"Clarity is the real craft."

R

Raphael Diftopoulos

Greece
Product Designer at 90POE

Posted on 28 Oct, 2025

What tools do you use to help you design?

How did you get started in your role as a designer?

I studied Economics and Finance, but I was always drawn to design and creative exploration. While experimenting with graphic design, I discovered how design could influence behavior and decision-making while allowing me to express ideas visually. That curiosity led me into UI/UX design, where I found the ideal intersection of creativity, logic, and problem-solving.

What are the responsibilities of your role as a designer?

My role is to make complex problems easy to understand and use. I’m involved from the early discovery stages all the way to delivery, learning about user needs, mapping workflows, and designing experiences that actually make a difference. Beyond the visuals, I build and maintain design systems, make sure everything meets accessibility standards, and work closely with product, engineering, and business teams so we’re all aligned on why we’re creating something in the first place.

What difficulties do you encounter in your role as a designer?

One of the hardest parts is keeping balance between moving fast and thinking deep. In product teams, there’s always pressure to deliver quickly, but good design needs time to understand what’s really going on. Another challenge is alignment. Getting everyone to see the same problem in the same way isn’t easy, especially when priorities change. But that’s also what makes the role interesting. Every discussion, every disagreement helps shape better outcomes.

How do you incorporate the apps in your design process?

I use different tools for different parts of the process. Figma is where most of the design work happens (from early ideas to final prototypes). Notion helps me keep structure and document thinking, while Jira keeps things moving with the team. For validation, I use Hotjar and Heap Analytics to understand how people actually use what we build. I’ve also started using tools like Cursor and Lovable to speed up exploration and automation.

What advice would you give to your younger self trying to get into the field of design?

I’d tell myself to focus less on making things look perfect and more on understanding the problem I’m trying to solve. Design isn’t about decoration, it’s about clarity and impact. I’d also remind myself to stay curious and keep learning how products are built, how decisions are made, how people behave. The sooner you learn to connect those dots, the faster you grow as a designer.

Do you have any regrets in your journey in becoming a designer?

I regret not speaking up earlier in my career. I used to wait for approval instead of trusting my instincts and challenging assumptions. Looking back, taking the initiative sooner would have accelerated my growth. Still, those moments taught me the value of confidence and accountability.

As a designer how do you stay inspired?

I stay inspired by observing how people interact with complex systems in real life (ports, logistics, marketplaces, finance platforms). I also learn a lot from talking with other designers. Sharing experiences forces you to reflect and see things from new angles.