Overview
In this conversation, Daria shares her unique journey from being an architect to becoming a problem solver in the design field. She discusses her early passion for art and design, her transition into architecture, and the unexpected turn that led her to discover the world of UI/UX design. Daria reflects on her global experiences, working in various countries, and the cultural insights she gained along the way.
She also delves into the challenges and innovations in enterprise design, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and user experience in complex products. In this conversation, Daria and Ali Khan explore the evolving landscape of enterprise design, the role of collaboration tools like Miro, and the importance of understanding customer needs.
Daria shares her insights on how ADHD can be a superpower in design, emphasizing the need for inclusivity and adaptability in the workplace. The discussion also touches on the future of interaction design and the significance of building on existing frameworks to foster innovation.
About the guest
Daria Tarawneh is a seasoned enterprise UX designer with a unique journey that bridges architecture and digital design. Starting her career as an architect, she transitioned into the world of digital experiences, where she now specializes in helping companies define and execute their digital strategy with a strong user-centric approach.
With over 14 years of experience spanning consultancy, corporate, and startup environments, Daria has worked on diverse projects across seven countries. Her expertise extends beyond traditional UX, having successfully built and scaled startups in New Zealand and Japan, giving her firsthand insight into both the strategic and executional sides of digital product design.
Currently, Daria leads design for platform and enterprise at Miro, where she tackles complex UX challenges at scale. Her deep understanding of enterprise design, business strategy, and cross-functional collaboration makes her a sought-after expert in the field.
Podcast Summary
Here’s a summary of the podcast episode with timestamps:
Introduction & Guest Background (00:01 - 00:38)
Host introduces guest, Daria Tarawneh, Head of Enterprise Design at Miro, formerly at Amazon and McKinsey.
Discussion focuses on resilience, changing professions, and finding a niche.
Daria’s Identity as a Problem Solver (01:10 - 02:32)
She describes herself as a problem solver, drawn to complex challenges.
Uses different toolkits (UX, architecture) to tackle various problems.
Early Creative Interests & Education (02:32 - 04:36)
Passion for art and reading from a young age, leading to art school.
Chose architecture due to cultural expectations but later realized it wasn’t the right fit.
Career Transition from Architecture to UX (05:11 - 09:14)
Worked as an architect and urban planner but felt unfulfilled.
Discovered UX/UI by accident while designing for a sci-fi game.
Learned Photoshop and UI principles, marking the start of her design career.
Overcoming Impostor Syndrome & Embracing Change (09:56 - 11:18)
Impostor syndrome never fully goes away but becomes manageable.
Believes in staying open to opportunities and embracing failure as a learning process.
Entrepreneurial Journey & Game-Based Marketing (13:05 - 18:15)
Co-founded a game-based advertising platform in New Zealand, later expanding to Japan.
Faced challenges in adapting designs for different cultural and mobile UX needs.
Enterprise Design & UX in B2B (24:08 - 29:13)
Enterprise UX requires deep research and long-term thinking.
Shift in mindset: companies now realize enterprise products need great UX, like Slack & Salesforce.
Miro’s Role in UX Evolution (32:33 - 39:45)
Miro influenced the industry with infinite canvas design.
Talks about future UX interactions and how mental models shape design evolution.
Final Thoughts & Superpowers (43:48 - End)
Daria reflects on turning challenges into strengths.
Encourages designers to be adaptable and use their experiences to carve unique career paths.
Discussion takeaways
Daria identifies as a problem solver, drawn to complex challenges.
Her early passion for art led her to architecture.
Studying architecture was enjoyable, but working as an architect was disillusioning.
A chance encounter at a cafe led her to a career in design.
Daria emphasizes the importance of being open to opportunities.
She highlights the cultural differences in working across countries.
Daria discusses the challenges of enterprise design and the need for simplicity.
Her journey reflects the importance of adaptability in career paths.
She believes failure is part of the learning process.
Daria's experiences illustrate the value of diverse perspectives in design. The focus in enterprise design is shifting towards understanding legacy systems.
Miro is a leader in collaborative tools, emphasizing experimentation and customer needs.
Successful product design requires collaboration between design, engineering, and product management.
Competition should be viewed as inspiration rather than a direct influence.
ADHD can be leveraged as a superpower in fast-paced environments.
Inclusivity in the workplace is essential for diverse productivity styles.
Designers should focus on customer pain points to create successful products.
The future of interaction design lies in building on established user expectations.
Innovative design should not stray too far from user familiarity.
Creating a supportive environment for neurodiverse individuals enhances team success
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