Digital product design does not start with a prototype or even a concept on paper. Everything is decided long before the designer turns on their laptop. Artem Ivanov, CEO of the Other Land, is convinced that digital product design should be built consistently. In an interview, he shared how he relies on communication with different departments of the team and real data to create something that will actually work.
Understanding Project's Readiness
You often choose to work with companies that already have market validation. What signals do you look for in a new client to know they're serious and ready for product design?
Before starting work, I evaluate the product: its essence, development dynamics, audience, and goals to understand what needs to be highlighted in the work. It is also important for me to get to know the team and find out what they have worked on before and how. If the project does not have a team or previous work, this will complicate the process, and I will choose a slightly different tactic.
What makes you turn down a project—even if the product idea sounds promising?
If the project has no plan, clear goals, technical basis, or tasks, I advise the team to focus on these aspects. When the project has nothing ready, only a concept for the future product, I'm more likely to refuse to cooperate in order to give the project time to develop into a working product. After all, design should not be reduced to external appearance; it should work towards visible results and a clear goal.
Why Strategy Comes Before UX
How important is it for a founder or product owner to have a clear vision before starting any UX work?
UX requires a clear vision to achieve good results. If a project has many different goals and objectives, it is necessary to develop a unified strategy and set priorities before we begin work.
Have you ever had to help a team define their product vision before moving forward with design? What does that process look like for you?
Yes, I try to gather the whole team together or talk to each department separately to compile a list of goals and objectives for each department involved in the project. A project may have clearly defined business goals, market entry plans, or specific KPIs, but they may not fully understand how UX should work towards these goals. I gather information from all departments and synchronize goals and objectives in order to have a complete picture of future design work.
Inside the Team: Mapping Roles & Working with Product Managers
When you join a project, how do you approach onboarding yourself into the client's team? What are you looking to understand early on?
I start by talking to the team—product managers, developers, and support. This helps me understand how everything works in practice. Then I look at what has already been done and where things are stuck. If there is a system in place, I quickly integrate myself into it. If there is chaos, I help bring order without making a fuss.
What's your collaboration process like with product managers? How does that relationship influence your design work?
I work most closely with product managers. During our conversations, I learn many different points that I will rely on when developing UX: what the project has worked on before, what obstacles it has encountered, and what it has already achieved, what metrics the project currently relies on, and what goals it has set for the future. Together, we study the roadmap, set goals, and make notes about which experiments to avoid so as not to repeat past mistakes.
Support Teams as a UX Goldmine
You've mentioned that support teams are an underrated source of product insight. Can you share how conversations with support managers have shaped your design decisions?
Customer support is a treasure trove of valuable information. When a problem arises, users turn to customer support, and it is this team that lets me know what most often doesn't work, breaks down, or causes difficulties. Sometimes this data is more timely and comprehensive than lengthy analytics, so it should not be underestimated.
Working with Data & Analytics
How early in a project do you involve the analytics team, and what are you hoping to learn from them?
I try to gain access to analytics as early as possible, ideally before the design phase begins. This helps me understand what data is already being collected, what the team considers important, and how it aligns with actual user behavior. For instance, I can spot whether there's a drop-off at a certain stage of interaction, which may indicate specific features aren't working as intended.
If data is available but not being used to inform decisions, we fix that. I'm not interested in numbers for the sake of numbers: analytics should be actionable, and I always aim to make the most of it.
What types of product metrics or event data do you find most helpful when shaping UX flows?
I always look at activation: how many people go through onboarding, where they get lost, and how quickly they become useful. Repetitive actions, bottlenecks, returns, these are all signals that something is wrong with the UX and that intervention is needed.
Collaboration with Development
Why is it so important for a product designer to understand the technical landscape—even before designing the first screen?
If you don't understand the technical context, the design will be detached from reality. I always look under the hood of a project to create solutions that are not only visually appealing but also functional. The more accurately I understand the limitations and possibilities, the faster the whole process becomes.
Final Thoughts
Good design begins with understanding the product, the people, and the processes. Artem Ivanov demonstrates that a strong designer does not simply draw interfaces, but connects teams, goals, and technologies. When there is clarity, shared priorities, and attention to detail in the work, design ceases to be decoration and becomes part of the product strategy.
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