Please introduce yourself. What are your role and responsibilities?

Hello, my name is Miroslav Kostic. I am an accomplished product design leader, entrepreneur, and mentor with over 20 years of experience. Currently, I am a principal product designer at Symphony.is, where I specialize in designing digital products for the music industry, particularly in the area of audio distribution. My role at Symphony.is involves managing relationships with multiple clients and delivering innovative solutions to some of the world's most influential companies. As a mentor, I have a passion for sharing my knowledge and experience with aspiring designers, helping them to grow in their careers.

How would you describe your company in a few sentences?

Symphony is a technology company that aims to empower entrepreneurs and executives worldwide. It aims to create a future workforce in which the best engineers can deliver world-class work without being hindered by borders, geography, or citizenship. They work with Fortune 5 category leaders and some of the most ambitious and creative founders globally, building real partnerships and delivering real business value. Symphony is dedicated to being pioneers in deep partnerships and distributed end-to-end teams for impactful technology projects. We work hard to take on the most ambitious and impactful technology projects with kindness and curiosity.

What does the design team look like, how many members are here?

Our design team is comprised of 36 highly skilled designers with a range of experience spanning medium to senior levels. The majority of team members possess a background in UI design and are deeply focused on UX design and design thinking processes. Additionally, several members of the team have garnered expertise in digital product development, further enriching the breadth of skills and knowledge within the team.

Why do you think a company should invest in design team training?

I believe that investing in design team training can have numerous benefits for a company. First and foremost, it can lead to an improvement in the quality of the company's design output, which can ultimately lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue. Design team training can also help foster a culture of creativity, innovation, and collaboration, which can positively impact the overall productivity and morale of the team. Training helps develop UX leadership and motivates designers to widen the horizons of their careers.

Additionally, design team training can help ensure that team members are up-to-date with the latest design trends, tools, and techniques, which is especially important in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape. Ultimately, investing in design team training is an investment in the long-term success of the company, as it can help attract and retain top talent, stay competitive in the marketplace, and drive business growth.

How did you approach team training?

As a principal product designer at Symphony.is, I have approached team training by creating a culture of continuous learning and improvement. I believe that investing in the development of our team members is essential to the long-term success of our company. To this end, I have implemented a range of training initiatives, including regular team workshops, access to industry conferences, and online training resources such as the Uxcel platform.

What were the main challenges in upskilling your design team?

One of the main challenges in upskilling our design team was ensuring that everyone had access to the same training resources and that training was delivered in a way that was flexible and engaging. With team members located across different time zones, it was important to find training initiatives that could be accessed remotely and accommodate everyone's schedules.

Another challenge was identifying the specific areas where each team member needed to improve their skills and knowledge. We worked closely with team members to assess their strengths and weaknesses and create customized training plans that were tailored to their individual needs.

One final challenge was to ensure that team members could put their newly acquired skills and knowledge into practice in their daily work. We implemented regular design critiques and reviews to provide feedback and encourage team members to use their new skills and knowledge. By addressing these challenges directly and investing in our team's development, we were able to overcome obstacles and deliver better results for our clients.

Why did you decide to train your design team with Uxcel Teams?

I believe in the power of continuous learning and nourish this ongoing learning environment in my team. Why did I select Uxcel? It provides a wealth of high-quality training resources in areas such as UX design, design thinking, and product development. The platform allows team members to engage in daily training exercises, sharpen their skills, and stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices. By leveraging resources like Uxcel, our team is able to continually improve their skills and knowledge, ultimately driving better results for our clients and our company.

How hard was it to get everyone on board?

It wasn’t difficult at all. Our designers are enthusiastic about continuous learning and are eager to upgrade their skills. They were pleased that the company takes care of their growth and engaged eagerly. Team members have praised the flexibility of the platform, which allows them to engage in daily training exercises at their own pace and on their own schedule. The platform's gamification features, such as badges and leaderboards, have also helped motivate team members and make learning more enjoyable.

What is your team members’ feedback about learning design with Uxcel?

The feedback from our team members about learning design with Uxcel has been overwhelmingly positive. The platform has been a valuable resource for our team, providing access to high-quality training resources in areas such as UX design, design thinking, and product development. The interactive nature of the platform has made learning engaging and accessible, allowing team members to sharpen their skills and stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices.

Overall, Uxcel has been instrumental in upskilling our team and improving the quality of our design output. The positive feedback we have received from team members is a testament to the effectiveness of the platform in promoting continuous learning and development.

What results do you see so far or expect to see for your design team?

We have already seen positive results from our investment in upskilling our design team, including improved design output, increased collaboration and innovation, and higher job satisfaction among team members. By using Uxcel as a training resource, our team members are consistently improving their skills and staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends and best practices, which has positively impacted the quality of our work.

Moreover, our team's proficiency in using a standardized language of design has improved the clarity and effectiveness of our communication with each other and with clients. This has resulted in faster turnaround times, reduced rework, and ultimately better outcomes for our clients.

Looking forward, we expect to see continued growth and improvement in our team's skills and knowledge, as we continue to invest in training and development initiatives. We are confident that our commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning will lead to even greater success for our team and for our clients.