Hey there! My name is Ilayda Turkmen. I was born and raised in Turkey and currently live in Chicago. I’ve lived in many different cultures, with many different people, and in very different situations. Throughout these experiences, I remember being observant and curious, noticing the details in my surroundings and how they are experienced by others. I always knew I wanted to work in design, but it wasn’t clear how until a mentor gave me the book The Design of Everyday Things. I realized I could bring together my design side and observant nature to contribute meaningfully to this field.

To me, design is all about feelings. Everything, from the visuals to how seamless a product is, adds to the user’s feelings after the experience. As Don Norman says, “The best design often goes unnoticed.” I love designing products where everything works seamlessly without the user even noticing.

When I’m not designing, you’ll usually find me spending time with my husband and our cat, running my small photography business, reading, and mentoring youth in my community.