The Startup Designer | Paul Stamatiou

There's nothing glamorous about being a designer at a startup. It's a role that frequently values speed and pragmatism over going deep in the craft. It's not all big launches, viral tweets, building for happy paths, and clear-cut product requirements. However, it can be incredibly rewarding. The fun comes from being able to excel at learning new skills and wearing many different hats while being solely responsible for large efforts. The "Fog of War" in StarCraft hides areas that have yet to be explored. The startup designer's greatest strength is their speed and versatility. It's the light aiding in the search for product-market fit as resourcefully as possible. The startup designer is part artist, part scientist. The scientist views product design as something to be tamed with rules, systems, and principles; a thorough optimizer. The artist is aware of some of those rules but often chooses their own path. The artist runs by feel, and is known to always detach components. One crafts a

There's nothing glamorous about being a designer at a startup. It's a role that frequently values speed and pragmatism over going deep in the craft. It's not all big launches, viral tweets, building for happy paths, and clear-cut product requirements. However, it can be incredibly rewarding. The fun comes from being able to excel at learning new skills and wearing many different hats while being solely responsible for large efforts. The "Fog of War" in StarCraft hides areas that have yet to be explored. The startup designer's greatest strength is their speed and versatility. It's the light aid