Vova Safonov — Design management expert

Eugene Plokhoj

Head of Product @ Readdle

I had the pleasure of working with Vova on two major projects, Documents and PDF Expert, both under the Readdle umbrella. Vova’s approach to design is truly something special. He doesn’t just scratch the surface; he dives deep into the details to really understand the core of a problem before crafting a solution. It’s this meticulous attention to detail that sets him apart. What’s more, Vova brings a holistic and strategic perspective to his work. He understands that designing a specific feature isn’t done in a vacuum. Vova prepares designs and teams for future scaling, developing comprehensive design libraries and working closely with all functions—development, product, marketing, quality assurance, and customer support. This ensures a seamless integration of designs into the larger business process. Collaborating with Vova was a fantastic experience. His insights were instrumental in elevating Documents by Readdle to new heights. If you’re looking for a consultant who’s not just a creator but a thoughtful partner in your project’s success, Vova comes highly recommended.

Eugene Plokhoj

Head of Product @ Readdle

I had the pleasure of working with Vova on two major projects, Documents and PDF Expert, both under the Readdle umbrella. Vova’s approach to design is truly something special. He doesn’t just scratch the surface; he dives deep into the details to really understand the core of a problem before crafting a solution. It’s this meticulous attention to detail that sets him apart. What’s more, Vova brings a holistic and strategic perspective to his work. He understands that designing a specific feature isn’t done in a vacuum. Vova prepares designs and teams for future scaling, developing comprehensive design libraries and working closely with all functions—development, product, marketing, quality assurance, and customer support. This ensures a seamless integration of designs into the larger business process. Collaborating with Vova was a fantastic experience. His insights were instrumental in elevating Documents by Readdle to new heights. If you’re looking for a consultant who’s not just a creator but a thoughtful partner in your project’s success, Vova comes highly recommended.

Artem Semeynov

Head of Digital Departament @ Bank Pivdenny

I had the opportunity to collaborate with Vova when I faced the challenging task of replacing our bank’s old mobile app, which was the main cause of customer dissatisfaction and a low NPS score. Due to technical issues, poor UI/UX, and frequent bugs, customers were closing their accounts and leaving negative reviews. Thanks to Vova’s consultations, I was able to avoid many mistakes and clearly define the vision for the new app, the contents of the MVP, and the target audience. We focused all our efforts on addressing their needs during the app’s development. Vova’s advice helped our team quickly understand what truly mattered to our target audience and how the team could work effectively on implementing the product. His recommendations on building the team, managing it, and the development process were particularly valuable. Thanks to Vova, we didn’t waste time on unnecessary features and concentrated on what really matters to users. As a result, our new app became a key tool in meeting the daily needs of our customers, we significantly raised the NPS score (which is now at 80%), and we have high ratings on AppStore/PlayMarket (4.8). As Head of Product, I highly value our experience working with Vova and recommend him as a highly qualified specialist who can not only help shape the vision of the product but also build an effective team and management process, including motivation.

Artem Semeynov

Head of Digital Departament @ Bank Pivdenny

I had the opportunity to collaborate with Vova when I faced the challenging task of replacing our bank’s old mobile app, which was the main cause of customer dissatisfaction and a low NPS score. Due to technical issues, poor UI/UX, and frequent bugs, customers were closing their accounts and leaving negative reviews. Thanks to Vova’s consultations, I was able to avoid many mistakes and clearly define the vision for the new app, the contents of the MVP, and the target audience. We focused all our efforts on addressing their needs during the app’s development. Vova’s advice helped our team quickly understand what truly mattered to our target audience and how the team could work effectively on implementing the product. His recommendations on building the team, managing it, and the development process were particularly valuable. Thanks to Vova, we didn’t waste time on unnecessary features and concentrated on what really matters to users. As a result, our new app became a key tool in meeting the daily needs of our customers, we significantly raised the NPS score (which is now at 80%), and we have high ratings on AppStore/PlayMarket (4.8). As Head of Product, I highly value our experience working with Vova and recommend him as a highly qualified specialist who can not only help shape the vision of the product but also build an effective team and management process, including motivation.

Darya Sobal

Head of Product Design @ PandaDoc

I'd like to share my angle on Vova's leadership and how it impacted my role as a Design Manager at PandaDoc! Vova is full of superpowers, I’ll share 3 that speak to my soul: 1. Clear the fog of war. Many times, when I am faced with huge projects that seem unsolvable, Vova has a unique talent for breaking them down into manageable, clear steps. He offers support and guidance, helping me take that first step and gain a deeper understanding of the challenge.  2. Have a heart of empathy. Vova cares! That's why he builds trust with others in seconds. Vova has a strategy for achieving results, through 1-1s with people. He tells his vision, solves concerns and blockers, and tries to explain why the processes should be arranged the way he sees them. I see how it works and changes people’s vision and it's wonderful.  3. Get a boost of energy. Vova freely shares his wealth of ideas, courses, books, and articles. He consistently initiates open discussions and leads by his example, showing the way forward. Vova consistently acknowledges my achievements in a way that motivates me to do more and better. Under his guidance, I have felt not only valuable but also truly empowered. This helped me grow from the Design Manager to the Head of Design. Vova knows how to gently guide, listen, and hear and be not just an awesome Manager, but also a Friend.

Darya Sobal

Head of Product Design @ PandaDoc

I'd like to share my angle on Vova's leadership and how it impacted my role as a Design Manager at PandaDoc! Vova is full of superpowers, I’ll share 3 that speak to my soul: 1. Clear the fog of war. Many times, when I am faced with huge projects that seem unsolvable, Vova has a unique talent for breaking them down into manageable, clear steps. He offers support and guidance, helping me take that first step and gain a deeper understanding of the challenge.  2. Have a heart of empathy. Vova cares! That's why he builds trust with others in seconds. Vova has a strategy for achieving results, through 1-1s with people. He tells his vision, solves concerns and blockers, and tries to explain why the processes should be arranged the way he sees them. I see how it works and changes people’s vision and it's wonderful.  3. Get a boost of energy. Vova freely shares his wealth of ideas, courses, books, and articles. He consistently initiates open discussions and leads by his example, showing the way forward. Vova consistently acknowledges my achievements in a way that motivates me to do more and better. Under his guidance, I have felt not only valuable but also truly empowered. This helped me grow from the Design Manager to the Head of Design. Vova knows how to gently guide, listen, and hear and be not just an awesome Manager, but also a Friend.

Viktoriia Svinina

Lead UX Designer @ Pilatus Aircraft

Vova created a safe space and helped me settle into my new role as a design manager. It was valuable to challenge the organization of the design team, processes, team interactions, delegation, hiring, and working with stakeholders. Our sessions provided a sense of support and motivation, helped piece together the bigger picture, and gave me a clear work plan.

Viktoriia Svinina

Lead UX Designer @ Pilatus Aircraft

Vova created a safe space and helped me settle into my new role as a design manager. It was valuable to challenge the organization of the design team, processes, team interactions, delegation, hiring, and working with stakeholders. Our sessions provided a sense of support and motivation, helped piece together the bigger picture, and gave me a clear work plan.

Maryna Revutska

Head of Design @ Scalio

Vova is like a walking encyclopedia when it comes to management. Our conversations greatly helped me structure my knowledge and make informed decisions about managing a department. A special thanks for the support, which is so crucial at the start of a managerial career. If you need a solid knowledge base backed by practical advice, this is definitely the place to go.

Maryna Revutska

Head of Design @ Scalio

Vova is like a walking encyclopedia when it comes to management. Our conversations greatly helped me structure my knowledge and make informed decisions about managing a department. A special thanks for the support, which is so crucial at the start of a managerial career. If you need a solid knowledge base backed by practical advice, this is definitely the place to go.

Alla Medvedeva

Head of Design @ Diversido

“I can’t unsee what I’ve come to understand. How do I move forward with this?”—this was one of my questions to Vova during our sessions. I’m amazed at how, during our calls, Vova was able to find the right threads in tangled situations to unravel them, offer help, support, and enable me to make positive changes in my company or even in my career. I am incredibly grateful for this experience!

Alla Medvedeva

Head of Design @ Diversido

“I can’t unsee what I’ve come to understand. How do I move forward with this?”—this was one of my questions to Vova during our sessions. I’m amazed at how, during our calls, Vova was able to find the right threads in tangled situations to unravel them, offer help, support, and enable me to make positive changes in my company or even in my career. I am incredibly grateful for this experience!

Pavlo Goncharenko

Product designer @ P2P validator

After 6 years of working as a product designer, I decided to transition into a managerial role. During the sessions, Vova carefully listened to the situation in my company, and when I thought there was no way out, he developed a perfect and effective plan. After following his recommendations, I noticed that trust in design within the company increased, and the leadership approved the expansion of the design team.

Pavlo Goncharenko

Product designer @ P2P validator

After 6 years of working as a product designer, I decided to transition into a managerial role. During the sessions, Vova carefully listened to the situation in my company, and when I thought there was no way out, he developed a perfect and effective plan. After following his recommendations, I noticed that trust in design within the company increased, and the leadership approved the expansion of the design team.