How do you define and describe your position and role in the profession?
Within the company, I introduce myself as a project manager. When working with a client, I say ‘a manager of the project’. I think it’s important for clients to know that their project is my primary focus.
How often do you have to create this sense of uniqueness and focus on a particular project?
Not that often, but there have been projects where the client felt a lack of attention and focus from our side. The project dragged on too long, and we started getting really tired of each other. When things reach a critical point, sometimes I have to explain that the studio has a heavy workload. But I never say, ‘There are many of you, and I am the only one.’
What do you do as a manager to prevent this kind of situation or to handle it at the moment?
The most effective strategy is to break a large task into smaller ones — it’s always harder to tackle something bulky all at once.
Have you noticed anything specific about working with designers while at ESH? Anything you hadn’t encountered in other companies?
Perhaps, sensitivity. I am not sure if it’s heightened, but it’s definitely something to take into account. For example, one of my tasks as a manager is to filter communication between the client and designers, and not relay the client’s feedback word-for-word. I focus on the substance that relates directly to work.
There’s a sense that if a designer is told they’re doing everything wrong, they might stop doing anything at all. You need to be gentler and more careful. Sometimes clients don’t hold back in how they express themselves — in those cases, I have to send cooling-off emails asking them to choose their words more tactfully.
Do you have some kind of a professional philosophy to adhere to?
I think I could put it briefly like this: it is crucial that no one suffers. If a layout is delivered a day late, the world won’t end. I aim to maintain a situation where everyone is calm, safe, and healthy.
Can you describe what kind of project would be unacceptable for you?
I wouldn’t take on a project with clearly unrealistic deadlines. Or one where the client is inconsistent — they approve a decision one day, and the next meeting they say we never discussed it and claim they could never have agreed to it.
In our first or second meeting with a client, we always try to explain how the project will be structured — the stages, tasks, and the kind of involvement expected from them. This is a crucial step that must never be skipped. I’d say it’s just as important as signing the contract.
When a client doesn’t yet know what they want — that’s a work-in-progress situation, where we can help extract the needed info or guide them toward formulating a request. But if they’re constantly changing their mind on the fly and demanding the impossible — that’s a whole different story.
What do you do when you realise you’ve ended up in such situation?
All that’s left is to suggest alternative solutions and look for compromises. It’s not always the best strategy, but sometimes it works like a crutch. For example, you can clarify whether the client really needs the entire requested scope or if it can be broken into parts and delivered gradually. Then you figure out how to get the essential things to the client on time — or look for a compromise in a different dimension.
Where do you draw the line with compromises? What are you absolutely not willing to do?
It’s hard to say, because sometimes compromise is directly tied to the fact that the work has to get done no matter what — otherwise, you face major losses if you metaphorically throw down your glove and walk out. You need to stay pragmatic, even when things are getting absurd.
What’s your role in the partnership setup — what decisions do you make jointly? Do you act as an advisor?
Yes, I help us all understand the studio’s overall workload and determine how many new projects we can take on. I also highlight other aspects — remind people of our checklist, like whether the project is portfolio-worthy or will just sit in a drawer.
Do you have any professional fears?
Sometimes I worry that I never formally studied management — everything I know, I’ve learned through life experience. I don’t have a narrow professional specialization. I feel like I know a little bit of everything, but only a little. I fear that this might not work in the long term.
How would you describe the idea of trust in your colleagues, what does it mean?
It means I can share a problem with them and be confident I’ll get support and help in analyzing it and finding solutions.
It’s also reflected in how our team operates overall — our processes are transparent, there are no blind spots or closed chats. Everyone’s opinion matters.
What do you think is necessary for good teamwork?
Openness and transparency, and also clear boundaries — as contradictory as that might sound. For example, we don’t work on weekends. That rule is only broken by personal choice or in rare emergencies — and that’s only happened a couple of times as far as I can remember.
Where do you draw the line between personal and professional life? Have you ever noticed signs of professional deformation?
Definitely, the lines blur when you work remotely. I mostly work from home, and it’s often hard to track when the workday starts or ends. My daughter, who’s sometimes home too, keeps fighting for my attention and doesn’t fully understand how I can be home and still not be available when she wants.
There’s also the fact that some colleagues are first and foremost friends. That changes how I treat other colleagues, who also start to feel like friends. The weight of responsibility feels heavier when it’s toward friends, and that definitely affects the work process.
I’m not sure whether the lines would blur even more if we were working at the office — I get the feeling no one would ever want to leave.
* * *
This interview is part of the documentary project Insights about the people of the ESH design studio. The interview was conducted by Polina Drozhkova.
More information about the project can be found on the website insights.eshgruppa.com.
