Andrey Gargul

Kyle LeBlanc shares the importance of learning how to delegate and allowing room for mistakes as designers transition from individual contributors to managers in their career journey 🔥

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Do you want consistency between designers and front-end developers? Use of design tokens. When everyone uses the same terms, it simplifies things for both teams. Here's Google's introduction to design tokens and how you can implement them: https://lnkd.in/gpWMwqVz

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How can you tune search unless you know what users are doing with the results? Check out Eric Pugh of OSC and Stavros Macrakis of OpenSearch Project talking about how OSC are helping build User Behaviour Insights, a way to (ethically) track how users interact with search results - vital for improving search result quality. This is a chance to set an #opensource standard for the whole search industry https://lnkd.in/ewn8ta7k #OpenSearchCon

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Built on insights from hundreds of hardware engineers at leading enterprises, Quarter20 Inc. just unveiled the latest version of their platform with a redefined user experience. 👀 Check it out below! #hardware #engineers #tech #ui #ai #b2b #crewcapital #startup

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Designers - are you being asked to provide measurable proof of how your work impacts business outcomes with metrics? Are you unsure of what to measure, when and how? Being able to assess the impact of your design decisions can not only have a positive effect on your product and end users, but is also a skill increasingly in demand for design roles. Recently, I wrote an article on this very topic, "How design teams can use product data to add value to the business" (https://lnkd.in/gYreMBm9 ). Today I'm excited to announce the release of part 2 on this topic, "6 ways Pendo's design team uses Pendo to add more value to the platform - and the business" (https://lnkd.in/gTgj2dmJ). Check it out! #DesignMetrics #BusinessOutcomes #ProductData #DesignTeams #Pendo

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Just announced! This month's UX Salon Halifax meetup is all about... User Experience of course. That's it. Back to the basics. Ever wonder why some things just work so.... nice? Or why some other experiences are so frustrating? We can answer that. :) See you in two weeks! #uxsalonhalifax #halifaxux #userexperience #halifaxtech #uxdesign #uxresearch

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Just attended a UXR session where we discussed the state of UX Research. While it's been around for a few years, it's still in its infancy. Early adopters of the practice are already seeing a significant competitive advantage. In fact, in the next 10 years, it's likely that every company will have a UX Research team. Don't be left behind - invest in UX Research now to stay ahead of the game! #UXResearch #UserExperience #CompetitiveAdvantage

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The best designers are systems thinkers in disguise. Systems thinking is crucial for iterative, efficient design improvements. Rather than attempt to design a wholly new, perfect solution, oftentimes it’s better to find leverage points—areas where an incremental, often non-intuitive change will lead to significant renovation in the system. The smallest nudge for the biggest effect. A systems thinker knows surface issues are symptoms of deep systemic structures and patterns. They draw up a holistic view of the entire system and identify leverage points that, if altered, create a more efficient, cohesive design. Point being: you don't need to make sweeping changes every time. One of the most pernicious challenges facing our nation is the need for more affordable housing. And when you factor in the manifold constituents, regulations, and interests, this could be one of the most complex systems to navigate. Which is why I was so encouraged to read about Minneapolis’s recent approval of major zoning reforms to promote housing. The director of City Planning there said, "No single legislative action did more to contribute to housing creation than the elimination of parking minimums." This seemingly small change—removing a vestigial mandate for parking that was not even likely to be used—had an outsized impact on the entire housing ecosystem. By relaxing this one constraint, the city unlocked a cascade of possibilities for new developments, more affordable housing, and vibrant neighborhoods. Sometimes, details distract. But when you widen your aperture and begin to understand how the various parts of a system interact, a small adjustment can lead to a massive unlock. Try to see the whole world at once and make sense of it. Widening your aperture can sharpen your focus. Embrace *Systems Thinking*

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From Product Talk: Product in Practice: Shifting from a Feature Factory to Continuous Discovery at Doodle Leading a product team (or several teams) comes with its own set of challenges that can be similar to but distinct from the hurdles individual product contributors face. I sat down with Stephanie Leue, Chief Product Officer at Doodle, to dig in to her approach to product leadership, including how she prioritizes discovery and fosters collaboration both inside product and with other disciplines. Read more: https://buff.ly/3Wvdeae ❓ What are some effective strategies your team has used to shift from a feature factory mindset to a continuous discovery approach? How did you overcome any initial resistance or challenges during this transition? #prodmgmt #ux #engineering

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❓ I have a question for product designers ❓ How do you understand that you’ve reached a certain grade or level in your career, such as transitioning to a senior role? Do you rely solely on performance reviews, or are there other ways you evaluate your growth? And what if there’s no formal performance review process? I’m asking because I often get questions about assessing one’s grade or level. So, I’m curious — do you have a similar need or interest in this topic? Let me know your thoughts!

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It's really tough to build for users you can’t relate to. Join Rob Ocel in this conversation with Stacie Frederick, CPO at Stanza, as we talk about the friction that arises when you can’t connect with your users—and how personas and customer spotlights can help bridge that gap. Link down below!

For anyone wanting to learn more about how we're working on AI as a design team here at Klaviyo, have a listen to this interview with Alexandra Holness

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Empathy in Application Design: Why Great Leaders Foster Great Teams As leaders in product design, empathy isn’t just a tool; it’s a necessity. Empathy fuels the connection between design vision and human need, but it also creates an environment where designers can bring their full selves and creativity to the table. In my experience, fostering a culture of empathy has fundamentally improved team dynamics and the quality of our work. Here’s how I see it in action: ↳ Open Communication: Empathy encourages active listening, where team members feel truly heard. This creates space for honest feedback and innovation because designers feel safe to express ideas and iterate openly. ↳ User-Centric Vision: When we prioritize empathy, we keep our users front and center. Our product decisions are made with their experiences in mind, ensuring we’re solving real problems in meaningful ways. ↳ Empowered Teams: By showing empathy toward our teams, we support their growth and confidence, which in turn fuels their passion and productivity. A team that feels valued is a team that strives for excellence. → True Story... sharing insights from what it's like to be on a great team: In a project designing a web app for elderly users, our team faced a common challenge: most of us were young and didn’t fully understand the tech limitations older adults might face. To bridge this empathy gap, we held “empathy workshops” where each team member simulated age-related challenges—using gloves to limit dexterity, applying screen filters to mimic vision impairments, and adjusting text sizes to the maximum. A few product team members quickly realized the frustration of navigating with shaky hands and commented, “We had no idea how challenging even simple actions could be.” This experience reshaped our design & development process: we made buttons larger, simplified navigation, and enhanced contrast. By stepping into our users’ shoes, our deliverables went beyond meeting requirements—they genuinely addressed user needs, making the app truly intuitive. With empathy as a foundation, we didn’t just deliver a product; we delivered a meaningful, user-centered experience. Empathy-driven leadership isn’t a buzzword; it’s a pathway to building cohesive, high-performing teams. Leaders who prioritize empathy create an environment where collaboration thrives, communication flows, and great design flourishes. #Leadership #ProductDesign #Empathy #Teamwork #UXDesign #LeadershipInAction

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Many designers still confuse a component library for a design system, but understanding the difference is critical for creating scalable, cohesive products. In this gabble of words I've explored how major companies like Airbnb and IBM do it right? 🧐 #UXDesign #DesignSystems #ComponentLibrary #ProductDesign #DesignVsDevelopment #Collaboration #Figma #DigitalProductDesign #TechDebate #DesignThinking https://lnkd.in/gGmxyKED

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Some strong arguments in this article by Rune Madsen about why the field of product design has "lost its way" in his words: "Design workflows at most tech companies follow an incredible number of structured tasks... These concepts originated in the service design industry and initially helped facilitate a very human-focused design process – which, of course, is good. "However, driven by a desire from businesses to turn design into a process-heavy, measurable function, we’re filling our time with checklists instead of focusing on the very thing that makes designers relevant: our ability to propose new points of view and delight users with meaningful experiences. These core competences that were inherited from graphic design have been replaced with a poor man’s version of an anthropology major where the act of design is mostly based on averaging user opinions. "Design is both an objective and subjective art. But because of a persistent fear of making bad decisions, businesses have ended up leaning so heavily on objective measures that we have severely limited our ability to create meaningful impact within organizations." While Rune's article isn't focused on solutions, his articulation of the problem left me nodding my head in agreement. If there is a constant in the field of product design, it is this: We will spend our entire careers reminding, educating, and evangelizing why design exists. Which, in truth, is "our ability to propose new points of view and delight users with meaningful experiences." Well said, Rune. #productdesign #thewhy

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Does your software team speak the same language? Aligning on what basic UI elements are called is a great starting point. It doesn’t even matter what name your team chooses as long as everyone agrees on it. Names should hint at purpose. #productdesign #designsystems

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A very insightful study on homepage navigation usability of portals. I am surprised that navigation, which is a basic factor in the usability of a website is ignored in the majority of websites. 76% of studied websites performing poorly is unacceptable and does not reflect highly on UX professionals.

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