Methods I

with Corey Lee

Many designers can execute—but few can clearly articulate why they’re building what they build. Methods I bridges that gap.

Led by Corey Lee (formerly of Figma), the course moves beyond tools and into strategic thinking. Students learn to frame problems, define opportunities, and translate design insight into meaningful business outcomes.

Through hands-on exercises, workshops, and applied projects in Figma, students develop repeatable strategic frameworks—learning to diagnose challenges, identify differentiators, and make confident decisions. The course introduces core strategy components—context, opportunities, hypotheses, themes, and tactics—and shows how they guide design direction, team alignment, and go-to-market success.

By the end, students can connect design execution to product strategy, evolving from makers into strategic partners—whether working in-house, independently, or building their own ventures.

Learning Outcomes

Strategic Design Thinking — Understand strategy as a framework for diagnosis and action, connecting design decisions to measurable business outcomes.

Context and Market Insight — Develop the ability to analyze user needs, market forces, and organizational dynamics to identify high-impact opportunities.

Hypothesis Formation and Validation — Learn to craft clear, evidence-based hypotheses that guide product direction and align teams around shared goals.

Translating Insight into Execution — Use Figma as a thinking tool—not just for interface design, but for visualizing strategy, mapping logic, and aligning decisions.

Communicating Strategy — Present your design rationale through clear, structured, business-focused narratives that build trust and clarity with stakeholders.

Framework Development and Repeatability — Build your own repeatable strategic framework to ensure consistent alignment and confident decision-making across any team environment.

From 0 → 1 Thinking — Synthesize design and strategy to imagine, test, and clearly communicate products or services that move from concept to real-world viability.

Schedule

Wednesday, 10AM–11:30AM JST

Corey Lee

Designer, Product Strategist, and Design Coach

Corey Lee is a designer and product strategist with 15+ years of experience helping designers move beyond execution to design with purpose, business fluency, and strategic clarity.

Formerly at Figma, he shaped how leading teams collaborate and scale. Today, as a designer coach, Corey supports designers advancing into senior roles and helps freelancers and agencies build strategy-driven practices—transforming design from a service into a strategic advantage.

Through Methods I, Corey distills real-world experience into practical frameworks that bridge design and business, equipping designers to build conviction, align teams, and take ideas from 0 → 1 with clarity and impact.