Doah
Kwon

What led you into design?

As a child, I was always interested in creative activities, whether it was drawing over walls or engaging in endless crafting and building activities. The joy of taking nothingness and forming something fascinated me. Of course, way back, I knew nothing about what design was. I was simply drawn into making something that gives joy or curiosity.

As I grew older, I realized that design was not just about making something beautiful. It is about problem-solving, telling stories, and shaping experiences. What hugely excited me, though, was the fact that design could combine creativity with purpose, allowing me to relate ideas to people. This led me on the path of taking design as a way of thinking rather than just a skill. And to date, I carry that curiosity from my childhood into work, ever searching for ways to reimagine, transform, and craft experiences that matter.

What does a typical day look like?

I generally get up, have some coffee, and eat some fruit. I take a shuttle to get to the office and can plan what I am going to focus on during the day. As a designer, I tend to keep an eye on the visual design aspects of the product but never ignore the user experience and the whole journey that this user will have. Designing for me never is about designing an object in isolation– it is a journey mapping for a user to find meaning in every touchpoint.

Outside the office, I usually recharge through an active gym class mix-up that keeps me energized and focused. I round off the day with some downtime, and a good night's sleep, and repeat it all again the following day.  

What's your workstation setup?

Where do you go to get inspired?

I take much of my inspiration from outside the design industry itself. Nature, or even just walking outside, sets off a creative spark in me. Nature walks or walks through a new neighborhood; there is so much to see and take in. It's not just going out to seek inspiration; it's finding it within the moments and experiences of life. Confronting beauty and intricacies in the world around me often fuels my ideas and creativity in ways that may surprise me.

What product have you recently seen that made you think this is great design?

Tony's Chocolonely is an interesting chocolate brand with a very unique visual identity matched to its equally generous ethical one. Each individual bar features unequally divided "pieces as a design issue" to make a statement on inequity in the chocolate world. Their design nurtures the curiosity for the brand's mission. It's towards having a fair and ethical chocolate supply chain.

What pieces of work are you most proud of?

Of my personal work, I am most proud of my A24 project because I explored creative storytelling and pushed the boundaries of branding incorporating AR, custom typography, VR, and web design.

At work, the project I am most proud of is the rebranding of Harvard Business Review while I was at Wolff Olins right after graduating from SVA. We partnered with the HBR team to craft a brand that reflects their 102-year evolution while preserving their timeless appeal. The new logo is a bold, modern interpretation of the traditional Harvard shield, which is a key element of their identity. The refreshed visual language united their products and platforms, elevating the user experience and confidently positioning the brand for the future. It was incredibly rewarding to see the new identity resonate across all touchpoints of HBR.

What design challenges do you face at your company?

One of the biggest design challenges I face at my company is creating impactful, user-centered designs while considering the unique constraints of a short-form platform. Because the platform, Youtube Shorts, is relatively new and changing so fast, we don't always have extensive prior user behavior data to lead our decisions. Understanding how users interact with the product, and designing for their needs in this fast-paced environment, takes a lot of research, experimentation, and iteration.

Also, my team is growing rapidly, which brings challenges and opportunities. As we are working on building a product that didn’t really exist in its current form, we learn and adapt every day. It's a rewarding challenge to balance innovation with usability while maintaining consistency throughout the product. It pushes me to think creatively and strategically to make sure every design decision I make adds up to a seamless and engaging user experience.

What music do you listen to while designing?

Any advice for ambitious designers?

Do what you love, and don't hesitate to follow your heart's interests and inclinations. Explore as many paths as possible if you haven't yet found the one you're passionate about. Experimenting and opening the mind to new sides of design will steadily clear the path for you!

Anything you want to promote or plug?

Take care of your health and get enough rest so that your work and daily life aren't affected :)