The essence of a product, the story behind the brand, its identity and direction, and the needs of the people who consume it—by identifying and solving these challenges one by one with a design-oriented mindset, people’s needs transform into new emotions called wants. I believe that this problem-solving process is what design is all about. A designer must be involved in every step of a product’s journey—from planning and designing to production and delivery to the customer—to achieve a result that satisfies the brand’s identity, reasonable manufacturing costs, and emotional quality. It is essential to move beyond a binary way of thinking, such as separating product design and visual design. Instead, design solutions are needed at every touchpoint where the brand and customer interact—whether visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, or in the form of service.

We must not focus solely on beauty, nor should we prioritize productivity above all else. The ability to harmonize all conditions through thoughtful planning and design ultimately comes from experience.