Riccardo Valeriana

Where are you based as a UX/UI designer?

Modena, Italy 🇮🇹

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What led you into UX/UI design?

Coming from a coding background, I've always loved the design phase of my projects. So I decided to give it a try and started freelancing as UX/UI Designer for small tech startups. A few months later, I finally got my first full-time job as a UX UI Designer.

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Why are you a UX/UI designer?

The reason why I am a UX/UI designer is because I deeply love problem-solving and creating. I love the phases of creating a look and feel of new experiences that will help users to achieve their goals quickly and efficiently.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I am an early bird, so I like to wake up early in the morning around 6 AM and start the day with some stretching, meditation, and journaling.
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Right now my company allows full remote working, so after my morning routine I start the day checking emails, messages (we use Discord), and calls that are scheduled for the day.

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Then, I’ll keep working on my tasks like getting mockups ready for new features and prototypes that will be shown during the next review with my TL (team lead) and management.

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Thanks to the flexible time policy we have at the office, I can start working early and get off earlier. As soon as I finish at the offic,e I take my swimsuit and goggles and jump in the water of the swimming pool for a solid workout.

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I usually like to end my day having dinner with some good movies or new tv shows.

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What is your current desk setup?

My current desk setup is made of a wireless keyboard and trackpad, laptop connected to a large monitor, and some greenery friends I usually talk to during the day.

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And your Workstation setup across devices?

I love to have a minimalistic Home Screen both for my phone and computer.

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What work are you most proud of?

Of all the things I’m grateful for and proud of, I am mostly proud of being a Design System Supervisor at Zuru Tech. I loved every step of creating the design system for my company thanks to the help and support of my colleagues.

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Moreover, after attending the Memorisely DS Bootcamp, I began this new role applying the best practices that I learned during classes.

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Which Product recently blew your socks off?

I can definitely say Notion. There is no better platform that allows you to document, plan, organize, and schedule like Notion does. I use it both for work and personal stuff. I am addicted to organizing everything, so I really enjoy using it!

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What challenges do you face as a UX/UI Designer?

The challenges that I face as a UX UI Designer are mostly related to applying all the things that I learn at the same time, gathering as much knowledge as I can to create the best outcome possible for the users.

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What tunes do you listen to whilst designing?

I love to listen to low fi, relaxing music while working, I find it really helpful for focusing on tasks.

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Three suggestions for budding designers?

1. Never stop investing in yourself, always keep learning.
2. Every question is important, your question could be others' question; just ask.
3. Don't be afraid of failing because those are the steps that will really make you grow.