In this conversation, Erik Padamans shares his perspective on product design shaped by years of experience working with startups, SaaS platforms, and digital products. Speaking in his own words, he reflects on building designs that are not only visually refined, but also measurable, functional, and tied directly to business outcomes.
“If the design looks amazing but the numbers don't move, it means something is off.”
“He perfectly captured the classic gaming aesthetic I was aiming for… responsive, creative, and very easy to work with.”
Why have you decided to step into design field? What inspires you and why?
I always loved creating something meaningful and complex. Systems, usable products. Initially, my hobby was creating simple PC games as a kid. One of my games was even featured on Indiegogo’s front page back in the day, so we needed professional UI/UX and graphics for our title. It was extremely expensive for a kid – I was still in high school back then. Eventually, I came up with a simple “If you want something great, do it yourself.” I started making web page designs, learning conversion optimisation, UX patterns. Started getting my first contracts, even big ones. And decided to study business and marketing while practising the graphics skills in parallel. Eventually, my childhood dream came true. Creating usable, functional products that drive revenue and are used by thousands.
How do you measure the success of your design?
Through business metrics. If the design looks amazing but the numbers don’t move, it means something is off. Great design is more than just visuals. Increase in signups, increase in retention, conversion rate improvements – it all means the design is working, and both the founder and the user are satisfied. Seeing the results of your work gives the most satisfaction. Simple likes on portfolio websites nowadays don’t mean anything – these are flooded with templated design or soulless AI generations.
What is your biggest challenge in design creation process?
It’s definitely about balancing speed and quality. I’m a perfectionist, and designing is not just a job for me – it’s a process I genuinely enjoy. But the reality is, sometimes you need to stop at “very good,” even if your inner self wants to push for that perfection. I once spent an extra day perfecting a checkout flow animation that nobody would consciously notice, but it made the whole experience feel 20% smoother.
What principles do you follow when creating attention grabbing design?
Clarity. If your design can communicate the right message to the right person within the shortest amount of time, you’ve won the game. Every element should earn its place on the screen. “Flashy” design makes a user want to look at it. Good design makes them want to stay.
What in your opinion will be the future of design? Or next big change?
History tends to repeat itself. I think we will eventually return to the classic style, the 2000–2010 era. Core design principles, accents on type, colour, layout. At the moment, we have tons of interesting tools, AI generations, an ability to make complex geometric shapes or advanced effects within seconds. But people forget one simple rule: the best design is the one you don’t notice. We are overcomplicating things that don’t need overcomplication. We don’t need all the icons to look the same. All these complex web animations, particles, glassmorphism – don’t make me think, don’t make me search for that value or general info about what your company is all about. Don’t overcomplicate things.
About the Designer
Erik Padamans is a lead product designer based in Riga, Latvia, with over 14 years of experience working across SaaS, tech, healthcare, and gaming industries.
He specializes in digital product design, UI/UX, and conversion-focused design, helping funded startups transform underperforming products into high-performing, revenue-driven experiences. His work spans mobile apps, dashboards, landing pages, and full product ecosystems.
Erik approaches design as a business tool – combining product thinking, conversion optimization, and visual execution to deliver measurable results. Rather than focusing on aesthetics alone, he works as a creative partner, aligning design decisions with user behavior and business outcomes.
He has contributed to products used by thousands of users and has helped startups scale and raise significant funding through improved product and marketing design.
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