About

I'm the person you hand a project to when nobody's sure yet what it is. Industrial design, interaction design, service design, architecture, strategy: the label changes, the job doesn't. Figure out what's actually needed, then go make it.

People who've worked with me describe it a certain way: calm on the surface, paddling hard underneath. A quiet diplomat who'd rather listen a room into agreement than argue it there. Old-school modernist at heart, less is more, said as plainly as I can say it. And yes, I have a well-documented weakness for the color orange.

Logic and Lore is my practice, named for the two things I'm always trying to hold at once: the logic of how something works, and the story of why anyone should care. Nine years at IDEO across five studios (Palo Alto, Shanghai, Munich, Austin, Tokyo) taught me that the best work happens where engineering precision and human meaning actually agree with each other. Healthcare, wellness, accessibility, the places people live and move: work where getting it right matters to someone.

Clients and collaborators have included The Dorchester Collection, Air New Zealand, Medtronic, Clark Realty, Stanford Hospital, Philips, Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Dell Medical School, Samsung, and a long list of startups betting on something unproven. Along the way: a dozen-plus patents, two Red Dot Awards, and IDEA gold, silver, and bronze.

One more thing, since former colleagues will mention it if I don't: I hate long meetings. If we're in one, I'm already thinking about how to end it.

For project inquiries:
stephen.kim.id@gmail.com