Hire the Best Product Designers
in South Africa

I'm a young UX/UI designer with certifications from the University of Michigan, Meta, and Google. I began my career as a freelancer for a SaaS startup. Since then, I have been working as a freelancer professionally, both on my own and on several websites like Freelancer, Braintrust, and now Upwork. I love working for companies all around the world and would love to join your team! • I follow the "empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test, repeat" process • I believe in making good UX and UI affordable • I specialize in all things UX and UI - from start to finish. • Regular communication is the key to success • I bring what YOU want to life

Hello! I’m Mikayla, a Senior UX/UI Designer based in South Africa; focused on building clear, functional, and conversion-driven digital products. I work closely with founders, product teams, and engineers to turn complex ideas into simple, scalable user experiences. I don’t just design screens, I design systems that help products make sense, feel intuitive, and perform better. ✅ Senior UX/UI Designer (Product) ✅ End-to-end SaaS & Digital Product Specialist ✅ UX Strategy ᐧ UI Design ᐧ Design Systems 🎯 Current Focus: SaaS Platforms • Vibe-coding • Conversion-driven Web Experiences - WHAT I BRING TO YOUR PRODUCT AS A UX/UI DESIGNER (PRODUCT): 👩‍💻 UX Strategy & Product thinking: I design with structure first: user flows, journey mapping, information architecture, and experience strategy. My focus is always on reducing friction and improving clarity across the product. I LOVE research. 👩‍💻 UI design for REAL products: Clean, scalable interfaces for SaaS dashboards, mobile apps, and responsive web platforms. Built to be consistent, usable, and easy to extend as products grow. 👩‍💻 Figma Expertise & Design Systems: Advanced Figma workflows including components, auto-layout, variables, and scalable design systems. As a former developer, I create structured files that make developer handoff smooth and reduce back-and-forth. 👩‍💻 Dev-handoff ready design I collaborate closely with developers and provide clear specs, interaction states, and structured Figma files that translate cleanly into code. 📌 SELECTED EXPERIENCE • SaaS Redesigns: Improved usability of complex workflows by simplifying navigation and restructuring core user journeys. • Mobile App UX Overhaul: Streamlined onboarding and key flows to reduce friction and improve task completion. • Web Conversion Improvements: Redesigned landing pages and product flows to improve clarity and user decision-making. • Web & Landing Pages: Website & landing page design Prototypes with Loveable Design with Figma 🧠 HOW I WORK Discovery & Research → understand goals, users, constraints & pain-points. UX Mapping → flows, journeys, structure Wireframes → rapid layout exploration UI Design & Branding → clean, scalable visual system, graphics, custom icons • If possible, this is where I would collaborate with the dev team to ensure the UI is feasible & viable. Prototype → test and refine interactions, use external vibe coding tools if desired Handoff → developer-ready Figma + documentation through HTML or React code documentation. 💡 WHY CLIENTS WORK WITH ME I balance product thinking with strong visual design. My focus is not just making things look good, but making them work better; for users and for the business. If you need a designer who can think, structure, and execute across the full product lifecycle, I can help. Multi-disciplinary designer: I have worn many hats and I'm here to use them to ensure the best possible experience for my clients. "But now Mikayla, why are your rates so low?" - Simple, I live in a third world country when my currency is weaker than anywhere else in the world. Now lets get talking :) [Keywords: Figma Designer, Figma Expert, Figma to Loveable, Figma To Wordpress, Web to Figma, Web Design Expert, SaaS Design, Responsive Web Design, Figma, Figma Prototyping, AI Development, AI Vibe Coding, Design Systems, Web to Figma, App to Figma, Mobile Design, Insurance, Banking, B2B, Product Designer, B2B2C Product Designer, UX Research, UX Design, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, Loveable, Claude, Framer, UX Designer, UI Designer, UX/UI Designer, Interaction design, Landing Page Designer, Mockups, Digital Design]

I help teams design and build engaging and scalable products and experiences. I do this through active collaboration with all stakeholders, balancing business requirements with user goals. To date I've worked with several scaleups to identify and resolve UX problems that were blocking their growth. Three have become bigger players in their markets, and one was acquired by a competitor. Reasons I am a good fit for your project: - native English speaker - 1 hour time zone difference with the UK & Western Europe - 4 hour overlap with the US (East coast) - more than 7 year track record of remote work - more than a decade of UX/UI experience Domain Expertise: Fintech, E-commerce, Edutech, Travel, Enterprise Software Key skills: Interaction Design, Design Systems, UX Analysis, UX Research, UX Strategy, Concept Testing, Prototyping, UX Copywriting, Agile Sprint Support, Design Handover & User Stories, Project Planning & Management I work remotely from Cape Town, South Africa (UTC+2).

I help Etsy sellers, Shopify brands, and eCommerce businesses create products that rank higher, attract buyers, and generate sales. I own and manage two active Etsy shops with more than **490 active listings**, giving me hands-on experience in product research, trend analysis, AI-assisted design, Etsy SEO, listing optimization, mockup creation, and digital product development. I understand what it takes to build products that are not only visually appealing but also commercially successful. I provide complete product development services—from researching profitable niches to creating original artwork, writing SEO-optimized listings, and producing professional mockups ready for Etsy, Printify, Shopify, and other eCommerce platforms. **My Services** • Etsy SEO audits and listing optimization • eRank keyword research and competitor analysis • Print-on-Demand product design (Printify, Printful & Shopify) • AI-generated artwork using Midjourney, ChatGPT, DALL·E, and Canva • Product mockups and lifestyle imagery • Etsy titles, descriptions, attributes, and SEO tags • Digital product creation including planners, journals, workbooks, templates, coloring books, clipart bundles, printable wall art, educational resources, and PNG collections • Product research and niche validation • Branding and marketing graphics Across my Etsy businesses I've created products including: • Apparel and T-shirt graphics • Mugs and drinkware • Tote bags and accessories • Journals and stationery • Blankets and home décor • Wall art and printable décor • Personalized gifts • Clipart bundles and commercial PNGs • Educational resources and coloring books • Digital downloads and Canva templates My process starts with research. I analyze Etsy trends, search demand, competitors, and customer intent before developing products that are original, commercially viable, and optimized for search visibility. Whether you need a complete Etsy listing, AI-generated artwork, high-converting mockups, digital products, or a full SEO strategy for your shop, I can help. If you're looking for someone who understands Etsy, print-on-demand, AI workflows, and digital product development from concept to launch, I'd love to work with you.

I help brands turn identity into a cohesive product language - not just individual products, but ranges where form, materials, and details work together and hold up in production. I'm an Industrial Product Designer with 10+ years experience, including time as Head of Product at Litehouse South Africa, taking products from concept through to manufacture. I work closely with engineers and manufacturers so design decisions hold up in the real world, not just in a render. I can help with: - Product research & concept development - CAD product development - Product rendering and visualization - Product range architecture - Brand-to-product cohesion - CMF strategy (colour, material, finish) - Prototype development & guidance - 3D print design - Manufacture consultant & liaison Categories: lighting, outdoor, consumer products, furniture, startup/Kickstarter products. If you're turning an idea into a real product - or building a range that needs to feel like one family - I'd love to help.

Hi, I'm a product designer experienced in mainly Metal works, 3D printing, a little composites like carbon fiber in my free time and woodwork in my early career. From childhood days have been into computers and hardware, Very computer literate as well learn quickly. 3D printing Solidworks (CSWA), Fusion 360, Keyshot, Adobe Illustrator, Indesign, Photoshop, video editing and a whole host of other programs. Please see my portfolio for examples of work