From global financial platforms to enterprise-scale design systems, Joanna (Yeejung) Yoon has built a career out of simplifying complexity. Currently the sole UX designer for S&P Global’s Third-Party Risk Management division, her work touches some of the most high-stakes tools in the financial industry. With multiple international awards and industry leadership roles, she is fast becoming a recognized voice in enterprise and fintech UX.

Q: Joanna, your career path is quite unique. How did you get started in UX design?

A: I actually started with a B.A. in East Asian Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, then earned my M.A. in Instructional Technology and Media at Columbia University. That combination of cultural understanding and instructional design gave me a deep empathy for how people learn and interact with information. I started in product design roles where research and user empathy were critical, and over time I transitioned into more complex UX work for enterprise and fintech platforms.

Q: You’re now at S&P Global, as the sole UX Designer for the third party risk domain solutions. What does that entail?

A: I lead the end-to-end UX strategy and execution for S&P Global’s suite of third-party risk management solutions — Know Your 3rd Party (KY3P), TruSight (TPAP), and Supplier Risk Indicator. These platforms are used daily by global banks, investment firms, and large corporations to identify, assess, and manage third-party risk.

One of my most significant projects was designing the Third Party Risk Management Dashboard entirely from the ground up. The goal was to unify S&P Global’s three separate legacy products into a single, centralized platform — a “one-stop shop” where users can source, assess, onboard, and maintain third-party relationships seamlessly. To achieve this, I facilitated a full-day design workshop with more than ten stakeholders, gathered insights from enterprise clients, and drove multiple design iterations in close collaboration with Engineering, Business, and Product teams.

I am also spearheading the UX design for AI/ML-powered features that are transforming the way vendors are assessed for risk. What was once an extremely manual, Excel-driven process is now being reimagined into a fully automated, seamless workflow.

Q: Before S&P Global, you worked in other industries. How did those experiences shape you?

A: Each role taught me how to adapt design thinking to entirely different business models. At RAPP, part of the Omnicom Group, I worked with Spectrum Enterprise to redesign high-impact product and solutions pages that drove B2B sales, and overhauled the site architecture so clients could explore its full suite of offerings in just a few clicks. At Eviden (formerly Atos Consulting), I developed a design system spanning three products for the Options Clearing Corporation — a fintech client — ensuring full Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) compliance. These experiences taught me how to lead complex, multi-stakeholder projects and maintain design consistency at scale — skills I now apply daily in the high-stakes world of financial risk management.

Q: Your work spans industries from energy to finance. How do you approach learning such different domains?

A: I immerse myself in the industry context quickly. For example, when designing HR tools for an energy company, I spent weeks with internal teams understanding their workflows. For finance, I had to learn the language of risk scoring, compliance, and investment workflows. My process always starts with deeply understanding the user’s pain points, then aligning solutions with business objectives.

Q: This year has been big for you in terms of recognition. Can you share some highlights?

A: 2025 has been a milestone year. I was recognized as the Rising Star within S&P Global’s Risk and Valuation Services division — a huge honor from my peers. Internationally, I was recognized in top-tier design competitions, including the London Design Awards, French Design Awards, and New York Product Design Awards. Awards are a nice validation, but for me they’re a reflection of the impact my work has had on both the business and the end user.

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Q: Those are impressive accolades. Can you tell us more about the project that earned this international recognition?

A: The recognition was for EconoSense, a mobile app I designed to make financial literacy accessible for minority communities that often face barriers to quality financial education. The concept stemmed from my experience working in fintech, where I saw firsthand how opaque, jargon-heavy, and inaccessible financial information can be. With EconoSense, I set out to simplify complex topics like tariffs, interest rates, and inflation into plain-language insights and interactive tools that people can actually use in daily life. The app offers personalized guidance, data visualizations, and scenario-based learning, helping users not only understand finance but also make informed decisions. It’s a project I’m deeply proud of because it blends my design expertise with a social mission — transforming something traditionally exclusive into something ㅡinclusive and empowering.

Q: You’ve also been active in mentoring and speaking. Why is that important to you?

A: I believe in giving back to the community that’s shaped me. Through ADPList and Korea Tech Network, I mentor designers from around the world on portfolio building and career strategy. I’ve also been invited to speak at Columbia University and General Assembly (a UX Design bootcamp) to offer insights about working in the tech and UX industry. Sharing knowledge keeps me connected to the next generation of designers and pushes me to stay sharp.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: I’m focused on evolving S&P Global’s risk management products to leverage AI responsibly and enhance decision-making for enterprise clients. Longer term, I want to keep building bridges between highly technical industries and accessible, human-centered digital experiences. Design has the power to simplify complexity — and that’s where I want to be.

Conclusion:

From transforming enterprise workflows to mentoring the next generation of designers, Joanna Yoon is proving that UX can be both technically rigorous and profoundly human. Her work stands at the intersection of data, design, and empathy — and her trajectory suggests the most impactful chapters are yet to come.

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