Today, we’re speaking with Assiya Jaisheva, an accomplished Design Lead based in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Assiya has built an impressive career as a senior UX/UI designer, contributing to the success of several high-profile projects, including her work at Arbuz.kz, where she served as Design Lead during its rise to success and eventual sale in 2024. Additionally, she played a key role in scaling the startup to the U.S. market through Pinemelon.com. With extensive experience in both design and product strategy, Assiya has a unique perspective on how design can drive business growth and user engagement. In this interview, we’ll explore Assiya’s design journey, her approach to scaling startups, and how UX/UI design can be a game-changer in today’s competitive digital landscape.
Q1. With a background in both graphic design and UX/UI design, you have had many different types of design projects. How will this variety in experience influence your direction as a design leader?
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My first career was in programming. Programming is quite similar to how I view design. The programming skills I developed during my first career provided me with a methodical way of thinking, understanding constraints, and developing solutions to problems. In making the transition to design, I learned a great deal about designing for users in terms of providing them with intuitive, emotional, and connected user experiences.
As a design leader, I would hope to merge these two ways of thinking (logic and empathy), and foster this type of thinking within my team through encouraging design exploration via questioning methods such as “how?” and “why?” Creating an environment that encourages collaboration, idea generation, research, and initiative fosters a culture of creativity among all members of a design team.
At Arbuz.kz, I was asked to establish a visual identity for the company, as well as build a team to develop the product while maintaining the essence of the brand. I believe that design leaders who successfully engage their teams in the product strategy process (not merely executing tasks) provide the best environment for engagement, creativity and meaningful contributions.
Q2. At Arbuz.kz, you played a pivotal role in scaling the company and even helping it expand into the U.S. market with Pinemelon.com. What were the key design challenges you faced during this scaling process, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge we had was designing an entire design ecosystem that would effectively communicate to and be appealing to the U.S. consumer market. The original app design was successful, but not visually appealing enough or user-friendly enough for consumers outside of Kazakhstan. We needed to redesign the app to meet contemporary U.S. standards and make the product competitive with other grocery delivery services in the United States, such as Instacart and Weee!. To accomplish this, we researched the best-in-class companies, such as Trader Joe’s, Instacart, Weee!, and several local grocery delivery services in each of their markets.
One of the most important lessons we learned about working with cross-continent teams is the importance of having confidence in the product design expertise. Initially, we relied heavily on input from the colleagues in our Denver office, rather than utilising the knowledge base and product expertise of our Kazakhstan-based team. After some time, we realised that no one knew the product and its path to product-market fit better than we did. Our misaligned reliance on external opinions delayed progress because we wasted too much time following those opinions instead of trusting our instincts.
Working with cross-continent teams also presented additional complexities. Communication and coordination across different time zones required considerable effort to ensure everyone was aligned and heading in the same direction.
Q3. As a design lead, you’ve likely had to balance user needs with business goals. Can you share a specific project where you had to make design trade-offs to ensure both were met effectively?
As a designer, I have a tendency to advocate for the user, and therefore create designs that eliminate distractions and allow the user to complete their primary task in a smooth manner. From a business perspective, however, growth and revenue are just as important. Therefore, there have been many times when I have had to prioritise features that will help to grow the average order value or to acquire new users.
An example that comes to mind is the decision to add a recommendation system to the checkout flow. We added the recommendations after the cart stage but prior to the users selecting a payment method. This is a very sensitive time in the user journey, as any disruption could harm the user’s conversion rate. Needless to say, this idea generated much discussion among the team members, with each member having both positive and negative views on the matter.
After much deliberation, we ultimately made the decision to go ahead with an experiment. The challenge of this experience was to create an experience that would feel subtle and supportive and not invasive. The recommendations needed to fit seamlessly into the user flow without feeling like an interruption.
From a technology standpoint, the success of a recommendation feature is greatly dependent on the strength of the recommendation engine. Instead of creating one ourselves, we chose to use a third-party recommendation engine that we felt was both cost-effective and reliable.
Our experiment provided us with positive validation. Our A/B test demonstrated that the recommendations did positively affect the average order value, and the feature was eventually implemented into every user’s experience. More importantly, the feature provided a tangible benefit to the customer. Many customers were pleased with the timely suggestions at the end of their shopping process, and many customers discovered products they had intended to purchase but forgot until the recommendations suggested them.
Q4. How have your responsibilities as a product designer evolved after becoming the head of design at Arbuz.kz, and what were the most important things you’ve learned while growing in this role?
When I became the head of design, my duties quickly grew to include more than I could handle on my own. The next logical step was to begin building a team. We started hiring designers, and I had to learn how to relinquish away authority or delegate responsibility. One of the bigger challenges early on was identifying talent who would deliver at the same level we required. Fortunately, there were many talented designers eager to join us as we began to launch our product in the United States.
The bigger challenge was to get used to allowing designers to make mistakes. I have to admit it was very difficult to see work produced that didn’t live up to the standards I set. Initially I told myself that minor imperfections didn’t matter; the workload was so massive I couldn’t possibly ensure each detail was perfect, and I figured they weren’t that important.
In the end, I realised that these details can be extremely important, and that is one reason we initiated design reviews for all work. However, even with a large number of projects and tasks, it’s still a challenge to dig into every task. Therefore, a “pass/fail” style quality review is often the best we can do instead of a full design review.
Q5. As you helped Arbuz.kz grow from a local startup into a self-sustaining company, what role did design play in shaping a strong brand identity and fostering customer loyalty?
Design was important for creating immediate brand recognition and a feeling of customer loyalty for Arbuz. We were so well-known by one point that another competitor came along and actually copied some aspects of our design and strategy. This is good evidence that we established a forceful visual identity for Arbuz.
In addition to helping us create a brand that users could identify immediately, design also helped create a perception of familiarity and trust. Design created a distance between the user and the product, allowing users to connect on a personal level (making it seem like they are interacting with a person rather than a machine). Our primary target is mainly women who have young children; therefore, we attempted to make our brand identity appear as friendly, comfortable and familiar. Creating this emotional relationship has allowed users to continue engaging and returning to the site.
Q6. UX/UI design is often considered both an art and a science. How do you balance creativity with functionality, especially when it comes to creating intuitive interfaces that also meet business objectives?
I sometimes struggle to determine if I am working on an artistic side or a programming side because of my experience in software engineering. The reason why I have stayed in this industry for such a long time is because of finding the right balance between art and science. Before starting, I conduct a tremendous amount of research and prepare thoroughly. Once I begin, I attempt to clear my mind as much as possible and allow myself to fully connect with how a particular feature or interface should feel. At this point, it is simply a matter of capturing that spark of inspiration, and then I can turn my attention to the details of functionality and scalability. Using this method allows me to bring a little passion to my work, which results in designs that are not only functional but also empathetic.
Q7. What are the most important UX principles you adhere to when designing a new feature or product, and how do you ensure that these principles are communicated effectively within your team?
For me, the foundation of any design is empathy, understanding the user’s needs, motivations, and pain points. From there, I focus on clarity, consistency, and simplicity. Every interaction should feel intuitive, reducing cognitive load while guiding users toward their goals. Accessibility is equally critical; design must be inclusive so that every user can engage with the product seamlessly.
Communicating these principles within the team starts with storytelling. I make sure every designer understands the why behind our decisions, not just the what. We use design reviews, documentation, and collaborative workshops to reinforce these principles and ensure they’re consistently applied. Ultimately, it’s about creating a shared mindset where UX principles are part of our DNA, guiding every feature, flow, and interaction.
Q8. Looking ahead, what trends or changes in UX/UI design do you think will have the biggest impact over the next few years, and how are you preparing your team for them?
One of the biggest trends I see is the increasing use of AI and intelligent assistants to enhance user experiences. Designers will need to go beyond static screens with a design that considers dynamic and context-dependent interactions through personalised recommendations and conversational interfaces. Another key area is accessibility and inclusive design. Products will likely serve a variety of audiences with different needs and abilities.
To prepare my team for these trends, we focus on continuous learning and experimentation. We look into emerging design tools, run internal workshops on how to design using AI-driven ux, and regularly challenge ourselves to design solutions for edge cases that test both accessibility and usability. By cultivating a mindset of curiousness and adaptability, we are not just keeping up with trend but designing experiences that set new standards in delight and usability
Q9. What advice would you give to aspiring designers who want to grow into leadership roles like yours?
First, I encourage you to continue to learn, always. Learn about design, as well as the way that design can impact the business side of the products that you will be working with. I believe that this is one of the biggest differentiators of great designers from good ones. Designers need to have knowledge of strategy, growth, and how users behave when they interact with products.
Second, take the time to develop your ability to communicate and collaborate with other people. As a leader of a team of designers, it is not just about being able to make the right design decisions. It is about being able to inspire your team, mentor them and empower them to produce their very best work.
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