https://traykov.cc/notes/ Notes on product design, AI, teams, and visual craft. en Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:35:07 GMT https://traykov.cc/notes/the-confidence-crutch/ https://traykov.cc/notes/the-confidence-crutch/ Sun, 26 Jul 2026 21:00:00 GMT I’ve noticed a phenomenon in design where a lot of lukewarm designers with high levels of confidence, extroversion, and self-promotion end up landing jobs with higher titles than people who are materially better at the work but lack those skills. https://traykov.cc/notes/whats-the-actual-point-of-titles/ https://traykov.cc/notes/whats-the-actual-point-of-titles/ Sat, 25 Jul 2026 21:00:00 GMT Senior design titles cover such a broad range of skill, responsibility, and impact that the label often stops meaning much outside one company. https://traykov.cc/notes/prompting-is-not-taste/ https://traykov.cc/notes/prompting-is-not-taste/ Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:00:00 GMT The current frontier models feel they deliver a lot of good design work for the untrained eye. https://traykov.cc/notes/what-nobody-tells-you-before-you/ https://traykov.cc/notes/what-nobody-tells-you-before-you/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:43:16 GMT What I had to find out about spec-driven prototyping and how it's redrawing the line between design and engineering. https://traykov.cc/notes/when-ideas-fall-flat-a-designers/ https://traykov.cc/notes/when-ideas-fall-flat-a-designers/ Mon, 04 Nov 2024 12:31:21 GMT Why blank stares, lack of engagement and dull conversations are important for the design journey https://traykov.cc/notes/how-design-rationale/ https://traykov.cc/notes/how-design-rationale/ Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:33:23 GMT Practical tips on developing design rationale to build you long-lasting confidence to articulate and justify your decisions. https://traykov.cc/notes/what-and-why-design-rationale/ https://traykov.cc/notes/what-and-why-design-rationale/ Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:53:28 GMT Building trust by clearly explaining decisions with facts and solid reasoning https://traykov.cc/notes/the-mindset-shift-of-a-manager/ https://traykov.cc/notes/the-mindset-shift-of-a-manager/ Thu, 17 Oct 2024 14:40:04 GMT Management: the authority to give others more authority https://traykov.cc/notes/5-signs-its-time-to-get-promoted/ https://traykov.cc/notes/5-signs-its-time-to-get-promoted/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 12:30:58 GMT Titles don't matter, but promotions do. Is it time to ask for yours? https://traykov.cc/notes/a-letter-against-ux-jargon/ https://traykov.cc/notes/a-letter-against-ux-jargon/ Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:30:28 GMT How I made a full-circle back to the simple, effective communication. https://traykov.cc/notes/introspection-compassion-correction/ https://traykov.cc/notes/introspection-compassion-correction/ Wed, 19 Jun 2024 12:31:28 GMT A mental toolset that allowed my sustainable growth https://traykov.cc/notes/practical-implementation-of-assertiveness/ https://traykov.cc/notes/practical-implementation-of-assertiveness/ Tue, 11 Jun 2024 12:31:01 GMT Get your voice heard through clarity and respectful communication. https://traykov.cc/notes/step-by-step-guide-to-developing/ https://traykov.cc/notes/step-by-step-guide-to-developing/ Tue, 04 Jun 2024 13:02:51 GMT My practical roadmap to safer and more successful design interviews https://traykov.cc/notes/creating-safe-design-interviews/ https://traykov.cc/notes/creating-safe-design-interviews/ Tue, 28 May 2024 13:31:18 GMT Kind, safe interviewing processes as an antidote to poor hiring practices https://traykov.cc/notes/maximizing-your-design-impact-with/ https://traykov.cc/notes/maximizing-your-design-impact-with/ Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:02:24 GMT Unlocking Design Potential: How ChatGPT Elevates Our Creativity and Efficiency https://traykov.cc/notes/on-receiving-my-blue-belt/ https://traykov.cc/notes/on-receiving-my-blue-belt/ Sat, 29 Jul 2023 21:00:00 GMT After over two years of hard work, I was promoted to blue belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu—the most difficult and brutally honest combat sport I’ve done. https://traykov.cc/notes/the-human-element-in-remote-teams/ https://traykov.cc/notes/the-human-element-in-remote-teams/ Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:00:33 GMT How to manage disconnectedness at work? https://traykov.cc/notes/dealing-with-unexpectedness/ https://traykov.cc/notes/dealing-with-unexpectedness/ Mon, 23 Aug 2021 13:00:49 GMT On impermanence, the value of hardship what I'm learning from battling with life's burdens https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-is-back/ https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-is-back/ Tue, 17 Aug 2021 12:00:20 GMT A short story on overcoming hardship, re-discovering passion and introducing consistency https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-overcoming-writers-block-503855/ https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-overcoming-writers-block-503855/ Mon, 05 Apr 2021 13:00:04 GMT Overcoming Writers Block https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-preventing-burnout-and-defining-productive-downtime-483351/ https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-preventing-burnout-and-defining-productive-downtime-483351/ Mon, 29 Mar 2021 13:00:03 GMT How I Burned Out https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-in-case-you-missed-483360/ https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-in-case-you-missed-483360/ Wed, 24 Mar 2021 14:00:04 GMT Hey there, friend. https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-issue-3-on-burnout-462532/ https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-issue-3-on-burnout-462532/ Mon, 22 Mar 2021 14:00:02 GMT Hello friend, happy to see you here once again! Last week we dove into the topic of overly-productive culture and it’s lasting effects on us. In this week’s issue, we will continue our… https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-issue-2-productivity-above-all-443244/ https://traykov.cc/notes/refracted-issue-2-productivity-above-all-443244/ Mon, 15 Mar 2021 14:00:06 GMT In this piece, I’m giving my take on the productivity boom in the field of tech. I focus on the expectations of consuming and generating content for others and the consequences of… https://traykov.cc/notes/2019-year-in-review/ https://traykov.cc/notes/2019-year-in-review/ Fri, 03 Jan 2020 22:00:00 GMT 2019 was probably the most eventful year I've had. It was so densely packed with stuff happening around me, that at the end of it it feels that I can't even recall most of them. Luckily, this year I was almost consistent with writing my personal journal, and that helped me extract a lot of these forgotten memories out of my hazy mind. https://traykov.cc/notes/il-mio-viaggio-nella-lingua-italiana/ https://traykov.cc/notes/il-mio-viaggio-nella-lingua-italiana/ Thu, 12 Dec 2019 22:00:00 GMT La lingua italiana ha un posto speciale in mio cuore. È così che è iniziato il mio viaggio nella lingua italiana. https://traykov.cc/notes/radio-check/ https://traykov.cc/notes/radio-check/ Wed, 24 Jul 2019 21:00:00 GMT How checking in with your Inner Voice is almost the same as communicating through a two-way radio https://traykov.cc/notes/taking-my-time-back/ https://traykov.cc/notes/taking-my-time-back/ Sun, 28 Apr 2019 21:00:00 GMT Our phones are cool. The tiny pocket computer resting on my hip contains just about all the knowledge of humanity—and keeps asking for my time. https://traykov.cc/notes/letter-for-amsterdam/ https://traykov.cc/notes/letter-for-amsterdam/ Fri, 01 Mar 2019 22:00:00 GMT The gorgeous sight of Amsterdam’s Central Station, standing on its own island and softly encircled by the freezing waters of the North Sea. https://traykov.cc/notes/vicious-unforgiving-circle/ https://traykov.cc/notes/vicious-unforgiving-circle/ Wed, 27 Feb 2019 22:00:00 GMT Comparison bias, insecurity, ego, and envy. How the mixture of those traits is slowly ruining our lives and how can we fight against that.