At Camunda, we create products that empower customers to tackle some of the world’s most complex business processes. That sounds simple. It’s not!
Behind the scenes, our designers are solving problems that go far beyond visuals. They’re shaping experiences, crafting intuitive interfaces, and ensuring our tools are both powerful and approachable. What sets them apart isn’t just their design skill—it’s how they think.
In this special “Meet a Camundi” series, we’re spotlighting the creative minds behind the platform. You’ll get a window into the challenges they tackle, the design decisions they wrestle with, and the mindsets that make them thrive at Camunda.
If you’re the kind of person who loves solving complex problems with creativity, thinking about the end-to-end user experience, and asking why not just how, then this story is for you. Read on!
Yana Segal
What experiences have shaped your career and led you to where you are today?
I studied visual communication at the Arts and Design Academy. My four years there taught me very strong discipline, critical thinking, and striving for maximal results. While studying, I started freelance work, so once I graduated, I already had my own little business.
As a freelancer, I worked for startups, enterprises, and indie projects, from book design to research apps. I worked on various projects from different industries, and I learned with each new project.
How did you learn about Camunda, and what motivated you to join the team?
After being a freelancer for 12 years, I decided I needed a change and started to search for interesting companies. I stumbled upon the Camunda website and got very curious so I applied. 😊
What’s been one of your most challenging UX problems, and how did you approach it?
Definitely IDP (Intelligent Document Processing)! The challenge was simplifying a complex feature. This process was very dynamic, and we had a rapid learning curve. Many sketches were involved, and there was a lot of back-and-forth and close collaboration. As a result, we had a successful feature with very positive feedback.
How do you balance usability with technical constraints?
My starting point is understanding what we’re trying to solve and why. Balance is achieved by weighing what users need against what can realistically be built, then making informed trade-offs.
What kind of mindset helps designers thrive in a deeply technical product environment?
There are no stupid questions! Designers need to understand the problem before proposing solutions, and the team is there to help us achieve the best result together. So don’t hesitate to ask, stay open to learning, and request stakeholder feedback, especially in the early stages.
What excites you the most outside of your work?
I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but I really do enjoy solving problems—especially when it involves learning something new, understanding the challenge, and finding a way through it. What makes it even more exciting is doing it together with great colleagues. Seeing how others think and approach things differently—that collaborative energy is a big part of what keeps me motivated.
As a fully remote company, Camunda has spent a lot of care creating an intentional remote culture, but “remote culture” can mean a lot of things. What does the remote culture of Camunda mean to you?
Camunda’s remote setup is very convenient for me, and as a Berliner, I have the luxury of visiting the office when ever i feel like i need face to face interaction.
What is a project or idea you’ve worked on at Camunda that you’re particularly proud of?
I would say IDP—but I wrote enough about it 😊
What’s one piece of advice you’d share with someone considering an engineering role at Camunda, especially someone earlier in their career?
I always encourage everyone to share their feedback and thoughts in the appropriate channels rather than keeping them to themselves. There’s always room to improve our product, so instead of getting frustrated, let’s take action.
Can you share something about your personal life that colleagues might not know about you?
I am a huge fan of picturebooks and illustrations, and some years ago I had an Instagram account reviewing and recommending children’s books.
Lightning round:
What’s a developer tool you’ve learned to appreciate?
- GitHub!
Figma hack you can’t live without?
- All the keyboard shortcuts!
What’s your biggest design pet peeve?
- When elements are not aligned, it’s a real struggle 😅
Come build with us
The work we do at Camunda isn’t for everyone, but if this kind of thinking energizes you, you’ll likely feel right at home.
We’re looking for engineers who think in systems, who get excited by hard problems, and who care deeply about building tools that other developers love to use.
Want to work with people like Yana? Explore our open roles.
