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ABOUT MISOOK
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Photo by Agnès H. Kim, 2024

I am a product design leader who focuses on building scalable, efficiency-driven solutions that power business growth and create seamless experiences for both enterprise users and customers. I love tackling complex challenges with a workflow-first approach, working hands-on to bridge strategy and execution. I collaborate closely with C-suite leaders and cross-functional teams, bringing expertise in product strategy, UX/UI, research, AI-driven solutions, and scalable design systems. I am deeply committed to building high-performing teams and leading groups to find elegant solutions to difficult problems.

While in-house at companies like Northwestern Mutual, LearnVest, and ATG, and while working at big agencies for clients like PwC, Uniqlo, and Samsung, I’ve led teams in building B2B, B2C, SaaS, and enterprise-level products that significantly increase conversion rates, retention, and revenues, while reducing costs. I excel at clarifying processes, defining strategies, streamlining complex digital ecosystems, and elevating branded product experiences to turn early adopters into loyal brand advocates.

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As a design leader, I've played a pivotal role in developing roadmaps, robust strategies, and visions. My collaboration with product, technology, research, data, sales, and marketing leaders has consistently increased revenues and conversion rates. I've built highly functional design teams and inclusive cultures, focusing on mapping out individual career paths and helping designers build communication, collaboration, and leadership skills while prioritizing high-quality craft. I've organized workshops, mentorship programs, and peer support networking initiatives, and my expertise in product design and processes and culture-building has been recognized through invitations to speak at events or contribute to publications for TikTok, OnDeck, UX Collective, Bureau of Digital, and Design Leadership by InVision.​​

Little bit about myself

I have lived in NYC since 1994 but grew up in Seoul, Korea, where I was raised with three siblings by a poetry-loving feminist father and outgoing entrepreneur mother. I currently reside in Brooklyn with my teenage son and husband, and love to travel when I can, both domestically and around the world.
 

I took a sabbatical between October 2023 and September 2024 and rekindled my passion for making art, culminating in a small exhibition in Brooklyn. I also wrote the first draft of a novella based on my adventurous life as an immigrant, which I continue to edit in my free time. Art, design, and creativity are well integrated into my life and philosophy. I am inspired by art theory and how design uses it to impact people's lives.

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Notable Achievements & Projects

  • Financial Services / Enterprise Solutions: Reducing application processing time at Northwestern Mutual from over two months to 14 days by modernizing underwriting platforms and implementing unified design systems, achieving 97% retention and the highest customer satisfaction in 30 years, and driving revenue growth to $31.1B.
     

  • Marketplace Growth & Seller/Buyer Experience: Contributing to ATG’s gross merchandise value growth from £2.6B to £3.3B in under three years by leading a product-led vision and boosting conversion rates by up to 12% through enhanced buyer and seller experiences.
     

  • Global eCommerce & Mobile Conversion: Increasing online sales at Uniqlo by 20% and achieving target mobile conversion rates by leading the redesign of the company’s global e-commerce platform.

leadership experience

Building High-Performance Teams and Fostering Growth

I build teams by identifying uniquely talented individuals with the potential to both teach and learn from one another, fostering growth and collective success. Even when hiring junior designers, I look for leadership potential—those who take ownership and collaborate for the success of the team. My recipe of keeping turn-over low and building an efficient team starts with helping individuals discover their career paths and personal vision, guiding them toward building an intentional and fulfilling career.

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Capabilities

I’ve led teams in developing B2B, B2C, SaaS, and enterprise-level products for global corporations and startups, shaping product visions, creating actionable roadmaps, and driving measurable business results.​

Leadership & Team Building

  • Define and communicate compelling design visions aligned with business goals.

  • Collaborate effectively across product, engineering, marketing, C-suite, operations, and external partners.

  • Facilitate cross-functional workshops to tackle complex challenges and drive innovative solutions.

  • Build, mentor, and retain diverse, high-performing teams, and foster a culture of innovation, growth, and accountability.

  • Lead with empathy, fostering a trusting and collaborative culture, and promoting inclusive and ethical design. 

Strategic Planning & Operations

  • Craft visions with top-down and bottom-up collaboration to create actionable and aligned product roadmaps with short- and long-term goals.

  • Tie design decisions to measurable business outcomes, including increased conversion, higher retention, and reduced costs.

  • ​Streamline workflows and align cross-functional teams using agile or hybrid methodologies.

  • Build consensus and resolve conflicts between user, business, and technical needs.

  • Effectively manage budgets, tools, and resources to maximize impact.

Design Strategy & Execution

  • Use research and data to inform strategies, uncover user pain points and problems, and guide impactful solutions.

  • Build and scale design systems for efficiency.

  • Test and measure performance and iterate for better outcomes.

  • Deliver high-quality designs aligned with strategic objectives.

  • Utilize generative AI and other emerging technologies to drive innovation and accelerate research, testing, and product ideation.

  • Drive user-centered design principles across the organization.

Honors, Awards, & Public Speaking Engagements

  • Panel Speaker, Lemon 8 Community by Tiktok, 2024

  • Keynote Speaker, Scaling the Design System Team, Design Leadership Forum by InVision, 2022

  • Interview, Untold Design Stories Podcast by OnDeck, 2021

  • Design Fellowship Founding Member, OnDeck, 2021

  • FWA Jury Spotlights, 2016

  • Midas Awards - Silver Midas, 2014
    PwC 365 / Mobile/Hand-Held Device

  • Midas Awards - Midas Certificate, 2014
    PwC 365 / Products & Services

  • Midas Awards - Midas Certificate, 2014
    PwC 365 / Use of Discipline

  • Midas Awards - Midas Certificate, 2014
    PwC 365 / Products & Services

  • FWA Award, 2009, Garia, Luxury Golf Car

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My design and leadership Philosophy
I believe that crafting meaningful user experiences is the most effective way to turn users into loyal brand advocates, helping businesses grow and succeed. This philosophy shapes how
I manage teams, strategize vision, lead projects, and collaborate across all areas of business.

Photo by Lemon8/TikTok, 2024

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