Miroslav Rajković
Talking with User Interface & User Experience Designers
Hi! My name is Miroslav Rajkovic, I am a graphic designer, developer and photographer, based in Ljubljana SI, Europe. Dreaming big while pushing the boundaries of my knowledge.
When your friends or parents ask to you what job do you do, how do you answer?
It’s often hard to describe complex UI/UX design development so I often simplify my answer and say that I’m a visual designer that is rotating and moving pixels around, hehe.
What is your background, how did you train?
Background of my design evolvement would consist of 50% learning techniques by myself and 50% by following the work of other designers worldwide. I’ve studied programming but that just wasn’t me as I couldn’t express my ideas easily. Although at some point I was just a designer I can proudly say that at this time I’m a UI/UX designer with great knowledge of front-end development which is expanding each day as new methods and techniques are discovered and made.
What the web can do to make this world a better place? How did the web improve your life( if it did)?
I’d say that web is becoming a strongest media lately since the paper marketing is getting ran over by time so web can easily make the world a better place. People are more attracted to interactive and visually perfected things therefore those who seek for a attention with idea of making the world a better place can get it over internet. So the web is making the world a better place on daily basis by humans who interact with each other and share love/help.
Can you show us three examples of interface that in your opinion improved human life?
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).
Nipple is a result of a really long evolution so I can’t agree with that being a design (this could be a philosophical debate). For me, the red traffic light is the most intuitive interface.
How is your work day type?
I get up in the morning, mostly feeling like a car ran over me because I tend to stay late at night. After doing morning ritual of getting up and doing my daily look I stave on ahead on new design challenges that show up.
What is the most stimulating and challenging project you have accomplished?
I’d say my identity which I’ve changed many times through out the time. I’ve ended using a simple symbol representing my nickname although some could argue that I’ve copied it from Rafael Nadal although at the time when I was designing this I didn’t know of his existence (I’m not much of a sport fan, hehe).
What is, among the existing digital services, the one you wanted to do?
Squarespace. I love simplicity and their way of presenting themself. Actually I love everything about them.
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?
I think there is no perfect method but just good and bad methods. Each individual develops a method which works best for him and I’d say mine is heavy thinking, then making a sketches on paper to express my ideas to other people and then pixel perfecting them in Photoshop.
The “design” is an important part of our analogic life. What is the role of the designer in our digital life?
We have eyes by reason, to watch and observe things that make as satisfied so design is basic ingredient of everything that is produced on our planet.
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?
It depends what kind of a designer you are… For me, since I’m a web designer I’d say that UI/UX and front-end development knowledge make a perfect pair. It’s important that designer knows how his art actually works and where are the limits. I find my knowledge of front-end development extremely helpful while designing interfaces because I can make better ideas while knowing how I’m going to make it work later on and I always improve my work at least by 30% later on while writing the code and making smallest details alive and animated.
In which way do you make a difference between User Interface and user experience?
I make difference based on the country/market that I’m working for. A single design doesn’t work the same in different countries because mentality and culture is different so you always have to adapt to the people that are going to be using the design.
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 haven’t met a single developer that I wouldn’t like/appreciate. I like geek/nerd sense of humor so I perfectly fit with developers who are mostly funny and socially awkward. It’s never boring with this guys, just when they are concentrated on the work.
How do you think that your career and job will evolve in the next 5 years?
Next 5 years will be crucial, because this will be the years when I’ll make most changes until I settle on something that will work for the most part of my life, ensuring a happy life to myself and my better half.
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 nice community full of great designers who share their work on daily basis. From a clients point of view Behance is better, but for designers who week inspiration Dribbble is a perfect place of ideas. It’s important that a web designer builds his appearance online on all major portals, because in the end even amount of followers can be a reason for someone who will hire you.
What book would you advice to a Junior Designer?
Everything I’ve learned and picked-up was online so I can’t truly advice a book of that type whatsoever. I do recommend books that aren’t only based on design but also on philosophy of great people, Steve Jobs for instance who had a mind of a perfectionist, a mind that set the standards in the design. As a designer it’s not only important to know which colors is red and which blue but also to understand everything behind that and therefore make the world a “nicer” place.
Always as far as advices: what tools for the design? What tools for the projects management ?
I’m committed to Adobe so I’d say Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign. As for the project management I can’t really which one is my favorite because I’m constantly switching between these tools looking for an ultimate one. Or yes, I have a managment tool that has always worked out for me: a notebook and a pencil.
Dribbble : https://dribbble.com/mrajkovic
Website : http://miroslav-rajkovic.com/
