My work was divided into two parts: one focused on redesigning the personal account across all platforms, and the other on devising a simple and cost-effective method for feedback collection.

After numerous iterations, coordinating with the development team, and aligning with a common launch timeline, we successfully implemented the first version of the personal account. We created a new account with minimal effort in a very short time, using pre-developed blocks and code.

We added a new block for managing images uploaded from car cameras and developed a user-friendly editor.

Additionally, all uploaded photos, reviews, and map corrections are now accessible on your account page.

A major focus was the complete overhaul of the POI logic on the map—adjusting their number, colors, and graphic metaphors, which were previously excessive and unclear.

I addressed these issues by performing a detailed analysis of the existing rubrics system. I methodically reviewed thousands of rubrics, assigning appropriate glyphs and fallbacks for each group to ensure a common metaphor if new categories appeared or specific ones failed to load.

After two stages of simplification, from the initial 224 glyphs, only 75 remained. These included:

Concurrently, while reducing glyphs, work was also being done on the Indoor layer, introducing 18 new glyphs after extensive research on indoor mapping solutions from neighboring services. However, only 15 of these glyphs were implemented on the map.

The refined selection left only necessary and understandable metaphors: 9 rubrics, 90 POIs. While the system has significantly improved, there’s always room for further enhancement.

Alongside the POI tasks, I worked on organizing search POIs, including their connections to advertising and their appearance during day and night transitions.

Previously, there was no system for exporting data to the map—everything was manually uploaded by designers with each build. A more convenient and upgradable system was essential.

I started by compiling the main file from which all Pins and POIs were uploaded. I organized all glyphs and duplicates by rubrics, aligned them by style and weight, and categorized infrastructure facilities. I broke down Pins and POIs into components for direct export and compiled an extensive color table for maps and the navigator as an additional service.

A significant focus was on the metro system, involving unique subway POIs, Pins, exits, pathways, and lines, with optimizations including automatic linking of metro glyphs and entrance numbering.

The final export phase included unloading items like parking badges, transport events, and other minor map details.

Numerous small tasks aimed to enhance the map included updating various events, background elements, and traffic styles—each important but not overly time-consuming. Here are some examples:

The panoramic layer was topped with an aerial layer that had not been updated for a long time and appeared outdated. I refreshed the glyph myself.

Over two years, we executed two Christmas tree projects. Initially, my team of cartographers and I replaced all park glyphs with Christmas trees during the holidays. Last year, we placed large 3D Christmas trees in city squares.

Throughout my tenure, I designed numerous road signs for the map, considering their display logic along routes.

During the coronavirus pandemic, as part of an assistance project, we displayed queues at locations to help users assess the safety of visiting. I devised the visual representation for this.

To enhance the visibility of traffic patterns on the map, I researched similar services and tested over thirty different color and pattern options. This task is still ongoing.

The first was a service for handling satellite imagery. This service not only looked outdated and inconvenient but had also reached a technological dead end. It was built on an old technical stack, and the layout was in xscript, making maintenance and updates nearly impossible. Concurrently with rewriting the service from scratch, I undertook a complete redesign.

The team of satellite image cartographers was small and deeply attached to their service. They even provided some initial wireframes:

Taking into account the team's desires and the ideas embedded in their wireframes, I deconstructed the service into its basic components. I isolated all buttons, panels, modals, and elements onto a separate page to analyze their functionality.

After several iterations, I began developing a new, convenient, and scalable system. We held weekly meetings to discuss progress and review layouts. I gathered further insights from the team, which informed the final adjustments to my initial design.

We then launched the first version of the revamped service.

Following this release, I continued working closely with developers for several more weeks, providing feedback on their layouts and correcting any inaccuracies.

Yandex Maps sources panoramic images from various studios and photographers worldwide but lacked an efficient interface to manage and process these images. The team previously uploaded all images manually to the map, highlighting the need for a new interface that would allow developers and photographers to streamline the process. Since this project was internal, I couldn't interview external users; instead, I relied on insights from meetings with developers and studios, as well as competitor analysis, to inform the design of more than six approaches.

Once the main scenarios were approved, I designed a comprehensive service system.

After designing the entire system, I started creating screens and overseeing their development.

Having established a loading, communication, and processing service for panoramas, I moved on to the backend, where cartographers validate the panoramas.

There was less work in this part as the service already existed and functioned to some extent. However, it was necessary to overhaul the entire system, update the design, and synchronize these changes with development efforts.

With the product being well-established, they came to us with numerous ideas and partially completed wireframes. We thoroughly analyzed all existing functionality, the competitive market, conducted user interviews, reviewed all available documentation, and crafted the first wireframes for a simplified program.

After multiple iterations and discussions based on our wireframes, we developed a comprehensive prototype encompassing all the new program's functionality.

We created four detailed prototypes for user testing. We conducted 20 sessions with different basic service users, asking them to solve specific problems using our prototypes. The feedback helped us refine the system further.

Once the structure was finalized, I moved on to designing the look and feel, selecting six screens that represented various parts of the program.

After the style was approved, I developed a full design system.

Utilizing this design system, I crafted all the screens. A lengthy development process followed, punctuated by review meetings where I provided feedback and edits on the implemented screens.

Eventually, we launched the first version of the product, which you can now test by downloading it from Medialooks' official website

Six months after completing DirectTake, the Medialooks team approached us to overhaul another critical product of theirs.

The project began with an analysis of the existing program, its users, and market analogs. After mapping out all necessary cases, we started designing wireframes.

We developed simplified prototypes based on these wireframes and tested them with end-users. Following all approvals, and since the visual system from the previous project was fully established, we proceeded to design the product based on it.

This product is more systemic, dealing extensively with analytical data, communication channels, and workflows.

In three editions of 1000 copies, I published my book six years ago

You can find all my comics and books in different places on the Internet. Unfortunately, all this content is in Russian. For example:   📦 My old comix archive   📷 Instagram   📚 Book store

Most of them you can watch on Vimeo or Instagram

Last year I released a short animated film "Horns," which won the Hilltop Film Festival. 📼 You can watch it on Youtube

My journey to discover a unique style for Mapbox landmarks began with extensive research. I analyzed the current SuperPOIs of competitors and combined these insights with illustrations and sketches to better capture the concept.

I presented the team with five different styles we could implement quickly: three hand-drawn styles, one 3D style (which was dismissed), and a pseudo-3D style that, to my surprise, was the most favored.

I revisited the task and conducted another thorough research phase, rethinking the SuperPOI style concept and how they could function.

The second part of my work was showcased in a detailed presentation that broke everything down into small components.

The style I eventually proposed, which I called "universal," was based on the same original graphics drawn in a structured grid style. This style could be transformed into something truly unique with different colors, shapes, backdrops, and cropping.

I demonstrated how this could look on the map. The team was thrilled, and I began the main work phase.

I started by creating a batch of test cities and landmarks for each.

For experimental clarity, I chose three stylistically and architecturally diverse cities: Munich, Paris, and New York. I created a unique style and adhered to it.

Afterwards, I drafted a detailed document describing the style and how each curve and element functions, intended to guide freelance designers.

Unfortunately, the project was paused due to a shift in company priorities and because it was decided that manually drawing all these SuperPOIs, even in a simplified style, was too time-consuming.

Currently, another proposal of mine is being considered: to use our existing 3D models on the map, place them in a semi-sphere, and display them as SuperPOIs to save time and add uniqueness through lighting and volume. This idea is still in process, and my work on this project is on hold.