Polina Yakymenko, Designer in Berlin, Germany
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Polina Yakymenko

Verified Expert  in Design

Designer

Location
Berlin, Germany
Toptal Member Since
February 23, 2022

Polina is a Berlin-based professional with 8+ years of experience in complex digital products, including SaaS, marketplaces, and customer-facing websites. Polina offers expertise in strategic alignment, customer insight development, journey optimization, workshop facilitation, and mentorship. She is an analytical thinker, creative mind, and empathetic individual who combines expertise and a human-centered approach in her work.

SaaS DesignSoftware as a Service (SaaS)Web DesignInterface DesignAgile UXAgileUser FlowsUser Experience (UX)User Interface (UI)Product DesignUX DesignWeb UXWeb UsabilitySitemapsWeb UX DesignSurvey DesignAnnual ReportMapping

Portfolio

Work Experience

Senior UX/UI Design Consultant

2023 - PRESENT
JoBins
  • Guided the product roadmap and sprint planning and improved cross-functional communication.
  • Established customer experience (CX) processes, identified gaps, and enhanced design team collaboration.
  • Defined user studies and KPIs for post-release analysis, driving informed decision-making.
  • Mentored the design team on communication, usability, and CX topics.
Technologies: Web App Design, Web App UX, Web App UI, Design Consultation, Documentation, Key Performance Metrics, CX Strategy, Consulting, Personas, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications, Survey Design, Surveys

Senior UX Strategist and Researcher

2023 - 2023
SchoolTalent B.V.
  • Defined improvement areas for the customer journey and existing UX user flows through user data, stakeholder, and sales team interviews.
  • Conducted market research and competitor analysis for the German market.
  • Provided wireframes and UX copy suggestions for the homepage, pricing, tutor search, and profile pages.
  • Facilitated a branding strategy workshop and contributed to improving design processes.
Technologies: Figma, Pricing Strategy, User Journeys, User Analysis, Marketplace Design, UX Leadership, Design Leadership, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, A/B Testing, Wireframing, Copywriting, Agile UX, Agile, Product Design, Lean UX, Landing Pages, Marketplaces, Validated User Research, Design Specifications, Heuristics, Service Design, Customer Experience, Concepting, Design Strategy, Complex Problem Solving, Audience Targeting, Competition Research, Edtech Design, Design Consultation, Education, Innovation, Innovation Strategy, Market Research, Communication, Value Proposition Design, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Design, Facilitation, User Experience Design, Mobile UX Design, Research, B2C, SaaS, Branding, Discovery Workshops, User Workshops, Collaboration, Mobile Design, Service Blueprints, Responsive Design, Web UI Design, System Design, UX Assessment, Design Reviews, User Validation Testing, Heuristic Evaluation, Report Design, Design Thinking Facilitation, MURAL, Workshop Facilitation, UI Audits, Documentation, Key Performance Metrics, CX Strategy, Consulting, Personas, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications, Survey Design, Surveys, Web App UX, Landing Page Design

Senior Product (UX) Designer and Researcher

2022 - 2022
World Health Network
  • Carried out UX strategy and research, including a content audit, setting research objectives, preparing questionnaires, identifying target respondents, and conducting user interviews.
  • Created a sitemap and the website's structure and information architecture, mapped user journeys, and developed mockups based on personas.
  • Provided feedback on UI design, page layout, and brand direction.
Technologies: Miro, Zoom, User Interviews, Figma, User Research, UX Research, UX Strategy, Sitemaps, User Journey Maps, Structure, User Flows, Online Marketing, UX Analysis, User Personas, Qualitative Research, UX Documentation, Responsive UI, Charts, Rapid Prototyping, Competitive Analysis, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Jobs to be Done (JTBD), Agile UX, Agile, Product Design, Lean UX, Design Specifications, Heuristics, Concepting, Design Strategy, Design Consultation, Innovation Strategy, Market Research, Strategic Design, Facilitation, User Experience Design, Research, Discovery Workshops, Collaboration, Responsive Design, Web UI Design, UX Assessment, Design Reviews, User Validation Testing, Documentation, CX Strategy, Consulting, Personas, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications, Survey Design, Surveys, Landing Page Design

Lead UX and Product Designer

2022 - 2022
SciMar One
  • Transformed abstract business concepts into an interactive prototype for a project management module. This tool streamlines cross-functional workflows in drug development, empowering teams to handle hundreds of interdependent tasks.
  • Reviewed and improved the design of a clinical data library.
  • Managed design meetings and feedback sessions, keeping the team on task while navigating complex concepts to extract essential details and build comprehensive solutions.
Technologies: Product Design, UX Design, UI Design, Prototyping, UX Prototyping, Wireframing, MVP Design, Web Dashboards, Web App UX, Web App Design, Concepting, User Flows, Figma, Healthcare, Strategy, Flow Diagrams, System Process Mapping, Web Design, Journey Mapping, SaaS, Product Discovery, UX Documentation, Startups, UX Wireframes, Feature Prioritization, Architecture, Dashboards, Dashboard Design, Responsive Web Apps, Interface Design, Complex Application User Interfaces (UI), Enterprise, High-fidelity Prototypes, Charts, Lean Startups, Rapid Prototyping, Competitive Analysis, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Agile UX, Agile, Lean UX, Interactive Prototypes, Design Specifications, Heuristics, Customer Experience, Design Strategy, Complex Problem Solving, Audience Targeting, Design Consultation, Innovation, Innovation Strategy, Market Research, Stakeholder Management, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Facilitation, User Experience Design, Research, Discovery Workshops, Collaboration, Web UI Design, System Design, UX Assessment, Design Reviews, Heuristic Evaluation, Report Design, Content Management Systems (CMS), Workshop Facilitation, UI Audits, Documentation, CX Strategy, Consulting, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications

Freelance Senior Product (UX) Designer

2020 - 2022
An Online Freelance Agency
  • Provided services such as UX design reviews, competitor analysis, and user and market research for companies.
  • Gave feedback on existing designs and provided solutions for improvement in design consistency, accessibility, user flows, and information architecture.
  • Helped with data visualization, surveys, and poll designs.
Technologies: Figma, Miro, User Research, UX Design, Web UX, Quantitative Research, Qualitative Research, UX Audits, Affinity Mapping, UX Review, Web Usability, Usability Testing, UX Wireflows, User Stories, User Flows, Customer Journeys, Web App UX, Analytics, Data Analytics, User Onboarding, Web Dashboards, eCommerce UX, Design Thinking, Innovative UX, Ideation Workshops, User Journey Maps, User Interviews, UX Research, Prototyping, B2C, B2B, Web App Development, Healthcare IT, Web App Design, Strategy, Web Design, Journey Mapping, Product Discovery, UX Documentation, Sustainability, UX Wireframes, Architecture, Responsive Web Apps, Interface Design, Responsive UI, High-fidelity Prototypes, Lean Startups, Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Leadership, Agile UX, Agile, Product Design, Lean UX, Interactive Prototypes, Design Specifications, Heuristics, Service Design, Customer Experience, Design Strategy, Competition Research, Design Consultation, Market Research, Communication, Value Proposition Design, Strategic Design, User Experience Design, Research, Discovery Workshops, User Workshops, Collaboration, Service Blueprints, Responsive Design, Web UI Design, UX Assessment, Design Reviews, Heuristic Evaluation, Heuristic Analysis, MURAL, UI Audits, Documentation, Key Performance Metrics, Consulting, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications, Wix, Landing Page Design

Senior UI/UX Designer

2019 - 2019
b.wusst
  • Designed the MVP for a mobile app called “A meetup for a social cause.” The MVP included an onboarding process for volunteers and the companies initiating social projects.
  • Facilitated the design sprint to define the requirements and explore possible design solutions.
  • Led all design processes: user flows, information architecture, low-fidelity wireframes, design validation, visual styles, and KPIs definition.
Technologies: Principle, Sketch, InVision, Miro, User Flows, User Stories, User Research, UX Review, UX Design, Customer Journeys, Business Requirements, Design Sprints, Design Workshops, Affinity Mapping, Analysis, Onboarding, User Onboarding, App UX, Ideation Workshops, Design Thinking, Prototyping, B2C, Strategy, Product Discovery, MVP Design, Startups, UX Wireframes, Feature Prioritization, Monetization, Web App UI, Interface Design, High-fidelity Prototypes, Lean Startups, Rapid Prototyping, Competitive Analysis, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Design Leadership, Leadership, Agile UX, Agile, Product Design, Interactive Prototypes, Heuristics, Design Strategy, Audience Targeting, Competition Research, Design Consultation, Innovation, Market Research, Stakeholder Management, Minimum Viable Product (MVP), Strategic Design, Facilitation, User Experience Design, Mobile UX Design, Research, Branding, Discovery Workshops, Collaboration, Mobile Design, Responsive Design, Design Reviews, Social Networking, Heuristic Analysis, Design Thinking Facilitation, User-centered Design (UCD)

Senior UX Designer

2019 - 2019
Edelman
  • Defined the information architecture for a charity organization's customer-facing website.
  • Conducted a discovery workshop to define business goals and the website audience.
  • Organized and labeled data (sitemap) and website navigation in collaboration with UI designers.
  • Worked on content prioritization, storytelling, and low-fi wireframes.
Technologies: Miro, Sketch, User Empathy, Web Content, UX Wireflows, Sitemaps, Diagrams, User Flows, Quantitative User Research, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Business Requirements, UX Strategy, IA Strategy, UX Review, Responsive UX Design, Ideation Workshops, Design Thinking, User Journey Maps, Prototyping, B2C, Web App Development, Strategy, Web Design, Product Discovery, UX Documentation, UX Wireframes, Responsive Web Apps, Interface Design, Responsive UI, Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Jobs to be Done (JTBD), Agile, Lean UX, Interactive Prototypes, Design Specifications, Heuristics, Customer Experience, Design Strategy, Audience Targeting, Competition Research, Design Consultation, Market Research, Communication, Stakeholder Management, User Experience Design, Research, Discovery Workshops, Collaboration, Responsive Design, Web UI Design, UX Assessment, Design Reviews, Heuristic Analysis, Documentation, Consulting, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications, Web App UX, Landing Page Design

Senior UX Designer

2019 - 2019
AKQA
  • Led UX and strategy for a customer-facing website, encompassing a content audit, website information architecture, website map, and web page structure.
  • Worked on enhancing the user flow for customers by addressing key touchpoints.
  • Conducted remote testing in close collaboration with visual designers for art direction validation.
Technologies: Miro, User Stories, User Flows, Customer Journeys, Information Architecture (IA), Mapping, UX Strategy, Remote User Testing, Design Validation, Web Content, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, Quantitative Research, UX Analysis, UX Review, Design Thinking, UX Testing, User Journey Maps, Prototyping, B2C, Business to Business to Consumer (B2B2C), B2B2C, Web App Development, Strategy, Flow Diagrams, Journey Mapping, Product Discovery, UX Documentation, UX Wireframes, Architecture, Responsive Web Apps, Interface Design, Complex Application User Interfaces (UI), Responsive UI, User Validation, Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Agile, Interactive Prototypes, Design Specifications, Heuristics, Service Design, Customer Experience, Design Strategy, Competition Research, Design Consultation, Market Research, Strategic Design, User Experience Design, Research, Discovery Workshops, Collaboration, Service Blueprints, Responsive Design, Design Reviews, Heuristic Evaluation, Heuristic Analysis, Consulting, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications

UX Design Teacher and Mentor

2019 - 2019
ReDI School for Digital Integration
  • Delivered training sessions on UX topics. Prepared teaching materials, facilitated workshops, and assisted students in performing design tasks during workshops.
  • Worked in close collaboration with a team of UX mentors.
  • Evaluated assignments and provided feedback to UX design students to develop an in-depth understanding of user-centered design practices.
Technologies: Figma, Google Docs, Training & Training Content Development, Adult Education, Workshops, Design Workshops, Strategy, UX Wireframes, UX Mentoring, Mentorship, Mentorship & Coaching, Interface Design, Design Leadership, Agile, Education, Market Research, Strategic Design, Facilitation, User Experience Design, Collaboration, Responsive Design, Design Thinking Facilitation, Workshop Facilitation, User-centered Design (UCD)

UI/UX Product Designer

2018 - 2019
Stagelink
  • Designed the initial MVP version of a product and led design sprints to validate early business concepts and align with the team.
  • Contributed to the UX strategy, implemented UI, and designed customer onboarding. Set up campaigns, invoicing, and data visualization.
  • Conducted remote usability testing for user validation.
  • Developed a design system to ensure flexibility and consistency across the product.
Technologies: InVision, Miro, Asana, Sketch, Design Sprints, Google Design Sprints, User Flows, User Stories, Business Requirements, Customer Success, Customer Journeys, User Requirements, Remote User Testing, Web Usability, Data Visualization, Data-driven Design, Data-informed Visual Design, User Experience (UX), Web UX Design, Concept Maps, UX Strategy, IA Strategy, Web Dashboards, Web UX, Web App UX, Web Analytics, User Onboarding, Ideation Workshops, Design Thinking, Prototyping, B2B, Web App Development, Web App Design, Flow Diagrams, System Process Mapping, Web Design, Journey Mapping, SaaS, Product Discovery, UX Documentation, MVP Design, Startups, UX Wireframes, Feature Prioritization, Monetization, Dashboards, Dashboard Design, Responsive Web Apps, Web App UI, Interface Design, Complex Application User Interfaces (UI), Responsive UI, Enterprise, High-fidelity Prototypes, Interactive Charts, Lean Startups, Rapid Prototyping, Competitive Analysis, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Design Leadership, Leadership, Jobs to be Done (JTBD), Agile UX, Lean UX, Validated User Research, Interactive Prototypes, Service Design, Design Strategy, Complex Problem Solving, Audience Targeting, Innovation, Innovation Strategy, Market Research, Communication, Value Proposition Design, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Design, Facilitation, User Experience Design, Discovery Workshops, Collaboration, Responsive Design, Web UI Design, System Design, User Validation Testing, Heuristic Analysis, Design Thinking Facilitation, Workshop Facilitation, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications, Survey Design, Surveys

Product and UX Designer

2016 - 2018
InStaff & Jobs GmbH
  • Established UCD process within evolving startup culture. Contributed as a key part of the product team, often responsible for project management and communication. Led the entire design process from ideation to production.
  • Analyzed pre-launch and post-launch. Ran A/B tests, carried out stakeholder and user interviews, and moderated usability tests.
  • Designed a mobile app from low-fi wireframes to hi-fi designs.
  • Worked closely with SEO team on building SEO friendly web-pages primarily focusing on landing, Google Play, and Facebook page optimization.
  • Coordinated CSS and HTML training courses for company interns, responsible for delivering usability workshops to all new hires.
  • Redesigned customer accounts, which allowed to increase the number of booking requests as well as minimize support inquiries. Continuously improved job seekers' experience on landing their short-term jobs on the web and mobile.
Technologies: InVision, Sketch, UX Design, User Flows, User Stories, Usability, Usability Testing, User Experience (UX), Business Requirements, Business Research, Data-informed Visual Design, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Quantitative Analysis, IA Strategy, UX Strategy, Design Sprints, SaaS Design, Software as a Service (SaaS), Web UX, Web App UX, User Onboarding, Onboarding, Affinity Mapping, UX Testing, Marketplace Design, Prototyping, B2C, B2B, Web App Development, Web App Design, Strategy, Flow Diagrams, System Process Mapping, Web Design, Journey Mapping, SaaS, Product Discovery, UX Documentation, Startups, UX Wireframes, Feature Prioritization, Architecture, Monetization, Dashboards, Dashboard Design, Responsive Web Apps, Web App UI, Mentorship & Coaching, Interface Design, Complex Application User Interfaces (UI), Responsive UI, Enterprise, User Validation, High-fidelity Prototypes, Lean Startups, Rapid Prototyping, Competitive Analysis, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Design Leadership, Leadership, Jobs to be Done (JTBD), Agile UX, Lean UX, Landing Pages, Marketplaces, Design Strategy, Complex Problem Solving, Audience Targeting, Innovation, Innovation Strategy, Market Research, Communication, Value Proposition Design, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Design, Facilitation, User Experience Design, Mobile UX Design, Discovery Workshops, User Workshops, Collaboration, Mobile Design, Responsive Design, Web UI Design, System Design, UX Assessment, User Validation Testing, Report Design, Content Management Systems (CMS), Heuristic Analysis, Design Thinking Facilitation, Workshop Facilitation, Key Performance Metrics, Personas, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications, Landing Page Design

UI/UX Designer

2014 - 2015
Wooqer
  • Addressed design inconsistencies and implemented essential product enhancements. Oversaw the layout and navigation, ensuring consistent interaction flow for the web product.
  • Conducted user research to develop Wooqer design strategy for medium and small devices.
  • Created design guidelines covering UI elements, interaction patterns, and CSS code to maintain a consistent style and visual language across the product.
  • Improved user's account UI and information architecture, resulting in a 20% decrease in support requests handled by the help desk. Simplifying process management and reporting tools cuts the time users spend on project planning in half.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, HTML, CSS, SaaS Design, UX Analysis, Data Analysis, Customer Success, Customer Journeys, UX Strategy, UX Research, Web Usability, Usability Testing, User Requirements, User Research, User Flows, Data-informed Visual Design, Prototyping, B2B, Web App Development, Web App Design, Strategy, System Process Mapping, Web Design, SaaS, Architecture, Dashboards, Dashboard Design, Responsive Web Apps, Web App UI, Interface Design, Complex Application User Interfaces (UI), Responsive UI, Enterprise, User Validation, High-fidelity Prototypes, Management Systems, Charts, Rapid Prototyping, Competitive Analysis, Rapid Interactive Prototyping, Audience Targeting, User Experience Design, Mobile UX Design, Discovery Workshops, Collaboration, Mobile Design, System Design, UX Assessment, Content Management Systems (CMS), Key Performance Metrics, User-centered Design (UCD), Web Applications, Point of Sale

Information Services Systems Analyst

2013 - 2014
Philip Morris Ukraine
  • Designed a SharePoint-based solution to automate the car disposal process.
  • Built a platform for newcomers to introduce available PMU digital tools. As a result of this launch, the volume of help desk calls was reduced by 20%.
  • Delivered workshops, roughly 20 sessions, on various technology-related topics.
Technologies: SharePoint UI, SharePoint, Adobe Photoshop, Web UX, Web Dashboards, UX Thinking, UX Workshops, Business Requirements, User Flows, Adult Education, Training & Training Content Development, Strategy, Flow Diagrams, Web Design, Mentorship, Mentorship & Coaching, Interface Design, Enterprise, Management Systems, Charts, Audience Targeting, Education, Innovation, Innovation Strategy, Market Research, Communication, Facilitation, User Experience Design, Collaboration, Workshop Facilitation, Web Applications
2022 - 2023

Master of Arts in Expressive Arts Therapy with a Minor in Psychology

European Graduate School - Saas-Fee, Switzerland

2010 - 2014

Bachelor's Degree in Economic Cybernetics

National Technical University of Ukraine - Kyiv, Ukraine

AUGUST 2022 - PRESENT

How To Design for Accessibility: for UX Designers (WCAG 2.2)

Udemy

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