INTERVIEW WITH DARIA NAIDENOV

1. INTERVIEW WITH DARIA NAIDENOV, SENIOR DIGITAL DESIGNER AT T-MOBILE Daria Naydenov is a Senior Digital Designer at T-Mobile, where she helps push creative boundaries through social media, the web and digital brands. She has previously worked with a variety of startups and SaaS companies creating and implementing design strategies to promote the individuality of each individual company. Daria earned her BA in Digital Technology and Culture from Washington State University. She enjoys exploring the intersection of art and technology, where creative conceptual ideas are transformed into compelling digital solutions. Deck 7: Could you tell us a little about your career path? What inspired you to continue your current role at T-Mobile? DARIA NAYDENOV: I have always been interested in human psychology, especially in understanding social and cultural influences on our personal decisions, and vice versa. This passion, together with my passion for art, which makes an impression, led me to design. This space allowed me to collaborate with various other fields to create clear and beautiful communication. I started my journey in the more traditional field of design, including graphic design, print and advertising. Most of my work has been in marketing for non-profit and educational institutions. I loved meeting people where they were and creating relevant and challenging messages for them. My skill set eventually led me to work with startups, SaaS and tech companies, where design thinking takes on a whole new environment. I moved into web design, social media design and app design. Now more than ever, empathy and understanding of human communication has become more important. I met the growing digital creative team at T-Mobile when I first moved to Seattle. It was a small team, but it had energy. The attitude of “no bullshit, drop your ego and let's do something beautiful” is what attracted me. Our team has nearly doubled in size since I joined, and with the new Sprint acquisition, it is predicted to at least double again. ... With the advent of 5g, now is the time to be with T-Mobile to educate and inspire the public for our shared future. D7: How do you organize your mobile team and what design methodology do you follow? DN: Our team consists of writers and designers working together as partners. There are levels of leadership and seniority, as in other departments. Zoom in and you can see the immensity of the skills and experience of each individual participant. Under the name Digital Designer, you'll find coders, illustrators, product photographers, visionaries, strategists, and more. We combine our skills and collaborate to create experiences that not only meet business needs and customer expectations, but also advance the cultural framework of design. And it's a hell of a lot of fun! D7: What qualities of the company, team, team members, culture, etc. make you feel strong?

2. DN: T-Mobile is obsessed with consumers, but at the same time, it is devoted to its employees, and this permeates all departments and aspects. While the culture of our digital creative studio is all about doing shit, there is usually plenty of room for innovation and creativity here. The people around me are not afraid to question authorities, and there are no stupid questions. The fact that we are all human, coming together to bring this about, is at the center of everyone's attention. It creates room for the empathetic mistakes that are necessary for growth and combats corporate stagnation. "The human voice, with all its flaws, shades and beauty, is the most powerful instrument today." D7: Why is digital design such an attractive area right now? What progress are you seeing in terms of diversity in the design world? DN: Digital design is an exciting area as new ways of telling stories are constantly being created. These stories are, in fact, as effective as they are relevant. The only way people will listen is if the message relates to them. And what better way to ensure that the diversity of humanity is reflected in the message and its creators? When we give in to our humanity, people begin to pay attention. The human voice with all its flaws, shades and beauty is the most powerful instrument today. While we are far from perfect, I see an energy of empathy expressed in accessible messages, diverse commands, and fair presentation. "Being an expert in your field empowers you to feel confident in your work, and to respect the excellence of others who are doing the same." D7: What difficulties does a designer face in her career? How did you adapt your skills and knowledge to the challenges you faced? DN: The design world is constantly changing. Creation of new tools, creation of ideas and dissemination of cultural trends. It can quickly become overwhelming for a designer trying to stay on top of their field. This is one of the main drivers of the impostor syndrome. While keeping up with modern design technologies is essential, becoming a domain expert is essential to building a foundation that can then be expanded. Being an expert in your field empowers you to feel confident in your work as well as respect the excellence of others who are doing the same. From this perspective of humility and mutual respect, we can begin to share our methodologies and build on each other. This goes beyond digital design where multidisciplinary teams view their work as open source for everyone to learn. However, empowering people to simply do their job is ultimately one of the most inspiring things team members can do for each other. Because ultimately what matters is the impact of the message and how well it resonates with the listeners. Trends and new technologies are meant to support you, but what matters is that the story is told. It is this focus that can be lost in the corporate world, where designers may feel like they are being told how to solve a problem, instead of being trusted with our work. D7: What's your favorite quote? DN: Since true belonging only happens when we present our true imperfect essence to the world, our sense of belonging can never be higher than our level of self-awareness. - Bren Brow

3. About T-MOBILE T-Mobile USA provides wireless voice and data services in the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands under the T-Mobile and Metro brands from T-Mobile. On April 1, 2020, T-Mobile USA and Sprint Corporation completed the merger, with T-Mobile now fully owning Sprint.