Good Design ≠ Universal Design: Five Thoughts from MASHTAB-2026 Speakers
Over 40 speakers, two virtual halls, and 2,630 viewers watched live. At the MASSHTAB online conference by the HSE Art and Design School, speakers discussed how to build a career in creative industries today, why designers need a personal brand, and why beautiful results are not enough. Here are five insights we highlighted.
Good design is never universal.
Designer and founder of the Buttnhand Radical Responsibility Branding Agency, Natalia Kolesnikova, reminded us that the global market is composed of many local markets, each with its own unique characteristics. Therefore, it is vital for a designer to understand the context in which their project will exist.
2. Good work does not speak for itself.
Media entrepreneur and blogger Pavel Osovtsov discussed why a designer needs a personal brand. One of his pieces of advice is to show not only the result, but also the journey to get there—the difficulties, the search for solutions, and the unexpected turns.
3. Design is more than just visual styling.
Using PIMS, Media Basket, and other projects as examples, Anton Ulyanov, founder of the media project «ON THE HUM, ” explained how design impacts various aspects of business—from the product and physical space to the experience the user receives.
4. Constraints — a part of the designer’s work.
Pavel Rekunov, Head of Industrial Design for the Smart Devices with Alice team at Yandex, discussed the importance of considering technology, manufacturing, and human behavior. A designer’s job is to create an object that will be convenient to use for years to come.
A beautiful sketch is not enough.
Elina Bilalova and Ilyas Darakchiev shared that a shoe designer must understand materials, write technical specifications for factories, and be able to work with feedback. They also said that they must love the people for whom they are creating the product.
To be continued
