Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech: GoDaddy’s Yoo Kyung Lee On The 5 Leadership Lessons She Learned From Her Experience

As a part of our series about “Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech”, we had the pleasure of interviewing Yoo Kyung Lee.

Yoo Kyung Lee is an interior architect turned product designer with several years of experience building scalable SaaS products ranging from the e-commerce, medical, and academic industries across mobile, web, and point-of-sale devices. She is an international award-winning designer who focuses on a human-centered design approach, AI workflows, systems thinking, and experiment-driven iterations.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was always drawn to the path that led me to create creative works, especially to improve people’s lives. I always found myself wandering and noticing small moments where things felt confusing or quietly frustrating in day-to-day life, such as looking at space, looking at furniture arrangement, and wondering what was the best way to improve the arrangement to make it more accessible and functional yet aesthetically pleasing for friends or family who would be using the space, or how graphic signs on the exterior were informative enough for users to be aware of the surroundings. As I wandered, creativity and critical thinking became my escape, leading me to pursue a career in design.

I fell deeply in love with designing interior spaces and conducting user interviews to uncover key insights that optimize workspaces for maximum intuitiveness and effectiveness. After graduating from Pratt Institute, I delved into research and collaboration, learning how to distill creativity from real human stories into experiences that feel thoughtful, inclusive, and approachable. This led me to pursue a master’s degree in Human-Centered Design at Southern Methodist University. I became interested in how AI, complex software design, and human-centered design can intersect to produce the best, easiest, and most intuitive outcomes for users of digital products. The balance among empathy, problem-solving, and the integration of AI solutions continues to inspire me.

Today, I design digital products for a point-of-sale device design system at GoDaddy as a Product Designer II, empowering small business owners to thrive by translating complex data into intuitive user experiences. I hope to design digital products that feel human-centered, support people, and improve everyday interactions — that purpose is what keeps me grounded in my creative career.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

Since graduate school, my thesis has focused on AI integration within a human-centered design approach. I was deeply interested in the intersection of AI and UX design. That interest further evolved into helping pioneer the early stages of AI integration in the UX field at GoDaddy in early 2025. After AI became an important tool at our company last year, I had the opportunity to lead a prompt-engineering initiative in the UX world during its early stages. I attended an AI conference where I learned about advancements shaping industry standards and brought those key takeaways back to our UX organization. From there, I dove into developing the first prompt-engineering framework: a 4-step rule — Who, What, How, and Where — designed to help UX designers apply AI simply and effectively in their daily workflows. I was proud to champion this process and serve as an advocate for AI integration across our design team.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Yes, mistakes — even small ones — help us grow in our careers. One of the funniest mistakes I’ve made was during a project presentation, not at GoDaddy, but earlier in my career as a product designer at a startup. I had to present over Zoom and thought I was sharing my screen correctly. I went through the entire presentation with confidence, not realizing the screen wasn’t displaying properly for a full minute. Someone in the organization had to gently point it out. I remember preparing for this presentation for hours to ensure the product design narrative was being clearly explained to our organization. Little did I know that all those hours of work were never being displayed. Even so, I’m grateful that the audience remained engaged with the storytelling throughout.

Lesson learned: always test your technical setup before presenting.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

One thing that sets GoDaddy apart is a culture that truly empowers designers — our voices are heard and genuinely valued. The company invests in its people, creating an environment where employees are encouraged to bring their full creativity and imagination to the work. Our team culture reflects that: we share ideas, laugh together, and connect as people, while also being honest about each other’s strengths and areas to grow. Every voice and opinion matters. When I joined as an Associate Product Designer, I was struck by how openly senior designers, managers, and engineers welcomed my ideas — not just listened to them, but discussed, refined, and built on them. That kind of inclusivity is rare, and it made a real difference early in my career.

GoDaddy also genuinely cares about our users — merchants. There’s a deep focus on understanding merchant needs and designing experiences that make their lives easier — so they can focus on running and growing their businesses with the tools we build for them.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

What excites me most right now is knowing that the projects I’m contributing to will directly impact how merchants run their businesses day to day. Our recent work has been especially focused on creating a unified experience across all platforms — mobile, point-of-sale devices, and web dashboards. Building this centralized product means merchants aren’t switching between three different tools just to get through their busy day-to-day. That’s what gets me up early in the morning — genuinely thinking about the problems these small business owners face and knowing that the work our team is doing together will make their lives a little easier. That sense of purpose is what keeps me going.

Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?

I am not quite satisfied with the status quo, but I am encouraged by the progress being made. More women are stepping into meaningful roles across the industry, and in product design specifically, there’s growing opportunity for women to lead — shaping design decisions, influencing user experience, and bringing perspectives that make products better for everyone. At its core, product design is about empathy, inclusivity, and ethical thinking, and diverse voices make that work stronger.

That said, there’s still a lot of ground to cover — not just in design, but across engineering and software development as well. The more diverse the teams building these products, the better the outcomes for the people using them. I believe schools and universities need to do more to actively support women in fields like computer science, data analytics, and human-computer interaction — and that starts with dedicated funding and resources to help them thrive. Beyond education, mentorship is critical. Having guides who understand the unique challenges of being a woman in tech makes a real difference, especially in the early stages of a career.

The bigger question for me is: how do we make tech more accessible for the next generation of women before they even enter the workforce? What’s exciting is that AI is lowering the barrier to entry in ways we’ve never seen before, opening doors for people from all backgrounds to contribute, create, and lead in STEM. I think we’re at a real inflection point, and I’m genuinely hopeful about where the industry is heading.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women in STEM or Tech that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts? What would you suggest to address this?

We need more women with creative and brilliant ideas in leadership roles in tech — women who can mentor and guide the next generation into the industry. According to recent data, women make up only 28% of the STEM workforce. I hope that more women will gain the confidence to let their voices be heard and thrive in tech environments. Diverse voices matter because the people building the product shape who it works for — and right now, too many products are being built by rooms that all think alike. The tech industry designs experiences for people across the world, so it must reflect the full spectrum of those people — backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking that a homogeneous team would simply miss.

And I’ve seen what happens when barriers start coming down. Teaching UX designers to use AI in their daily workflows — watching people who never considered themselves technical suddenly creating things they couldn’t before — that’s what real access to innovation looks like. With AI lowering those barriers, especially through things like vibe-coding, I’m genuinely hopeful about who gets to participate in tech next.

What are the “myths” that you would like to dispel about being a woman in STEM or Tech. Can you explain what you mean?

The first myth I want to dispel is that women have to be highly technical and mathematical to belong in STEM. I don’t agree with that. Being in STEM also requires a strong research foundation — an understanding of human empathy, psychological processes, and cultural context. The tech world needs people with that kind of research-driven, empathetic mindset just as much as it needs technical skills.

The second myth is that women don’t have a place on the technical and building side of tech. Take product design, for example. Research is incredibly important, but you also need a detail-oriented eye — someone who can look at UX and UI design components with precision. These are the kinds of perspectives that can go unnoticed in less diverse teams, and those small missed details can actually break the user experience. That’s exactly why diverse voices and backgrounds on a team matter so much — they catch what a homogeneous team might overlook. And that impact is greater than people often realize.

What are your “5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in STEM or Tech” and why?

1. Collaboration and communication are everything. Early in my career as a product designer, I learned this the hard way. There were moments where product requirement documents weren’t aligned across the team, and because of unclear communication, I missed important information that directly impacted the user experience design. That taught me that collaboration isn’t just about working together — it’s about making sure every conversation is clear, every voice is heard, and everyone is on the same page before moving forward.

2. Your voice matters more than you think. Early on, I often hesitated to speak up in larger organizational settings. I realized that holding back wasn’t helping me or the team grow. During a design critique as an early product designer, I voiced some UX discrepancies and missing content that I noticed. Because I spoke up, other teams were finally able to identify and bridge the gap between different platforms. That moment taught me that your perspective as a product designer can unlock something no one else has caught — but only if you share it.

3. It’s okay to make mistakes. I made plenty of mistakes as an early product designer, and honestly, I still do. Even as a mid-level product designer, there are always new areas to explore and learn. But those mistakes — big and small — have pushed me to grow my technical skills, my soft skills, and my collaboration skills. There are no stupid questions, either. Asking questions leads to a deeper understanding of the product and brings the whole team — engineers, product managers, and stakeholders — closer together.

4. Keep learning and keep adapting. The design landscape is constantly shifting, especially now with AI changing so much of how we work. I make it a habit to regularly read articles, test new tools, and explore how they can improve my workflow and benefit the company. It’s exciting to see what’s emerging — and staying curious is what keeps you relevant and growing in this field.

5. Build mentorship relationships intentionally. I practice mentorship both inside and outside of GoDaddy, and I also invest in mentee relationships with early professionals and college students who are just finding their footing. For me, this is especially meaningful in the context of women in tech. These relationships build strong ties that push all of us forward in our careers. It’s not about competition — it’s about encouragement, support, and lifting each other up along the way.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

The person who has encouraged and supported me most as a woman in tech is my mom. She always told me that the world is my oyster — that there are infinite possibilities out there waiting to be discovered. That belief really shaped me into the designer I am today.

In my late 20s, I hit a wall. I was burned out from my career in interior architecture and found myself drawn more and more toward the digital world. I felt like I had to play it safe and stay the course — keep building within the field I already knew. But it was my mom who pushed me to go after what actually excites me, to follow the passion that makes you genuinely curious about where life can take you. Because of her, I wasn’t afraid to make the leap and pivot from architecture into tech. Her love, patience, and steady encouragement gave me the foundation I needed to explore, take chances, and grow as a creative.

Looking back, no experience is ever wasted. Every risk, every challenge, every mistake — they all add up and make you a stronger, more grounded product designer. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my mom, who believed in me long before I believed in myself.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Earlier this year, I began volunteering with a local non-profit organization that focuses on helping college students from under-resourced communities break into the tech industry. I get to share insights on collaboration, communication, interview skills, and practical tips to help students develop and prepare for careers as product designers. I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to break into tech as a recent college graduate, because I have been in that position myself. I love sharing my experiences and doing my best to make that journey a little easier for students finding their place in the industry. I also share my passion for AI, tech, and human-centered design with them, so they are aware of the changes shaping our society and feel prepared for the evolving digital and AI landscape.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Something I am really passionate about is the combination of human-centered design, AI, and mental health care — and this idea actually came from my own thesis project during my master’s degree in the Design Innovation program.

The movement I would create centers around using AI and facial recognition technology to understand and assess human emotions in real time. The idea is to have those emotional insights captured in an integration diary — a tool that tracks your mood data and suggests personalized sensory activities to help improve your mental and emotional well-being.

Mental health is something I deeply care about, and I believe that human-centered design paired with AI has the power to make that support more accessible to people who need it most. That’s the movement I want to help build — using technology in a way that genuinely understands and supports the human experience.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite life lesson quote is: “The world is your oyster.” One of my favorite quotes was encouraged by my mom.

I truly believe that in this world there are infinite ways for us to explore, define, and discover areas of opportunity — especially for us as creative individuals in tech who want to bring good to the world. I’ve always carried a mindset of never limiting yourself, and always imagining beyond what you think is possible — because the best improvements you can bring to this world start with that kind of thinking.

That’s why I never stop being a student. I believe there is something to learn from every generation — from those who have walked this path before us to the younger generation that is rising and bringing fresh perspectives. Together, by combining our skills, our curiosity, and our creativity, we really can make the world a better place.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

If I could have a private lunch with anyone, it would be Don Norman — board member at Nielsen Norman Group and author of The Design of Everyday Things. He was the first person to ever hold the title of UX Designer, and his work laid the foundation for so much of what we do in the field today.

I would love to sit down with him and hear firsthand about the early days of UX design and how the human-centered design approach first took shape in the tech industry. But I would also love to look forward with him — to discuss how AI is intersecting with UX design today and what he believes the best practices should be as we navigate this new landscape together.

For any designer in tech, that conversation would be truly invaluable.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.