Interview with Artur Konariev

Artur Konariev ("AK") interviewed on Tuesday, 17 May.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

AK : Over the past ten years, I have been working with some great companies and developing new products. I have also been able to work side by side with them to create new projects for my own company. I love working on projects that I can contribute to. I am passionate about design and I work hard to improve my skills. I am a senior product designer that specializes in a user-friendly interface, design thinking, and creative direction. Aside from being a designer, I also can create a prototype and manage the entire process of a project, including testing and documenting the entire process. For instance, I designed a mobile app to support and manage medical, sports, and military exoskeletons for Roam company, and among my clients, I have LG Uplus and Helen Marlen.

How did you become a designer?

AK : I’ve never really had a career in any other field or seriously considered another one. I was fortunate to grow up with computers and the internet at home and knew I wanted to work with them as a career. The design seemed like a good balance between complex problem solving (science and technology) and the open-ended activity (arts) that I enjoyed. Despite being an introvert, I am incredibly fascinated by observing how people and communities think and behave and I knew the design had a huge influence on that. Now I have two degrees that help me interact with the design process. One of these is a cognitive psychology degree and the other is a philosophy degree that helps me interact with the design. After graduating from a product interface design course, I went on to study Human-centered Design and UX. The idea of design thinking is to change lives for the better.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

AK : I would describe the design process in 10 simple words (at the same time steps): Understand, Discovery, Research, Mindmapping, Low-fidelity wireframe, Analyze, High-fidelity prototype, Design, Launch, Testing. Of course, behind each of these words are complex processes and design sub-steps. All of them are important, and I always try to follow them since they are 70% successful; the rest must be covered by empathy, idea, innovation, and detailed work. I like creating concepts in general. At first, I work on the overall idea. I like all the processes on the way of turning this idea into something meaningful and functional at the same time. I never get bored with this routine.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

AK : I have never thought about the various emotions that come with the design process. However, through the various phases of a project, I can easily identify some of the triggers that can affect me. According to a psychology concept known as flow, one is in a state of being in which they are fully engaged in an activity. This process helps me do my job and improve my sense of time.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

AK : I never stop exploring myself. Every new task opens up new sources in me. I would say I value simplicity. For me, the design is about communicating feelings through visual sensations and unique experiences. The design provides an opportunity to create distinction, in visual communication, service, or product design by adding your personal touch. One of the main reasons I think simplicity is beneficial is because it allows me to feel that I am controlling my environment. This is because when dealing with objects, it is important for me to feel that I am in complete control. It is also a process that involves digging a tunnel to get to the bottom of complexity. To be truly simple, you need to first get to the very depths. For instance, if you are not sure what to include in a design, then you might end up creating something too complex. However, it is better to study it, and then get rid of the secondary components.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

AK : I started as a UX Consultant I got to work with user surveys and information architecture on how the water site was organized and how it could be improved for a better user experience. I got to learn how UX and UI change within a large corporation. Strange as it may seem it helped me to understand myself better. This experience assured me that I want to work and improve in the sphere of design.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

AK : Even if you are not a product designer, it is still a good idea to learn a lot. For instance, if you are a photographer, then you will be better able to coordinate with the photographer when it comes to shooting your product. Having this knowledge will allow you to plan the shot and avoid making mistakes. One of the most important tools that I have is a digital reflex, which allows me to take photos of my progress on a project. Having programming skills can also help me complete projects faster. Also, by learning programming, you will be able to identify what can be done and what can be done with a limited amount of resources. If you have worked on some projects, then you have a good idea of how suppliers work. This will allow you to design projects that are ready to be produced later. Also, by knowing a bit of everything, you can easily coordinate a group of people with the right expertise.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

AK : The design should also be successful not just because it looks good, but also because it fulfills its purpose. I believe that there is nothing more valuable than a good design that meets the needs of the users. Even if you are not good at what you do, it does not matter as long as you are constantly improving and learning. This is the only way to become great in the design industry. One of the most important factors that you can consider when it comes to becoming a great designer is to continuously improve your skills.

What is your day to day look like?

AK : Morning, I usually check my mail and open my journal. There, I keep track of all of the tasks that I am working on and the priority that I have left to complete. I then organize the work of the people that I am working with on a project, and I also write down ideas for new projects. This is a great tool that helps me keep focused on my long-term projects.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

AK : Over the years, I got a considerable number of sources with ideas, inspiration sources, and media providing the latest news within the sphere. I look through them often. I’m also subscribed to different news portals, so new designs skip through my newsfeed all the time. A major role is played by research and the search for solutions to new problems, Dribbble, Behance, and Pinterest help me in this. One of the most important factors that you can consider when it comes to becoming a great designer is to continuously improve your skills. Before starting a project, I always try to identify what the users need and what solutions would be most beneficial to them.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

AK : Design is really good not just when it looks good. It also needs to fulfill its purpose. To my mind, all the processes contribute to the overall success of a design project. A good design cannot be measured finitely – multiple perspectives are needed. But if the design solves the business tasks that were set before us, this is half the success. Of course, it is necessary to accurately formulate at the beginning of a business task, because the right goal should be clear to everyone at the beginning. After the research that we conduct, we develop a strategy and determine all the factors and business tasks that need to be solved. Someone can also add if the design is profitable - this is a success. I agree with this because one of the business goals is to make a profit. Otherwise, what is the use of all this?

How do you decide if your design is ready?

AK : A new design can take a long time to develop, as it can take a variety of factors to determine its success. I generally consider a design finished when your UX process is done, once it fulfills the expectations of its users. But design development or product development as a whole is not the end, because there is another, last but not least important stage, which is the Testing stage. This is a necessary stage where you test the viability of the design and the product, you see how users interact with it, and where they have difficulties. This is the point where the product goes from "I think the user will use the interface this way" to "The user actually uses the interface that way". If before you used frameworks, knowledge, and experience to predict user behavior, now you have the ability to see how user-friendly your product really is.

What is your biggest design work?

AK : With each new project, I am becoming a little better than yesterday. I always try to implement new technology in a project and create a new concept. In this way, it gets possible not to stop and develop all the time. One such project was the development of an AR application for LG Uplus along with the EyeCandyLab team from Augmented Reality. Then it was my first touch of Additional Reality not as a user but as a designer. This project gave me deeper knowledge and skills in using new technology in practice. Now I use this experience to make new projects more successful. By adding new functionality, applications become better and more popular as they solve even more tasks.

Who is your favourite designer?

AK : I like the design by Jonathan Ive. Everyone should understand that the point here is not only in design as a visual component but also in user experience. His work is functional and thought out to the smallest detail. This is what I call excellent design.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

AK : I used to live in Kyiv, and I would say that this city can inspire everyone. What concerns my musical taste, it is an integral part of mine. Thus, I think there is a piece of music inspiration in each of my design projects. I wouldn't get an award for a dating app that matches couples based on their musical preferences if I didn't find inspiration in my favorite music. I design solutions to cater to the individuals' needs. Well-designed products improve how people accomplish tasks and as a result, the operation of society as a whole. Thus, my main sphere of responsibility is efficiency and comfort. I can convey complicated things in a language that is easy to understand, and also, through trial and error, improve existing principles and things. As for the lifestyle, many probably imagine the usual everyday life of designers as parties in the community, clubs, exhibitions, and unbridled creative creation “under something.” But this is not so, at least with me, hard work on projects, research, teamwork, family affairs, courses, design festivals, and sometimes free time.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

AK : My business philosophy is focused on solving complex business problems using the help of a high-quality design, inspiring, and exclusive design. I have a reliable partner, Yuliia Mishchenko, and I feel quite comfortable working with her and our team. Usually, I am looking for people whom I can trust, who have the same ambitions to develop a common cause like me, and who will cover the expertise in those industries in which we do not have the necessary skills. This means I can trust my ideas and thoughts, I can trust them to do important tasks, I can trust the perspectives and the future of the company which I built with my co-founder. I guess when you find a perfect match that concerns your team there should be no difficulties in working together. I would advise choosing a designer according to your own goals and ideas. Of course, knowledge and experience are important, but more important is the common vibe.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

AK : I design solutions to cater to the individuals' needs. Well-designed products improve how people accomplish tasks and as a result, the operation of society as a whole. A good designer can also be a powerful tool for organizations that are committed to addressing various environmental and social issues. In our small way, I try to make sure that our clients are aware of the importance of being socially and environmentally responsible. This is because, like everyone else, the designer is expected to behave responsibly. We can convey complicated things in a language that is easy to understand, and also, through trial and error, improve existing principles and things. For example, a designer can create a universal type of bottle that, during production, will use 50% less plastic but remain convenient and functional.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

AK : There are lots of positive experiences that the A'Design Award provides! I believe is good to take part in competitions for the progress they provide. This positive tension and stress motivate and reinforce the desire to design even better products and improve. In addition, you get new experience, acquaintances, recognition, and opportunities.

Artur Konariev Profile