Meet the Team — Design & UX

The Design & UX team has grown incredibly over the past 12 months. We hired a group of very talented Designers, as well as a Copywriter and a Researcher from all over the world.

To give you a peak inside what drives the members of the Design & UX team, I asked them what they love about their job, why they consider GetYourGuide a great place to work, and their favorite travel destinations.

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‍Fred joined us from Medigo in Berlin:

What do you like about being a Product Designer?

I like how designers’ roles and missions are now broader than before. There are a lot more factors product designers need to understand and consider - like user behavior, data analysis, or even business decisions - in order to deliver meaningful solutions to users' issues. It goes way beyond making things look good. I like that organizations now understand how designers help to create value.

What do you like about working at GYG?

The customer-driven attitude is one of the main reasons I decided to join the company. This is the right way to create design: with clear purpose and intentions.
One of the other things I also enjoy a lot is the time we allow ourselves to spend in the problem space before diving into the solutions. We are required to understand all dimensions of a problem that needs to be solved; it requires solid collaboration and communication between different teams, but leads to better solutions every time.

What’s the last place you traveled to?

I travelled to San Francisco last summer, and while the city has a lot to offer, I was pleasantly surprised by all the nature and landscapes you can find if you drive away from the city for just a couple of hours. The south road leading to Big Sur is pretty short, but the landscape changes so often it makes you feel like you are crossing multiple countries in the span of a short road trip.

You can follow Fred’s travels on his tumblr blog.

Camellia joined us from Booking.com in Amsterdam:

What do you like about being a Product Designer?

I enjoy intuitively using both my left and right brain together:
I am not only working on "how to solve the problem", like an interaction or visual designer usually does, but also thinking of what the problem is to make sure the business goal is a user goal, the user paint point is the right one to focus on, and the paint point is understood by everyone.
I am not only designing for right now, but also for the future.

What do you like about working at GYG?

-GYG is forward-thinking: as a company, we do not only look at short-term financial ROI, but we also care about the vision and make stable steps to go towards this vision.
-The balance between being strategic and data-driven. Data is a powerful hard proof, yet it can't make every type of decision. When necessary, a more strategic decision can be made.
-The people here are friendly, happy, and have the same goal and strong sense of ownership.

Favorite trip so far?

Living like a local in AnHui, China, staying in villages that are around 2000 years old.
Why I liked it: It was like a time-traveling trip. Nothing in the area has changed much for ages. You can live in an Airbnb which was built 800 years ago and visit houses which are more than 1000 years old. Besides the historic touch, it's also so close to nature. There aren't many tourists; it's quiet and beautiful.

You can follow Camellia’s travels on her Medium blog.

Manu joined us from eDreams in Barcelona:

What do you like about being a Product Designer?

What I like the most about my job is trying to understand the users' needs for every single project and working to achieve the company goals. It makes me feel like my work is an important piece in the users' experiences with digital products.  

What do you like about working at GYG?

The first thing that comes to mind is seeing how fast the team is growing. I also really like working in a customer centric company, and GYG certainly fits the bill. I like to feel that I can improve the service of a company where I was previously a customer.

Last place you traveled to?

My last trip was to Dublin. It was my first time and what I liked most was the atmosphere on the streets. It was very young and happy. Also, I have to mention how much I enjoyed assisting  at a Google conference in their local offices...perhaps this has something to do with the success of my trip. : D

Jackie joined us from Rocket HQ here in Berlin:

What do you like about being a Product Designer?

I love the creative process of bringing intangible concepts to life through well-iterated interaction and interface design. Behind all the pretty visuals is a lot of strategic and analytical thinking about how to design a solution to a problem - and that’s the most rewarding part about my job.

What do you like about working at GYG?

Being an avid traveler myself, it’s motivating to be able to design for an industry that parallels my own interests. There’s a lot of opportunity for further design growth and development across a breadth of areas in the product. And on top of that, it’s been so great to work with the other designers, researchers, and copywriters on the team!

Favorite trip last year?

Iceland. Spent 10 days driving the Ring Road, which takes you around the entire country. The best thing about it was the stillness - just an undisturbed drive with unbelievable, ever-changing landscapes all around you.

You can follow Jackie’s trips on her travel blog.

Evelyn joined us from London:

Evelyn joined us early last year as a Editorial copywriter but soon decided to specialize and join the team as a UX copywriter:

What do you like about being a UX Writer?

I love being able to craft copy that avoids jargon, cuts out clutter and is, most of all, human. Because my messages exist in the context of an interface, it’s important that every word is concise but communicates meaning at the same time. I’m a sucker for simple prose.

What do you like about working at GetYourGuide?

• Growing my skills and creating my own role in the company
• Collaborating with the smart folks in design, data and research
• Being the go-to person for all things spelling and grammar related

Where was the last place you travelled?

London, home of the best pubs in the world.

Juliana joined us from Brazil:

What do you like about being a Research Assistant?

Since the beginning of my academic/professional life, I developed a strong affinity for both qualitative and quantitate studies, and this definitely encouraged me to apply for this position.
As a Research Assistant, I get to make sure each team has the best participants for their research and understands how the whole research process works from beginning to end.
My role also gives me the opportunity to work with different teams and help them better understand our customers' behavior.

What do you like about working at GYG?

I admire the commitment my colleagues have to their job. It inspires me to always give my best. It also provides a great opportunity to learn and grow in a positive office environment.

Last place you traveled to?

My last trip was to the island of Florianopolis in Brazil. It's an amazing place to get in touch with nature and taste the fresh seafood.

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Amanda joined us from Amazon in Seattle:

What do you like about being a UX Copy Lead?

I love getting to work with lots of people from diverse teams, backgrounds, and disciplines. Being a lead here is a very social role, so I work together with people from all across the company. When I first joined the company, I was so struck by how smart, helpful, and committed everyone was. The team is really international, too, which makes for lots of interesting perspectives and things to talk about. Plus, I get to use two of my superpowers on the regular here: socializing and writing. It's pretty dreamy!

What made you want to join GYG?

The thing that really swayed me was coming out and meeting the team. I wasn't actively looking for a new role when GYG reached out to me, but I had always wanted to work in the travel industry, especially if it meant living abroad. At first I was just curious, but the more I talked to Marlene and the rest of the team, the more excited I became. When I finally came out to Berlin for my interview, I knew this would be a place where I could really take ownership, have an impact, and learn from lots of smart people. It was a tremendous opportunity that I couldn't pass up.

Last place you traveled to?

My last big trip was to Japan, which I love dearly, and Korea, where I lived for several years. Ask me about the best cafes to snuggle cats/rabbits/owls/sheep if you're going to Tokyo or Seoul.

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Sergii joined us from Booking.com in Amsterdam

What made you want to join GYG?

I'm really excited to work on product that help people to experience the world around them.

What do you like about being a Product Designer?

I really love that I can meet people, talk to them, understand their problems and provide solutions that will help them to achieve their goals. Opportunity to shape beautiful experiences for millions of people, helping them to get new memories and emotions by using your product is priceless.

Favorite trip so far?

My favorite trip so far was my visit to Grindelwald, Switzerland. We went to the mountains for a week and stayed in a wooden house, far away from any other houses. It was a beautiful experience living in pure nature surrounded by cows and mountains.

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Ian joined us from GoEuro in Berlin

What do you like about working at GYG?

It’s really special to be a part of a company where everyone demonstrates such dedication to and ambition for improving the product and user experience.

What do you like about being a UX Writer?

As a UX writer, I enjoy working with designers and product managers to create positive experiences for our users. It's very gratifying when someone describes an interaction or component as 'intuitive' or 'easy to use.'

Last place you traveled to?

My last trip was to Uganda where I went rafting in the Nile and got the worst sunburn of my life.

Dilara joined us from Foodora in Berlin

What do you like about being a Product Designer?

I like to blend my strength in science and creative fields and product design is the best field to make that happen. Design is all about solving the right problem and the process is a continuous cycle of divergent and convergent thinking. My creative background helps me ideate and my engineering and business acumen helps me converge my thoughts into meaning deliverables for product development.

What do you like about working at GYG?

I like the customer-driven mindset and the culture built around this mindset. I work in a fairly new team with an ambitious mission, and I have a lot of opportunity to make an impact. I get out of my comfort zone everyday which is really motivating. I am excited for the upcoming projects!

What’s the last place you traveled to or your favorite trip so far?

I went to Rome and Florence with my family this month and I did various GYG tours there. The tours helped me have an immersive experience into the history and culture and put me into our customers’ shoes. If you ask me my favorite trip, I would have to say New York City each time. Aside from being my second home,  it also resonates with my personality the most. I love finding different, amazing things each time I go back!

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