Team Spotlight: Design

To create an outstanding digital product, a variety of creative experts must work in sync. This is why design is part of the Digital Product Design team at Barrage. 

This team comprises several UX/UI designers (a.k.a. "Rules? More like hints" crew), a graphic designer (a.k.a. The brand police), a couple of content managers (a.k.a. The Grammar Nazis), and a frontend developer (a.k.a. Technical feasibility guardian).

All jokes aside—as they say themselves, designers don’t just pick colors and fonts. Their work is one of the main building blocks in detecting the end-users' (un)conscious needs and turning their pain points into strengths. 

Let's see the daily hustle and bustle of our design team!

Ana, as a team leader, tell us, what makes your team work together so well?

Although we are of different ages, have different characters, and have different levels of knowledge, all of these become less important when we start designing...or partying. :D During those moments, we all get along easily and cooperate without any problems. 

Also, with us, there are no differences between juniors and seniors in the sense that the role of the senior is to lead completely, and the junior’s role is to unquestionably follow the senior. We give each other feedback and help, and we express our opinions. In this way, we all learn from each other. Everyone has the right to share their opinion and ideas.

We are a good team; the entertaining and relaxed atmosphere is always present.

What do you see as the main mission of the design team?

LUKA: The main mission we always stick to during every project is to fulfill the client's expectations and add our touch at the end with added value for the client, something the client may not have thought of or didn't know could be done. And, of course, if we can make life difficult for the frontend team along the way, that’s also OK. :) 

JOSIP: To solve problems, to learn and/or teach other team members, and to have lots of fun doing it.

MARKO: Our main mission is to complement each other’s skill sets so we can create some good quality products.

KRISTIJAN: I would say the most important mission revolves around creating great and meaningful experiences and designs for clients and for the users.

MATEJ: To learn from each other and improve both individually and as a team, exploring different ways of thinking about design and learning to be creative not just in visual expression but in solving UX problems

Ana, the design team is made up of unique people - what are the most important qualities you look for from new colleagues?

The primary thing is a sense for beauty and an eye for detail - furthermore, I like to see proactivity, initiative, and courage. 

I am not a fan of competition between designers and such tasks and methods, nor would I initiate it. It only creates a desire for an imposed struggle and not a genuine need to do something deeply thought out. I would like to initiate the desire of not necessarily being the best but different and inspiring. 

I agree that quiet people have the loudest minds, and what I like to see most is when someone pours their love for design into their work. These are little things you see in passing and how someone approaches work, such as when a person is meticulous and focused, elaborates deeply, seeks improvement in every detail, etc. 

Someone does not have to be the loudest and do the most work to be good or the best. These are the ones who want to dive deep into their creativity and bring to the surface something that will surprise or delight and inspire someone in a moment. That kind of desire and emotion someone has towards design is very visible and is something we look for as a characteristic of our employees. Of course, everyone should have a dose of self-criticism because it is the key to professional growth.

What is your proudest moment as a team?

JOSIP: When we offer a quick solution and improve things, and when everybody is on the same page and working as one.

LUKA: I think our proudest moment is when the client is satisfied with our work, but also when we are satisfied with the work we did during that time.

KRISTIJAN: Probably when I hear praise for a job well done from clients - I think that makes everybody on the team proud.

MATEJ: Besides positive client feedback, which is always a proud moment for me, it’s the time when we get together and figure out a solution for a challenging design problem.

MARKO: Creating some good designs side by side with my mate Matej without extra syncs; We think as one! 🤘

“Designers always wear black and have lots of tattoos.” - what are some misconceptions you've heard about designers?

ANA: I've never heard of this, haha. I believe that people think that designers wear clothes in different colors and have weird hairstyles. :D 

The most common thing I find them saying is that designers are “challenging”... whatever that means. :D

MATEJ: When I started doing UX/UI design, my friends told me that now I have to start wearing a winter hat at all times, even in summer - because that’s what all UX/UI designers do :)

LUKA: I think that in our team, each designer is special in their own way, although we still all understand each other and joke in a similar way. 

KRISTIJAN: When I had just started design, I thought most designers were hipsters who wore black turtlenecks like Steve Jobs all the time xD. Through the years I learned that everybody is special in their own way and that stereotypes don't go a long way, but one thing we all share together is the passion for designing creative things every day.

JOSIP: In my case, this is totally true, but it’s just a coincidence, I guess 😀 Regarding those misconceptions, people think that we only pick colors, choose fonts, and worship Lorem Ipsum. But, of course, that’s ridiculous. Designers work very hard, and they are one of the main cogs in the wheel.

MARKO: My clothes are usually black 😐

Ana, your team has an impressive portfolio (Behance, Dribbble, our web). Which one of those designs stands out the most for you?

I can't single out one of the projects that stands out most. I share a certain emotion with each of them, and since effort has been invested in creating them, they are all dear to me. 

If I had to choose off the top of my head, I would say the identity for Travelspot. A lot of elements were created, from the logo, the whole idea behind it, icons, illustrations, visuals, and other things that much bigger and better-known travel agencies never had.

What does your typical day at work look like?

LUKA: When we get rid of the meetings, the better part of the day comes, which is designing :D Very often, when we encounter a problem, we sit together in the conference room and brainstorm until we find a solution.

MATEJ: I make myself a cup of coffee, have a quick chat with the team about ongoing tasks, spend a couple of minutes figuring out what I'm going to listen to today, and start working that Figma!

KRISTIJAN: I mostly prepare a playlist to listen to while I work, read some design news, and browse some projects online. Then, I have daily meetings and syncs in the morning, after which I go through the tasks I have for the day. Then comes designing, which takes up most of my day, and I'm happy about it 😄. 

MARKO: When I come to the office, Luka always waits for me because his working day starts at 5 AM. We take a cup of coffee and exchange some thoughts (deep topics only), and then we are ready to create some good designs!

JOSIP: Coffee, cigarettes, silence (not always possible), and mentally preparing for the day. A wise man once said: ”Within the first hour, you don’t speak!” 

After this meditation session, the daily syncs and meetings usually follow. There’s always something that needs to be prioritized, so those tasks are the first ones on the to-do list. Usually, we are all hungry, so we have our lunch breaks. 

After that, I would like to take a nap because of the food, but I don’t work at Google, and we don’t have nap pods, so there is only coffee and cigarettes again. By the end of the day, I like to work on smaller tasks just to break the monotony and to be more productive. Not every day is the same; sometimes there’s chaos, sometimes there’s normal workflow, but that’s all ok and normal. But every day is very dynamic and interesting, and that’s the most important thing for me as a designer.

What do you do when you get stuck creatively?

MARKO: I just need a short rest and good music!

LUKA: Music and good company help a lot.

MATEJ: I wait for the evening. That’s when I change perspective and usually come up with different ideas than I had in the morning. If there’s no time, a quick walk and a breath of fresh air will do the trick.

ANA: Very little. If I don't have inspiration, it's hard to find it by force. A day passes, I sleep through it, and mostly everything is fine tomorrow. Ideas often come to me when I least expect them, and then I solve everything that blocks me.

KRISTIJAN: I try to take a step back and clear my mind with some music or something other to help me take a new approach to the problem at hand. Sometimes, browsing sites like Behance or Dribbble also helps with inspiration and creative ideas.

JOSIP: I find some inspiration on the internet, or I just step away from the computer, go to the bathroom or something, and a solution always comes to me. Even if it’s a bad one, later in the process, I improve it.

Figma is your bread and butter, but are there some other tools you use, and for what?

ANA: Adobe, for everything related to branding.

MARKO: Yes, After Effects is my escape from boring reality.

LUKA: Illustrator, to get away from everything related to UX.

MATEJ: The usual Adobe stuff, Illustrator, After Effects, Photoshop, InDesign…

JOSIP: Adobe tools for everything related to art or design, motion, etc.

KRISTIJAN: Mostly Adobe Cloud package programs like Illustrator, Photoshop, and others.

Who always arrives late for meetings?

ANA: As a TL, it's not okay for me to publicly call someone out like this. :P 

MARKO: As a team member, I can easily say it’s my friend Luka 🙂

LUKA: I know Marko will say me, so I will say Marko.

MARKO: He’s lying!

MATEJ: This question is very complex, and I'm afraid I don't know how to answer it properly.

KRISTIJAN: Probably PMs because they are always running somewhere.

JOSIP: Ok, I see. You can’t say it’s me because I’m the oldest. You are welcome, children ;)

ANA: Don't be like that, Josip; we respect the elderly. :)

JOSIP: Thank you, Ana. In that case, it’s Luka hahaha! 

Just kidding, it’s Feđa, of course, but it’s no biggie because it’s usually our internal meetings.

How do you unwind from work?

ANA: I don't have a routine about it. I completely forget about work when I'm training, so it's a good place for me to take a break from everything. The rest is something that comes naturally. I arrange and rearrange something around the apartment or my plants; I go for a walk or rollerblading and hang out with family and friends. Or, of course, the classics; I make myself some delicious food, pour a glass of wine, or open a beer, and watch a movie or series.

KRISTIJAN: For me, unwinding from work involves activities that allow me to step away from screens and tap into different creative outlets or simply relax my mind.

MARKO: Some days here can be very exhausting, so there must be something that keeps my brain clean. I would take a short “street photography” session with my Sony. My evening schedule is filled with some good video games and 10 episodes of anime on a bad day (the good one takes 20 🙂).

LUKA: Being outdoors relieves my fatigue the most. I rest best by traveling, even if it’s just to the neighborcity.

MATEJ: Spending time with family, creating music with my friends, and all types of outdoor activities.

JOSIP: Everything that’s not related to work. I volunteer at a shelter for rescued animals, ride my bike, and hang out with friends and family.

What sentence do you hate hearing at work?

MARKO: The powerful one, “Sinkajte se”, destroys me every single time!

KRISTIJAN: I agree with Marko 100%!

ANA: Well, at least I am glad that you two are in sync with that :P 

LUKA: When someone comes to my table, touches my shoulder, and asks, "Could you just...". Although I myself like to do that to others :P

MATEJ: I try to be as positive and understanding as possible, and I’ve probably grown a bit numb to silly questions over the years, so I can't really think of anything.

ANA: I don't have a particular sentence that I would like to emphasize. It's more about the questions—all those 1,678,392,550 questions and more that I have already answered earlier, and then someone asks them again...and again...and again. 

JOSIP: “Jel imaš minutu?” - and then the call lasts for three hours… “Jel mi mo’š samo odgovorit?”, “Čuješ? Čuješ?”, “Alo?” “Mogu li?”, “Samo da…” and the similar 🙂

Join the design team!

Besides special work playlists and their dislike for long syncs, what our designers have in common is their passion for fresh ideas and creating innovative solutions as a team.

It’s the driven teams, such as design, that build the motivational culture we nurture at Barrage. 

If you would like to be a part of that culture and get to know the team, check out our open positions.