About me

About me

David Hong Profile

“I believe great design starts with clarity — for the team and the customer”

Hi, I’m David — a seasoned product designer with over 7 years of experience crafting clear, confident digital experiences. I’ve worked on everything from early-stage startup ideas scribbled on a napkin to fully regulated fintech platforms used by thousands.

I’m most at home in 0→1 environments — shaping something from nothing and turning it into something that’s real, useful, and genuinely valuable to both the business and the customer. One of my biggest strengths as a designer is being able to thrive in ambiguity. I’m comfortable with the messy middle — adaptable, resourceful, and quick to figure out what matters most.

That said, I also love what comes after launch. I find a lot of joy in the craft of optimization — spotting opportunities, refining experiences, and making good things even better.

I like to stay close to the work. Whether it’s mapping journeys with stakeholders, interviewing users, exploring ideas in Figma, or QAing builds with devs — I enjoy every part of the process because it helps me deliver better outcomes and keep the product grounded in real needs.

I care deeply about craft — not just in pixels, but in how an idea takes shape and delivers value. To me, great design is about making thoughtful, high-quality decisions at every level — from the smallest detail to the big picture — so that the final product feels cohesive, intentional, and genuinely helpful.

I'm also passionate about using AI as a creative partner — from streamlining workflows and ideation to enhancing product thinking. I'm always exploring new ways to integrate emerging tools to design smarter, faster, and more intentionally.

Here’s what I bring to every team:

  • Strategic design thinking — I zoom out before I zoom in, making sure every decision ties back to the big picture.

  • Behavioral clarity — I design for trust, momentum, and comprehension — especially in unfamiliar or high-stakes spaces.

  • Cross-functional fluency — I work best in fast-moving teams where design, product, and engineering move forward together.

At the end of the day, I just want to make good products that make sense — for the people who use them and the people who build them.

Let’s build something thoughtful together.

  • Cross-team workshop

    Aligning product, design, and tech during a multi-team strategy session to shape next-quarter initiatives.

  • Design workshops

    Facilitating hands-on design system workshops to drive adoption and shared standards across pods.

  • User interview

    Running in-person usability testing to uncover friction points in our onboarding experience.

  • Experiment & A/B Testing

    Validating design decisions with structured A/B tests — improving signup conversion by iterating on form UX.

  • Development & QA review

    Collaborating with QA and developers during handoff and implementation to ensure high-fidelity execution.

Always Learning

I’m a big believer in staying curious and sharpening the thinking behind the craft. To keep growing as a designer, I regularly invest in learning new skills and perspectives — especially at the intersection of design, business, and strategy.

Designing for Fintech hosted by DesignX and Intuit

On July 18, 2024, I was invited to speak at DesignX’s “Designing for Fintech” conference, representing EQ Bank alongside product leaders from Scotiabank, RBC, and Intuit. My talk, alongside my colleague, titled “Making Fintech Products Approachable,” focused on the design thinking behind the Notice Savings Account — highlighting how clarity, behavioral UX, and momentum-based decisions helped reframe a complex GIC product into a human, high-performing experience.

It was a great opportunity to share our work with the wider fintech design community and showcase how thoughtful design can bridge gaps between customer needs and business goals.

What others say

  • Working with David was a pleasure. Throughout every iteration of the UX and UI design process, he took care to incorporate our desired design direction, user personas, and feedback into the next stage that'll help us to grow and scale.

    Mio Akasako
    VP of Design at Ash Wellness

    I led the rebranding and redesign of Ash Wellness's website, focusing on B2B growth strategies. This effort contributed to the company's expansion across all 50 states by 2023, solidifying its position as a leader in the digital healthcare industry. The redesigned website played a crucial role in attracting and retaining business clients, ultimately driving Ash Wellness's rapid growth and market penetration.

  • David made the design process so easy and fun; he listened to our preferences and requests and was able to present us with a design concept that was wholly unique, scalable for growth, and incorporated our team's personalities. We highly recommend David for all your design needs!

    Jenn Chung
    Founder of Embody

    I led Embody's brand design, product positioning, and the successful launch of their signature Retinol gummies in 2020. By 2024, Embody had expanded its product line to four offerings, garnered recognition in prestigious publications like Elle and Forbes, and extended its retail presence to major platforms such as Amazon and Faire. This strategic growth demonstrates the lasting impact of our initial branding and positioning efforts.

  • I got the chance to work with David for the launch of our hot sauce brand FlavürLust. David's sense of detail in terms of taking our suggestions and executing them to reality was such a breath of fresh air compared to past designers we've worked with.

    Wallace Wong
    Founder of Six Pack Chef & Flavurlust

    I led the development of Flavurlust's consumer product from inception to launch. This comprehensive project encompassed branding, value proposition definition, consumer strategy formulation, and market introduction. Since its debut in 2020, Flavurlust has experienced significant growth, expanding its retail presence and securing a coveted spot on Amazon Canada's platform. This success story underscores the effectiveness of our initial product design and go-to-market strategy.

  • We loved working with David. He's so talented and professional and it was truly a breeze getting our store re-designed and optimized by him. Highly recommend!

    Ericka Rodriguez
    Founder of Axiology

    I led the optimization of Axiology's e-commerce platform, resulting in significantly improved conversion rates and sales growth. By 2024, leveraging the redesigned product hierarchy, Axiology Beauty successfully expanded into new product categories complementary to their core offerings. Additionally, I helped implemented subscription bundle options, further enhancing customer retention and recurring revenue streams. This strategic expansion not only diversified their product range but also strengthened their market position in the beauty industry.