Hi, I’m Yuri! As a product designer, I’ve learned that design isn’t just about making things look good—it’s about bridging gaps, aligning visions, and making sure everyone is on the same page. The biggest challenge? Communication. It’s not just a soft skill; it’s the glue that holds projects together. And sometimes, it’s the missing piece that prevents progress.
I once joined a team that had been struggling with project progress for over a year and a half. The core issue? It wasn’t about skills or effort—it was about communication breakdowns. They couldn’t effectively convince stakeholders, align directions, or move forward because:
1️⃣ Stakeholders didn’t fully understand the project.
2️⃣ They feared the outcome wouldn’t match their expectations.
3️⃣ There was no dedicated communicator to bridge the gap.
Despite everyone wanting the same outcome, technical jargon, unclear messaging, and differing perspectives kept them apart. Stakeholders felt lost, and the team felt frustrated.
To solve this, I immersed myself in their conversations—attending meetings, recording discussions, and analyzing where things were going wrong. I researched similar cases, listened to countless podcasts, and tested different communication strategies. The insight was clear: understanding is more important than explaining.
So, I focused on reducing the communication gap by:
✅ Actively listening—using open gestures to show I was engaged and that no idea was “wrong.”
✅ Speaking in simple, relatable terms—avoiding complex industry language and using common examples.
✅ Aligning expectations visually—ensuring everyone could see the progress in a way that made sense to them.
The result? The project finally moved forward after being stuck for 17 months. The team and stakeholders started speaking the same language—literally and figuratively. And I walked away with one of the most important lessons of my career: design is not just about execution; it’s about communication.