When people ask me what “product design” means, I usually answer with one word: adaptability. In more than 10 years of work across Europe and beyond, I’ve learned there’s no single recipe for great design. Success comes from building a system that reacts to culture, business goals, and real user problems.

Product Thinking Comes First

Too often, designers jump straight into Figma to “make things look nice.” Great product design starts earlier. It’s about understanding business goals, user pain points, and the limits you’re working with — from strict rules in Germany to user habits in the Baltics or the Middle East.

My process always begins with real scenarios. Who uses the product? Where do they get stuck? What job are they trying to do? A quick talk with support teams can give more insight than hours of competitor research.

Context Is Everything

I’ve worked on SaaS platforms in Tallinn and fintech onboarding in the UAE. Every region, every audience, every market stage needs its own approach. What feels like great UX in Northern Europe can fail in Italy or the Gulf — from color choices to layout.

Practical Example: When localizing a design system, I never assume Western layouts will work for right-to-left languages. Even icons, tone of voice, and form length need review. I always bring in at least one native reviewer for each new market.

The Power of Design Systems — And When to Bend the Rules

Building scalable design systems is one of my biggest wins. But it’s easy to get too strict. Real life always brings exceptions — custom dashboards for a big client, tax rules in Estonia, or something as simple as a different VAT format.

My Rule: Create a strong base, but explain why you allow exceptions. A design system that never changes becomes a blocker.

Clear Communication Beats Perfection

One hard lesson: even the best idea can fail if you can’t explain it. Early in my career I drowned people in details. Now I aim for clear, short messages. Translate value into their language — revenue, risk, NPS.

How I Improved: After every design review I write a five-sentence summary: what changed, why, and how it affects the KPIs. Feedback got faster, and approvals came sooner.

Culture of Iteration (But Know When to Stop)

Perfectionism slows you down. I launch lean, iterate fast, and follow the numbers: heatmaps, sign-up drop-offs, A/B tests. These tools are core to the product, not just nice extras.

  • Define “good enough” before you start.
  • Write down success criteria.
  • Stop iterating when the target is met.

Embrace the Boring Work: Docs and Handover

The best products fail without good docs. Design is more than pixels: specs, handover notes, and follow-ups keep teams in sync. In global teams, clear docs save everyone from late-night guessing games.

Flexibility Across Time Zones

Working with clients from Vancouver to Dubai taught me to respect time zones. I keep a ±4-hour window for live calls; everything else runs async. This habit keeps projects moving without burnout.

Conclusion

Product design is about aligning business, tech, and human needs. It’s not about being a rockstar; it’s about making everyone’s job easier — from engineers to end users. If you want to grow as a product designer, think globally, act locally, and communicate always.