Supercharge Designer Spotlight:
Aneta Kmiecik

Welcome to the next part of Supercharge Designer Spotlight, where we’ll spotlight Aneta Kmiecik, a senior UX designer and an ex-architect with almost six years of experience designing for industries like fintech, e-commerce, health, safety, or sustainability.

So far, Aneta has spent most of her career designing B2B products. She now focuses her efforts on helping designers build their UX portfolios by sharing her insights in the UX Design Express newsletter, on LinkedIn, and on Instagram while also working as a freelance UX designer. 

Read on as we delve into Aneta’s journey, her sources of inspiration, and her invaluable contributions to the design world in greater detail.

When I was at school, I really loved to draw. Once, when my mom got back to work, she saw me drawing on the walls of my room. You can imagine how frustrated she got.

Then I went into painting. At some point, I started selling my paintings to galleries. I was dreaming of studying art, but when I was in high school, my parents quickly made me realize that it was not something I would make money on. So, instead of an art school, I picked the Architecture and Urban Planning faculty.

I worked in many architecture offices in Poland but also managed to work for one of the most famous architects in Japan – Kengo Kuma.

Then, during this work time, I realized that the work of an architect in an office wasn’t for me. When I earned enough money, I applied to an art school and finished it.

That was the time when I met a friend who was working as a UX designer. I quickly got interested in this topic. I thought that UX design is very close to architecture – the design mindset, creativity, and problems that we need to solve in both professions.

I quickly decided to quit my 9-5 job as an architect and joined a cheap UX boot camp in Poland. After two months, I got my first UX job in an agency.

The first months or even years as a UX designer weren’t easy for me. I mostly worked in agencies, startups, and low UX maturity organizations. Most of the time, as a solo UX Designer. It was a tough time, but I learned a lot. I don’t think I would have been able to learn so many various skills as an architect sitting in an office.

When I worked in the health and safety industry, I worked on one project connected with incident reporting.

I spent a couple of months interviewing safety managers and blue-collar workers from Scandinavia, the UK, and US companies to learn how difficult it was for them to keep their workplaces safe.

They had hazardous accidents and lots of problems with documentation. Together with my team, we did a lot of ideation around quick reporting forms.

While working on this project, I felt I was working on something meaningful. That I  could potentially help create a safer work environment for people.

Unfortunately, the project was sunsetted, though I still remember how many emotions I had during this project.

Aneta in her home office

I like to regularly zoom in and out on my projects, thinking holistically and connecting dots with other projects or systems in a company to never miss an opportunity. At the same time, I work on details and keep my architectural mindset with me. 

I never ask for permission. I try to do what’s best for a project, even if that would mean just one user test. I just do it.
I try to incorporate data-driven decisions into my design processes, measure changes I work on, and at least be aware of the type of impact I’m trying to make.

Lastly, I think design is about experimentation and balancing intuition and evidence. Some things will work out, and some will not. Accepting this will free your mind.

Being a doer. Designers who just do things and not complain about all the challenges they have at work. Things like low UX maturity, non-competent managers, and so on do not matter. Most importantly, no one cares about it. Businesses care about your skills and that you can do the job, so focusing on work and developing skills is what I think is indispensable.

In addition to this, I would say critical thinking. A thinking process that will help you evaluate your work, your design decisions, things people tell you at work, and more. 

Self-awareness is also important. If you don’t know your skills and yourself as a person and a designer, you won’t be able to pitch yourself for a design role. Start journaling and reflecting on your work and life.

All the obvious ones: communication, growth mindset, or storytelling.

I don’t. I am a workaholic, which I am not proud of.

I learned how to manage this every day. I think it got better when I got burned out two years ago.

Now, I have a more healthy schedule, though I still tend to work in the evenings or on the weekends.

My activities that are not about work include going to the gym, walking on my walking pad when I work, eating healthy, meeting with friends, traveling, reading books, and going to nature.

Evolution of a designer role. I’m really curious about how AI will change the role a designer plays in the product development process. Will we create one role with Product Managers? 

There will be more efficiency in design processes and collaboration with developers. I hope we will launch products more quickly and have more opportunities for experiments.

More awareness about design in more companies. This means, hopefully, fewer organizations with low UX maturity.

However, I am a bit afraid of data safety, security, and privacy. I hope that, due to new challenges connected with AI, we will be more focused on ethical design.

Lastly, I hope to see more impactful projects in the industry and more discussion about how to deal with the increasing global risks around us, such as climate change, housing issues, and more.

Know your strengths and weaknesses. Be self-aware. Reflect regularly on your work and life. Set goals, plan your day, and execute early in your career, focusing on gaining skills.

Don’t think just about getting a full-time job. Think about how you could use your skills best, where you could make the biggest impact, and where you would be happy.

As Aneta’s journey demonstrates, realizing your true passion and potential can be winding and enlightening. From early experiments with drawing and painting, navigating through the structured world of architecture, and finally embracing the dynamic field of UX design, she has shown that resilience, continuous learning, and adaptability are crucial in pursuing your dreams.

Her journey through various domains has enhanced her skills and perspective on creating impactful designs. By sharing her experiences, challenges, and the lessons learned along the way, Aneta hopes to inspire others to chase their passions, leverage their unique skills, and remain open to the limitless possibilities of where her talents can take her.

As Aneta mentioned, we should remember that the journey may be extended and fraught with challenges, but the rewards of following your true calling are immeasurable. Let this story be a testament to the power of perseverance, curiosity, and the relentless pursuit of passions.

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Aneta and that you look forward to future Designer Spotlight articles we have planned for you. Subscribe to our newsletter to never miss an update!

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more inspiring stories in our Supercharge Designer Spotlight series!