Greg Dlubacz
My name is Greg Dlubacz. I am a UI Designer currently live in Poland, Wroclaw. For the last 7 years I lived in Scotland: Aberdeen and Edinburgh where I took my first steps as a designer. I also completed Multimedia & Web Design/Development course at Aberdeen College. My adventure as a web designer has started in 2009. Since then I’m connected with 11beats studio from Edinburgh.
When your friends or parents ask to you what job do you do, how do you answer?
That’s a great question ;) because it always gives me a headache! Generally I’m tired of explaining to everyone what a User Interface/User Experience designer does, so I simply say I’m a graphic designer.
Then people don’t ask any additional questions ;)
What is your background, how did you train?
I’ve always been interested in computers. In a high school I started programming, then for the next 3 years I studied Computer Science; however after a few years of being a programmer, I realised that I prefer nice pictures instead ☺
I’m a self-educated and I learned all through self-studying. Initially in the form of tutorials and courses that helped me to master Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash skills. Additionally I read books, lots of books. I also trained by designing many fake projects. When I joined 11beats team, I discovered secrets of HTML/CSS/Java Script and Wordpress because I was also responsible for front-end development. Currently I try not to code, but it certainly helped me a lot in understanding how the websites work.
What the web can do to make this world a better place? How did the web improve your life( if it did)?
I believe that there should be more initiatives for good causes in terms of e.g. violence, poverty, animal cruelty, etc. that is a real eye-opener.
With regard to my life improvement — apart from being main medium for job hunting, it is also an incredible source of inspiration, great people and immediate information.
Can you show us three examples of interface that in your opinion improved human life?
Toothbrush, mobile phone, zipper
On quora.com, time ago there was a long discussion in answer to the question “what is the most intuitive interface ever created?”; according to Felipe Rocha it is the nipple, in your opinion instead? (http://www.quora.com/What-are-the-most-intuitive-interfaces-ever-created)
In my opinion it is a computer mouse.
How is your work day type?
I try to start at 9am and finish at 5pm. However it usually doesn’t work. In fact, it is never that simple ;)
I definitely work too much, because I additionally make some of my personal projects aside. Generally my day starts with browsing Dribbble, blogs, Facebook, etc. However later during the day, again I look in to Facebook, Dribble, read some articles — this is some kind of break.
What is the most stimulating and challenging project you have accomplished?
I think that project for “Broker Market” where the process of creating wireframes itself took 3 weeks. I designed around 60 views for web, dashboard and bespoke CMS and the same number views for iPhone/Android app. Moreover, I created about 30 icons and illustrations.
What is, among the existing digital services, the one you wanted to do?
Behance
Many designers commit the mistake of starting a project directly from Photoshop, is there a perfect design method? What is your approach to the creative process?
For sure, without the right preparation and thinking a project over — at later stages, you can lose too much time, make some mistakes and complicate it too much.
I think that it is not that difficult to work the perfect method out , because each designer has own way to work. Here is how I work — step by step:
- Research and discovery phase [I think that great design starts by understand the client’s problem, goals, audience and desired outcome]
- Wireframing [I usually begin with piece of paper]
- Working on the colors scheme, grid, typography, photos, etc., and then the creation of the UI in Photoshop and sometimes I also use Illustrator to create icon and other vector elements.
- Preparation of project guidelines for front-end/back-end developers
The “design” is an important part of our analogic life. What is the role of the designer in our digital life?
Creating a better, virtual world, that would please the eye, introduce the innovation, improvements, creates new design trends ,as well as, simplify certain designing processes.
Do you believe it is important for a designer to have a deep knowledge of matters as User Experience, Interaction Design, Product Design, and Front-end development?
I think that is significant to understand various aspects of our work. Especially that these areas overlap in some degree. I personally think that the best source of knowledge and inspiration can be found in an outside world and what’s around us. Everything has begun somewhere out there.
In which way do you make a difference between User Interface and user experience?
UI is a tool and UX is an experience, feels that you have with a product or service.
It can be explained with some example i.e. car wheels, steering wheel, dashboard, colour, etc. are UI, while experience of driving it, comfort, how it works, any kind of failures (like engine failure) are UX.
What is your relationship with the developers? There are people that have a relationship of continuous confrontation and other of deep friendship, where do you collocate with respect to this question?
I think that a good communication with developers, smooth flow of information are the basics of any successful project. I have a good relation with developers and due to the fact that I used to code myself for number of years, it helps me a lot to understand their needs and requirements.
How do you think that your career and job will evolve in the next 5 years?
For the time being I focus on being better in what I do. I’m aware that there is still plenty to learn in order to achieve the level that I want to be at. I think that all designers should constantly learn, develop their skills and be up to date so they would know what’s going on in this area. In the future, for sure, I want to be a part of interesting, significant projects that would improve some human life areas.
A famous quotation of David Carson (noted American graphic designer) says: “Graphic design will save the world right after rock and roll does”. Will the User Interface Design save the world, before, at the same time, or after the graphic design?
Nowadays I think that the Internet has such a big impact on our lives and is present in every life area, that UI design in fact has a very important role that will even grow with time. Thus in the future will have even greater importance.
What do you think about Dribbble? Is it a good way to get a job? What’s the best way to find a job as designer?
Dribbble is a really well done idea! For certain this is a place of great inspirations, possibility of meeting brilliant designers, seeing the projects that others work on.
However Dribble doesn’t work equally well within every country, e.g. comparing USA and UK. First of all in some countries, clients are not aware of Dribble as a place where they can look for good designers. I believe that word of mouth and existing clients’ recommendation are still the best way to acquire new clients.
What book would you advice to a Junior Designer?
Don’t make me think by Steve Krug
Always as far as advices: what tools for the design? What tools for the projects management ?
Generally I mainly use Photoshop that is sufficient for most of the tasks. Sometimes I use Illustrator for vector graphics such icons or illustrations; for the projects managements — definitely Dropbox, Action Method, Hip Chat, Clear for iPhone
Dribbble : https://dribbble.com/gregdlubacz
Website : http://11beats.co.uk/
FRONTIERSX November 12–13th, 2015, Milan, Italy
As the meeting point of design, technology and everything interactive, this year we’ll dive deep through innovation and disruption in Banking, Health and Retail industries.
