Originally from South Korea and trained in the US as an industrial designer and experience designer, I work across product, service, and experience design. I start from close observation of how people actually behave, and take human-centered work from early research to shipped product.
Contact
Email daechankim.design@gmail.com
LinkedIn @daechankimdesign
Experience
- Built an AI-powered research analysis pipeline with Claude Code and MCPs that cut research synthesis time for a global food-service client's employee-training program, and developed 5 interactive React learning tools for soft-skills training grown from high-fidelity user-testing stimuli.
- Shipped responsive React websites, taking high-fidelity Figma designs into production through Framer, custom development, and CMS architecture, with interactive features shaped around visitor behavior.
- Designed interactive workshop materials for a global academic design conference, using storytelling and real-time engagement to spark participant-led conversations.
- Led end-to-end design and development of a B2B web platform for international institutions, taking it from product roadmap to an MVP shipped in two weeks across 8 partner organizations.
- Created and deployed Oria's Figma design system, standardizing UI components and visual language, which streamlined the development workflow and drove a 500% increase in user adoption.
- Designed a conversational AI experience by integrating Claude with speech-to-text and text-to-speech, an accessible storytelling experience that improved usability for elderly users.
- Proposed versatile furniture for the living room line to Lazzoni, suited to a variety of lifestyles while embracing materiality and manufacturability.
- Engaged with Heller on the development of an accessory dinnerware product, focusing on usability details and product enhancements.
- Developed a portable instrument concept through market research, competitive analysis, and 3D-printed prototypes, working with an industry expert.
- Authored a research paper on governance and sustainability across 37 open-source computing entities, with insights for establishing open-computing infrastructure in developing countries.
- Created a website design proposal and mockups for a nationwide research project, improving the information hierarchy and public communication.
- Led the UX design team and conducted stakeholder interviews for the Mystic platform, defining user profiles and sharpening project focus.
- Created 3D models and promotional materials, including videos and e-commerce graphics, to launch premium billiard products in the South Korean market.
- Designed packaging for cues and accessories reflecting the brand identity.
- Engaged with international manufacturers and distributors across South Korea, China, and Japan.
Education
Master of Science, Experience Design
Northeastern University, Boston, MA · 2024 to 2025
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Industrial Design
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY · 2016 to 2024
Certification
Google UX Design Professional Certificate
Google Career Certificates (2024)
Awards
A'Design Award, Bronze
A'Design Award · 31 Stool (2026)Recognitions
Dean's List
College of Art and Design (2017 to 2024)Publication
Kim, Daechan, & Hernandez Ortiz, Tania L. (2023). Exploratory Research on Governance and Sustainability Practices of Cloud Computing and Open-Source Computational Services. Zenodo. doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8292270
Endorsement
"Daechan Kim has the remarkable ability to take in complex and varied information and distill it into clear, human-centered design. He is smart, curious, and unafraid to ask questions in order to achieve the best possible results. Daechan is an excellent collaborator and holds his peers to the same high level of excellence he demands of himself."
Josh Owen, President, Josh Owen LLC