What led you into design?
It all started when I discovered Microsoft FrontPage on our home computer and taught myself how to build websites. Around the same time, virtual tuning — modifying car visuals online — was really popular, and that got me into Photoshop. The two hobbies naturally came together, and I started designing and coding small websites, which even helped me earn some pocket money during high school.
After graduating, I built a portfolio of website redesign projects, which helped me land my first professional role as a junior designer at one of Turkey’s largest digital agencies.
What does a typical day look like?
My mornings usually start around 7am with coffee, checking the news (one of my bad habits), emails, and sometimes a bit of work on a side project.
Since the pandemic, I’ve been working fully remotely, which means I no longer lose time commuting and can start my official workday around 9am.
Most of my meetings wrap up by 10:30am, allowing me to dedicate the rest of the day to focused, uninterrupted work.
After 6 to 6:30pm, it’s dinner time, followed by our evening routine. We enjoy taking walks by the lake near our home—it’s a great way to unwind and reset.
What's your workstation setup?
I like to keep my desk fairly minimal—nothing that distracts me stays on it for long. The core of my setup is a 14” MacBook Pro connected to a Studio Display.
I usually take notes in the Notes app, but for quick thoughts and reminders, I always have a few Post-its on hand.
Other stuff includes an IKEA standing desk (but it’s no longer functional because of the sloped ceiling 🫠), a Herman Miller Sayl chair, Apple’s Magic Keyboard (of course 🤷♂️), a Logitech MX Vertical mouse, and an Artemide Tolomeo lamp.
Where do you go to get inspired?
For random web inspiration, I usually browse my private Pinterest board, Landbook, and Siteinspire.
When I’m after more focused references—especially for mobile or more niche use cases—I tend to rely on Are.na, Cosmos, and Mobbin.
Outside of screens, travel plays a huge role in how I recharge and gather ideas.
Not in a romantic way, but more in the quiet details—how signage works in a different country, how people interact with public space, or even the way local shops arrange their layouts. It’s those small things that often spark bigger thinking when I return to the work.
What product have you recently seen that made you think this is great design?
Recently, two products really stood out to me. First, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound 2 — the craftsmanship, and timeless form make it a great example of design that blends technology with emotional appeal.
The second is Rimowa luggage. I admire how they’ve refined a utilitarian product into something aspirational through materiality, precision engineering, and a consistent brand language.
What pieces of work are you most proud of?
One of the projects I’m most proud of is my work at Algbra, where I’ve been leading design from day one. Over the last four years, I’ve shaped the product from 0 to 1 — designing every touchpoint, from user flows and mobile experiences to brand identity, UI systems, and even physical elements like payment cards.
It’s been a rare opportunity to build a product holistically, with design deeply embedded in every layer.
More recently, we launched Shoal — a sustainable finance platform built by Algbra Labs in partnership with Standard Chartered. Shoal focuses on making green and sustainable financial products more accessible and understandable, blending strong visual identity with a clear, user-friendly experience.
What design challenges do you face at your company?
Designing for fintech comes with a unique set of challenges—especially around clarity, trust, and regulation. One of the biggest ongoing challenges is balancing simplicity with compliance. We often need to distill complex financial processes into intuitive experiences, without compromising legal requirements or user understanding.
Another key challenge is accessibility—not just in the technical sense, but in making financial products feel inclusive and approachable to users who may not be financially literate or who come from underserved communities. In a market where trust is everything, design needs to communicate reliability from the very first interaction.
Lastly, as with many fast-moving startups, aligning design with rapid product development while maintaining consistency across multiple user journeys requires constant iteration and close collaboration with product, engineering, and compliance teams.
What music do you listen to while designing?
Any advice for ambitious designers?
Always stay curious and keep learning — skills you pick up today often become unexpectedly valuable later on. Most importantly, no matter how talented you are, if you’re in the wrong environment, your work won’t be appreciated. Surround yourself with people and places that help you grow — not with toxic people.
Anything you want to promote or plug?
Always happy to connect.
You can find me on LinkedIn, Instagram for a mix of posts, or check out my portfolio at srkn.co.uk for selected design work.
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