In this article, for once an entire team talks about their tasks: Nora Böttcher, Eleonora Filipe and Tatyana Bekesch specialize in user experience and user interface design. In their daily work, they focus on the users and thus create a recognition value for the Governikus product portfolio.
What did you do before Governikus and how did you get started here?
Ela: We have different backgrounds. One of us studied media and communication design and then worked in the start-up world before joining Governikus. Another initially worked as an application developer before turning her real passion, the design of user interfaces, into her profession.
Nora: Our start at Governikus was an exciting challenge - we first had to build up our own team and establish UX design as an integral part. But now, after more than two years, we are proud to be involved in almost all user interface projects. It feels great to know that our work is appreciated and that we add real value to Governikus.
What are your main tasks at Governikus?
Tatyana: We take care of the design of the user interfaces at Governikus and optimize the user-friendliness and usability of the products. The aim of our tasks is to ensure uniform usability and interface design.
What is the difference between UX/UI design?
Nora: The term user experience (UX for short) describes the experience that users have when using a product. To make this intuitive for users, projects need a solid UX strategy. The term user interface (UI for short) describes the interface through which users interact with the product. It should be designed in such a way that it is modern and aesthetic, but also positively complements the UX.
You are spread all over Germany - does that affect your collaboration and how do you experience the team spirit?
Ela: Our team is spread all over the north, east and south of Germany, which is why we are rarely in the office and mainly work together online.
Despite the physical distance, we work really well together - we meet in the morning for a joint check-in and stay in touch throughout the day via chat or video call.
Of course, it is still something special to meet up in person. That's why we plan a team event on site once or twice a year. Open and honest communication is super important to us. And a bit of small talk during a meeting strengthens team spirit and interpersonal relationships.
What does a typical working day look like for you?
Nora: Our working day always starts with a team meeting to plan the day and discuss past meetings. After that, we dedicate ourselves to our design projects, which include analyzing requirements, conceptualizing and creating prototypes. Our own Governikus design system, which consists of prefabricated Figma components, supports us in this and makes our work more efficient.
Ela: In addition to the design work, regular feedback rounds are on the agenda. Here we exchange ideas with the project teams or customers in order to further develop our design ideas. The day may also include usability tests to ensure that the designs are user-friendly. This valuable feedback gives us the opportunity to continuously improve our prototypes.
Tatyana: We also work closely with the developers and carry out design reviews to ensure that our visions are perfectly implemented in the final realization. This exchange is crucial to ensure a harmonious interplay of design and technology.
What qualifications do potential applicants need to work in your position?
Ela: Even though our team only consists of women so far, we are of course happy to welcome anyone who is interested in joining our team. Potential applicants need a sound knowledge of common design and wireframing tools, such as Figma. In addition, they should have in-depth knowledge of user-centered design, user experience, user interface and interaction design - depending on their specialization.
Depending on the specialization, qualitative and quantitative research methods should also be mastered, especially in the context of user research measures. A broad knowledge of state-of-the-art designs and current design trends in the field of digital media platforms or comparable digital products is also advantageous.
Which topic/project is or was particularly important?
Ela: When we started in 2022, we were immediately drawn into the topic of digital signing. Governikus already had products in this area, but the vision was to develop them further as a web application. At that time, there was no fixed project team. This gave us the opportunity to start on a "greenfield site". Without a fixed design, we were able to create a user interface based on our ideas. However, this freedom also brought challenges. To ensure that our new components and the application met the needs of the users, we conducted several usability tests. The results were positive and helped us to develop our own design system based on this first project. Thanks to these initial findings, we were able to create a uniform design structure for all subsequent projects. Once the first prototype was ready, a development team was formed to drive the further development and implementation of DATA Sign. Since then, we have been an integral part of the project, with usability and intuitive design always a high priority.
Your team is currently made up entirely of women, making you one of the pioneers at Governikus.
Nora: So far, our team has been made up exclusively of women - a development that we particularly welcome in view of the fact that we operate in the IT sector. Especially in an area that is heavily dominated by men, it is important to us to strengthen the presence and representation of women in the IT industry. We are proud to contribute to making the IT sector more diverse and inclusive. It is important to us to show that women not only have a place in this industry, but can also have a significant impact - both professionally and creatively.
Good to know: You can find all vacancies at Governikus on our careers page - it's worth taking a look!