ÜBER DIESE EPISODE
In this episode of Practical Product Management, hosts Leah Farmer and Marilyn McDonald sit down with Sunny Lee, Experience Design Director at EA’s Full Circle Studio, to explore the intersection of design, empathy, and play.
Sunny’s career spans from building AAA games at EA Sports to shaping purpose-driven experiences in health tech — and back again to lead design for Skate, EA’s newly relaunched open-world game. She shares how thoughtful design can empower players, foster inclusion, and build real human connection in digital spaces.
The conversation moves from the craft of experience design to the ethics of monetization, from diversity in game culture to the importance of making failure fun. Whether you’re building software or skate parks, this episode is a reminder that great design — like great leadership — is about creating spaces where people feel seen, confident, and free to explore.
Key Takeaways
1. Design Is More Than Pixels — It’s About Human Connection. Great design balances usability, emotion, and purpose. Sunny emphasizes that creating for humans means understanding both what they say and how they actually behave.
2. Make Failure Fun - From learning new tricks in Skate to building new products, progress comes through iteration. Embrace experimentation and treat failure as part of play, not proof of defeat.
3. Diversity Makes Better Products — and Communities. “Games look like the people who make them.” Diverse creators lead to richer, more inclusive experiences. Representation isn’t just ethical — it’s essential for designing products that truly connect.
