Interviewe mat Dawho

I am a designer working in the financial industry, where design is often expected to simplify complexity and build trust. Throughout my career, I have worked across branding, digital experiences, packaging, and customer engagement projects.

What attracted me to design was not only aesthetics, but its ability to influence how people understand, feel, and interact with the world around them. Over time, I became increasingly interested in projects that connect business objectives with human experiences.

Today, I see design as a bridge between people, culture, technology, and brands. That belief continues to guide my work.

We are the digital banking and brand experience team behind DAWHO, the flagship digital banking brand of Bank SinoPac.

Our work extends beyond financial products. We design customer experiences across digital services, physical touchpoints, brand campaigns, packaging, and service interactions.

We believe design plays a critical role in making banking more approachable, engaging, and meaningful. By combining business strategy, technology, and human-centered design, we strive to create experiences that build lasting relationships between the brand and its customers.

For me, design is the process of transforming complexity into clarity.

It is not simply about making things beautiful. It is about making ideas understandable, experiences meaningful, and interactions intuitive.

The best design creates value by helping people connect with products, services, cultures, and one another.

I am most passionate about projects that bring together strategy, culture, technology, and human experience.

I enjoy creating experiences that people can see, touch, explore, and remember. Whether the medium is a digital product, a physical environment, or a piece of packaging, I am interested in work that creates genuine emotional connections.

Among the projects I have worked on, The Fountain of Fortune is particularly meaningful.

It demonstrates how a financial institution can participate in cultural storytelling through design. By reinterpreting a traditional Lunar New Year ritual, the project transformed a seasonal gift into an experience that connects culture, emotion, and brand values.

More importantly, it reflects my belief that design should create meaning rather than simply decoration.

One of my earliest professional projects involved designing customer-facing communication materials for financial services.

Although the project was relatively simple, it taught me an important lesson: every design decision influences how people perceive a brand. That understanding continues to shape my work today.

My favorite medium is the combination of physical and digital experiences.

I am fascinated by how objects, environments, and digital interfaces can work together to create richer human experiences. The most effective technology is often the one that becomes invisible and allows people to focus on the experience itself.

I often feel most creative when observing everyday life.

Ideas rarely appear in isolation. They emerge from conversations, cultural traditions, travel experiences, and small details that people often overlook.

For me, creativity is not about waiting for inspiration. It is about staying curious and continuously learning from the world around us.

I focus on three aspects: purpose, experience, and meaning.

A design should first solve a real problem or fulfill a clear objective. It should then create an intuitive and enjoyable experience for users. Finally, I believe great design carries meaning, whether cultural, emotional, or social.

When these three elements work together, design becomes both effective and memorable.

I feel most energized when a complex challenge begins to reveal a simple solution.

In the financial industry, design often involves translating abstract systems, regulations, technologies, and services into experiences that people can easily understand and trust. The process can be demanding, but it is also deeply rewarding.

The moment when complexity becomes clarity, and when an idea starts creating value for people, is what excites me most as a designer.

When a design is realized, my first feeling is gratitude.

Meaningful projects are never the result of a single person. They are made possible by the trust of the organization, the support of leadership, and the dedication of talented colleagues working toward a shared goal.

I am especially grateful to my organization, my managers, and my teammates for creating an environment where ideas can be explored, challenged, and brought to life.

Every successful project reminds me that great design is ultimately a collective achievement.

A successful design creates value for both people and organizations.

It should fulfill its intended purpose, provide a positive experience, and remain relevant over time. The most successful designs are often those that people naturally embrace because they improve understanding, behavior, or quality of life.

Beauty is important, but impact is what makes design truly successful.

The first question I ask is: Why does this design exist?

Understanding the intention behind a design is more important than judging its appearance alone. I evaluate whether it solves the right problem, communicates clearly, and serves its audience effectively.

A beautiful design that fails its purpose is less successful than a simple design that genuinely improves people’s experiences.

Designers have a responsibility to create positive impact.

Our decisions influence how people consume, communicate, and interact with the world. This means we should consider accessibility, sustainability, inclusiveness, and long-term consequences throughout the design process.

Design is not only about creating new things. It is also about making better choices for society and future generations.

I believe the future of design will be shaped by collaboration between human creativity and artificial intelligence.

As technology becomes increasingly capable, designers will spend less time producing outputs and more time defining problems, creating meaning, and understanding human needs.

Design is evolving beyond objects and visuals into systems, services, and experiences. In this future, empathy, cultural understanding, ethics, and strategic thinking will become even more valuable.

Ultimately, technology may change how we design, but it will not change why we design: to improve people’s lives and create meaningful connections.

One of our most recent public showcases was at the Taiwan FinTech Expo, where we presented digital banking innovations, customer experience initiatives, and brand engagement projects developed by Bank SinoPac.

The event provided an opportunity to demonstrate how design, technology, and financial services can work together to create meaningful customer experiences.

Looking ahead, I hope to participate in more international design exhibitions and forums where culture, innovation, and business intersect, creating opportunities to exchange ideas with designers from around the world.

My inspiration comes from observing people, culture, and everyday life.

I am interested in how traditions evolve, how people interact with products and services, and how design can create meaningful connections between them. Travel, conversations, books, museums, and daily observations all contribute to my creative process.

I believe creativity grows through curiosity. The more we remain open to different perspectives, the more opportunities we find to create something meaningful.

I often say that having no fixed style is my design style.

I do not believe every project should look the same. Instead, I try to adapt to the needs of the people, the context, and the purpose behind each project.

Like water, design should be able to flow into different situations while remaining meaningful and effective. Sometimes it needs to be simple, sometimes expressive, sometimes invisible.

What remains constant is my human-centered approach. Rather than imposing a personal aesthetic, I focus on understanding people and creating experiences that genuinely serve their needs.

I live in Taiwan, a place where tradition and innovation coexist naturally.

Taiwan’s cultural diversity has had a significant influence on my work. I am inspired by the way traditional customs, local craftsmanship, and contemporary lifestyles continue to evolve together.

One advantage of designing in Taiwan is the ability to draw from both Eastern and Western perspectives. This encourages openness and adaptability. The challenge is finding ways to communicate local cultural nuances to international audiences without losing their original meaning.

I believe the most successful projects are built on partnership rather than execution.

My role is not only to create design solutions, but also to help organizations clarify goals, identify opportunities, and align design with business strategy. This requires close collaboration across different teams and disciplines.

When companies involve designers early in the process, design can contribute far beyond aesthetics and become a driver of innovation and long-term value.

My advice is to look beyond style and focus on thinking.

A good designer is not simply someone who creates attractive visuals. A good designer understands people, business objectives, and the context in which a solution must operate.

The best collaborations happen when companies choose designers whose values, communication style, and strategic thinking align with their own goals. Trust and shared vision are often more important than aesthetics alone.

My process usually begins with listening.

Before developing ideas, I spend time understanding the people, objectives, constraints, and opportunities behind a project. Research and observation help reveal insights that guide the design direction.

From there, concepts are developed, tested, refined, and evaluated against the original goals. Throughout the process, I continually ask whether each decision adds clarity, meaning, and value to the final experience.

1. Children’s picture books, which demonstrate how powerful storytelling can be through simplicity.

2. Traditional Chinese calligraphy brushes, which embody patience, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage.

3. Concert posters and memorabilia, reminding me how design, music, lighting, and emotion can create unforgettable experiences.

4. Lighting fixtures, which have the unique ability to shape atmosphere and influence how people feel within a space.

5. Plants and gardening tools, which constantly remind me that growth, like design, requires observation, patience, and care.

Together, these objects reflect my appreciation for storytelling, culture, creativity, and the relationship between people and their environment.

A typical day often moves between strategy discussions, design reviews, and customer experience planning.

In the morning, I may be working on digital banking services or customer journeys. Later in the day, I might review a brand campaign, packaging project, or exhibition concept. Outside of work, I enjoy visiting exhibitions, reading, gardening, and observing everyday life for inspiration.

What I enjoy most about design is its diversity. In a single day, I can move between business, technology, culture, and human behavior, all while working toward the same goal: creating meaningful experiences.

Learn to design beyond the screen.

Study people, business, culture, psychology, and technology. The most valuable designers are not those who know the most software, but those who understand how design creates value in the real world.

Stay curious, stay humble, and never stop learning. Trends will change, tools will change, but the ability to understand people will always remain relevant.

One of the greatest advantages of being a designer is the ability to connect different ideas, perspectives, and stories through visual communication.

Design helps transform complex information into experiences that people can understand, remember, and relate to. It creates a common language between organizations and the people they serve.

The challenge is that designers often need to balance competing priorities. Business goals, user needs, budgets, timelines, and technical constraints do not always align. Finding harmony among these different interests requires both creativity and judgment.

For me, this balance is not a limitation. It is one of the most interesting parts of the profession.

Always start with people.

No matter how innovative a concept may be, it only becomes meaningful when it improves someone’s experience, understanding, or quality of life.

Design should never begin with decoration. It should begin with empathy.

Curiosity, empathy, communication, and critical thinking.

Technical skills are important, but tools evolve constantly. The ability to understand people, ask the right questions, collaborate with others, and think strategically is what allows designers to remain valuable throughout their careers.

My toolbox includes both digital and physical resources.

For design execution, I regularly use Adobe Creative Suite and various AI-assisted creative tools. For inspiration, I draw from exhibitions, social communities, cultural research, and observations from everyday life.

I also believe that conversation is one of the most valuable design tools. Many meaningful ideas emerge through dialogue, collaboration, and listening rather than through software alone.

I focus on priorities rather than perfection.

At the beginning of every project, I identify the most important objectives and allocate time accordingly. Breaking complex projects into smaller milestones helps maintain momentum while ensuring quality.

Good time management is not about working faster. It is about making better decisions about where to invest attention and energy.

There is no universal timeline because every project is different.

Some projects can be completed within weeks, while others may take months or even years. The timeline depends on research requirements, production complexity, stakeholder involvement, testing, and implementation.

For me, the most important factor is not speed but ensuring that the final solution successfully achieves its intended purpose.

One of the questions I hear most often is: “Can design really make a difference?”

My answer is always yes. Design influences how people think, feel, understand, and interact with the world. Whether it is a product, a service, a digital experience, or a cultural project, thoughtful design has the power to create meaningful change.

One of the most important experiences in my career has been helping transform financial services into meaningful customer experiences through design.

Working within the banking industry taught me that design is not only about aesthetics. It is about building trust, simplifying complexity, and creating value for millions of people through everyday interactions.

Projects such as DAWHO and The Fountain of Fortune have reinforced my belief that design can be a strategic force for business, culture, and society.

My work primarily serves Bank SinoPac and the DAWHO digital banking brand.

Over the years, I have participated in projects involving digital banking, payment services, financial products, customer experience design, brand communication, and public engagement initiatives.

These experiences have allowed me to work at the intersection of finance, technology, branding, and design.

I enjoy projects that combine strategy, culture, and human experience.

The most rewarding work is often not about creating an object, but about creating meaning. I am especially interested in projects that connect people with brands through stories, rituals, and memorable experiences.

These projects often have the power to leave a lasting impact long after the interaction ends.

I hope to continue exploring how design can create meaningful connections between technology, culture, and people.

As artificial intelligence transforms industries, I am particularly interested in how design can make emerging technologies more human-centered, understandable, and accessible.

I also hope to continue creating work that demonstrates how design can generate both business value and cultural value at the same time.

Design is fundamentally a collaborative effort.

While individual ideas are important, meaningful projects require contributions from many disciplines. I regularly work with strategists, marketers, engineers, product managers, researchers, and production partners.

The best outcomes emerge when diverse expertise comes together around a shared vision.

I am currently exploring several projects related to customer experience, digital services, and the integration of emerging technologies.

While many of these projects are still confidential, they share a common goal: making complex systems easier to understand and creating more meaningful interactions between people and organizations.

I look forward to sharing more when the time is right.

The best way to learn more about our work is through Bank SinoPac and the DAWHO digital banking platform.

We welcome opportunities to exchange ideas with designers, researchers, and professionals interested in branding, customer experience, and innovation.

One thing I would like to emphasize is that design is not a luxury. It is a way of thinking.

Whether in finance, technology, culture, or everyday life, design helps people understand complexity, build trust, and create meaningful experiences.

I hope more organizations will view design not simply as a visual function, but as a strategic tool for creating positive impact in society.

What we are most proud of is that The Fountain of Fortune transformed a simple seasonal giveaway into a meaningful cultural experience.Many corporate New Year gifts are consumed and forgotten within days. We wanted to create something that could carry emotional and cultural value beyond its physical function. Instead of designing another decorative package, we reinterpreted the Taiwanese tradition of collecting “fortune water” during Lunar New Year and translated it into a contemporary brand experience.The project demonstrates that a financial institution can participate in cultural storytelling in a respectful and meaningful way. Through symbolism, interaction, and ritual, the packaging encourages people to pause, reflect, and engage with the wishes of prosperity and renewal.The aspect that deserves more recognition is not the visual design itself, but the belief that design can transform a promotional gift into a bridge connecting tradition, community, and brand values. For us, that transformation is the true achievement of the project.

Our guiding principle was simple: the physical experience should create emotional meaning, while the digital experience should extend participation.The packaging was designed to establish a tangible ritual. Opening the package, discovering the symbolic elements, and collecting the fortune water created a personal and memorable moment. We wanted users to feel connected to the tradition before interacting with technology.The mobile red-envelope experience was therefore designed not as a replacement for the physical gift, but as an extension of it. Once the emotional foundation had been established through touch, symbolism, and storytelling, the digital layer provided accessibility, sharing, and continued engagement.Rather than asking whether the experience should be physical or digital, we focused on identifying what each medium does best. The physical object creates memory; the digital platform creates reach. Together they create a more complete experience.

Respect began with understanding the cultural meaning behind the symbols before translating them into design.Rather than treating the golden snake and fortune water as decorative motifs, we studied their role within Lunar New Year traditions and local beliefs. We focused on the ideas they represent: prosperity, renewal, protection, and hope for the coming year.Throughout the project, every visual element was required to support the narrative rather than simply enhance aesthetics. Symbolism was only included when it contributed to the story and user experience.We believe cultural design becomes meaningful when tradition is interpreted rather than copied. Our goal was not to recreate folklore, but to create a contemporary dialogue between heritage and modern life. This approach allowed the project to remain respectful while remaining relevant to today’s audience.

One of the biggest challenges was balancing the festive richness of Lunar New Year traditions with DAWHO’s clean and contemporary brand identity.Traditional New Year visuals often rely on abundance, strong symbolism, and vibrant decoration, while DAWHO emphasizes simplicity, clarity, and modern aesthetics. Rather than choosing one over the other, we searched for their common ground.We distilled traditional cultural symbols into simplified forms and used structure, materials, and storytelling to communicate meaning instead of relying on visual complexity alone. This allowed the packaging to retain a strong festive spirit while remaining consistent with the DAWHO brand language.The process taught us that brand flexibility does not mean abandoning identity. Instead, it means identifying the core values of a brand and expressing them through different cultural contexts. We discovered that a strong brand is not rigid; it is adaptable while remaining recognizable.

We believe the jury recognized that this project does not treat culture and technology as separate domains, but as complementary parts of a single experience.The Fountain of Fortune began with a traditional Lunar New Year ritual, yet it was designed for contemporary lifestyles. The physical packaging provided emotional engagement and cultural meaning, while the digital red-envelope experience extended participation beyond the gift itself.Rather than using technology as a novelty, we used it to make tradition more accessible and shareable. The project demonstrates how packaging can become a platform for storytelling, interaction, and community engagement.We believe this balance between cultural authenticity, brand innovation, and digital integration reflects an emerging direction for packaging design, where experiences matter as much as objects.

Every material choice was intended to support the story behind the project.The rigid cardboard structure provided a sense of permanence and value, transforming the package into an object worth keeping rather than disposable packaging. The soft-touch red matte paper conveyed warmth and celebration while creating a more refined interpretation of traditional Lunar New Year colors.Foil stamping and spot UV were used selectively to highlight key symbolic elements, creating moments of discovery as light interacts with the surface. The gold foil interior represented prosperity and abundance, reinforcing the project’s central narrative of fortune and blessings.We viewed tactility as an important storytelling medium. Before reading any text, users could already feel the contrast between softness, structure, texture, and reflection. These sensory layers helped communicate the emotional meaning of the project through touch as much as through sight.

Working within a limited schedule required us to focus on what was truly essential.The greatest challenge was balancing cultural research, brand alignment, structural development, and production feasibility within a few months. Every design decision had to be made with clarity and purpose.Interestingly, the time constraint encouraged simplicity. Rather than adding more features or decorative elements, we concentrated on strengthening the core narrative and user experience. This led to a more focused and coherent outcome.The experience reinforced an important lesson: creativity does not always come from unlimited freedom. Sometimes constraints help reveal the most meaningful ideas by forcing teams to prioritize what matters most.

We believe financial brands have an opportunity to become cultural stewards rather than simply service providers.The Fountain of Fortune demonstrates how a bank can participate in preserving traditions while presenting them in forms that resonate with contemporary audiences. Through thoughtful design, cultural rituals can remain relevant and meaningful across generations.For DAWHO, this project opens possibilities for future campaigns that combine physical experiences, digital services, and cultural storytelling into a unified ecosystem. Rather than creating isolated promotions, brands can build lasting relationships through shared values and experiences.More broadly, we hope this project encourages the financial industry to think beyond transactions. Financial products are ultimately connected to people’s aspirations, celebrations, and life milestones. Design can help make those connections more human, memorable, and meaningful.

The absence of embedded technology was a deliberate design decision.We wanted the experience to remain focused on the physical ritual itself. In an era where many brand experiences are increasingly digital, we saw value in creating a moment that encourages people to slow down, engage with the object, and participate in a meaningful cultural tradition through direct interaction.The Fountain of Fortune was designed as an experience that unfolds through touch, discovery, and symbolism. Opening the package, handling the vessel, and collecting fortune water are all part of a ceremonial journey that cannot be replicated through a screen.Rather than relying on technology to create engagement, we relied on storytelling, craftsmanship, and cultural resonance. We believe meaningful experiences do not always require more technology; sometimes they require more intention. This project demonstrates how physical design alone can still create emotional connection and lasting memories.

The first lesson is that cultural heritage should be interpreted, not imitated. Designers should seek to understand the values behind traditions rather than simply reproducing their visual symbols.The second lesson is that packaging can function as an experience rather than a container. When thoughtfully designed, a package can communicate stories, evoke emotions, and create memorable rituals that extend beyond the product itself.The third lesson is that simplicity is often more powerful than complexity. Cultural relevance does not come from adding more elements, but from making intentional decisions that allow meaning to emerge naturally.Through The Fountain of Fortune, we learned that contemporary design can help traditions remain alive by translating them into forms that resonate with today’s audiences while preserving their original spirit.