Evgeny Lepyokhin: "Speed ​​is more important than quality today"

Contents:

• About business and emotional state
• About development in IT and government contracts
• About client exchange
• About piracy
• Advice for those who remained in Russia

We discussed key solutions needed in times of crisis, as well as development prospects and hidden opportunities, with design experts. In this issue, art director Evgeny Lepyokhin shares his opinion.

The editor and art director are key figures in the world of media and design. The editor is responsible for creating and structuring content, ensuring its quality and relevance to the target audience. The art director, in turn, is responsible for the visual component of the projects, developing concepts and monitoring their implementation. Both specialists work closely to ensure a harmonious combination of text and graphics, which ultimately impacts user perception. It's important that the editor and art director have strong communication skills and an understanding of current trends, allowing them to create relevant and engaging content for various platforms.

About Business and Emotional State

A key change in business is customer attrition. This is not due to a lack of financial resources, but because clients have more pressing and urgent operational needs. Some have cargo delays at the border, others are experiencing difficulties receiving payments, and still others urgently need to find alternatives to foreign services. In February, we began work on five new projects, but after February 24th, only one remained. During such challenging times, design takes a back seat as businesses focus on solving pressing problems. Emotional states in the current climate are often characterized by apathy, helplessness, shame, and anger. However, many people and companies are returning to work and adapting to the new reality. Businesses have little choice but to continue operations and seek ways to further develop. It's important to find ways to cope with negative emotions and focus on productive actions.

Despite the challenges that arose, our team actively engaged in the work and supported each other. Our primary support tools are frank conversations, mutual understanding, and respect for the feelings and opinions of each member. This approach helps create a comfortable atmosphere, which, in turn, has a positive impact on productivity and team cohesion.

On Development in IT and Government Procurement

The planning horizon in today's environment has significantly shortened. We can no longer talk about weekly plans—they have lost their relevance. In the current situation, it is important to focus on the overall strategic direction and key metrics that are critical to our business. We evaluate daily how effective our actions are and whether they align with current market realities. I recognize that the market will continue to contract, and we have not yet reached the bottom. Only those companies that prepared in advance and developed strategies to overcome difficulties will survive.

In my opinion, the private procurement market will shrink in the coming years, leading to increased unemployment and growth in the public procurement market. The government is actively investing in the IT sector, which is creating a demand for specialists, including designers. Professionals with experience working on government projects will be especially valuable, as these projects differ significantly from commercial ones. They involve numerous nuances and bureaucratic processes. It is important to develop negotiation skills, legal knowledge, and patience to succeed in this field.

Currently, the government is providing programmers with military deferments and reducing the tax burden for IT companies. These measures indicate the growing importance of the IT industry, and government agencies, such as departments and related organizations, will likely become the main clients. They are required to achieve their KPIs, which opens up new opportunities for IT specialists and companies. Given these trends, we can expect further development and support of digital technologies in the public sector, which will create additional opportunities for programmers and innovative solutions.

In a shrinking labor market, the choice for knowledge workers is becoming limited. The options are limited to working with government agencies, which provides a stable income, or seeking employment in the private sector, which is becoming increasingly difficult. Given the current economic realities, finding suitable work is becoming increasingly difficult.

About client exchange

Our team is currently actively solving important tasks. We are finding new clients, completing the rebranding process, and preparing to launch a new website. The crisis, as sad as it may seem, provides a unique opportunity to improve internal processes. We are reviewing existing working methods, updating the website, and introducing new interaction formats. This will allow us to enter the market with renewed strength and increase competitiveness.

We are currently focused on building a partner network and exchanging clients with other studios. In these uncertain times, collaboration is a priority, not competition. Collaborating with other market players allows us to expand our horizons, improve the quality of our services, and identify new growth opportunities.

We currently do not share our client information with third parties and fully meet their needs. However, we are open to collaborating with other studios and are willing to accept their clients, paying commissions for successfully completed transactions.

We have experience with similar cases, and we have successfully completed three or four of them. If you are experiencing difficulties serving all your clients or are overloaded, we are ready to offer our assistance and take on some of the tasks ourselves. Contact me by email at evgeny@lepekhin.ru to discuss possible collaboration.

About piracy

Currently, there are no problems with software. Figma is available and allows you to solve about 80% of design-related tasks. Adobe is mainly needed for branding, and this issue has always been resolved quite simply: in the past, torrent trackers and pirate sites were actively used to gain access to the necessary tools.

Piracy may cause moral discomfort for some people, but for me it does not matter. In the current situation in which we all find ourselves, experiencing ethical concerns about using illegal software is not the most important thing. With limited access to resources and information, many choose alternative paths to satisfy their needs.

From a design perspective, it is worth considering how to avoid using pirated software. The best solution would be to develop your own analogue of popular tools such as Photoshop or Figma. Creating unique software will not only save you money, but also give you the opportunity to adapt the functionality to your personal needs and preferences.

Advice for those who remained in Russia

Strive to improve your work, develop hard skills, take on more responsibility, and master programming. These steps will help increase your professional value and open up new career opportunities. Developing technical and coding skills will allow you to be competitive in the labor market and ensure the successful completion of complex tasks.

Executives who are able to keep their promises and effectively solve assigned tasks will be highly valued in the labor market. The rest will be forced to seek new employment opportunities.

The number of a designer's skills directly affects their value to the client and employer. A designer who only has the ability to create layouts has limited opportunities. In contrast, a designer who can both draw and layout is a more versatile specialist. Although their services may cost more, collaborating with one such professional is more cost-effective. They can handle the entire project, significantly simplifying the process and increasing task efficiency.

Website and interface design is rapidly becoming automated. The creation process is becoming simpler, and the designer's role is transforming. It's no longer necessary to draw every screen from scratch; ready-made component libraries can be used to quickly assemble prototypes. This allows designers to focus on improving the user experience and creative solutions, rather than on routine tasks. Automation in design opens up new opportunities for efficient work and accelerates the development process, which is especially important in today's market.

An important aspect of success is the ability to find and effectively use resources, not just creating unique solutions. In today's world, speed often prevails over quality. Many professionals face the problem that design schools emphasize problem solving rather than making informed decisions, which can negatively impact their professional development. In a highly competitive environment, those who can quickly adapt, fulfill obligations, and master new skills survive.

If you're just beginning to study design, I strongly recommend moving on to practical classes as soon as possible. Otherwise, you risk remaining mere theorists, lacking the necessary skills to successfully work in this field. Practice will help you better understand the fundamental principles of design and develop your creative abilities, which are key to success in this profession. Don't be afraid to experiment and try new approaches, as it is through practical assignments that your unique style and professionalism are formed.

It's important to separate work from politics and not mix them in the design process. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. There should be no differences in background, gender, nationality, or passport color within the team. We all come to design with the goal of creating, creating, organizing, and uniting, not destroying and creating chaos. Creating an inclusive environment promotes more effective collaboration and inspires new ideas, which in turn improves the quality of work and project results.