The Journey of a Senior Product Designer

The work of a product designer now consists of a blend of analytical and creative thought, all kept in check by financial, technical, and customer-based restrictions. A product designer, particularly in the case of a generalist, needs to participate in gatherings with people and teams from different backgrounds. Subsequently, the designer has to be able to comprehend and resolve the issue, as well as have the capacity to articulate the rationale behind the solution. For these meetings to be efficient, a successful transmission of viewpoints is necessary from all sides. In this article, I'm going to discuss the concepts and strategies I employ in my role as a Product Designer. An item of equipment used to slow down the fall of a person or object when jumping from a height is known as a parachute. Paraşüt is a cloud-based accounting and bookkeeping application created to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) streamline their financial operations. Tailored particularly to meet the specific requirements of SMEs, it provides services such as invoice tracking, income and expense management, reporting, inventory control, online credit card payments, and e-invoicing. Paraşüt offers smart bank account monitoring, electronic invoicing, convenient CFO through mobile receipt scanning, barcode reading with a mobile device, combination of e-commerce with CRM, and proposal control. Builder allows users to build and customize their own website in minutes The Website Builder from Paraşüt permits customers to quickly assemble and personalize their own website. Paraşüt is a part of the larger Mikrogrup organization in Turkey (comprised of Mikro, Zirve, and Paraşüt, this group supports over 150,000 businesses). Lately, TeamSystem (an Italy-based company) purchased a majority stake in Mikrogrup, so our presence in the Turkish marketplace is set to increase. As a result, our product teams need to stay apprised of current technologies related to data security, open banking, AI-based reporting and formatting, as well as building links with leading financial apps. Given the abundance of customers we serve coming from diverse industries, we must stay mindful of their evolving requirements and the quick evolution of associated platforms like web banking, sanctioned regulations, etc. Identifying customer problems and pain points is essential. Our PMs should gather the necessary data, analyze the market, and sometimes designers will even conduct user interviews to gain further insight. It has dawned on me that the essential sensibility is one of inquisitiveness. A curious person would likely ask many queries in order to ensure they fully understand. You can ensure accuracy by utilizing a well-established therapy method named rephrasing. You do this by attentively listening to the person and attempting to state their point again, starting with "Let me make sure I got this correctly, ....". I guarantee that such a strategy will really assist the individual in considering new points of view, even if they were already understood. On either Monday or Tuesday, I take a few moments to review the tasks that need completing in the upcoming week, as well as any that require further attention from the previous one. I have two types of tasks on my Notion board: operational ones and those that require me to think more deeply. The projects I'm currently occupied with are operational tasks; that is, my to-dos that involve design, meetings, and other tangible activities. My wide-lens perspective on topics is provided through comprehensive tasks. This may involve investigating the latest Fintech systems, formulating apps to match customer requirements, holding a brainstorming meeting with our customer operations personnel, or even completing a chapter of the design courses I am taking. By doing so, my mind can travel around the planet, bringing back fresh perspectives and insights. My page acts as a compass, providing a visual map of these ideas. Additionally, I organize my bookmarks, and maintain a folder for worthwhile online resources. The hustle and bustle of the Fintech world demands collaboration; it is an absolute must. I actively partner with multiple teams, comprising of product managers and engineers, to keep a balance between design ideas and commercial objectives. Doing this ensures that not only does the final outcome meet user needs, but it is also in harmony with the technical components. I employ the same techniques with my team of developers as I do with my users. In this case, I'm transparent about my approach to the task by inquiring about the constraints and providing feedback. At the same time, the design community at Mikrogroup holds meetings devoted to all its products related to finance and bookkeeping. Such a collaborative space encourages knowledge sharing, with conversations that cover topics like mobile design, creating tokens for a design system, and even front-end development. Being together in this environment also presents an opportunity for everyone to talk about recent design tendencies and tackle individual issues. The teams at Paraşüt are still proud to maintain the user-centered approach that began with its start-up roots. This approach involves curiosity, open-mindedness, and support - values we take pride in preserving. A considerable aspect of my job is mentoring less experienced designers with a focus on continuous education. During our one-on-one meetings, we exchange ideas, analyze difficulties, and develop fresh concepts. In the ever-evolving Fintech space, it is essential to stay up-to-date with market trends and user expectations. Our PM takes the lead in researching new possibilities for innovation and carrying out market surveys to inform design decisions. This approach helps us not only attend to current user needs but also be prepared for any shifts in the environment. During our PM sessions, we review feasible epics, features, and ameliorations to make sure the design team can adapt quickly to any changes in needs. If you haven't already, request a meeting with your PM - it can be a life-saver! Even a short 10 minute chat can be beneficial. I cannot stress enough the importance of designers taking some time for themselves. Depending on the project and workload, I usually require two slots of a few hours each week, for a break. After taking in the data from market research, I focus on creativity. I make sure to take a moment of silence and focus before I begin to work on my Figma design, allowing myself to enter a state of work-flow. As the week progresses, I strive to anticipate, comprehend, and minimize any troubles our users may have, honoring their current procedures and making interacting with Paraşüt simpler and more satisfying. Evaluations and reflections at the closure of every sprint turn into important junctions for these, giving us the opportunity to modify and improve our plans based on real-world user engagements and opinions. From the inception to completion, I guarantee that designs are not only visually appealing but deeply rooted in user-focused practices. Working at Paraşüt as a product designer offers an exciting opportunity to explore the dynamic realm of Fintech. It challenges us to draw on both analytical thinking and creative solutions in order to meet the varied needs of our sector. As Don Norman famously said, “Design is really an act of communication,” which encourages us to pay extra attention to how we collaborate with teams of different backgrounds. I trust that my insights have given you, dear reader, advantageous views to aid you in your design approach, both practically and mentally, and may have presented a new viewpoint on the ever-shifting roles of Product / UX/ UI designers.

Source: https://medium.com/@aprilzeynep/my-life-as-a-sr-product-designer-d7f502fe1b7f?source=rss------fintech-5