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LinkedIn

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I believe there's no harm in sharing, even if it's just in the initial stages. As the saying goes: Ideas are cheap, execution is key. If you believe you're into something that could positively impact a business process or an aspect of people's lives, do thorough research of your industry of interest and the existing market players.&nbsp;Most importantly, reach out to potential users to better understand their needs. These are prior steps to ensure that you're creating a solution to a real and existing problem.

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Mirela is a co-founder at MATECHS, a London-based IT consulting company, where she works as a designer and project manager on multiple projects for clients and in-house projects

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Design Voices – Mirela Prifti

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Mirela Prifti

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Instagram

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As a graphic and communication designer, I've always felt a lot of responsibility when dealing with interfaces, as they potentially give me the power to reach many different people. With this opportunity, we should always try and step away from the deep awareness of our context, an aesthetical and critical consciousness of the complexity in which we operate. In a world already crowded with content, it is our responsibility to carefully choose what to put out there. We should avoid adding unnecessary things that do not add value to the concept they communicate.&nbsp;I believe that a conscious, structured design project has the potential not only to add beauty to the world but gradually re-educate it.

Agnese is a communication design student and freelance graphic designer, with a passion for research and transdisciplinary practice, especially within the academic fields of visual culture and philosophy

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Agnese Viola – Design Voice

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Agnese Viola

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Twitter

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Overworking and being ready for new tasks 24/7 might be a good start for a newbie, but it will shape you into a burnt-out pessimist in the long run.&nbsp;The major skill of a designer is to rethink things, and there is no way you can reimagine and rethink anything while depressed. So the key lesson I learned for myself is that it is crucial to thoughtfully add new impressions, events, and people to my weekly routine.&nbsp;&nbsp;This way, I get energized and inspired by new things. It is the shortest and the most natural way to direct one’s knowledge, creativity, and motivation into a productive workflow. Leave some free space for thinking it all over in silence though!

Lisa has 15 years of professional experience as an information and digital product designer. She co-founded 3 companies in the past years and now focuses solely on building a new kind of social app — The Breakfast

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Lisa Oreshkina – Design Voice

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Lisa Oreshkina

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One of the strategies that help me in different projects is following the idea of MVP (minimum viable product) that can be used by early customers or your coworkers. My ideal workflow is to break the project into phases and receive feedback at the end of each step. But I discovered that reality could be more complex than that. There might be several projects going on in the company and sometimes you need to deliver the project even if there are no feedback sessions available. &nbsp;Your well-defined structure of the work can help you be more flexible. It might take a long time and slow you down, but the workflow will be much more sustainable to come back to it at any time without feeling panicked. I set a series of steps for completing the project and shared it to receive feedback. &nbsp;What’s more, when I have to continue even without fixing the previous step, I leave the breadcrumbs having this reminder in my mind and remember that it is always possible to come to some steps before, make changes, and continue the journey!

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Masoumeh is a product designer from Iran working in Italy, she works on redesigning and developing software in terms of usability and user experience. With her background in diverse fields of Design and Engineering, she is seeking a way to perform the des

Masoumeh Asadi

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Long ago, I went into product design, realizing the opportunity of getting immersed in the analysis and the high level of responsibility that comes with that. This apparent "total freedom" was very tempting.&nbsp;&nbsp;After some time, I started noticing that my entire design could now be calculated using mathematical formulas. The team and the product achieved the right KPIs, but within the word "creation," the word "ambition" disappeared – the user's current needs completely defeated the "dream."&nbsp;Jigsaw fell into place when I remembered a lecture by Ludwig Bystronovsky on "super-goal." The essence of this theory is that if you set a difficult but exciting dream goal, the result you reach in the end will be higher than if you'd assessed your real capabilities at the start.&nbsp;&nbsp;I believe that design can be perceived as a sport where you don't necessarily need to win gold medals to be a good athlete, but it is imperative to strive for gold medals, becoming stronger in this endeavor. The Samurai code of ethics states that the path is more important than the goal, and I stand by it.

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Bohdan is a Product Designer based in Kyiv / Krakow who focuses on heavy interfaces and frequent & deep testing of product hypotheses

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Bohdan Dolgopolski – Design Voice

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Bohdan Dolgopolski

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As a human-centered designer, you are trained to identify problems and to design and develop suitable solutions. Depending on the topic, the problems presented can be very complex. Presumed solutions are sometimes hasty and overwhelmingly technology-driven.&nbsp;When I was still a design student, I often worked with methods of speculative and critical design. The approach of these methods is to tackle a topic less solution-driven and more “discourse-driven.” It was particularly in our master thesis, considering political dialogues in digital spaces, that my team and I asked ourselves the question: Is it really important and appropriate to bring another presumed solution to market? Or is it more important to open up a space for experimentation, to involve users, and stimulate discourse on the subject to achieve desirable solutions in the long run? That’s exactly what we did because it’s more valuable to open up these experimental spaces ahead of the development of potential solutions. I also embrace this mindset in my professional life. This means getting together for brainstorming sessions, involving real users in workshops and utilizing methods such as Crazy 8 to push ideas to their limit or into extremes. It’s about questioning solutions once again and becoming aware of the responsibility you have as a designer. And ultimately, you should not be afraid to change a developed feature if the desired effect has not been achieved. In the end, these experiments will get you closer to the final working product.

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Tebeya crafts and thinks of the intersection of design, strategy and research – always with a focus on people and the environment. She loves using design as a tool to visualize different scenarios and fictions

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Tebeya Leicht – Design Voice

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Tebeya Leicht

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Website

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I have had the opportunity to work in both B2C and B2B sectors. No matter the customer base, a universal goal is to offer "intuitive navigation." We achieve this goal through the craft of Information Architecture (IA). &nbsp;Teams are often eager to jump right into the "look and feel" of the navigation. It's not uncommon to explore UI visual design options early on. However, it's crucial to determine the hierarchical structure and wording of navigation as soon as possible. The maxim of "Form follows function" is very appropriate when it comes to IA. &nbsp;I found that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.flowmapp.com/features/sitemap">Sitemap</a> is a powerful tool for articulating the IA of a website or app. It offers a neutral framework for communicating the IA to both stakeholders and customers. Reviewers of the IA can be encouraged to evaluate a Sitemap with an emphasis on wayfinding. They can focus on whether the hierarchy of information and terminology in use aligns with customer expectations. Lastly, I discovered that a well-run Tree Testing program can provide quantitative data regarding findability and task completion. Such data helps stakeholders feel more confident about delivering the ease of use that customers expect. &nbsp;So the next time someone asks you what navigation style to use, reply: "Good question, let's look at the Sitemap first."

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James is a Design Leader based near Boston, MA. He has been working as a creative problem solver in the technology sector for close to 30 years. He aims to inspire innovation, where business goals align with desired customer outcomes.

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Design voice – James Young

James Young

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Facebook

Behance

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I was dreaming about a mentor while studying design at school. I truly believed that there was a man ready to teach me everything. I think I had this illusion after watching “Whiplash” — a film about a young drummer and his tyrant mentor (the film is highly recommended). It seemed to me that only through this difficult and painful relationship I could achieve something. &nbsp;After graduation, I wanted to create the “best work in my life,” but I lacked knowledge, so I asked for help from an art director I had known for a while. He wasn’t a tyrant and gave pretty useful advice, but a few harsh words were enough to put my work off and forget about it for some time. A mentor from a different project made me remember this unfinished project. He asked me to show my work. He almost forced me to finish it and post it on my Behance. That work won a reward.&nbsp;What is this story about? Doubts and mentors that help you get rid of them. A mentor can not only give you conceptual edits but also take a different look at your work and maybe give it a new life. But for this to happen, you must feel that it is “your person” that his words reach you, give you energy and strengthen faith in yourself. If you feel better and see the real changes, then you are on the right path.

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Aleksandr is a UI/UX designer here in FlowMapp who believes in the power of typography and the importance of details

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Design voice – Aleksandr Mikhedov

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Aleksandr Mikhedov

I've seen it a lot through my professional experiences and daily monitoring of what is being done: perfection is often prioritized over rationality, at least in terms of design quality. Designers are constantly inundated with ideas, inspiration and standards set by other people, by different trends.&nbsp;This impacts our vision and can reinforce us in a too strong certainty about our work. I think it is essential to constantly confront our ideas with real users and people unfamiliar with the project, especially when we strongly believe to be right.&nbsp;&nbsp;Comforting our ideas of a "good" design can quickly move us away from the main objective: a logical and rational user experience, no matter if it's visual or experiential. The worst thing that can happen is an irrational production, detached from the real expectations of those for whom we build it.&nbsp;Thus, I believe that good design, whether seen or experienced, isn't supposed to be primarily flawless and immaculate. It has to be rational.

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Uptime.ac is a technology startup that helps elevator maintenance companies to increase their performances and modernize outdated elevator experience by using AI

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Design Voice – Alexandre Beaurepaire

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Starting in my career, I always focused on my role and my field, aka design. As I got more experienced, I realized that learning about other aspects of business processes like sales, marketing and development can help me become better at my job in different ways:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>Understanding the overall technology behind what's been built and going to be built helps me think of ideas that fit the technology I’m working with. Also, cultivating relationships with the tech department shows empathy and genuine interest in a product, making people more receptive to my ideas.&nbsp;</li><li>Learning about the sales and marketing side is also important because people from these departments work directly with customers and can provide a new perspective on the old solutions. Building these relationships helps in the long run because it makes user research more insightful and correlating with the overall business goals.</li></ul>&nbsp;It’s crucial to build an effective communication system between departments. You can be the trailblazer. Take the initiative! It will be well worth your time.

Appy Vohra  is currently working at Weld North Education as a Senior Product Designer and has over 8 years of experience in UX/UI

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Design voice – Appy Vohra

Appy Vohra

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Without visibility into the customer experience, it's difficult to know where problems in a product/service are and how to solve them strategically.&nbsp;&nbsp;So I created a journey map of our bank loan payment experience, which presented opportunities to streamline communication, customer engagement, and technology. As a UX designer, I must understand the problem, especially from a user's perspective. And to achieve this, I collaborated with cross-functional teams to surface the pain points customers experience while attempting to pay a loan.&nbsp;&nbsp;The most significant a-ha moment came about from looking at the other side of the coin and engaging with our customer care and service teams. After all, they are users too. And they helped me present a holistic view of improving our customer experience from a service design perspective.

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Brandon is a UX Lead in New York City. His knowledge of front-end backs his expertise in UX and visual design. He is a big advocate of design thinking and believes a creative strategy is fundamental to building better user experiences

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Brandon W. Mosley – Design Voice

Brandon W. Mosley

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Dribbble

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If your design career started as mine did, with a degree, you probably left university with a few misconceptions of how different designing in the real world is compared to the projects you worked on at uni.&nbsp;&nbsp;One key thing I learned very quickly when entering the industry is that no matter how much of a perfectionist you are, you must be able to work within budgets and time constraints – on occasions, the need for speed is far greater, and there simply isn't room for perfectionism. Second to this, though, is the realization that this is okay. In an ideal world, we'd like every project we work on to be worthy of a top spot in our portfolio, but, in reality, the most important thing is that the result fulfills the client's needs on time and budget. There's always going to be a project that you're more proud of than others.&nbsp;Having the time and budget to evolve a project until it is 'perfect' is a luxury not to be taken for granted. Always try to cut down time spent up either side of the creative process so that you have maximum time to let your ideas flourish.

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Zoe is an experienced designer working with both national and international clients, striving to take their websites to the next level through design, technology, and optimization.

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Design voice – Zoe Priday 

Zoe Priday 

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We have an opportunity and a responsibility as designers to redefine what’s “normal” in the world by promoting, embracing, and encouraging diversity of all types and designing assets that represent reality. It’s time to move away from designing with pink for women and blue for men. Every creation is an opportunity to redefine what “normal” means in a world full of wonderful diversity. &nbsp;

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Guillermo is a Senior Visual Designer at FreshBooks who believes in the power of diversity and inclusivity in design culture

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Design Voices – Guillermo G. Pons

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Guillermo G. Pons

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The hardest thing in work is when there's a limitation to conduct user research. There might be no perfect person to reach out to, or you might have difficulty bringing participants to the actual scenario (for example, design for outdoor camping experience).&nbsp;My solution is "projection." Always projecting the problem to a game scenario helps participants feel more involved, trigger more creative inspirations, as well as reduce budget! &nbsp;For the camping example, I can build a LEGO campground with all little widgets and let users finish certain tasks by controlling their LEGO character. Then, observing how users finish those tasks with their LEGO buddy can mimic their flow in the real world and help with the original project. &nbsp;Experience with FlowMapp: Has a free FlowMapp account for a personal project

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Lisi is an inspiring UX designer with a Master's Degree in Industrial and Product Design

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Design Voice – Lisi Zhu

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Lisi Zhu

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This is my creative algorithm for progress and possibility. Mindset + Actions = PROGRESS.&nbsp;I believe our mindset plus our actions are the strongest predictors of progress. If you start with a fixed (or scarcity) mindset, your possibilities will be fixed too. If you start with a growth mindset (abundance), your possibilities will be more abundant.&nbsp;Start with a vision. One thing every successful entrepreneur or creative professional I’ve worked with (or interviewed) shares with me, is how the more you visualize what you are seeking the more likely it will become true.‍&nbsp;Experience with FlowMapp: Uses Flowmapp regularly in his work at Digital Surgeons to design demand for the customers.

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Pete is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Digital Surgeons, a creative consultancy that helps brands spark and create new opportunities for growth.

Design Voice – Pete Sena

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Pete Sena

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When I was freelancing, I realized that I was more than a tool. I was more than someone being hired by a client to help convey their (branded) story into visualized content. Meaning I was telling and supporting clients’ stories.&nbsp;It all came together during my final project as a freelancer. My last client was selling soda. You know, the brown sugar water we all know with the red and white label. I started to ask critical questions during the production, and I realized that I was accountable for their story. Even though that campaign was about sustainability, I’m not a fan of that brand, and that particular project was just ‘look-good-feel-good-marketing’ anyway.&nbsp;That valuable insight made me realize that from that day on, I’d instead use my skills for the better - a brand or organization I feel comfortable working with, that has values that I share. Whatever you do as a creative artist: you’re responsible for the message too. You’re not only a creative passageway or a tool.

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Bobby has 10+ years of professional experience. Since 2017 he’s been a Visual Storyteller at Minddistrict and still doing some personal projects on the side

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Design Voices – Bobby Voeten

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Bobby Voeten

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When I would first start in a junior role, I feel like I was constantly second-guessing myself and would sort of break the surface with what I could offer. When I started getting more experience under my belt, I felt so much more confident in what I had to offer and what I learned.&nbsp;Being able to walk or zoom into a meeting with high-level executives and speak on my expertise and owning the confidence behind that was the epiphany for me. That's something only time and experience in the field can give you.

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Sarah is a Senior Visual Designer working for Rightpoint in Chicago. Outside of design, she is a yoga instructor, endurance athlete, advocate for all in the health and wellness space, and dog mom

Ideas Are Cheap; Execution Is Key

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