Leena Aho is a UX/UI designer of digital services. In her work, she combines the creative eye of a graphic designer and the accuracy of digital user interfaces. The best advice Leena has received from another fellow Huldian is to have an open mind and try to learn something new about each new project and new person's working methods.

"Yes and no. I originally wanted to become an architect – not a UX/UI designer by any means. Visuality has always appealed to me and, for example, at school I loved arts and handicrafts in addition to exercise. As I applied to study to become an architect, I also applied to a graphic design school and finally got accepted there. After the first year of my studies I noticed that I had found my own thing.

Later I studied computer science while working at the same time, which allowed me to dive deeper into the world of digital services. There can be many different paths to this profession, and I feel that the path that I took has been a good foundation for my current job. Along the way, I have been able to draw knowledge from two fields – graphic design and software."

"As a designer, you are able to do so many things. My tasks include everything from finding the customer's problem to leading workshops, participating in service implementation, and testing. 

The most important thing is to adopt the ability to listen to the customer and the users with an open mind – not to just assume that you know what they need. That's why I try to interact with customers as much as possible in everyday life. In order to identify the problems of the customers and the end users, I execute user studies and in the final phase of the project, I test the functionality of the solution with real users of the service.

A designer's work is not only visual work and design. It requires versatile interaction skills, the ability to have logical reasoning, and an understanding of what kind of user interfaces are possible to implement with available technologies. 

My work has a suitable balance of meetings, interaction and brainstorming with colleagues and clients, as well as a calmer, long-term and independent way of working."

"The fact that a designer's work is just full of creating incredible wow-elements. Of course, in my work I constantly get to use my own creativity, but I feel that I am primarily in a service profession. I do not work to actualize my own works of art, but to solve the problems of customers and users. The wow-moment for me is when, by listening to the customer, I have designed something that meets their needs."

"UX/UI designer must have the ability to constantly renew themselves. Technologies are constantly evolving, and new tools are being developed at a dizzying pace, so in my work there is no possibility or fear of it being stuck in one place.

My motto is that if something feels uncomfortable, you must dare to go for it. Courage comes from the fact that the designer's work is not about working alone, but you have the support of your colleagues in the background. I think the best ideas always come from others and are then refined by working together."

"This depends completely on the situation and the mood I am in. Some weekends, when I can be alone at home, I grab the duster and start cleaning. With my family, I like to go on small trips - an adventure vacation in a city or just a simple trip to the nearby forest. I love going places that offer me the chance to see something new that I have never seen before."