Hi, I'm Sanghyo, a product designer
Experience
Work Experience (8+ years)
LottieFiles Senior Product Designer (2024 - Current)
Wantedlab Product & Platform Designer (2021 - 2024)
• Buzzvil Product Designer (2019 - 2021)
• Dico Co-Founder as Designer (2017 - 2019)
Outside of Work
Community: Friends of Figma Seoul Organizer (2019 - Present)
Book: Do it! Learning Product Design with Figma in Practical Steps (2024)
Lectures: Product Design, Design Systems, and more (2020 - Present)
Keywords
Working Style
• I define tasks and propose, plan, and execute solutions independently to achieve goals.
• I design with a focus on both core objectives and user needs.
• I quickly learn and share new tools and trends.
• I engage in retrospectives, training, and workshops to collaboratively improve our methods.
Design Skills
I design to achieve goals.
• I have experience creating, implementing, and managing design infrastructure in companies of various sizes, from 10 to 200 employees.
• I work collaboratively to understand business objectives quickly and propose specific workflows, with multiple successful service launches.
• I have experience designing communication strategies that drive user actions and improve key metrics.
Interested in..
The Essence of Design
In Korea, “design” often still refers to “creating something aesthetically pleasing and commercial.” However, I believe that design is fundamentally more about “planning and structuring.” The traditional skill of “creating beautiful things” is even more effective when combined with a mindset that identifies problems in social phenomena or daily experiences and proposes solutions. I hope more people can appreciate this fundamental beauty of design.
A World Where Anyone Can Design
When we broaden the definition of “design” as described above, I think we all lead lives where we are designing something. Have you ever created a school timetable that suits your rhythm during course registration? Or created a personal route for your commute or a map of favorite restaurants? I see all these as forms of design that optimize individual experiences. As a designer, I aim to excel in planning and also to help more people design better.
Figma
The design tool Figma is incredibly attractive for achieving the above goals, as it helps everyone express their ideas more easily. (For more details about Figma, refer to this article).
By helping everyone design, I hope to contribute to making a better world.
Work Philosophy
Pursuing Rationality with Emotion
Rationality is essential for defining problems and starting designs that fit the purpose. As a designer, I constantly think about what rational design is in the given project context and strive to apply it logically and passionately. However, design isn’t complete without emotion. I believe in incorporating emotions that resonate with people genuinely and create positive social effects. I aim to balance rationality with emotional appeal in my designs.
Communication through Chat and Retrospectives
Great products aren’t made alone. It requires sharing diverse perspectives and capabilities with wonderful colleagues. I enjoy having discussions and coffee chats with colleagues, which helps in building rapport and improving collaboration. Through these interactions, unexpected opportunities arise, and project situations are viewed from broader perspectives. Regular retrospectives and coffee chats lead to smoother collaboration and new successful experiences.
Strengths
Strategic Design Execution at Scale
From starting my career with a startup to managing the design infrastructure for organizations up to 200 employees, I’ve developed and implemented design strategies suited to the company’s scale. Maintaining high design quality and consistent design patterns are essential for product and brand reliability and efficiency. My experience enables me to plan and execute tailored strategies based on the company’s size and circumstances.
Experience in Startups and Global Service Launch
I’ve launched and improved services targeting global markets such as Latin America and Japan, working with teammates from diverse nationalities. This experience has led my ability to create products from scratch to professional outcomes, and consider different user experiences from technical, national, and linguistic perspectives.
Business and Technology-Friendly, Rapid Testing
Balancing long-term projects like design systems with the need for rapid product launches and testing is crucial. My business-minded approach allows me to release and test products quickly, adapting to fast-changing business situations.
Structured Sharing and Open to Feedbacks
Effective communication is more important than flawless UI design. Frequent sharing of designs and incorporating feedback from colleagues improve project success rates. I’ve led design review meetings, office hours, and retrospectives to save time on initial drafts and focus on executing confirmed flows quickly.
