UX, scientific research and presentation skills workshop for the AlipayHK αdvice Youth Tech Innovation & UX Design Competition and Job Shadowing Program 2026, with over 200 students participating to be part of it. We were amazed by their enthusiasm and engagement right through to the end! 

 
The competition challenges secondary school students to design a new AI-powered feature for the AlipayHK app across three themes: Enhance digital living experiences in Hong Kong; Practice environmental sustainability in Hong Kong; and Promote charitable engagement in Hong Kong. 

 
To help students address the challenges with real depth, we were honoured to welcome industry leaders who brought the competition themes to life. Mandy Chan, UI Design Manager from AlipayHK, shared her professional perspective on what it truly means to design with users in mind. Martin Tang, Chief Commercial Officer from AlipayHK, Vanessa Cheung, Strategic Planning & Sustainability Manager from AS Watson, and Judith Lee, Development Officer (Fundraising and Partnership) from HKFYG, then each delivered a themed talk, sharing first-hand perspectives on the real challenges and user pain points behind each theme.  

Figma is new to most secondary school students, yet it's the tool they need to bring their competition ideas to life. So we invited Melvin Au, our professional UX/UI tutor, to lead a step-by-step session. He began by showing students how good design starts with understanding users with data-driven analysis and research to guide design decisions. He then moved into a hands-on Figma lab where students built their own mobile prototypes. Every student left with the foundational knowledge and practical confidence to tackle the competition from the ground up. 

 
For us, a competition is much more than just the students' submissions. That's why we invest in their learning journey to equip students with the right knowledge, connect them with the right people, and give them the confidence to apply both. 

 
We hope every student walked away with not just new skills, but a deeper appreciation for the power of user-centred design. We cannot wait to see the innovative AI-powered features these students will bring to life and the fresh perspectives they bring.