Valentina Margushina
I am a designer who bridges the gap between physical objects and digital experiences. My goal is to create Invisible Design — solutions where logic feels natural and emotions are subtle.Graphic designer in Cantata: I create packaging designs, advertising posters, and video screens.UX/UI Expert: Over 4 years' experience crafting seamless user experiences for mobile apps. I regularly attend hackathons and workshops to keep up my skills.Studies: Currently deepening my expertise at HSE Art & Design School and Gorbuhov Bureau’s UI program.MY PRINCIPLES
[1] INVISIBLE DESIGNI create interfaces and objects that are so intuitive that people do not notice them — they just use them to solve their tasks without extra effort.[2] ADAPTATION AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE WORLDSI combine digital and physical: I translate interface logic into physical objects (packaging, devices), and make materials tangible through digital simulations.[3] EMPATHY AND ACCESSIBILITYI design by deeply immersing myself in the user’s context, taking into account their real needs and limitations so that my designs are truly useful and accessible for everyone.
HOW I WORK / BEST TEAM PROJECT
DEAF CLUB:
A UNIFIED PLATFORM
FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY
The Deaf Club is a mobile app and web service designed to provide communication, learning and employment opportunities to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals on a unified platform.
My role as a designer involved working in partnership with Ekaterina Titova to conduct research, develop the architecture, create the design system and assemble the prototype.
PROBLEM38% cannot find a sign language interpreter when needed.72% complain about the lack of high‑quality subtitles on videos.90% cannot find adapted online courses to acquire professional skills.
The problem is not a lack of technology, but insufficient adaptation. Deaf people need not just text, but the correct sentence structure (consistent with the logic of sign language) and visual access to emergency assistance.
In the Deaf Club project, the principle of invisible design is revealed through how the interface removes barriers without drawing attention to itself.
For a person with a hearing impairment, the interface is not about aesthetics, but about survival and basic communication.
SOLUTIONEmergency communication: SOS button for a video call to a RSL interpreter from the main screen.Communication: AI speech correction and adapted subtitles in RSL.Development: Online courses in RSL for in‑demand professions.
RESULTFinalist in the DAFES 2025 mobile apps and interface competition.Semifinalist for the «Student Startup» grant.In the MVP test, 40% of users registered for a video call with a translator, confirming their desire to pay for the service.
HOW I WORK / MY FAVORITE PERSONAL PROJECT
TECHNO GIRL — AN EMOTIONAL GAMEPAD
In gamepads, invisible design is not about the absence of an interface, but rather about instantly processing information on a subconscious level when the hands and eyes are working faster than the brain can process it.
TARGET AUDIENCEActive players aged 14-30, anime fans, Japanese culture enthusiasts, and collectors of gadgets. For these people, a controller isn’t just a tool; it’s part of their aesthetics and a means of self-expression.
SOLUTIONEmotional UI + Hidden aesthetics +Anatomical ergonomics
A central OLED screen displaying animated character emotions (8‑bit graphics) and statuses (charge, nickname). The player reads the game state through a visual image, not through vibration.
Decorative gears of the joystick mechanics are hidden inside a transparent polycarbonate casing. They are visible as a detail but do not distract from the game and ergonomics.
The shape of the body, the angles of inclination, and the distance between the elements are calculated on test models (papier‑mâché) to ensure maximum comfort for an adult user’s hand — the controller is not physically noticeable in the hands.
