Arda Arıcan 🇵🇹
👨🏻‍🍳

Arda Arıcan 🇵🇹

Assoc. Design Director in Istanbul, TR, He/him

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2 days ago

Olá! This is Arda. I’m a multidisciplinary Product Designer with over 14 years of experience across diverse creative projects. I focus on crafting platform-agnostic user experiences, managing design teams for the past 4 years, and pushing boundaries in motion and prototyping.

I’m passionate about building intuitive solutions that seamlessly blend creativity and technology, empowering teams to bring ideas to life and enhance user experiences. My days are spent in Figma, mentoring designers, and collaborating on design strategies that make a difference.

Outside of work, I’m a dad, a curious creator, and always up for an adventure – I’m Portuguese and, as a digital nomad, I travel across various European countries, enjoying the exploration of new places and meeting diverse people. ✌️

Contact

LinkedIn
Instagram

Work Experience

2024 — Now
Remote

Lead and manage the design team, fostering growth and ensuring effective communication. Oversee product design requirements, delivering high-quality solutions.

I work on improving the design journeys of leading clients in the aviation and e-commerce sectors.

Kahve Dünyası, Frink, BRIFIC, A101, Vodafone

2019 — 2024
Remote

I led a team of five designers, focusing on innovative solutions for the HoReCa industry, particularly POS systems and management tools.

I organized the design process, oversaw technical developments, and ensured our solutions aligned with client needs for impactful results.

2017 — 2019
London, UK

My main responsibility was designing user flows and experiences through prototypes, using Hi-Fi wireframes to identify the best approaches before development.

I also crafted tailored experiences for the gambling industry to boost user engagement and create a shared environment within the app.

2016 — 2017
Istanbul, TR

I developed web, mobile, and product interfaces for clients like Arçelik, Grundig, and Koç Holding, across various platforms and devices, including unique interfaces like oven screens.

Using SHERPA’s SHERPATH methodology, I contributed to creating innovative, user-centered digital experiences.

2013 — 2015
Bournemouth, UK

As a team, we addressed the design needs of clients in both the UK and Turkey. Rather than focusing on a single domain, we developed products tailored to various materials and platforms based on specific requirements.

We worked on sustainable designs for end users and brand identity across branding, websites, and mobile applications.

Projects

2022

The Venus application is a platform where site administrators, homeowners, and short-term tenants can track all site activities and facilitate on-site communication.

The application allows users to monitor events, request services, and engage in conversations with neighbors.

2019

I worked to Buuk for a project focused on creating a book rental application, where my role involved adapting the website for mobile application use. I worked on various aspects, including UI design, logo animation, and establishing different components and flows for the app.

I managed the application’s development processes, and through prototyping and motion design touches, I improved communication between the design and development teams, making the design and development stages smoother and more cohesive.

2018

BetBull is a social gambling app where users can create live betting slips on football matches, allowing them to socialize in real-time and share their own betting slips. My role was to bring ideas to life before they reached the development stage, transforming concepts into reality.

After designing the interface, I tested the experience through live prototypes to see how the ideas worked in practice, enabling clearer communication with the development team through prototypes.

Additionally, I created various motion projects, such as logo animations and marketing videos.

Side Projects

2023

Tapdaa tasked us with creating an innovative website and QR menu system designed to modernize the dining experience. Tapdaa, a company at the intersection of technology and hospitality, aims to simplify and enhance restaurant interactions through digital solutions.

My role was to make all design decisions and establish the product identity. I crafted a cohesive experience design for the website and product pages, collaborating with Şafak Otur to adapt it effectively in the development process.

2022

We developed a mobile app designed to help users remember where they parked and to easily track the parking duration, location, and cost. The app features a widget that lets users conveniently monitor their parking details, including location, time, and cost, directly on their phone’s home screen.

I led the product concept and design process, collaborating with Erol Kaftanoğlu and the developer team to bring this idea to life.

Speaking

2022
Online

I collaborated with Techcareer.net to conduct two design bootcamp events. This four-week training attracted over 2,000 applicants, with sessions carried out for a selected group of 60 participants.

The primary focus of the training was to explore designer approaches, problem-solving, process management, and design perspectives. Following this, we conducted test case studies based on a sample project.

2022
Istanbul, TR

At a Google Developer Groups Istanbul event, we presented with Orçun Kılıç, discussing ways for designers and developers to improve design approval processes.

We covered the necessary steps to ensure that a design, once completed, can be used effectively by end users and achieve its intended success.

2019
Istanbul, TR

I was a guest speaker at an event organized by -99 Design Studio, held at The Circle Space. We discussed our approaches to design problems across different disciplines, and the event was mostly structured as a Q&A session.

2019
Istanbul, TR

At the Istanbul GDG DevFest events, we presented to designers and developers on how people psychologically approach and emotionally analyze design.

We discussed how understanding these psychological principles helps create more effective user interfaces by aligning with users’ perceptions and emotions.

2019
Istanbul, TR

Together with our design community and the GDG team, we organized an event at Kollektif House. This gathering brought designers and developers together, featuring various speakers on stage.

Both groups had the chance to connect, and at the end of the event, we held an open microphone session where participants discussed common challenges.

Education

2007 — 2012
Istanbul, TR

I completed the Visual Communication Design (VCD) program at Bilgi University. The core curriculum focused on developing foundational approaches across all design fields, providing 101-level experiences in various disciplines.

The best part was gaining proficiency in multiple design areas—such as video, photography, basic software, and animation—rather than specializing in just one field. This program also gave me the chance to receive the same education as many renowned designers.