About Me
I’m Bartek Piekarniak✌🏼
A product designer, dad, and curious person working remotely from a quiet corner of Poland.
I enjoy figuring things out, having good conversations, and working with people who care about making things better.
My Journey
I started at Allegro, designing cart and checkout for one of the biggest e-commerce apps in the region. After a couple of years in SaaS and consulting, I spent eight years at OLX, first making payments and delivery feel safe for millions of buyers and sellers, then leading design for OLX Jobs. Today I’m at Atlassian, working on tools that help enterprise admins understand change before it reaches their teams.
Atlassian
Senior Product Designer · 2026–
OLX Jobs
Lead Product Designer · 2023–2026
OLX
Senior Product Designer · 2018–2023
Earlier: Qstream, ASTEK, Allegro
Product Designer · 2011–2017
* Why Design Bakery?
In Polish, my last name closely resembles the word bakery (just add a “k”!), which led to plenty of creative jokes growing up. Interestingly, it doesn’t end there. My grandfather, who shared my last name, was also a local bakery director. So, I decided to carry on the family tradition with Design Bakery as my creative space. Like him, I put a lot of heart into my work, aiming to create something valuable for many people.
How I Like to Work
I care a lot about how people work together. I like honest conversations, thoughtful disagreement, and teams where you can ask a stupid question without worrying about how it sounds.
Some of the best work I've been part of came from people feeling comfortable enough to say, “I don't think this is right,” or “I have no idea yet — let's figure it out.”
My Passion
Some of my most rewarding moments at work have nothing to do with what I designed myself.
They come from those moments when a difficult problem starts to make sense — after a good conversation, a few wrong turns, and maybe a sketch or two. I enjoy getting to that point, even when the final solution isn't something I can call my own.
What I Like to Work On
Interesting problems
I’m drawn to problems that are genuinely useful to solve - especially when the user need is clear, but the right solution isn’t.
Figuring things out
I like working through messy problems with other people - asking questions, challenging assumptions, trying things out, and gradually making sense of them.
Learning from users
I love putting ideas in front of people and seeing what they actually make of them - what makes sense, what doesn’t, and what surprises us.
A Few Words from People I’ve Worked With
Karim Ali
Director of Product
In many situations that I encountered - as well as feedback I collected about Bart from my own PMs and Engineering - I always saw Bart acting as an owner, in almost a fire and forget way, and with minimal guidance, specifically when we were working together on the Company Profile and later on the Job Posting entry points, he was able to demonstrate design ownership, intuition and ambition.
Ana Rodrigues
Junior Product Designer
Bart has many qualities as a lead I can think of. I can highlight a few: He is really supportive as a mentor, willing to guide and respond to questions. He encourages exploration and critical thinking. Has a lot of experience as a designer and can navigate diverse topics with clarity, providing examples or naming best practices. He's a very calm individual and can engage in conversations or challenge ideas in a respectful manner.
Shane Stuart
Design Director
Bart is characterized by his calm demeanor and thoughtful approach, known for being a strong critical thinker who takes the time to consider his strategies. He excels in challenging others in a manner that is both genuine and non-confrontational, fostering a positive and constructive atmosphere within the team. His openness to different perspectives and suggestions is crucial in ensuring a holistic view in the design process.
When I’m offline
Family
Spending time with my family is essential to me. It recharges my energy, offers new perspectives, and helps me grow personally.
Wandering in the woods
My love for nature started early. Growing up near a forest, I was fortunate to have it as my favorite retreat – and it still is today.
Hiking
Mountains give me space and silence to recharge. They allow my thoughts to flow freely, almost beyond time. Every year, my wife and I make it a priority to spend a few days there.
Books
Books have been a lifelong passion. The ability to dive into other worlds in seconds and see life from countless perspectives is an experience few things can match.
