Your name and team you belong to. 

Yan Imbrik - Templates Team.

Tell us about your work. What is your current position?

I’m a brand+digital designer in the Templates Team. In the past, we focused on designing website templates, which is how our team got its name. But these days, it’s way more than just templates. With the rise of AI, site builders are becoming super flexible and easy to use, opening up new ways to create websites. We’re designing a range of AI-powered tools to help people create a great-looking site effortlessly. Our roles now vary from product to graphic designers. It might sound a bit vague, but we’re probably living through a tech revolution where many things can be uncertain.

What do you think is the most underrated characteristic in a good designer?

Irrationality. Not all designs should be a result of hard work and research. Perfect design often loses its humanity. Imperfect work, which is done with pleasure and sincerely loved by the author, usually works better than rational and overthought design.

Of course, it depends on the task, but if you have room for experimentation, try to take design less seriously and make it just the way you like it. In most cases, you'll get a better result.

What do you do when you feel stuck or frustrated in your creative process?

I review random works that are pretty opposite to my taste and try to point out something good about them. If I really try, I begin to like these works, and I come up with ideas I’d never think of. It also boosts the design taste. The more various things I admire, the more diverse my creations can be.

Share something that inspires you that has nothing to do with design?

Forgotten art from the past: music, paintings, books, movies, etc. I believe that most talented people didn't get the recognition they deserved, but left a great legacy. It's unfair to all of them if we only pay attention to the most successful ones. Finding a hidden gem feels more touchy than any known masterpiece. It feels like this work was waiting for you to discover it all these years.

Which design trend / theme / persona are you obsessed with recently? And/or which are you sick of?

I love catchy ideas that are so silly or random that no one would think of them. Take Sophie’s single covers with waterslides, for example. Every track has this stripped-back image of a slide - no text, no background. They look like item images from an online store. Why waterslides? Who cares! They are vivid, playful, and each has its own rhythmic shape that matches the music perfectly. It makes me want to listen only to enjoy the cover. Plus, they totally stand out next to any other album covers. Such ideas are hard to find, so we lack them.

Who or what has been the biggest influence on the way you think about design?

I once showed my portfolio to the designer I looked up to the most. He really hated it, but he explained why. Of course, it was a downer at first, but it totally flipped how I think about design. Not many people ask, but the best feedback is from a person you admire most. Realistically, not everyone will respond, but surprisingly, many people will.

What's the best advice you've received - design related or not?

My first design director had a great way of handling any mistake. If I screw up, it’s best to come clean and keep moving forward. It worked like a charm for him: whenever I failed, he'd say plainly to the client, "Yep, we messed up." The clients never got angry. Instead, they began to trust us more and wanted to think on how to fix things together.

I've used this method with many people around the world, and I can’t remember anyone getting mad when I talked openly about my mistakes or uncertainties. It seems like no matter who you work with, everyone forgives your failures when you are frank and nice.

What would you do if you weren’t a designer?

It would be awesome to create decorations and costumes for the theater, especially for kids' plays. Maybe even get into puppets. It sounds like a cool mix of being creative and having fun with that childlike wonder.

Thank you Yan!