What led you into design?
Design has always been around for me. Honestly, I’ve never worked a day in my life outside of design (not sure if that’s a good thing or not).
As a kid, I was obsessed with cars — at one point, I even dreamed of becoming a car designer. My dad had a collection of diecast cars, which I would eagerly take apart one by one just to understand how they were made… until his entire collection was gone (sorry, Dad).
I started designing at 16, this is when I mastered Photoshop and got my first paid logo project. Over the next few years, I created hundreds of logos, won a national design award for a wall calendar design, and by 19 joined one of Ukraine’s top creative agencies as a graphic designer.
Years later, I transitioned into product design — building apps for millions of people all over the world – like Calendars by Readdle, Scanner Pro 8, and later Smartist — until recently, when I circled back to where my childhood passion belongs: cars. That’s when I joined Ford Motor Company and combined my experience in digital design with a passion for cars.
What does a typical day look like?
Sometimes I have pretty early meetings — I can wake up at 6:45 and hop on a call by 7. After that, I usually have breakfast around 7:30 and then come back to work. I start my day by checking emails and messages to make sure I’m not blocking anyone. Then I like to browse through some tech and car news — I check TechCrunch and The Verge. At Ford, we also have a newsletter with all the latest car updates, which is a really cool way to stay on top of trends in the industry.
If the day isn’t packed with meetings, I’ll block out some focus time, turn on some music, and jam on the current design challenges. I also enjoy taking breaks during the day to grab a coffee or lunch — LA weather is just too good to stay cooped up inside all day. By 4 PM, I might be done for the day — and if there are some waves, I’ll go practice surfing at Sunset or Venice Beach.
What's your workstation setup?
I’m working on a MacBook M3 Pro with a Studio Display, trackpad, and keyboard. My desk is a Jarvis Bamboo standing desk and on top of it there’s a 3D-printed desk lamp I designed and printed myself.
Where do you go to get inspired?
I find inspiration in many things, and often, they’re not digital, but physical. Digital interfaces haven’t been around that long, and before them, it was legendary industrial designers who shaped the way digital products look today. I believe design moves in cycles, and sometimes the best way to design for the future is to draw inspiration from the past
Japanese design has always stood out to me. Designers like Naoto Fukasawa, Yoshio Akiokai, and the legendary Sony Design Team (remember the original Walkman?) have had a big influence on how I think about products.
I also admire vintage Japanese transistor radios from the 1950s and 60s — those physical buttons, dials, and switches is pure design craft.
Outside of Japan, there’s certainly Dieter Rams and his work at Braun, which had a major influence on Apple’s product philosophy. I also constantly find inspiration in beautiful cars — icons like the Ford GT40, Ferrari F40, or even the DeLorean and Lotus Esprit, both designed by one of the most legendary car designers of all time — Giorgetto Giugiaro.
What product have you recently seen that made you think this is great design?
One thing that comes to mind is Hyundai’s N Vision 74 concept car. This concept is based on Hyundai’s first production car — the Pony Coupe from 1974, designed by the same legend Giorgetto Giugiaro whom I mentioned above. I love how the Hyundai's design team brought it back in a modern way. It looks both retro and futuristic, which once again reminds me how design often loops back in some form.
What pieces of work are you most proud of?
Every project in my portfolio means something to me, and it's really hard to pick just one.
That said, I’m still proud of the work I did a few years ago for one of the most popular calendar apps on iOS and later macOS — Calendars by Readdle. It was my first time designing for a product used by millions of people around the world.
I also loved designing the Smartist app — I had the chance to build it from the ground up to help artists showcase their work in diverse beautifully-designed interiors.
What design challenges do you face at your company?
Working in the automotive industry as a digital product designer is always challenging. Cars aren’t like phones or laptops — they’re much more complex, and therefore, you have to keep a number of constraints in mind when designing for them, such as driver safety, regulations, hardware limitations, security, and even service.
Some days, I’m digging through thousands of vehicle error codes, trying to understand how to translate technical issues into something clear and helpful for drivers — without making them feel overwhelmed or worried. Other days, I’m watching YouTube videos about off-road driving and talking to off-road drivers just to understand this area better, so I can design features that feel thoughtful and supportive in off-road driving.
There’s always something new to learn, something you didn’t know — which definitely keeps you engaged, without leaving time to get bored.
What music do you listen to while designing?
Any advice for ambitious designers?
If you have a dream to work on something specific — whether it’s cars, AR glasses, or mobile apps — don’t wait for the perfect opportunity to show up. Explore the space, build passion projects, and stay curious. Those personal projects might not seem big at first, but they can open real doors later. Do what you love, and put it out into the world. That’s how you get noticed and how you grow.
Anything you want to promote or plug?
Feel free to follow me on Threads if you’re into automotive and user interface design — I share thoughts, ideas, and inspirations there!
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