Our UX/UI designer, Ana, is one of the coolest people you’ll meet

Get to know Ana — the glue that keeps Ars Futura employees together and the one who organises hangouts outside of work. Find out what song is stuck in her head and her best travel recommendations.

Ana and some of the guys from Ars Futura at our last team building event

You are one of the people who have been at Ars Futura the longest! What’s your favourite memory of Ars Futura?

There is one that immediately comes to mind. I’m not sure if it’s my favourite but it’s definitely in the top five.

A few years back, we went on a team-building trip to Kornati, an island in Croatia. Well, we were actually in Zadar but went on a boat trip to Kornati for a day. It was such a calm and peaceful experience.

Kornati is a national park so we were in beautiful nature, without groups of people around us. We even had lunch at this little cottage in the middle of nowhere.

Granted, most of us were a bit… off because we stayed up late the night before. Some phones lost, some long walks home were taken, and some people were woken up in the middle of the night.

Some of my favourite times are from when we were a smaller company too, back when we were in our old office three years ago. Not because of anyone’s memory, because there were 10 or 15 of us so there was a different dynamic.

What’s the coolest project you worked on while you’ve been here?

For me, it’s the project I’ve been working on for the last two years. It’s an app for people who live in big apartment complex buildings in America. It helps them to organise, communicate and meet up if they want. It’s a community app, kind of.

Sometimes when I work on a project for too long, I get this feeling of monotony. I still haven’t got that feeling with this app. We keep doing new things, I keep getting new tasks and roles on the project, which keeps me on my toes.

Right now, I’m the lead on the project and I’m figuring out how to best communicate with the client. So, it’s pretty cool altogether!

If you weren’t a designer, what job would you love to do?

Oh, a project manager, no doubt.

I love design, I love what I do and I still think it’s very interesting. But in a few years, I would love to take on the project manager role. I just feel it’s right.

In the future, Ana would love to try working as a Project Manager.

What do you do outside of work? How do you spend your weekends?

My husband and I love spending time with friends so there’s someone at our apartment every week. Our friends are so comfortable in our place and we love it!

When the weather is nice, we have a barbeque outside. It’s a tradition we try to keep.

At the weekend, we spend at least one of the days hiking. We go with our friends so it’s a mix of socialising and recreation.

Before the pandemic, we used to travel at least two times a year – once to somewhere in Europe, once to somewhere further away. But that’s on hold for now.

My winter hobby is reading. I don’t do it as often as I would like to, but I do read quite a bit.

And in the future, I want to get a city bike and ride around with my husband.

Oh, and a friend just got us a coupon for a sculpting class, so we’ll see how that’ll go.

You’re someone who loves to travel. What was the best trip you went on? And a location you want to visit?

I’ll go anywhere if you ask!

Out of the places I visited, I liked Jordan but I don’t think I would go again. Greece was great and I would love to travel there again. We saw it last year when there weren’t many people around.

I always recommend Cambodia. The people are wonderful and you just feel so special when you visit. Also, a road trip through Ireland and Northern Ireland, especially in the spring!

What are you listening to right now? What song is stuck in your head?

This question hits straight to the heart because I actually miss concerts the most, even the dumbest ones. I would go to a concert by a singer I’ve never even heard of right now, just to be at a concert at all!

I have been listening to a lot of reggaeton recently. I look for reggaeton playlists on Spotify and keep replaying Maluma’s song Tequila.

Generally, The Editors and Harry Styles are my go-to music.

Ana and some of the Ars Futura team, visiting Jordan and just chilling on camels.

Favourite book while you were growing up?

The Alchemist. It’s a classic. Also, Anna Karenina, another classic and one of the first times I read a book with an unhappy ending.

One of the books that stuck with me later in life is the Millennium trilogy. I read it some time ago but it’s still in my head.

Now I read mostly design-related books or psychological and spiritual books, things like that. I would recommend Women Code, especially for women, and 12 Rules for Life which I’m reading now.

What is the best gift you ever got?

Well, I haven’t used it yet, but my husband bought me a time slot for a parachuting session. He bought me the jump from the plane, so to say.

I got a similar gift from Ars Futura for my first work anniversary. They bought me this package that has 40 activities and you can pick between them. For example, you can drive a Ferrari in Italy or go ziplining in Istria.

I love to get experience gifts.

Which little things bring you a whole lot of happiness?

Food! Especially good food! What I regret the most is the fact that I don’t like lamb, and that’s one of the delicacies from where I come from. I try it every time and every time it’s the same reaction: disgust!

And I love it when I make plans to hang out with friends.