1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,799 Thank you so much for making your time 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:07,439 to be here. It was really beautiful day 3 00:00:04,799 --> 00:00:09,519 out here. I landed in New York on 4 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,960 Monday. It's been so cold since then and 5 00:00:09,519 --> 00:00:13,599 this was the most beautiful day I've 6 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:16,240 seen since I got here. So, I'm really 7 00:00:13,599 --> 00:00:18,000 glad that all of you decide to be here. 8 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:21,439 Hope you can make a meaningful time 9 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:23,839 together. As Brian just uh gave a very 10 00:00:21,439 --> 00:00:26,719 warm introduction, I'm Hi. I'll be the 11 00:00:23,839 --> 00:00:28,559 first presenter of the event today. And 12 00:00:26,719 --> 00:00:31,919 uh what I'm going to talk about is the 13 00:00:28,559 --> 00:00:34,320 timely skills product designers need now 14 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:37,600 in 2026. 15 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:39,520 So on that note um before I jump into 16 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,359 topic I wanted to talk a little bit 17 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:44,559 about myself or quite a bit about 18 00:00:41,359 --> 00:00:46,878 myself. Um I am currently a senior 19 00:00:44,558 --> 00:00:48,959 product designer at Lyft. That photo on 20 00:00:46,878 --> 00:00:50,320 the left was taken at the New York 21 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:53,039 office a couple of days ago when I was 22 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,799 visiting. And uh before Lyft I was at 23 00:00:53,039 --> 00:00:57,359 Capital One. That's the photo on the 24 00:00:54,799 --> 00:00:59,679 right. When I was at Capital One office 25 00:00:57,359 --> 00:01:01,679 and before these two companies, I was at 26 00:00:59,679 --> 00:01:04,400 different fintech startups, sometimes 27 00:01:01,679 --> 00:01:07,438 B2B companies or sometimes 10% startups, 28 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:09,439 too. And fun fact, these photos are two 29 00:01:07,438 --> 00:01:11,679 years apart, but I was wearing the exact 30 00:01:09,438 --> 00:01:13,599 same vest. So, I guess I really like 31 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,118 wearing it when I go to the office. A 32 00:01:13,599 --> 00:01:16,640 little more formal than what I normally 33 00:01:15,118 --> 00:01:19,359 wear. 34 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:22,960 And uh outside of my nineto-five job, I 35 00:01:19,359 --> 00:01:26,719 am a content creator uh influencer. Um 36 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:28,798 so I started this a year ago. Um I got 37 00:01:26,719 --> 00:01:31,039 blessed by algorithm. So I'm glad the 38 00:01:28,799 --> 00:01:33,040 account grew very fast and it's been a 39 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:35,200 really interesting um challenging 40 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,799 journey. I found it really difficult to 41 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,880 understand like what people want to see 42 00:01:36,799 --> 00:01:40,560 from me but at the same time I really 43 00:01:38,879 --> 00:01:42,879 like the feeling of connecting with 44 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:45,040 people. Yes, internet has its own harms 45 00:01:42,879 --> 00:01:46,959 but at the same time um when I feel 46 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:50,479 connected with people I just see the 47 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:52,239 more brighter side of it. And a little 48 00:01:50,478 --> 00:01:54,159 more about my background. I am 49 00:01:52,239 --> 00:01:56,399 originally from Korea. The photo on the 50 00:01:54,159 --> 00:01:58,960 left is when I graduated from my 51 00:01:56,399 --> 00:02:01,280 undergrad in Korea. And the photo on the 52 00:01:58,959 --> 00:02:02,478 right, I'm based in Toronto, Canada, but 53 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:06,320 the photo is actually in the New York 54 00:02:02,478 --> 00:02:08,959 City that I took last year. So, um I I'm 55 00:02:06,319 --> 00:02:10,799 based in Toronto in Canada. Uh I have 56 00:02:08,959 --> 00:02:14,239 been moving around a lot in Canada, but 57 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:16,959 that's where I am now. So, on that note, 58 00:02:14,239 --> 00:02:19,840 let's get into the topic. I wanted to 59 00:02:16,959 --> 00:02:22,400 start with this question. What do you 60 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:24,479 think is on every product designer's 61 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,239 mind these days? Like literally every 62 00:02:24,479 --> 00:02:30,959 day all of the product designers think 63 00:02:26,239 --> 00:02:35,200 about Yes, you're right. AI. Um, but not 64 00:02:30,959 --> 00:02:36,959 just AI, AI dot dot dot crying face. 65 00:02:35,199 --> 00:02:38,719 That's how I feel about it and that's 66 00:02:36,959 --> 00:02:40,959 how I found most of the product 67 00:02:38,719 --> 00:02:42,479 designers feel about it or honestly most 68 00:02:40,959 --> 00:02:44,719 of people feel about these days no 69 00:02:42,479 --> 00:02:47,679 matter they are in the tech industry or 70 00:02:44,719 --> 00:02:50,080 in in different industries. And um when 71 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:52,959 I think about AI, these are the memes I 72 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:55,280 found resonating. Claude just dropped 73 00:02:52,959 --> 00:02:57,519 another update and I start tearing up 74 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,280 and they literally drop updates like 75 00:02:57,519 --> 00:03:01,439 every day if it's not every the other 76 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,959 day and I was learning and I'm like I 77 00:03:01,439 --> 00:03:04,560 was just catching up on and you just 78 00:03:02,959 --> 00:03:06,479 dropped new one. I have to learn it 79 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:09,280 tonight otherwise I'm going to be behind 80 00:03:06,479 --> 00:03:12,399 on it. And the next meme I found is me 81 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:15,039 trying to keep up with the 100 new AI 82 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:17,760 design tools launched every day. So me 83 00:03:15,039 --> 00:03:19,840 focusing on one new AI tool while there 84 00:03:17,759 --> 00:03:21,439 are a ton of AI other tools like 85 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:23,360 drowning and I'm like oh my gosh they're 86 00:03:21,439 --> 00:03:26,959 all dying I don't have time for all of 87 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:29,040 them. So that's how I genuinely feel and 88 00:03:26,959 --> 00:03:32,799 uh I found a lot of designers in these 89 00:03:29,039 --> 00:03:35,598 industries uh feel that way. So going 90 00:03:32,799 --> 00:03:38,400 back to this AI dot dot dot I don't 91 00:03:35,598 --> 00:03:40,639 think it's just this fancy tools that we 92 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,319 pay a lot of attention to. um they're 93 00:03:40,639 --> 00:03:44,559 all really great tools have been 94 00:03:42,318 --> 00:03:47,439 democratizing a lot of skills that was 95 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,840 limited to um specific experts but at 96 00:03:47,439 --> 00:03:53,280 the same time I think on the other side 97 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:55,759 of this bright side is something deeper 98 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:58,239 and something more emotional and these 99 00:03:55,759 --> 00:04:01,120 are all the honest thoughts that I found 100 00:03:58,239 --> 00:04:03,680 we share which is like when is my job 101 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,920 getting replaced is product design going 102 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:08,959 to be a thing like in five years like 103 00:04:05,919 --> 00:04:11,919 dang I know nothing about AI and seems 104 00:04:08,959 --> 00:04:13,598 like I'm behind of everyone and like 105 00:04:11,919 --> 00:04:15,759 what the heck another update like I 106 00:04:13,598 --> 00:04:17,759 should learn about it or everything I 107 00:04:15,759 --> 00:04:19,439 learned last month is too old now. Let's 108 00:04:17,759 --> 00:04:21,359 say last month maybe I could tell my 109 00:04:19,439 --> 00:04:22,959 corkers like this is a new AI tool I 110 00:04:21,358 --> 00:04:25,519 learned you all got to do it but now 111 00:04:22,959 --> 00:04:28,239 it's old now. um and I don't know how to 112 00:04:25,519 --> 00:04:30,478 keep up with it and again the thought 113 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,639 around like aren't we all just getting 114 00:04:30,478 --> 00:04:35,519 unemployed soon like when is it 115 00:04:32,639 --> 00:04:38,560 happening and some exhaustion coming 116 00:04:35,519 --> 00:04:40,719 from it and uh I want to say the reality 117 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:42,240 is this is not just our anxiety this is 118 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:44,800 not just our anxious thought or 119 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:47,040 delusional thought this is the reality 120 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:48,879 these are some of the articles I found 121 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:52,800 released from like a couple of months 122 00:04:48,879 --> 00:04:56,159 ago or this month um layoff in tech 123 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:59,120 always always has been a thing but now 124 00:04:56,160 --> 00:05:01,520 AI is accelerating it even more. It's 125 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:04,160 driving it even further. I have a lot of 126 00:05:01,519 --> 00:05:06,319 friends who got uh laid off like this 127 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:08,240 year and honestly I wake up thinking 128 00:05:06,319 --> 00:05:10,800 like maybe it's going to be next like 129 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,720 the reality is there. So for that 130 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,879 reason, we spend a lot of time like 131 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:16,639 learning new AI tools like out of FOMO 132 00:05:14,879 --> 00:05:19,680 like I don't want to get laid off laid 133 00:05:16,639 --> 00:05:21,519 off like maybe if I learn AI tools more 134 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,759 maybe I'm going to get laid off later 135 00:05:21,519 --> 00:05:25,839 than most of people in the industry. So 136 00:05:23,759 --> 00:05:28,879 we spent a lot of time learning it which 137 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:31,198 is great um catching up with what's 138 00:05:28,879 --> 00:05:35,519 happening in the industry but at the 139 00:05:31,199 --> 00:05:37,919 same time I want us to like pause here 140 00:05:35,519 --> 00:05:41,198 for a couple of minutes and actually 141 00:05:37,918 --> 00:05:43,839 take a step back um beyond just learning 142 00:05:41,199 --> 00:05:46,080 new AI tools because 143 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:49,359 getting better at AI tools and picking 144 00:05:46,079 --> 00:05:51,279 up more AI knowledge itself doesn't 145 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,680 solve all the problems. Yes, it's there. 146 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:57,918 we got to learn it. But that's not the 147 00:05:53,680 --> 00:06:00,240 only thing we need to do now. 148 00:05:57,918 --> 00:06:02,560 So on that note, as we take a step back, 149 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:05,439 I want us to think about what AI is 150 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:08,319 actually good at versus what AI is bad 151 00:06:05,439 --> 00:06:10,319 at. They're not perfect at everything. 152 00:06:08,319 --> 00:06:12,560 So what AI is good at, they're good at 153 00:06:10,319 --> 00:06:14,240 analyzing data data or recognizing 154 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,560 pattern as we all know. They're really 155 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:18,478 good at skimming through like really 156 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:20,639 massive data sets and finding the 157 00:06:18,478 --> 00:06:23,279 patterns and similarities and anomalies 158 00:06:20,639 --> 00:06:25,680 and telling us the analysis result much 159 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:27,119 faster than the human. And second thing 160 00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:29,759 um they're really good at automating 161 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:31,840 repet repetitive tests such as naming 162 00:06:29,759 --> 00:06:35,120 all the Figma layers. It used to be 163 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:37,279 frame one 05 but then now they named 164 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,360 into like something more useful or 165 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:41,359 writing the code or building a prototype 166 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,800 based on the existing UX patterns. 167 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,560 They're really good at it. They're also 168 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:47,199 really good at re combining existing 169 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:49,038 ideas, pulling in um everything they 170 00:06:47,199 --> 00:06:51,439 have seen the world and turning into 171 00:06:49,038 --> 00:06:54,079 what I was looking for. But at the same 172 00:06:51,439 --> 00:06:56,639 time, AI is bad at those three things. 173 00:06:54,079 --> 00:06:59,758 Understanding nuance. AI is really bad 174 00:06:56,639 --> 00:07:01,360 at understanding like sarcasm or passive 175 00:06:59,759 --> 00:07:02,479 aggressiveness. If it's aggressive, 176 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,879 they're going to pick it up because it's 177 00:07:02,478 --> 00:07:07,199 very direct. But passive aggressiveness 178 00:07:04,879 --> 00:07:09,038 that's so subtle, they're also bad at 179 00:07:07,199 --> 00:07:11,120 picking up the humor. like something 180 00:07:09,038 --> 00:07:13,038 that humans can read the room and 181 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:15,199 understand from something very subtle. 182 00:07:13,038 --> 00:07:17,279 AI is not really good at that. And 183 00:07:15,199 --> 00:07:19,280 second thing is AI is bad at having a 184 00:07:17,279 --> 00:07:22,159 common sense. I believe all of us 185 00:07:19,279 --> 00:07:23,839 experience like using chat and you tell 186 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:25,520 it to do something but it's just not 187 00:07:23,839 --> 00:07:28,000 following the common sense and now you 188 00:07:25,519 --> 00:07:30,560 have to verbalize everything that you 189 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,720 thought is very common and normal and AI 190 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:35,360 does not understand it. And third thing 191 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:38,080 AI is bad at is handling unfamiliar 192 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:40,000 scenarios. So how AI functions is again 193 00:07:38,079 --> 00:07:42,879 pulling in what they have seen out there 194 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,959 and then respond to what they see here. 195 00:07:42,879 --> 00:07:47,120 But if it's a very new situation they 196 00:07:44,959 --> 00:07:49,439 didn't get any input on they are going 197 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:52,720 to be very bad at responding to it. But 198 00:07:49,439 --> 00:07:55,519 beyond what AI is bad at I want us to 199 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:58,560 think about what AI cannot do. So this 200 00:07:55,519 --> 00:08:01,918 is beyond what they're bad at. First is 201 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:03,918 creating original ideas. AI will never 202 00:08:01,918 --> 00:08:06,079 give you something that has not existed 203 00:08:03,918 --> 00:08:08,799 in the world. That's just how AI is 204 00:08:06,079 --> 00:08:11,198 built. So it will it probably can draw 205 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:13,360 your portrait in the style of Picasso or 206 00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:15,598 Van Go in a very similar way similar 207 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:17,759 way. But then it will never draw your 208 00:08:15,598 --> 00:08:20,319 portrait in the art style that has never 209 00:08:17,759 --> 00:08:22,960 existed in this world because AI is not 210 00:08:20,319 --> 00:08:25,840 going to create it. And second thing AI 211 00:08:22,959 --> 00:08:27,758 cannot do is building trust or 212 00:08:25,839 --> 00:08:29,359 relationship. So think about like who 213 00:08:27,759 --> 00:08:31,439 you trust or have good relationship 214 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,599 with. It comes from the risk and 215 00:08:31,439 --> 00:08:35,519 vulnerability you have with that people. 216 00:08:33,599 --> 00:08:37,599 you know that oh this person acts like 217 00:08:35,519 --> 00:08:39,440 that when they have a bad day and they 218 00:08:37,599 --> 00:08:41,759 make a mistake and they this is how they 219 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:44,800 apologize this is how you make it up to 220 00:08:41,759 --> 00:08:46,799 so trust trust and relationship is 221 00:08:44,799 --> 00:08:48,719 coming from the vulnerability and AI has 222 00:08:46,799 --> 00:08:50,799 does not have that that's why AI is not 223 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:54,160 going to be responsible or accountable 224 00:08:50,799 --> 00:08:56,240 accountable for any tasks you do at work 225 00:08:54,159 --> 00:09:00,159 and last thing AI cannot do is 226 00:08:56,240 --> 00:09:02,720 empathizing or motivating so the empathy 227 00:09:00,159 --> 00:09:04,639 that AI shows is based on what they 228 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:06,720 learn They simulate the emotional 229 00:09:04,639 --> 00:09:09,120 reaction, but it's not that they're 230 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:11,759 going to feel the feeling you share with 231 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:13,839 AI. Um, and also it's not going to 232 00:09:11,759 --> 00:09:15,519 motivate you. Think about how many times 233 00:09:13,839 --> 00:09:17,279 Chachi Pitty told you this is an 234 00:09:15,519 --> 00:09:19,120 excellent question and you didn't feel 235 00:09:17,278 --> 00:09:20,559 flattered, right? It tells you like this 236 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:21,919 is such a great idea and you're like, 237 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:24,000 yeah, of course you tell me all the 238 00:09:21,919 --> 00:09:26,479 time. You don't feel it compared to if a 239 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,159 human tells you, hey, that was a really 240 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:31,200 great question. You're like, oh, maybe I 241 00:09:28,159 --> 00:09:33,120 ask a great great question. Right? So 242 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:36,240 empathizing and motivate AI is not going 243 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:38,560 to do it. And uh what the reason I have 244 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:42,240 been talking about this is there's three 245 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:44,399 things AI cannot do. It goes into one 246 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:46,560 skill which is storytelling. And that's 247 00:09:44,399 --> 00:09:49,039 the number one skill I would want us to 248 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:51,838 focus on. 249 00:09:49,039 --> 00:09:54,639 In terms of storytelling, this is the 250 00:09:51,839 --> 00:09:57,680 quote I really like. It's very cliche. 251 00:09:54,639 --> 00:10:00,480 It's probably overly used um quote in 252 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:03,439 marketing world. So it says facts tell 253 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:06,080 but stories sell. I found this quote 254 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:08,560 really applicable to any industry that 255 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:10,560 we can think of. So facts the screens we 256 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:12,559 design, the codes we write, um the 257 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,159 prototype we built, it's going to tell 258 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:17,439 the number. Yes, it's going to tell 259 00:10:14,159 --> 00:10:19,838 something the fact, but what helps you 260 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:23,600 sell it is the story. So story really 261 00:10:19,839 --> 00:10:25,760 goes a long way. And on that note, um, 262 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:28,639 going back to this AI tools that we 263 00:10:25,759 --> 00:10:31,120 looked into earlier as these tools and 264 00:10:28,639 --> 00:10:33,439 many many other tools are available, 265 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:35,519 anyone can build anything. I'm a 266 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:38,000 designer now. I can launch an app 267 00:10:35,519 --> 00:10:40,000 without talking to an engineer. And an 268 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:42,559 engineer can design something without 269 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:46,320 talking to me at all. So, anyone can 270 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:48,239 build everything. Cool. And uh in this 271 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:50,800 age 272 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:52,560 because everyone can build everything. 273 00:10:50,799 --> 00:10:54,879 It's not about building fast or many 274 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:56,479 anymore. Everyone can do it like um any 275 00:10:54,879 --> 00:10:59,120 time like overnight while you're 276 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:00,959 sleeping. So it being fast or being many 277 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:04,959 what you built it's not going to be a 278 00:11:00,958 --> 00:11:07,119 gamecher. But what matters now is how 279 00:11:04,958 --> 00:11:08,559 you're going to sell it. It's about how 280 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:10,399 you're going to sell it through your 281 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:13,119 stories. And storytelling is the best 282 00:11:10,399 --> 00:11:15,759 way to sell something. 283 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:18,000 And on that note, what do you think is a 284 00:11:15,759 --> 00:11:19,679 really good story? Like what's the story 285 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:22,639 that you're like, "Ah, that story was 286 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:25,199 really, really good." And uh to be more 287 00:11:22,639 --> 00:11:27,600 specific, how can we make a good story 288 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:30,079 for our audience? Something that will 289 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:33,120 help our audience to remember it and 290 00:11:30,078 --> 00:11:36,879 feel something out of it. And I would 291 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:38,639 say the clearest sign of a good story is 292 00:11:36,879 --> 00:11:40,320 when the audience roots for the 293 00:11:38,639 --> 00:11:41,600 protagonist success. you see the 294 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,120 protagonist is struggling and then 295 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,959 you're like, "Oh, I feel for them. I 296 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:47,120 want them to be successful. I want them 297 00:11:44,958 --> 00:11:49,679 to succeed." So, that's a clear sign 298 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,679 when um the presenter delivered a really 299 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:54,399 good story. 300 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:56,639 And I found superhero story is a really 301 00:11:54,399 --> 00:11:58,879 great example for that. Um I got the 302 00:11:56,639 --> 00:12:00,720 photos of the Marvel. Um I grew up in 303 00:11:58,879 --> 00:12:02,559 Korea. I didn't much I didn't watch uh 304 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:05,200 much of Marvel stories, but whichever 305 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:08,479 background you have, every culture has 306 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:12,959 their own superhero story. So what does 307 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:15,360 this um superhero story does is they 308 00:12:12,958 --> 00:12:17,439 follow the hero's journey. You think 309 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:20,079 about every superhero that you can think 310 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:22,160 of and then they start with some kind of 311 00:12:20,078 --> 00:12:24,078 conflict. Maybe they got abandoned by 312 00:12:22,159 --> 00:12:26,319 the parents or the world is falling 313 00:12:24,078 --> 00:12:29,039 apart or now they got kicked out of the 314 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:31,519 village they grew up in. Um so that 315 00:12:29,039 --> 00:12:33,519 first part is the conflict and now they 316 00:12:31,519 --> 00:12:35,120 have the failed attempts. They try to do 317 00:12:33,519 --> 00:12:36,879 something like oh let me save the world. 318 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:39,679 Let me be a nice person. let me help 319 00:12:36,879 --> 00:12:43,120 other people and uh a lot of those 320 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:44,719 attempts go into failure and then last 321 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:46,959 step is the breakthrough. They make 322 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:49,440 their final action and finally works and 323 00:12:46,958 --> 00:12:52,078 that's how we enter the phase of like 324 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,920 everyone happily lived ever after. So 325 00:12:52,078 --> 00:12:58,000 the hero's journey consists of this 326 00:12:53,919 --> 00:13:00,799 three factors and uh I now want to talk 327 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:02,559 about how can we actually replicate this 328 00:13:00,799 --> 00:13:04,240 at work. Okay, the hero's journey is 329 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:07,439 really good, but how can we position 330 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:09,440 ourselves like that at work? 331 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:11,360 So this is the structure I just showed 332 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:14,480 you. So the hero's journey consists of 333 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:16,879 first conflict and if second step is 334 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:18,480 failed attempts. Not all the things have 335 00:13:16,879 --> 00:13:21,120 failed attempts and in that case we got 336 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:23,600 to talk about the cost of conflict and 337 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:27,360 then last step is breakthroughs and 338 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:29,759 applying this to work. Conflict means 339 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:32,000 the business or user problem or the 340 00:13:29,759 --> 00:13:34,159 problem that your team has experienced. 341 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:36,159 And failed attempts means past 342 00:13:34,159 --> 00:13:39,679 initiatives that your team or other 343 00:13:36,159 --> 00:13:41,838 teams worked on and did not pan out. Or 344 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:43,838 if you don't have failed attempts, you 345 00:13:41,839 --> 00:13:45,839 it's your time to talk about the cost of 346 00:13:43,839 --> 00:13:47,839 conflict, which is the negative impact 347 00:13:45,839 --> 00:13:50,800 of the problem. And you can really 348 00:13:47,839 --> 00:13:53,040 expand on how bad the problem was, like 349 00:13:50,799 --> 00:13:55,439 how severely it was affecting the team 350 00:13:53,039 --> 00:13:57,838 and the business. And last step, it's 351 00:13:55,440 --> 00:14:00,000 time for you to position you, your team, 352 00:13:57,839 --> 00:14:02,000 and your project as the breakthrough. 353 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:04,000 See, I'm positioning this amazing 354 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:05,440 project as the final solution that's 355 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:07,278 solving all the problems that other 356 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:09,680 teams could not solve. So, that's the 357 00:14:07,278 --> 00:14:11,519 step you're going to go through and I 358 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:13,439 want to drop a very specific example so 359 00:14:11,519 --> 00:14:15,360 you can apply it to your working 360 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:18,480 situation. 361 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:21,919 So let's say we're presenting a project 362 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:24,320 at work and uh we can introduce it as 363 00:14:21,919 --> 00:14:27,198 this project is to reduce the churn 364 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:29,199 rate. It's fine. Yeah, it's it's okay. 365 00:14:27,198 --> 00:14:30,799 Yeah, it's just the work statement 366 00:14:29,198 --> 00:14:32,479 you're going to going to hear from any 367 00:14:30,799 --> 00:14:34,319 work. It's fine. It does the job. But 368 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,000 the audience is not going to really 369 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,920 engage with their story. Behind your 370 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,919 Zoom call, they have some kids crying 371 00:14:37,919 --> 00:14:42,000 next to them or they have some coffee 372 00:14:39,919 --> 00:14:43,439 machine like just breaking down or maybe 373 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,480 the car on the street is really loud. 374 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:46,720 They're going to listen to you, but 375 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:48,800 they're not going to really focus on you 376 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,800 or like engage with the project that 377 00:14:48,799 --> 00:14:54,000 you're going to share. So, what you can 378 00:14:50,799 --> 00:14:56,799 do is following this the hero's journey 379 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,799 um framework. So, first is conflict. 380 00:14:56,799 --> 00:15:00,879 We're going to talk about in this 381 00:14:58,799 --> 00:15:02,240 meeting we're going to talk about the 382 00:15:00,879 --> 00:15:04,559 problem the business has been 383 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:06,879 experiencing in the past three quarters. 384 00:15:04,559 --> 00:15:09,838 We have been seeing consistent drop off 385 00:15:06,879 --> 00:15:11,838 of users 15% 386 00:15:09,839 --> 00:15:14,320 every month after three months of 387 00:15:11,839 --> 00:15:17,120 signing up to our product. This has been 388 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:20,079 costing to our business a lot. To be 389 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:23,120 more specific, it created a loss of this 390 00:15:20,078 --> 00:15:26,239 many dollars of marketing every month. 391 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:28,000 So this marketing budget gets wasted 392 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:30,959 because marketing team spends a lot of 393 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:33,440 money on acquiring new users and uh 394 00:15:30,958 --> 00:15:35,278 improving the brand awareness. So people 395 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:37,040 have better awareness of the brand and 396 00:15:35,278 --> 00:15:39,198 then more people get interested in 397 00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:42,319 joining our product. Well, that money 398 00:15:39,198 --> 00:15:44,879 got wasted and past projects like this 399 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:47,760 project or that project did not 400 00:15:44,879 --> 00:15:50,159 meaningfully improve the churn rate and 401 00:15:47,759 --> 00:15:52,958 from those failed uh attempts we learned 402 00:15:50,159 --> 00:15:55,360 that what actually mattered is this xyz 403 00:15:52,958 --> 00:15:58,239 meaningful insight 404 00:15:55,360 --> 00:16:00,240 and leveraging this important lesson and 405 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:02,320 we're going to the breakthrough part. We 406 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,560 discovered that users who turned 407 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:07,278 consistently did this very unique 408 00:16:04,559 --> 00:16:10,638 behavior especially after two weeks of 409 00:16:07,278 --> 00:16:13,679 acquisition. So our learning is that oh 410 00:16:10,639 --> 00:16:16,399 this two weeks of acquisition after that 411 00:16:13,679 --> 00:16:19,838 um that's the best time for us to tackle 412 00:16:16,399 --> 00:16:22,320 this user churn problem. So for that 413 00:16:19,839 --> 00:16:25,440 reason our project targeted that unique 414 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:27,600 behavior we found from users and res 415 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:30,560 resulted in reducing the churn rate by 416 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:31,839 8%. And from now on I'm going to walk 417 00:16:30,559 --> 00:16:33,919 you through the design solution we 418 00:16:31,839 --> 00:16:36,000 built. And from there your audience will 419 00:16:33,919 --> 00:16:38,078 be like oh oh your team tried something 420 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,759 and you failed and like oh this is the 421 00:16:38,078 --> 00:16:41,519 best solution you found. They already 422 00:16:39,759 --> 00:16:43,278 gone through the here's journey very 423 00:16:41,519 --> 00:16:45,039 quickly in a way that they will get more 424 00:16:43,278 --> 00:16:46,480 interested in the story you were talking 425 00:16:45,039 --> 00:16:48,799 about. 426 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:51,600 So going back to this slide I said 427 00:16:48,799 --> 00:16:54,078 earlier um when the audience roots for 428 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:56,879 the protagonist success you have to 429 00:16:54,078 --> 00:16:59,519 think of it as when you apply to work 430 00:16:56,879 --> 00:17:02,958 the audience is your stakeholder your 431 00:16:59,519 --> 00:17:05,439 manager or product manager engineers or 432 00:17:02,958 --> 00:17:07,678 CTO CEO everyone you have to get the buy 433 00:17:05,439 --> 00:17:10,720 in from um for your project to be 434 00:17:07,679 --> 00:17:14,079 successful and the protagonist here is 435 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:15,679 you or your project or your team in a 436 00:17:14,078 --> 00:17:17,599 way that your stakeholder will be like, 437 00:17:15,679 --> 00:17:19,600 "Oh, I want this team's project to be 438 00:17:17,599 --> 00:17:23,279 successful. I want their stuff to go 439 00:17:19,599 --> 00:17:27,519 well." So, that's how you can apply um 440 00:17:23,279 --> 00:17:30,160 the trait of a good story um into the 441 00:17:27,519 --> 00:17:32,879 project that you're working on. 442 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:35,038 So, going back to the structure, 443 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:37,200 I want to say the most important part is 444 00:17:35,038 --> 00:17:39,440 the second one. failed attempts, cost of 445 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:41,360 conflict, like all the ugly side that 446 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:43,038 you normally don't want to talk about, 447 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:45,359 especially at work because it doesn't 448 00:17:43,038 --> 00:17:46,798 sound great, but that's what makes a 449 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:49,519 story really, really, really 450 00:17:46,798 --> 00:17:51,759 interesting. Imagine there's just a flat 451 00:17:49,519 --> 00:17:53,599 perfect story like, oh, there was a 452 00:17:51,759 --> 00:17:55,599 problem and I solved it immediately and 453 00:17:53,599 --> 00:17:57,839 you're like, yeah, okay, good for you. 454 00:17:55,599 --> 00:17:59,359 But if you saw someone or the team 455 00:17:57,839 --> 00:18:01,199 struggling through something, then 456 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:03,519 that's how the audience starts rooting 457 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:06,319 for you. And I want to tell you that 458 00:18:03,519 --> 00:18:08,480 this is the part AI cannot generate. You 459 00:18:06,319 --> 00:18:10,720 have all these ugly sides because you 460 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:13,200 are the living human living in this 461 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:15,839 world and making the mistakes out of it. 462 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:17,519 And AI is not going to create that for 463 00:18:15,839 --> 00:18:19,439 you because AI is not just walking 464 00:18:17,519 --> 00:18:21,279 around running into all the people with 465 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:24,400 different personalities and like unique 466 00:18:21,279 --> 00:18:26,798 problems of the team. And at this point 467 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:28,960 you may think like but AI can write me a 468 00:18:26,798 --> 00:18:30,720 story. I asked Claude yesterday night 469 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:32,960 and wrote me a pretty good story. like 470 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:34,720 what about that? And I want to tell you, 471 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:37,759 yes, it will write you a story, but 472 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:41,200 that's something nonoral that's copy and 473 00:18:37,759 --> 00:18:43,359 pasted and perfectly polished. And think 474 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:45,600 about a very perfectly polished story. 475 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:47,918 You're not going to engage with it. It's 476 00:18:45,599 --> 00:18:50,240 very flat. And since it's copy and 477 00:18:47,919 --> 00:18:51,919 pasted, maybe it will pull in some 478 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:53,679 articles that someone wrote about the 479 00:18:51,919 --> 00:18:56,080 work conflict they wrote about. they'll 480 00:18:53,679 --> 00:18:58,320 maybe uh recombine that into the story 481 00:18:56,079 --> 00:19:00,240 that you can copy, but it's not going to 482 00:18:58,319 --> 00:19:03,038 give you an original story because AI 483 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:04,558 was not at your work talking to your 484 00:19:03,038 --> 00:19:06,879 co-workers and your managers. They're 485 00:19:04,558 --> 00:19:09,678 not doing it for you. So, I want to tell 486 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:13,120 you the most interesting part of your 487 00:19:09,679 --> 00:19:15,840 story comes from the your originality. 488 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:17,918 And out of your originality, what people 489 00:19:15,839 --> 00:19:19,918 find most interesting are usually not 490 00:19:17,919 --> 00:19:22,559 the beautiful sides like, oh, I got 491 00:19:19,919 --> 00:19:25,520 promoted to this role. I moved to this 492 00:19:22,558 --> 00:19:27,440 company, I got a raise by this much. All 493 00:19:25,519 --> 00:19:29,440 the beautiful sides is like, yeah, okay, 494 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:32,320 great. But like they don't have strong 495 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:34,720 emotional engagement to it. What people 496 00:19:32,319 --> 00:19:37,119 had the strongest interest in is the 497 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:39,279 ugly sides. Such as what you and your 498 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:42,079 team were struggling with and how did it 499 00:19:39,279 --> 00:19:43,918 affected the team in a negative way. um 500 00:19:42,079 --> 00:19:46,159 what you or the team like 501 00:19:43,919 --> 00:19:48,320 misinterpreted, what was an oversight, 502 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:50,400 what was the mistake you you made and 503 00:19:48,319 --> 00:19:53,038 why was there a conflict and how did you 504 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:55,519 convince the team and what were all the 505 00:19:53,038 --> 00:19:58,798 push backs and frictions you experienced 506 00:19:55,519 --> 00:20:00,879 along the way? So as you share this, 507 00:19:58,798 --> 00:20:04,879 this is what makes your story much more 508 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:07,120 engaging, unique and compelling. 509 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:09,679 So now I got this blank slide. I was 510 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:12,000 thinking a lot about how I could wrap up 511 00:20:09,679 --> 00:20:14,400 what I have prepared for you and give 512 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:17,279 you one takeaway to step away with when 513 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:19,280 you leave this room later and uh I 514 00:20:17,279 --> 00:20:22,079 decided to go back to my originality 515 00:20:19,279 --> 00:20:24,079 which is my background in Korean. And 516 00:20:22,079 --> 00:20:27,759 this is the expression I really like in 517 00:20:24,079 --> 00:20:30,558 Korean. I'll read it as 518 00:20:27,759 --> 00:20:32,558 and that means if I translate it word by 519 00:20:30,558 --> 00:20:35,359 word it means to move move people's 520 00:20:32,558 --> 00:20:38,240 hurts and to be more contextual. means 521 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:42,000 to resonate with somebody. You touch 522 00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:43,919 them emotionally or you inspire them or 523 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:47,200 you sometimes steer something in the 524 00:20:43,919 --> 00:20:49,600 people. So that's the expression that I 525 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:52,000 really like and I wanted to tell you a 526 00:20:49,599 --> 00:20:54,558 good story is the one that moves 527 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:57,839 people's hurt. Story is a really great 528 00:20:54,558 --> 00:21:01,519 tool to engage someone emotionally which 529 00:20:57,839 --> 00:21:04,158 AI a lot of times lack at. So this is a 530 00:21:01,519 --> 00:21:06,879 one quote I hope you can remember as the 531 00:21:04,159 --> 00:21:09,600 only takeaway out of my talk is the 532 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:12,480 stories that move people's hurts um come 533 00:21:09,599 --> 00:21:15,279 from your lived experience and your 534 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:17,519 originality story again is a really 535 00:21:15,279 --> 00:21:20,240 great tool. So how I hope you can 536 00:21:17,519 --> 00:21:22,879 leverage it as something that really 537 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:26,798 unique to you that you cannot replicate 538 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:28,480 or ask AI to generate even tonight um 539 00:21:26,798 --> 00:21:30,558 when you go back home brush your teeth 540 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:31,759 and lie down on your bed you probably 541 00:21:30,558 --> 00:21:34,879 will forget about most of the things I 542 00:21:31,759 --> 00:21:36,640 talked about and in a few weeks or a few 543 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:39,039 months you probably would have forgotten 544 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:43,360 about me or how I looked where this was 545 00:21:39,038 --> 00:21:45,759 exactly but if my story moved your heart 546 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:48,479 you will remember the feeling and story 547 00:21:45,759 --> 00:21:51,519 is a really strong way to give you 548 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:53,200 certain feeling and that's how you build 549 00:21:51,519 --> 00:21:55,038 something that's going to get remembered 550 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:58,038 by people. Thank you so much for 551 00:21:55,038 --> 00:21:58,038 listening.