Expecting the Unexpected
aditya evan from Tokopedia
In making a product, there must be many stakeholders involved. Here, a product designer must be able to expect the unexpected to reduce feelings of disappointment. Because every role, tech or business, must have a side that must be shown. But there is also no need to get discouraged and give up on the world. Taking all the opportunities that come along can also be the key for someone who wants to become a product designer. Because opportunity doesn't come twice. Curious about the full story of this episode of #StoriesWorthTelling - Bulls Eyes? Watch for more.
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Aditya Evan Yudistira, a product designer who now works at Tokopedia, has a unique point of view on his life and career. When asked if he felt at the point of success, Evan analogized success as if a game. "Success is not the end of a journey," he said. "Success is like a checkpoint." Because if someone now says, "I am successful," then they will stop growing.
The same thing applies to designing a product. It's a never-ending process. Evan believes that a designer is a front guard who will fight for what the user needs. But there is one big challenge. Sometimes, the users themselves do not understand what they want. Therefore, “Expecting the Unexpected” is the key when Evan runs his work.
There is one more thing that actually becomes a challenge for product designers, which is a problem with stakeholders, both with engineers and with the business side. "Whoever the other person is, a product designer must have an open mindset."
According to Evan, there are at least 3 things someone must do to be a reliable product designer. The first is focusing on the user. A designer must know the user. Because “We're serving their needs with our products,” Evan said.
The second is practice. Many want to be a designer but they have never practiced using their tools. Evan likens this to people who are going to fight but do not know how to use their weapons. The danger is that they can even hurt their own friend.
The last is learning soft skills. According to Evan, a product designer must be able to communicate with the Tech team and the business team. Because the product will not exist without a Tech team, and the product will not be able to enter the market without a business team. It is necessary to harmonize in communication with both sides.
Evan also appealed to young designers to have high empathy when designing. “Designers who do not have empathy will design as they wish,” he said. Having a high learning willingness is also one of Evan's recommendations for designers who want to successfully pursue their careers.
Evan also emphasizes once again to expect something unexpected. Many things that will happen are not in accordance with expectations. When someone has high expectations, a sense of disappointment will also be high.
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