A Product Designer Shaped by Architecture: Ola's Career Journey

Ola decided it was time for a career change and made the pivot from architecture to product design. Explore her career journey, her decision to live in Porto, and her holistic approach to application redesign.

How did you come to live in Porto?

I spent some time in Spain during college and really enjoyed their relaxed attitude towards life. After graduating, I had the opportunity to do an internship abroad through the Erasmus program, so I decided to explore Portugal this time.

I love Porto! Even though I’ve been living here for over three years, I still discover new and interesting spots. I never get bored – every day, I’m amazed by something new I find.

What do you appreciate about living in Portugal, and what don’t you like?

As I mentioned, I love the views and the fact that Porto has a lot of greenery, even in the city center where I live. I grew up in a small town where my house was surrounded by forests and greenery, so Porto seems familiar and comforting. Even though Porto is a relatively big city, it still feels like a small town.

What I don’t like is the winter here. For people from Poland, it’s hard to understand how cold it can be. Even though the temperature might seem mild – around 15 degrees Celsius – it’s the same temperature inside the buildings because there’s no central heating. In Poland, we go from the cold outdoors to warm, heated apartments. Here, it feels very cold indoors, but thankfully the winter only lasts about three months.

Is there a particular Polish dish you miss the most?

The first thing that comes to mind is pierogies, though I’m not sure why – there’s actually a Slavic store nearby where I can buy them. But there’s one dish I really miss, and it’s Hungarian potato pancake with goulash. It's something I always eat when I'm back home in Poland. Despite the name, it’s actually a very popular Polish dish.

Oh, and I also miss chicken soup! The chicken soup I’ve found in Porto doesn’t even come close to Polish chicken soup, which is really disappointing – especially when I want something comforting while I’m sick.

You made a pivot from architecture to product design. Tell us more about it.

After graduating with my Master's degree, I went to Porto for an architecture internship, which turned into a full-time job. I spent two years there. After some time I felt that I needed a change. One of the reasons was that I wanted a job that would give me the opportunity for hybrid work, but as an architect, that wasn't possible – you spend lots of time in the office and at construction sites.

Then I thought that product design was connected to my current experience, and it could give me a chance to work from home. I was so happy to have a clear purpose. I meet many people who talk about changing industries but don't have any clue what they would like to do.

Is architecture similar to product design in some regard?

Some might think it's a stretch, but I believe that architecture and product design have a lot in common. The systematic aspects of my profession and the fact that you always have to consider the people who will live in the buildings you design – their comfort and needs – seem very similar to product design, where users are also at the center.

This connection was another reason for my career pivot. I decided to leave my architecture job to dedicate my time to learning and taking courses, and after a year, I secured a position in product design.

During that time, I was earning money as a tourist guide in Porto, and I'll tell you that I earned more from tips than from my architecture job. It's not the best-paying industry, unfortunately.

Being a guide helped me overcome a huge fear of mine: public speaking. I was always terrified whenever I had to give a presentation. Exploring Porto with strangers and telling them about the city's architecture finally helped me overcome that fear.

What is it like to work for a Polish company while living in Porto? How often do you visit the office in Gdańsk?

I try to visit the office every three months when we have a team retreat. As soon as the event dates are announced, I immediately book my plane tickets. I enjoy working remotely, but at the same time, I value in-person interaction with my coworkers. I’ve noticed that at Bright Inventions, people often meet up after work, and I’d love to join those gatherings more often.

You’ve been working on an application redesign for one of our clients. Can you tell us a little about the process?

The plan wasn’t just to redesign the application but to completely refresh the image of this particular startup. The goal was to update the branding to align with current trends while prioritizing a simpler and more intuitive experience for users. The aesthetic aspect was secondary to usability.

I started by creating a comprehensive brand guide with a holistic approach. This included everything from the color palette and fonts to the entire visual identity of the brand. Once that was established, I could shift my focus to updating the app screens.

One of the most interesting challenges was incorporating gamification into the app. Gamification is usually associated with fitness or educational apps, but this app falls outside of those categories. It was exciting to build a gamification system for an industry that doesn’t have many benchmarks for this kind of feature.

The programmers will soon begin implementing the new design, and I’m excited for users to experience not just the updated app but the refreshed brand as a whole.

What do you do after hours?

My hobby is trying new hobbies! I make it a point to try something new at least once a month. Right now, I’m into aerial yoga. I always thought yoga might be too calm for me, but aerial yoga takes things to a whole new level – literally and metaphorically. You have to work on pivots and turnovers, so there’s no time for boredom.

Apart from that, I go to the gym five times a week. I also love cooking, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I enjoy making everyday dinners. I love experimenting and exploring in the kitchen.

And of course, I love traveling – though I guess that’s a common passion! I’m about to go on a trip of a lifetime to Asia, where I’ll visit India, Thailand, and Indonesia. I’m really looking forward to it!