I haven’t written here in a while so here’s a recap:
I’m a UX & UI designer, wading into product designer waters, with a creative mindset and a range of supporting skills. I’m looking to join a dynamic team that values both results and creativity – one that fosters growth, encourages meaningful work, and a healthy work-life balance. I’m driven by the idea of creating positive impact through thoughtful, human-centered design. User research/testing has also been one of my mor recent explorations with recent a-ha moments, and I’m keen on eploring more.
Let’s go back to the start for context:
Beginning/beginner
I started as a web and print designer in Tg.Mureș, Romania while attending English-Pedagogy college there (postponed the diploma exam after I finished).
Then I moved to other Romanian cities (Iași for 3 years, then Cluj-Napoca), where I worked first in print, then web design and front-end development for a few years.
In this time I also attended without enrolling Psychology classes and seminars. The Cognitive Behavioral (masters) classes influenced my way of seeing and understanding the world – and gradually my professional experience and approach.
Mid level and beyond
In 2011, I joined one of the bigger IT companies in Cluj-Napoca where I started as a front-end developer and then UI designer for B2B projects in an agile environment, and collaborated cross teams. Some projects also had UX tasks where I started gradually getting more UX design experience. Also, occasionally, I assisted the company creatively (print, video, and presentations) to improve and promote their processes and standards.
In this period I also wanted to expose myself to academic courses and seminars that I felt were relevant, so I attended without enrolling the full 3 years of bachelor Arts & design courses and seminars. After that I also attended the first year of Anthropology courses and seminars – including the academic events.
I was also preoccupied and involved with the local communities, be it IT companies or co-work meetup communities and events, or NGOs and social-cultural or environmental projects. There was a lot going on, but in short, I felt pretty integrated and that I was contributing.
Last adventures
All that changed in 2018 when, together with my now fiancé, we moved to Vienna, Austria. Initially I was planning to pause my then contract for 3 months while she did an Erasmus semester, and I’d take a brake with an occasional pro-bono or collaboration; but the negotiation of this was easier as a ‘sabbatical year’ which I could come back from when ever sooner – and I have to admit that sounded good.
I started exploring the Viennese communities in meetups, events and at the Geography GIS courses & academic events, but after a few weeks I also started looking at the IT companies and opportunities.
One oppotunity stood out in the way that I could help scientific communities and that was a huge attraction. So I joined effort on this one complex SaaS project as UX & UI designer since then.
While it started with great inertia, the inertia peaked until the pandemic and continued a bit as we worked together to adapt to the sudden change that affected the business directly (solutions for scientific conferences which were mostly in person and up to 10s of thousands of people).
But, with the isolation and all that context, some numbness installed and the inertia did not continue, I also somehow did not learn much German (working in English all day). While we grew attached to Vienna and enjoyed it to the point of feeling like a years long city-brake, I did not integrate and stopped contributing somehow. So this February (2025) I started the refresh. Joined again the communities here and started to gradually expose myself. It’s not necessarily as effective as in Romania as I know not many people and am a bit of an introvert with tints of social awkwardness.
A new path
This April was the last month in that last adventure. So it’s time for a new beginning. I recently started updating my legacy portfolio, built over a decade ago.
I did play with the UI and added a video to showcase abilities with Figma, Maze, and OBS studio. Many things are under NDA (can be showcased in a meeting), so the study-case format while already in some state available in my portfolio link is still in the oven. I did however make another video demoing a design system in Figma. And may gradually add more things as I get to them.
This post, the résumé below and portfolio are in continuous improvement so adjustments will/may be made.
So I’ve been pondering and making an IKIGAI…
And considering what I want or prefer, and what I don’t want – or prefer not to say the least. Here’s a link to the Miro board with the pondering
So hey, give me sign, let’s work together.