Can you provide a brief overview of your background and how you got started in the field of design?

I had an unusual journey to the field of Design. In college, I did a Bachelor degree in Software Engineering in Canada, which led me to roles in Sales & Marketing before landing in Product Management. I spent a few years as a Product Manager at Amazon, Myspace and Microsoft where I worked closely with UX Design teams, and eventually managing both Product, Design, and Research disciplines. My journey gave me appreciation for the importance of how Design and Research work together with Product and Engineering in developing customer experiences that people love and that add value to their daily lives.

Which experience that you mentioned before was a milestone or significant moment in your journey as a designer that has shaped your career?

My first stint at Amazon on Marketplace and Kindle teams opened my eyes and developed my skills for how to work backwards from the customer perspective. Amazon’s culture of innovation taught me how to think big and approach problems differently.

What challenges have you encountered along the way, and how have you overcome them?

Perhaps due to my career journey, imposter syndrome is definitely real. I overcome this by reminding myself I must be doing something right to be here :-) , and take the opportunity to learn from the smart people around me. At the same time, I feel that if you’re very comfortable in what you’re doing, you might not be challenging yourself enough.

Among all the projects you’ve accomplished, which one is your highlight that you’d like to introduce to our community members?

It’s hard to name one, but currently I’m pretty excited about my work at Alexa for how AI can help people of all walks of life every day. From my past, I’d say bringing Kindle e-books to be accessible by anyone with a smartphone, transforming Microsoft.com to responsive web design, and various projects at Microsoft Store that brought joy and help to different communities around the world.

Do you have any particular design principles and philosophies that guide you through your work?

Simplicity is easy to say, but so hard to do especially when solving complex customer problems and needs. I also like to remind people that ‘Teamwork makes the dream work’, as I strive to be inclusive in my approach to product design to bring in different perspectives and ideas.

What are some of the most valuable lessons or takeaways you’ve gained from your experiences as a designer and would like to share with other design peers?

A consistent piece of advice I give to Designers and Researchers of all levels of experience is how to communicate and sell your ideas. Adapting the way you communicate depending on your audience or stakeholder, and backing it up with data or insights, is always a challenge in every step of the product design and development cycle. This is key whether you’re selling a big idea in the Concepting phase or helping make an informed decision on UX bug fixes before launch. In hindsight I’ve had many good ideas go down in flames, and some terrible ones move forward!

Do you have any goals or aspirations for your future as a designer in your career that you’d like to share with our community members?

I personally try not to look too far into the future for where I want to be career-wise, for fear of having tunnel vision and missing out on opportunities I might not have planned or envisioned. For me, keeping an open mind, being in the present to smell the roses, and making the most out of what’s in front of me have led to many learning and growth opportunities.

Do you have any design resources that we can share with others?

Not every Designer gets to partner with a Researcher, but understanding your customers thru generative research and validation studies is so important to keep making the right design decisions every step of the way. In the least, every product designer should be getting feedback on their ideas from customers, and I always find it surprising when people don’t use tools like Usertesting.com.

Seattle Community Spotlight: Interview with Benson Lee