Let's chat with Victor - Product Designer at folk

🤝 Who will I be working with? 💡 Do they have a complementary approach to mine? These are the questions we often ask ourselves when considering a new role.

At folk, we know they’re on your mind too. And since we like to champion transparency, we thought we’d just share some answers upfront for you.

As we’re currently searching for our next Product Designer, we grabbed a coffee with Victor to dive into who he is and how the Design team works.

And the best part? We’re sharing all those insights with you today! 😉

What’s the one thing you wish everyone understood about good design (besides the fact that it takes time)?

Ah, this is a difficult one! 😅 Dieter Rams' 10 principles are a strong base, but it's also important to understand what the team is trying to optimize. Without this context, evaluating design can feel a bit random. I think good design happens when user needs, business goals, and technical constraints come together in a balanced way.

You’ve told us folk’s Design function is highly collaborative. What other teams do you work closely with and on what?

At folk, we are a small and efficient team of 20, so collaboration is natural. We work closely with everyone, especially the founders, engineers, and client-facing teams to make sure we stay connected to customer pain points and product goals.

What role do user research and testing play in your design process?

We really like to give a voice to our customers, so we focus more on qualitative research. It depends on the resources and complexity of the project, but we always base our work on the pain points they express. Testing is not automatic for us; if we reinvent the wheel, we prefer to do some usability tests, but often it is more efficient to release a beta and get real-life feedback.

How do you balance user needs with business goals in your designs

It’s all about finding the sweet spot where user needs and business goals meet. By understanding the needs and constraints on both sides, you can create solutions that make users happy while also achieving business objectives. When these elements come together, everyone wins.

What's your favorite part of the design process, and why?

Hmm, I never really thought about it! I would say I have two favorite moments: The first one is after the discovery phase, when we start defining and closing all the open doors, everything begins to fit together. The second is when the engineers deliver the developed version, and we start polishing the experience.

What’s your favorite part about working with another Designer?

I love the creative challenge. Getting constructive feedback or fresh ideas from a peer can push the design further and open up new possibilities I might not have considered on my own.

Do you have any design pet peeves?

Definitely! Toasters, split buttons, being approached with a solution instead of a problem, and people always referring to UX laws.

What challenge(s) can folk’s next Designer expect to face?

This role is quite generalist—you’ll need to jump between designing product features, creating branding assets, and launching new landing pages. With limited time and resources, it will be important to stay focused and deliver a great experience at every touchpoint.

If you could redesign any product or service in the world, what would it be and why?

I would focus on everyday services with frustrating experiences, like supermarket checkouts or underground parking. You know that feeling when the next customer is rushing you at the checkout? Or when finding your car feels like an escape room? It shouldn't be like this! There’s a lot of room to make these experiences smoother and more intuitive.