Designing Designers
Mentored 300+ designers through 7-month online programs at Yandex
Year:
2022
Highlights
Certified design mentor after completing mentor training program
Mentored 300+ design students across multiple 7-month cohorts
Transitioned from guest university lecturer to certified mentor
Led interactive webinars, live reviews, and 1:1 feedback sessions
Received consistently positive feedback from students
Some students requested transfers into my group
During my time at Yandex Practicum, I mentored over 300 aspiring designers through their 7-month UX/UI learning journey.
Each week I led live webinars, reviewed projects, and offered personal guidance through chats and 1:1 calls. Over time, I developed my own structure for online learning: clear goals, visual examples, interactive exercises, and constant two-way communication.
Students appreciated that clarity and structure - some even asked to transfer from other mentors to my group. It was the best feedback I could get.
Before joining Practicum, I had taught at a university as a guest lecturer, but mentoring felt completely different. It was more personal, more dynamic, and much more about building trust. The key wasn’t in showing the “right” way to design, but in asking the right questions and creating an environment where people weren’t afraid to fail or ask for help.
It became one of the most rewarding parts of my career, but I chose not to continue - even though they asked me to stay. As much as it was fulfilling, it was also draining for an introvert. And I didn’t want to keep repeating the same lessons forever.