In the ever-evolving landscape of global technology, the influx of IT specialists is reaching nearly a million annually. While the growth rate of job openings in the industry is decelerating, the aspirants seeking to carve a niche in this domain are on the rise. Amidst intensifying competition for roles, opportunities for education in various IT disciplines, career transitions, or skills enhancement remain within reach for all. There's a notable shift in IT education, transitioning from theoretical academia to hands-on industry practitioners. What drives this paradigm shift? Anna Vasyukova, a distinguished UX designer, sheds light on this phenomenon. With a portfolio spanning projects of varying magnitudes, from the inception of the American-based startup "Eye Care Plus" to steering the world-renowned event planning platform Circa and from collaborating with the largest US blanks reseller, Jiffy to optimizing freight logistics with FR8Star, Anna is emblematic of the industry's evolution.

Anna, your stewardship of multiple courses at the Armenian Code Academy, in collaboration with industry titans like Adobe, ServiceTitan, and Krisp, has led to the graduation of over 10,000 students. Most of them are professionals who want to extend their knowledge. This achievement showcases the significant impact your work has had on shaping the future of the industry and emphasizes the importance of practicing professionals contributing to educational projects. Was this a proactive initiative on your part, or were you invited to take on this pivotal role?

— There's an adage that goes: those who can do; those who can't, teach. However, in the realm of IT, this axiom falls short. The education ecosystem demands instructors who've not just excelled but thrived in the professional realm. A mere theoretician can't mold a competent specialist poised to tackle real-world challenges from day one. Hence, educational endeavors strive to enlist those who've already left their mark and whose successes resonate in the market. This holds particular significance in retraining and upskilling professionals already entrenched in the field. Consequently, at the Product Academy, a staggering 85% of graduates swiftly secure lucrative placements.

The impressive results of your work are evident in the increasing number of individuals eager to enroll in your courses at the Academy, as well as their subsequent career growth. What motivates practitioners like you to embark on this path? Are you not inadvertently cultivating your competitors by being so active in academic education and various mentoring and webinar platforms?

— From a formal standpoint, that seems to be the case. When I craft and spearhead the courses in Academy, fulfill mentorship on platforms like DIA Design Guild, ADPList, and Creatica, and frequent webinars hosted on Design&Science, TopTalks, and UXEVN workshops, it looks like a concerted effort to nurture a competitive landscape. But in reality, it's not about competition; it's about collaboration, camaraderie, and mutual development. Engaging with mentees is profoundly gratifying. They're бa wellspring of ideas, unencumbered by conventional wisdom, often offering fresh perspectives that reinvigorate problem-solving approaches. I believe that professionals are invested in fostering industry growth and advancing prevailing standards across various domains, not just IT. Progress isn't a solitary endeavor; it's driven by the collective efforts of industry stalwarts. By examining both immediate objectives and the broader market strategy, one realizes that an assemblage of high-caliber colleagues invariably elevates individual performance. Consequently, I endeavor to contribute to industry growth beyond the confines of educational projects.

Besides your contributions to the industry through education, you have developed a unique template that facilitates a structured ideation process, significantly aiding creative teams in their work. Your Ideation Workshop for Product Teams template on Figma has been highly praised by professionals from different creative fields. Is this template an embodiment of your dedication to advancing the industry?

— Undoubtedly. Across my tenure in product design, I've discerned a glaring gap in the ideation phase within product and interdisciplinary teams. Despite its pivotal role, ideation often receives scant attention, leading to underwhelming product outcomes. Recognizing the dearth of structure in the ideation process and the complexity of existing tools, I embarked on a quest to address this deficiency. This initiative has empowered product designers from Adobe, TaxDome, Memopin, and others to excel in their roles, enhancing the overall quality of design work within the industry. This conviction has resonated with over 500 product designers who've embraced the template, underscoring its positive impact. Yet, beyond addressing production and creative challenges endemic to the professional community, it's imperative to confront social issues and strive for societal harmony.

Anna, your role at Circa as Lead Product Designer has undeniably been instrumental in securing prestigious partnerships with industry giants such as Okta, Salesforce, and Elsevier, contributing to the company's success, particularly in establishing a robust design process from the ground up and delivering remarkable growth and innovation. Can you share how you approached the challenge of creating a user-centric and efficient design process and what strategies you implemented to achieve such impressive results?

— When I joined Circa, the company was in its nascent stage, lacking a defined vision and structured processes. My initial approach was to thoroughly analyze our product landscape, user needs, and the challenges we aimed to address. This deep dive allowed me to identify key areas where we could optimize our processes and refine our product direction. 

I prioritized engaging directly with potential users and conducting comprehensive industry analyses to establish a user-centric design process. This enabled me to gain invaluable insights into our target audience's preferences and pain points. Armed with this knowledge, I could shape the product strategy and roadmap, introducing features that would drive growth and innovation.

I focused on a hands-on approach throughout every stage of development, from wireframing and prototyping to validating designs through rigorous testing. This allowed us to ensure our product remained aligned with user needs and expectations. My collaborative efforts with cross-functional teams also facilitated synergy across departments, leading to efficient decision-making and seamless execution.

One of my most significant strategic decisions was introducing features such as Event Calendars, Events Dashboard, and Event Registration Forms. These additions not only boosted our client roster but also contributed to remarkable revenue growth and increased platform engagement.

Ultimately, my goal has always been to ensure our product remains user-centric and impactful. Our success, including a 290% year-over-year increase in revenue and an 85% surge in post-acquisition satisfaction rates, is a testament to the effectiveness of the design process we established at Circa.

You are very active in publishing articles in publications like UXMatters, TopTal, and Medium, addressing issues ranging from data validation and mapping techniques to time and resource optimization in UX design. Do you think that only working on educational projects is an insufficient contribution to the industry?

— The more professional experience I gain, the greater the need to share and generalize it. Writing articles for such publications allows me to contribute to the industry's knowledge pool by providing insights and discoveries that can benefit other professionals. My work often focuses on topics such as data validation and mapping techniques, time and resource optimization in UX design, and other crucial areas.

Through these publications, I engage with a diverse audience, receive valuable feedback, and foster dialogue within the UX community. Colleagues read my work and reach out with their thoughts, ideas, and even their articles inspired by the subjects I discuss. This exchange of knowledge is essential for the continuous growth and development of the industry, as it encourages innovation and the sharing of best practices.

Beyond my current articles, I'm also working on several academic and popular publications that delve into more nuanced aspects of UX design and its impact across various industries. I'm optimistic that these works, like my previous ones, will generate meaningful discourse among specialists worldwide. By contributing this way, I aim to support the industry's evolution and help guide the next generation of professionals toward excellence in their craft. In my view, this kind of collaborative knowledge-sharing is just as crucial as working on educational projects to advance the UX design field.