​Being the only designer in a room full of developers, marketers, and dreamers can sound exciting… or totally overwhelming. Ever wondered what it actually feels like to be the sole UI/UX brain behind a game startup?

​Join Sumin Shim—UI/UX Designer, 2D Game Artist, and creative force at bobaface—as she opens up about her journey from student to startup, navigating ambiguity, creative pressure, and team communication as a one-person design squad.

​✨ In her talk, you'll learn:

• ​What it’s like to design for players and stakeholders at the same time

• ​How to advocate for design when you're the only one in the room who speaks its language

• ​Tips for staying creative, confident, and connected—even when you're “solo”

• ​A live Figma walkthrough of her real project files—see how game UI/UX comes to life!

​Whether you're dreaming of working in games, going freelance, or just want to hear a real-world design story (the kind they don’t tell you in class), this is the talk for you.

​About Sumin

​Sumin Shim is a UI/UX Designer with a strong foundation in visual design, user research, and interactive media. Currently contributing to Bobaface, a remote boba-themed gaming startup, Sumin leads the end-to-end design of intuitive user interfaces that blend aesthetic appeal with functionality.

​She has played a key role in shaping the product’s visual identity—developing scalable style guides, refining UI layouts based on user feedback, and collaborating closely with developers and stakeholders to ensure design consistency and alignment with business objectives. Sumin brings a thoughtful, user-centered approach to every project and thrives in fast-paced, cross-functional environments where creativity meets strategy.

​Learn more about Sumin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumin-shim/

​Organized by DubsTech and Design Buddies

​About DubsTech

​DubsTech is the largest tech community at the University of Washington. We host workshops, hackathons, and talks on UX design, data science, and software engineering. ✨

Get involved and network with us on your favorite platforms:
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​About Design Buddies

​Design Buddies is a community where you level up your design career. Make lifelong friends, improve your design craft, and land jobs. We have free resources, events, design challenges, a job board, fun perks, and more. Hop in here: https://discord.com/invite/designbuddies

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