Product Design Lead – AI Assistant & Conversational UX(Bangkok - Based)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Product Design Lead – AI Assistant & Conversational UX Company: Agoda Location: Bangkok, Thailand Job Type: Full-Time Category: Product Design / UX / Conversational UX Date Posted: July 26, 2025 Experience Level: 7+ Years (Implied Lead Level) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end design of AI and chat-based experiences across web and mobile platforms, focusing on conversational UX.
• Translate complex AI capabilities and natural language processing into intuitive user flows and interfaces for travel applications.
• Manage and mentor a small team of 2-3 product designers, fostering a creative and growth-oriented environment.
• Collaborate closely with Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, Analysts, and Content Designers to define product strategy and execution.
• Drive UX and visual design quality, ensuring alignment with Agoda's broader product vision and design standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is explicitly for a Product Design Lead with a focus on AI Assistant and Conversational UX, indicating a strategic design leadership position. The emphasis on "shaping the future of conversational travel experiences" and "building the next generation of AI-powered travel experiences" highlights the innovative and forward-thinking nature of this opportunity. The hybrid nature of hands-on design and team leadership is a key differentiator.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design of AI and chat-based experiences across Agoda's web and app platforms, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user journey.
• Translate complex AI capabilities into clear, helpful user flows, conversational scripts, and user interfaces that build trust and provide efficient solutions.
• Develop prototypes, user journey maps, and interaction flows that effectively balance user needs with business objectives and technical feasibility.
• Drive UX and visual design quality within the AI Assistant team's scope, ensuring consistency and adherence to Agoda's design system and brand guidelines.
• Partner with Design Leadership, Product Managers, Engineers, Researchers, Analysts, and Content Designers to collaboratively shape product strategy, roadmap, and execution plans.
• Utilize data-driven insights, user research methodologies, and industry best practices to inform design decisions and validate design direction with cross-functional stakeholders.
• Manage and mentor a small team of 2-3 designers, providing regular feedback, conducting design critiques, and supporting their professional growth and career development.
• Contribute to scaling design culture, systems, and quality across the organization through participation in org-wide design initiatives and process improvements.
• Serve as a thought partner to senior stakeholders across Product, Data Science, and Engineering departments, influencing strategic thinking and decision-making in AI and conversational design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly delineate between hands-on design execution (leading end-to-end design, creating flows, prototypes) and leadership duties (managing/mentoring designers, driving culture, thought partnership). The emphasis on translating "complex AI capabilities" into user-friendly experiences is a core responsibility specific to this AI-focused role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Experience:

• A minimum of 7+ years of experience in product design, interaction design, or UX design, with a proven track record of hands-on craft and impactful contributions.
• Demonstrated experience designing for conversational interfaces, chatbots, voice user interfaces (VUIs), or AI-powered systems, showcasing an understanding of natural language processing (NLP) and dialogue design.
• Proven ability to lead design initiatives, manage projects, and collaborate effectively within cross-functional agile teams.
• Experience in mentoring junior designers or leading small design teams is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with the travel, e-commerce, or large-scale B2C platform industries is advantageous.

Required Skills:

• Conversational UX Design: Expertise in designing intuitive and engaging conversational flows, dialogue management, and natural language interactions for AI assistants and chatbots.
• User-Centered Design (UCD): Strong understanding and application of UCD principles, user research methodologies, and usability testing to create user-centric solutions.
• Information Architecture & Interaction Design: Ability to simplify complexity through clear information architecture, user flows, wireframing, and prototyping.
• Portfolio of Work: A robust portfolio showcasing user-centered thinking, problem-solving skills, and high-quality execution across digital products, with specific examples of conversational or AI-driven experiences.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to collaborate effectively with product managers, engineers, researchers, data scientists, and content designers.
• Prototyping Tools: Proficiency in industry-standard design and prototyping tools (e.g., Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision).

Preferred Skills:

• AI/ML Familiarity: Understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs), natural language understanding (NLU), and their application in user interfaces.
• Multimodal Interaction Design: Experience designing for interfaces that combine different modalities like voice, text, and visual elements.
• Data-Informed Design: Experience leveraging user analytics, A/B testing results, and qualitative research to guide design decisions and measure impact.
• Design Systems: Experience contributing to or working within established design systems to ensure consistency and scalability.
• Localization & Global Design: Familiarity with designing for multilingual audiences and understanding localization nuances.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 7+ years of experience, combined with the "Lead" title and mention of mentoring, strongly indicates a senior-level position. The explicit mention of conversational interfaces, AI systems, and LLMs as preferred skills is critical for candidates targeting this role.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Case Studies of Conversational AI/Chatbot Design: Showcase end-to-end design process for at least one significant conversational AI or chatbot project, detailing problem definition, user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and iteration.
• Demonstration of Problem Simplification: Include examples where you transformed complex AI capabilities or technical constraints into simple, intuitive user experiences and clear interaction flows.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Examples: Highlight instances where you collaborated with product managers, engineers, and data scientists to define and deliver AI-driven features.
• User-Centricity and Impact: Clearly articulate the user problems addressed, the design solutions implemented, and the measurable impact or outcomes achieved (e.g., improved task completion, user satisfaction, efficiency gains).
• Visual Design and Interaction Quality: Present high-fidelity mockups and interactive prototypes that demonstrate a strong grasp of visual design principles and interaction design best practices, particularly within conversational contexts.

Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate a structured approach to defining and documenting user flows, dialogue structures, and interaction patterns for AI assistants.
• Showcase experience in iterating on designs based on user feedback, usability testing, and A/B testing results, with clear documentation of changes and rationale.
• Provide examples of how you would integrate design processes with engineering and product development lifecycles, ensuring smooth handoffs and effective implementation of AI features.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio requirements emphasize practical application of conversational design principles and the ability to demonstrate a structured, user-centric design process. Highlighting the translation of complex AI into simple UX is a key differentiator.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Estimated Range: ฿2,500,000 - ฿4,000,000 THB per year (approximately $68,000 - $109,000 USD). This estimate is based on lead-level design roles in major tech companies in Bangkok, considering the experience level (7+ years) and specialized nature of AI/Conversational UX.
• Research Methodology: Benchmarked against similar Product Design Lead roles in global tech companies with a significant presence in Southeast Asia, factoring in cost of living in Bangkok and the competitive landscape for AI talent. Agoda, as part of Booking Holdings, typically offers competitive compensation.

Benefits:

• Relocation Assistance: Comprehensive relocation package provided for candidates moving to Bangkok.
• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and potentially dependents.
• Performance Bonuses: Potential for performance-based bonuses tied to individual and company achievements.
• Stock Options/RSUs: Potential for equity participation in Agoda or Booking Holdings.
• Annual Leave & Public Holidays: Generous paid time off, including local public holidays.
• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, conferences, workshops, and access to learning resources to enhance skills in AI, UX, and leadership.
• Travel Perks: Discounts and benefits related to travel bookings through Agoda.
• Dynamic Work Environment: Access to modern office facilities and a collaborative workspace in Bangkok.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week. Agoda promotes work-life balance, with flexibility often available depending on team needs and project cycles. The role is described as "hybrid" in terms of design and leadership, implying a focus on outcomes rather than strict hour-counting.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated due to lack of explicit mention. The provided relocation assistance is a significant benefit for international candidates. The inclusion of potential equity and performance bonuses is standard for lead roles in tech.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Online Travel Agency (OTA) / E-commerce / Technology Company Size: 7,100+ employees globally, with a significant presence in the Bangkok home office. This size offers the stability and resources of a large organization while maintaining a dynamic, agile approach. Founded: 2005. Agoda has grown significantly, becoming a major player in the global travel market, which implies a culture of rapid growth, innovation, and adaptability.

Team Structure:

• The Design team is described as diverse, comprising product designers and researchers. It's noted as being "small enough to be scrappy and hands on, yet big enough to influence change and product strategy."
• This role reports into Design Leadership and works closely with Product Management, Engineering, and Data Science teams. The Product Design Lead will directly manage a small group of 2-3 designers.
• Cross-functional collaboration is a core aspect, with designers partnering closely with various departments to understand user problems and co-create solutions.

Methodology:

• Agoda fosters a culture of "experimentation and ownership," encouraging data-driven decision-making and iterative development.
• The design process involves close partnership with product and engineering, leveraging user problem understanding to design workflows, interactions, and interfaces.
• Emphasis is placed on using "data-driven insights, research, and industry best practices" to guide design direction.

Company Website: https://www.agoda.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is characterized by innovation, data-driven decision-making, and a blend of agility and scale. The Design team's structure suggests an environment where individual contributions can have a significant impact, while also benefiting from the resources of a larger company.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Product Design Lead role, signifying a senior individual contributor with leadership responsibilities. It sits at a crucial intersection of expert craft and team guidance. Reporting Structure: The Product Design Lead will report to Design Leadership and directly manage a team of 2-3 designers. Collaboration is expected across Product Management, Engineering, and Data Science. Operations Impact: The role has a direct impact on the user experience of Agoda's AI Assistant and conversational interfaces, which are central to the company's vision for "next generation of AI-powered travel experiences." Success in this role will influence customer engagement, satisfaction, and potentially conversion rates by making travel planning and support more intuitive and efficient.

Growth Opportunities:

• Deepen Craft: Opportunity to hone skills in complex problem-solving, systems thinking, and cutting-edge conversational AI design through challenging projects.
• Expand Leadership: Grow leadership capabilities by mentoring designers, driving product strategy, and leading cross-functional initiatives within a high-impact product area.
• Strategic Influence: Contribute to shaping the direction of new AI-powered travel paradigms and influencing the design culture across Agoda.
• Career Progression: Potential to move into Senior Design Lead, Group Design Lead, or Head of Design roles within Agoda or its parent company, Booking Holdings.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a dual path for growth: deepening expertise in a specialized, high-demand area (AI/Conversational UX) and developing leadership skills. The opportunity to influence product strategy at a company like Agoda is significant.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Agoda's home office in Bangkok is a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster innovation and teamwork. Office Location(s): The role is based in Bangkok, Thailand, with relocation assistance provided. This location offers a vibrant city environment and a central hub for the company's operations.

Workspace Context:

• The design team environment is described as "scrappy and hands on," implying a dynamic and active workspace where designers are deeply involved in the product development process.
• Expect access to modern design tools and technology, supporting a high standard of creative output.
• Opportunities for frequent interaction and collaboration with product managers, engineers, researchers, and fellow designers are inherent in the role.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time working hours, likely Monday to Friday. While the role requires on-site presence in Bangkok, Agoda typically supports a balance between focused work and team collaboration, allowing for effective project execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "on-site" requirement in Bangkok, coupled with relocation assistance, suggests a commitment to building a strong, collaborative team presence in their main operational hub.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience, particularly in conversational UX and AI design.
• Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: You will likely present your portfolio, focusing on relevant case studies, detailing your design process, problem-solving approach, and impact. Expect to discuss leadership experience and your approach to mentoring.
• Cross-Functional Interviews: Interviews with Product Managers, Engineering Leads, and potentially other designers or researchers to evaluate collaboration skills, technical understanding, and cultural fit.
• Design Challenge/Case Study: You may be given a design challenge or asked to work through a case study related to conversational AI or travel UX, assessing your problem-solving abilities, design thinking, and ability to articulate your rationale.
• Leadership/Manager Interview: A final interview with Design Leadership to discuss strategic thinking, team management philosophy, and overall fit for the Lead role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Selectively: Prioritize 2-3 of your strongest case studies that directly showcase your experience in conversational interfaces, AI-driven products, or complex interaction design.
• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your role and process, the challenges faced, the solutions you designed, and the measurable outcomes or impact. Use visuals effectively.
• Highlight AI/Conversational Expertise: Specifically call out how you translated complex AI capabilities into user-friendly experiences. Explain your approach to dialogue design, information architecture for chat, and building trust in AI interactions.
• Demonstrate Leadership: If you have mentoring or team lead experience, include examples of how you've guided others, run critiques, or contributed to design team growth.
• Be Prepared for Questions: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, trade-offs, collaboration methods, and how you handle ambiguity and feedback.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Domain: Familiarize yourself with Agoda's platform, the travel industry, and current trends in AI and conversational UX.
• Practice Problem-Solving: Be ready to break down complex problems, brainstorm solutions, and articulate your reasoning clearly and concisely.
• Focus on User Needs: Always anchor your solutions in user needs and business objectives.
• Showcase Process: Demonstrate a structured approach to design, even under time pressure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio presentation and potential design challenges highlights the need for candidates to clearly articulate their design process and impact, particularly in the context of AI and conversational UX.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design & Prototyping: Figma (highly probable, industry standard), Sketch, Adobe XD, InVision.
• Collaboration: Slack, Confluence, Jira.
• User Research & Analytics: Tools for user testing platforms, A/B testing frameworks, and analytics dashboards (e.g., Google Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel).

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with data analysis tools and interpretation of user behavior metrics is crucial for a data-informed approach.
• Familiarity with creating and interpreting dashboards for performance tracking and insights.

CRM & Automation:

• While not explicitly mentioned for this design role, understanding how design integrates with CRM and automation platforms (e.g., for personalized user journeys) can be a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in modern design and prototyping tools like Figma is essential. Experience with analytics tools to inform design decisions is also highly valued.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer-Centricity: A deep focus on understanding and solving user problems to enhance the travel experience.
• Innovation & Experimentation: A culture that encourages trying new approaches, learning from failures, and pushing technological boundaries, especially in AI.
• Ownership & Accountability: Empowering individuals and teams to take responsibility for their work and drive results.
• Collaboration & Diversity: Valuing diverse perspectives and fostering strong teamwork across different functions and nationalities.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Utilizing data and insights to guide strategy and validate design choices.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, with designers working hand-in-hand with Product Management, Engineering, and Data Science.
• Expect regular design critiques and feedback sessions to ensure high-quality output and continuous improvement.
• A culture of knowledge sharing and mutual support within the design team and across departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's emphasis on collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and innovation aligns well with the requirements for a Design Lead in a cutting-edge area like AI.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating AI Complexity: The primary challenge will be translating sophisticated AI capabilities (like LLMs) into simple, intuitive, and trustworthy conversational experiences for a broad user base.
• Balancing Innovation and Usability: Ensuring new AI features are not only innovative but also highly usable and provide tangible value to travelers.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Effectively aligning design vision and execution with diverse stakeholders across Product, Engineering, and Data Science, each with their own priorities.
• Scaling Design Systems for AI: Adapting or extending existing design systems to accommodate the unique needs of conversational AI interfaces.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI & Conversational Design Expertise: Deepen knowledge and practical skills in the rapidly evolving fields of AI, LLMs, and conversational UX design.
• Leadership Development: Gain experience in managing and mentoring a design team, honing leadership and strategic thinking skills.
• Industry Exposure: Work on a globally recognized platform within the dynamic travel industry, potentially gaining exposure to personalization engines and recommendation systems.
• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Learn from experts in Product Management, Data Science, and Engineering, broadening understanding of the full product development lifecycle.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly related to the cutting-edge nature of the role, offering significant learning opportunities in a high-growth area.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a conversational AI assistant for travel booking that balances personalization with user control?" (Focus on process, user needs, AI capabilities).
• "Describe a time you had to simplify a complex technical feature into an intuitive user experience. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Showcase problem-solving, UX craft, and impact).
• "How do you collaborate with engineers and product managers to ensure design feasibility and alignment throughout the development cycle?" (Highlight cross-functional collaboration skills).
• "How do you measure the success of a conversational interface or AI-powered feature?" (Demonstrate data-informed mindset and understanding of relevant metrics).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Agoda's mission to bridge the world through travel, and how does AI fit into that?" (Show research and genuine interest).
• "How would you contribute to Agoda's design culture, particularly in the area of AI and conversational UX?" (Discuss your leadership philosophy and vision for design).
• "Describe your experience mentoring designers. What is your approach to fostering growth and creativity within a team?" (Focus on leadership and people management skills).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Start with the "Why": Clearly articulate the user problem or business goal for each case study.
• Show Your Process: Walk through your design journey – research, ideation, wireframing, prototyping, testing, iteration. Use visuals to illustrate each stage.
• Highlight AI/Conversational Nuances: Specifically explain decisions related to dialogue flow, understanding user intent, error handling in conversations, and building trust in AI.
• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use data (e.g., conversion rates, task completion times, user satisfaction scores) to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs.
• Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate that interviewers will ask detailed questions about your choices, trade-offs, and alternatives considered.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating a strong understanding of conversational design principles, the ability to translate complex AI into user-friendly experiences, and proven leadership capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Product Design Lead position:

• Submit your application through the Agoda Careers portal via the provided link.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features your strongest work in conversational UX, AI Assistant design, or complex interaction design. Tailor your case studies to highlight how you simplify complexity and drive user-centric solutions.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 7+ years of experience, emphasizing leadership, AI/conversational design expertise, and cross-functional collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.
• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear storytelling, process articulation, and demonstrating the impact of your design work. Prepare for questions on leadership, AI, and user-centered design.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Agoda's product offerings, mission, and recent innovations in AI or travel technology. Understand their design philosophy and values to articulate your fit.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.