By: Bill Terranova
Co-written and Edited by: Blerinë Restelica
UI/UX Designer, QUAD A Development
When people ask what a UI/UX designer does, I usually smile because the answer is both fascinating and straightforward. I design how things look and how they work, but most of all how people interact with them. My name is Blerinë, and I work as a UI/UX Designer at QUAD A Development. Every day, I get to blend creativity, logic, and empathy to build experiences that make technology feel effortless.
I have always loved art and design, but what truly drew me into UI/UX was the idea of solving real problems for real people. Before opening any design tool, I start by understanding what users need and what challenges they face. I spend time reading through project briefs, talking with the team, and thinking about the people who will actually use what we’re building. It is like putting together the pieces of a puzzle where the final picture is not only beautiful but also functional.
Once I understand the goal, I move into sketching ideas on paper. I like to keep this stage loose and creative. It helps me explore without getting bogged down in detail. From there, I bring the sketches into Figma, where the designs begin to take shape. If the project already has a color palette or branding system, I make sure everything fits within that framework. If not, I will create a new visual language that fits the product’s purpose and personality.
My favorite part of the process is when the design begins to take shape. I create several versions for each feature: one based on the client’s original vision, one refined through design best practices, and one that reflects my personal creative instincts. These options provide everyone with something to consider, and often the final design becomes a combination of ideas from all three.
My role also overlaps with product design, which goes a step further than UI/UX and focuses on how each feature fits within the bigger picture of the product. Since our platform is constantly evolving, every new design must blend seamlessly with what already exists. I cannot simply create something entirely new without considering how it interacts with existing features. That kind of problem-solving keeps me sharp and creative. It is like adding a new chapter to a story that has already begun, making sure it feels like part of the same book.
At QUAD A Development, collaboration is one of the most fulfilling parts of my job. I work closely with project managers, developers, and others to ensure that every visual element supports the intended functionality. I enjoy the rhythm of collaboration and the satisfaction of seeing an idea evolve into a functional outcome. The process requires patience, curiosity, and a willingness to adjust when things do not work as expected. But that is part of the fun. Every challenge teaches me something new.
A typical day for me includes morning check-ins with the team, design sessions in Figma, and review meetings to discuss feedback. When the project manager presents me with a detailed description of a new feature, I interpret it visually so developers can see exactly how it should work. My goal is to translate technical requirements into clear, interactive designs that bridge imagination and implementation, incorporating concise visual terms. I design interactive screens that display every click, transition, and flow of information. This process is essential for maintaining clarity and avoiding confusion during development.
Over time, my process evolved, as did my understanding of what truly constitutes great software design. Early in my career, I focused on making things look “pretty.” I designed websites and applications for clients who wanted them to stand out with animations and vibrant colors. As a UI/UX designer at QUAD A Development, I discovered the need for clarity over flash and function over form. I learned that beauty means very little if users can’t complete their tasks easily. Proper design is not about personal taste. It’s about people. Clarity, accessibility, and purpose can make a design truly beautiful. At QUAD A Development, our users are primarily professionals from specific demographics, prioritizing ease of usability. Many of them are not focused on aesthetics but on efficiency and clarity. I used to think of design in terms of what looked beautiful, but over time, I discovered that true beauty in design comes from functionality. A clean, easy-to-navigate interface that helps someone accomplish their task with confidence is far more rewarding than a visually complex one.
That understanding has made my work more purposeful. I spend a considerable amount of time thinking about accessibility, readability, and the emotional experience that underlies each design. Every button, font, and color choice influences how someone feels while using a product. I find so much joy in getting those details right because even small improvements can make someone’s daily tasks easier.
What I love most about being a UI/UX designer is that it combines art with empathy. I get to use color, form, and structure to make work a little easier for someone else. I get to listen, observe, and transform what people need into something they can touch and use every day. When users tell me that something I designed feels natural or simple, it feels like the best compliment I could receive. I see UI/ UX as two sides of the same coin that define how a digital product looks and feels. UI is about creating an interface that is clean, intuitive, and visually appealing. It is the paintbrush. UX, on the other hand, refers to the overall experience, including how easy it is to navigate, how efficiently tasks can be completed, and how the interaction makes the user feel about the task. It’s the blueprint.
Design is not just a job for me. It is where creativity meets purpose and where every project becomes a new opportunity to bring clarity and joy into the digital world. Each screen, layout, and interaction presents an opportunity to establish a connection between people and their tools. That’s what keeps me excited to open my laptop every morning. And now, when people ask me what a UI/UX designer does, I tell them that I design how people feel when they use technology.
