Message from
the Senior General Manager,
Design Executive Center

Delivering Surprises in Everyday Life Through Design

Our company’s mission is to “Create an amazing life platform that brings WOW! to our users.”
As designers at LY Corporation, we lead projects using the power of design to achieve this mission, and engage with numerous products every day to enhance user experiences and enrich lives.

Design goes beyond visual appeal and usability; it is a core component of business and a critical factor in a product's success.
We design many of the elements that users see, touch, and feel.
Our aim is to create and deliver true value that brings positive changes to users' lives, not just visual beauty.

Importance of Having a Business Mindset and User-First Approach

There is a debate about whether designers need a business mindset, but I am convinced they do.
No matter how much users love a service, it cannot be sustained without business success, ultimately letting down user expectations.
Therefore, designers must have a deeper understanding of users than anyone else and ensure the product's quality and experience as if they were the first to use it themselves.

Furthermore, to uphold the trust and expectations associated with the LINE and Yahoo JAPAN brands, we must deliver a consistent level of user experience and value across all products.
In an age saturated with products and information, designers should prioritize users to ensure our services are selected and cherished.
It is also essential for designers to balance business objectives with user experience, using keen judgment to consistently meet user expectations.

“Materialization Skills” to Accelerate Project Speed

Designers need strong communication skills that are distinct from other professions.
This includes the ability to convey ideas, opinions, thoughts, and concepts through concrete visuals.
Sometimes, a single prototype can be more effective than a hundred discussions.
These skills greatly enhance decision-making speed and drive projects forward with flexibility and agility in today's fast-paced environment.

Systems to Ensure Quality

To deliver high quality and consistent experiential value, it is crucial not only to enhance individual designers' skills but also to implement systemization. At LY Corporation, we have established the following rules, tools, and approaches to achieve this, aiming to maintain and improve the quality of our designs:

- Establishment of a design style
- Development of guidelines
- Development of a design system
- Operation of a quality management committee
- Formulation of design evaluation metrics

These systems support our designers in creating designs that are uniquely LY Corporation. Our designs will not only continue to meet user expectations but also add greater value, as we continually challenge ourselves to lead the world in digital design from Japan.

Sunkwan Kim
Senior General Manager, Design Executive Center
LY Corporation