Design Diaries with Bex Moores

What if design started with empathy, not wireframes? In this Design Diaries edition, we sit down with Bex Moores, Senior Designer at Preply, who swapped Spotify for a chance to get closer to real learners. From asking “how might the user feel right now?” to experimenting with AI tools, Bex designs experiences that support, inspire, and bring a little joy to the language-learning journey.

1. What’s one question you always ask yourself before starting a new design? Why is it important?

I always like to ask: “How might the user be feeling at this moment?”

At Preply, this is especially important because our learners are emotionally motivated — they’re investing time, money, and energy into something personal: learning a language. That comes with excitement but also nerves, frustration, or even self-doubt. By starting to understand their emotional state, I can design experiences that don’t just solve functional problems but also feel supportive, encouraging, and human. It’s about making sure the product empowers learners and tutors in a way that respects their own personal journey.

2. What made Preply feel like the right “next big move” for you after Spotify?

At Spotify, I worked on projects that were exciting but often felt a bit more granular and less directly connected to the user. I wanted to feel closer to the people I was designing for — to hear their feedback, understand their needs through research, and build features end-to-end that could have a clear, immediate impact. Preply offered exactly that opportunity, which made it feel like the right next big move ✨

3. What’s something you’ve learned recently that made you feel more confident or more experimental in your craft?

Exploring AI design tools like Lovable, has opened up a new way of working for me. They allow me to rapidly prototype and test a wide range of ideas early in the process, which gives me the freedom to be more experimental without over-investing too soon. It’s made me more confident in exploring bold directions and quickly spotting the opportunities worth pursuing further.

4. How do you keep yourself curious and growing when you’ve already worked at world-class companies?

Every company brings a different challenge, and I’ve always chosen to work across industries for that reason. Fashion, finance, music, and now education📚 — each has taught me something new about people and their behaviors. That’s what keeps me curious: learning about real users in different contexts and designing solutions that make their lives easier. The variety helps me grow not just as a designer, but as someone who’s always learning about people.

5. What’s a small detail you’ve designed that most people wouldn’t notice, but you’re secretly proud of?

I’m currently working on a feature that helps tutors and students coordinate lesson times more easily. A common challenge we see is that they’re often in different time zones, which makes scheduling confusing. To solve this, I designed a small but persistent time zone badge that shows tutors the student’s local time during a lesson. It’s a subtle detail, but it removes ambiguity and helps both sides save time and avoid. miscommunication. It’s one of those small touches that can make a big difference in the overall experience.

6. What’s your “happy place” — the spot you go to recharge your creative battery? Why does it matter to you?

My happy place is probably either people-watching in cafes or practicing yoga. When I’m in a cafe, I love observing people’s behaviors — the little rituals, interactions, and patterns that we all share. It’s like real-world user research in its most natural form. Yoga on the other hand grounds me, keeps me centered, and reminds me to stay present 🧘🏼‍♀️. That balance of outward curiosity and inward calm helps me recharge creatively.

7. Name two non-designers who influence how you think or work. What is it about them that inspires you?

One is Mo Gawdat, former Chief Business Officer at Google X. I admire how he speaks about technology with humility and honesty, always emphasizing the responsibility to do the right thing. His perspective inspires me to keep the user at the center of my work and to think about the broader impact of what I design.

The other is Honoré Sharrer, my favourite painter. I love her ability to embrace complexity while infusing her work with humour and joy to build a deeper human connection. I carry that idea into my own design practice — even when solving complex problems, I try to keep things light, intuitive, and a joy to use.

If you’re a product designer seeking a new opportunity, take a look at our open positions here ⭐️. We’re hiring for our design team over the next few months. Whether you’re a stateside designer dreaming of a European adventure or a European designer looking for a cool way to “come home,” we’d love to hear from you! 🤝