How much of Kharkiv will survive the 2022 Russian invasion? — I started this article last year to show the overlooked beauty of Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine and a students’ hub with 70+ universities and institutes. Today, I don’t know how much of Kharkiv’s gorge will remain intact after being ruthlessly bombed by the invaders. I’ve been to Kharkiv…

I didn’t imagine I would ever write something like this… — Today, I’m first of all a Ukrainian, not a designer writing “how-to” articles. I’m not afraid to lose followers who don’t expect “politics” from me. …

From Ancient Rome to… Karl Marks — What city is the oldest in Germany? Certainly, not Berlin. Then, maybe, Munich, Frankfurt, or Cologne? Indeed, Cologne is over two millennia old, but a much lesser-known city is 4 centuries older! As a non-German guy, I have never heard of it before. And you? This city was founded in…

Why are “click here” and “by this link” poor choices? And is it acceptable to use “read more”? — A detailed guide — All these phrases have become so common that many people don’t see any problems with them. How many times have you encountered or composed the following on websites, in emails, or intranets? In this article, I’ll explain popular wording and formatting mistakes and will show more accessible and informative alternatives…

From handling user interfaces to handling people — Design leaders often grow out of yesterday’s designers. You are a designer with brilliant soft skills? Perhaps, you’ll be offered a leadership position someday. It has become common that Heads of Design, UX Directors, and Team Leaders appear with minimal people management experience. …

Majestic pre-First World War buildings in Germany and Ukraine — I used to live in Lviv for 5 years, and I’ve been living in Berlin for 1,5 years. It’s long enough to explore the beauty of both cities and fall in love with modern architecture. This article is a subjective mix of the most fascinating buildings I recommend staring at. …

An attempt to figure out the workshop nature once and for all — You can read this article in Ukrainian and Portuguese. A lot has been written about why workshops are important for product teams, but today I’ll focus on what they actually are. It’s an attempt to debunk the myth that workshops are rocket science. But first, let’s play a game.

Exploring 17–18th-century buildings in Lviv, Ukraine — So, Baroque… I always associated this style with the corrupt politicians’ perverted taste and billionaires’ villas with overwhelming golden decoration. Recently, I tried to understand Baroque again, and it turned out to be an eye-opening experience. Baroque flourished in the 17–18th centuries. It emerged owing to Catholic Church and served…

Figuring out ancient architectural styles “in the fields” — Tourists admire Lviv as a whole but rarely understand the value of each piece and rarely visit the oldest buildings, which are just a 10-minute walk from the crowded center. So, I decided to gather the most valuable sites and explain their connection with Ukrainian history. Byzantine and Romanesque Period 13th century — High…