Flora Maxwell joins UX&I as a senior UI designer

Flora, you work as a UI designer at UX&I. Tell us what you particularly enjoy about web design. 

I have to jump in here, because user interface design and web design are two different things. While web designers deal with the branding and marketing aspects of a website, UI designers focus on creating an intuitive user interface. I deliberately chose UI design because I want to understand and solve problems and deliver value to the user. I don’t think from the brand’s perspective; instead, I focus on the person who interacts with the brand through a user interface. For me, usability is the top priority. 

What exactly does your work as a UI designer entail?

The user interface is part of the user experience, so I work closely with UX designers who thoroughly analyze the target audience and develop corresponding concepts. You could say that UX without UI is like a brain without a body, and UI without UX is like a body without a brain. Based on UX research and UX concepts, I develop a modern, component-based UI design. I also absolutely love establishing a design system that consists of rules, principles, and components, among other things. Design systems increase efficiency in product development because they ensure consistency and reusability. They also serve as a crucial interface between design and development. 

When designing, can you just choose any colors and shapes you like? Or how do you go about it?

No, it’s not arbitrary. For example, I work with system colors that I derive from the corporate identity and then define for specific input fields. There are many different aspects to consider here, one of which is accessibility. For instance, I have to ask myself whether people with red-green color blindness can understand and interact with the user interface without any limitations. A green button wouldn’t be very helpful in that case; instead, an icon must convey the button’s message.

You’re one of the youngest employees at UX&I, yet you’ve been working in digital design for ten years. Have you always wanted to design on a screen?

After earning my vocational diploma, I completed an apprenticeship as a media designer. During my apprenticeship, I had to make a choice: print or digital. And for me, it was crystal clear: I feel right at home in the digital world. So I’ve been moving pixels around on the screen for half my life, and now, at UX&I, I’m really enjoying my job. I didn’t want to design websites and marketing pages anymore; I wanted to do something meaningful. I want to solve problems. And that’s what UI design does. At UX&I, I immediately felt like I belonged. I’ve always enjoyed being around older people: I just like it. At UX&I, I don’t feel like the “new kid on the block”; instead, I’m taken seriously, and I’m so grateful that, among so many experienced employees, I’ve been given the chance to prove myself as a UI designer and continue growing professionally. I want to design with both my heart and my mind, and I want my work to be meaningful. This aligns very well with UX&I’s purpose: “We empower people to shape technology for the benefit of humans.”

Does the collaboration with the experienced UXIs always go smoothly?

Totally. We all get along great. Although… sometimes there are communication issues, but only because I’m Gen Z and I like to talk in memes. It’s always really funny when the person I’m talking to is totally lost. And memes are kind of hard to explain, too. But we always manage to find common ground in the end. 

In addition to digital design, you have another passion: “The Maxwell Pattern.” What exactly do you do there?

My little personal art project, “The Maxwell Pattern,” is my way of balancing out my “pixel-perfect” workday: it’s a bit like meditation. In UI design, I have to work with extreme precision. And that often spills over into my personal life. Sometimes I catch myself buying four packs of pasta instead of three because I think in grids, and odd numbers just don’t belong there. “The Maxwell Pattern,” on the other hand, celebrates “The Beauty of Imperfection.” I scribble patterns on paper or even on walls with highlighters. And it’s totally okay if the line isn’t straight or the shape isn’t uniform. Because sometimes, imperfect is beautiful, too!