Tell us about your work. What is your current position?
I’m a senior product designer and part of the Wix Stores app. I design everything in our storefront— galleries, product pages, checkout screens and more. My main focus is to improve the app’s look and feel and the overall experience of the Wix users who interact with it
What was your graduation project and how did it affect your career? My graduation project was “Vashti", a digital magazine for women in Hebrew. Vashti is a platform that collects, integrates, edits and translates stories and videos from around the web into Hebrew. Vashti lets users assemble a personal library of content and images (all from female writers and artists), follow other users, and consume quality content more collaboratively. Our main goal was to allow Hebrew-speaking users to access topics that aren’t generally found in the Israeli press. This project was my springboard into the world of user experience and interface. After graduation I focused primarily on digital projects, and later on started teaching UX/UI in college.
What skills/assets did you learn in college that have helped you most in your career?
Self-discipline and meeting a deadline were the two biggest values I took from my studies. I also gained the willingness to explore and go deeper even after I was "done", and the ability to accept criticism and grow from it. But most importantly I learned that there is always more—more to learn, more to develop, more to know.
How is being in education different from being in the “real world”?
As a young student, I was a bit cheeky—I always jumped ahead and always had something to say. As I’ve grown through the years I’ve learned to take a step back, breathe, look at things from above, and delve deeper before I make a decision. School is definitely different from the real world.
The portfolio interview is a daunting moment—any general tips around etiquette for before, during and after? (secret things that people wished were done but maybe usually go unsaid?)
Have a general idea of the story you want to share and practice, practice, practice!
Remember that as they’re interviewing you - you’re also interviewing them.
In the end we are all regular people who may work together once the interview is over.
Ask questions, be engaged—be yourself.
And what’s the most important thing to have/show in a portfolio?
Your best work of course! Remember to filter your work—quality over quantity, always. And transparency—don't take credit for things that weren't in your field. Clearly show your part in every project you present.
How do you usually start working on a project?
I start by making sure the brief is complete and begin my preliminary research. Once I think I'm finished (and if there is enough time), I try to move on to another project for at least a week and then come back to finish the research with fresh eyes. Usually taking a step back for a minute is hugely beneficial so I can review the project with fresh eyes.
How do you use trends in your work?
Trends are a key element in my work, but I always verify that it’s relevant and do proper research, From my Trendology studies (I took a few years ago to strengthen this "muscle"), the main thing that I'm using the most is the ability to differentiate between Mega, Macro, Micro, and Flash trends—a method I follow to this day. Product design is a living, breathing field (especially in eCommerce), so it's very important to have your eyes open to what’s going on around you.
Professional expertise is something that you know you’re just naturally great at. It isn’t necessarily what you love but what you’re good at. How did you find your own professional expertise?
At the beginning of my career, I was mainly designing books. For years I did only that. Typography and content architecture was my first passion. When I started to handle UX and UI I saw a lot of parallel issues and struggles that I didn't accept at first. It wasn’t until I started working in both fields that I realized how similar they are. I am a strong believer in doing what you love, so in the end what feels natural is probably your thing—you can always have a few fields that nurture each other.
The first year after school can be a confusing time. What was it like for you?
Actually, my story is a little different. I started working before school and continued to build my business and work with clients throughout my education. The first year after school was packed full of interesting projects. In retrospect, I really recommend not jumping straight into the water—maybe even taking some time off (a few months if possible) to recharge your batteries. Letting things sink in after your years of hard work in school, and preparing yourself for the long-existing future that is ahead of you is invaluable and will help prevent burnout later on.
What are you working on now? My main focus now is on our new Product Page on Blocks. Blocks is a new technology that allows us to build WIX on WIX apps. We are restructuring and improving our Product Page, digging deep into what is out there in design, layouts, setting capabilities, smart layout, editing capabilities and more. In parallel, I’m also working on our galleries uplift (new design features, layouts etc.)—and so much more :)
