tiffany tseng

Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Barnard College, Columbia University
Director of Design Tools Lab

I develop design tools that empower beginners to realize their creative potential.

My research leverages computational technologies to enable creative expression for the next generation of designers. I have developed design tools in the domains of animation, machine learning modeling, electronics prototyping, and online design communities for makers.

My work combines systems building and design-based research; in interdisciplinary teams, we design and build software tools and collaborate with community partners like museums, libraries, and schools to understand how these tools are used by learners in practice.

Prior to joining Barnard, I was a research scientist at 🍎 Apple and a Project Assistant Professor at the 🗼 University of Tokyo. I also spent several years as a lead UX designer and design engineer on Tinkercad at 🧰 Autodesk and on online code editors at 🎏 Glitch. I received my PhD from the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the ✨ MIT Media Lab. In my previous life as a mechanical engineer, I designed at 💡 IDEO, and 👶 Fisher-Price.

I will be on leave Fall 2025

For more about Design Tools Lab, please check out our website

selected research and publications

arXiv preprint
Keyframer: Empowering Animation Design using Large Language Models
Tiffany Tseng, Ruijia Cheng, Jeffrey Nichols
preprint video
TOCE 2024
Co-ML: Collaborative machine learning model building for developing dataset design practices
Tiffany Tseng, Matt J Davidson, Luis Morales-Navarro, Jennifer King Chen, Victoria Delaney, Mark Leibowitz, Jazbo Beason, R Benjamin Shapiro
paper video
IDC 2023 Honorable Mention
Collaborative Machine Learning Model Building with Families Using Co-ML
Tiffany Tseng, Jennifer King Chen, Mona Abdelrahman, Mary Beth Kery, Fred Hohman, Adriana Hilliard, R Benjamin Shapiro
paper video
IDC 2021 Best Paper
PlushPal: Storytelling with interactive plush toys and machine learning
Tiffany Tseng, Yumiko Murai, Natalie Freed, Deanna Gelosi, Tung D Ta, Yoshihiro Kawahara
paper app guide video
DIS 2021
Circuit Assemblies: Electronic Modules for Interactive 3D-Prints
Tiffany Tseng, Yoshihiro Kawahara
paper blog post glow module tutorial move module tutorial
Note: this feature is live on Tinkercad!
DIS 2016
Spin: Examining the role of engagement, integration, and modularity in supporting youth creating documentation
Tiffany Tseng, Mitchel Resnick
paper site assembly instructions video
IDC 2015
Spin: A photography turntable system for creating animated documentation
Tiffany Tseng, Mitchel Resnick
paper
Makeology 2016
Build in Progress: Building Process-Oriented Documentation
Tiffany Tseng
in Makeology: Makerspaces as Learning Environments
Fablearn 2015
Making Make-throughs: Supporting young makers sharing design process.
Tiffany Tseng
Paper Source Code
IDETC 2014
Documentation in progress: Challenges with representing design process online.
Tiffany Tseng, Maria Yang, Stephen Ruthmann
Paper
CHI 2013
Design, reflect, explore: Encouraging children's reflections with Mechanix
Tiffany Tseng, Coram Bryant
Paper
IDC 2011
Collaboration through documentation: Automated capturing of tangible constructions to support engineering design
Tiffany Tseng, Coram Bryant, Paulo Blikstein
Paper
TEI 2011
Mechanix: A tangible interactive wall for exploring engineering design
Tiffany Tseng, Coram Bryant, Paulo Blikstein
Paper
C&C 2021
Exquisite Circuits: Collaborative Electronics Design through Drawing Games
Jie Qi, Natalie Freed, Tiffany Tseng, Fay Shaw, Barbara Liedahl, Becca Rose Glowacki, Yoshihiro Kawahara
paper
Dissertation
Making Make-throughs: Documentation as stories of design process
Tiffany Tseng
PDF
TEI 2015
Process Products: Capturing design iteration with digital fabrication
Tiffany Tseng, Geoff Tsai
Paper
DIS 2014
Product versus process: Representing and appropriating DIY projects online
Tiffany Tseng, Mitchel Resnick
Paper
ASEE 2011
Early Academic Experiences of Non-Persisting Engineering Undergraduates
Tiffany Tseng, Helen L Chen, PE Sheri Sheppard
Paper
ASEE 2011
The Role of Spatial-Visual Skills in a Project-Based Engineering Design Course
Tiffany Tseng, Maria Yang
Paper

small design tools and resources

Stencilfy Create a stencil from any text, using any font app blog post
Tinkercad Code Blocks Visual programming for Arduino Blog Post
Character design with Microbit Inspired by tamagotchi Blog Post
Microbit Web Bluetooth Starter Apps For connecting to the Microbit on the web Starter apps

fun stuff

I have a snack blog called Tasty Snacking where I've reviewed over 2,000 snacks.

I enjoy collecting records and was a former college radio DJ at WMBR.

I'm an avid reader and am always looking for book recommendations.

I kept a food journal of snacks and food that I ate while living in Tokyo (2020-2021).

old version of website (2020)