Hire the Best Product Designers
in South Africa

I help ambitious product brands and startups turn physical product ideas into manufacturable, market-ready products. I’m an industrial designer with 10+ years of experience taking products from concept to production. I've partnered with clients to design best-in-class products that have SOLD MILLIONS OF UNITS and generated over 9 FIGURES IN REVENUE (USD). I specialize in guiding products through the critical stages of development — concept development, engineering, prototyping, and manufacturing preparation — ensuring ideas become real products that can be successfully produced and launched. 🔶EXPERIENCE My approach combines industrial design, engineering, and manufacturing knowledge to develop products that are visually compelling, optimized for manufacturing, and commercially viable. Throughout my career I’ve helped companies move from early concepts and rough prototypes to fully developed, production-ready products. A core focus of my work is balancing: • Visual brand alignment • User experience • Engineering practicality • Manufacturability • Cost-effective production 🔶SERVICES Core services I offer include the following: • Product strategy & roadmap planning • Product development strategy & development guidance • Concept development & ideation • Industrial design • Mechanical design & Engineering • Functional prototyping • CAD development (SolidWorks & Fusion360) • Design for manufacturing (DFM) • Manufacturing preparation & supplier guidance 🔶WHAT I BRING TO THE TABLE Collaborative Development I work closely with founders and product teams to move projects forward efficiently and ensure the final product aligns with the original vision. End-to-End Product Development I help guide the product development process from initial concept through engineering, prototyping, and manufacturing preparation. Manufacturing-Focused Design Products are developed with production in mind from the beginning, reducing risk when transitioning from prototype to manufacturing. Real Product Launch Experience Products I’ve helped develop have sold millions of units globally, generating over 8 figures in revenue (USD). 🔶LET'S BUILD SOMETHING GREAT If you're developing a new physical product and need help turning an idea into a manufacturable, market-ready product, feel free to reach out.

I am a methodical, analytical & hands on designer with a track record of being able to work well as part of a large or small team. I have a strong technical design ability with attention to detail. I'm passionate about exploring innovative ideas and practicing intelligent design and critical thinking by drawing inspiration from simplicity with a "form follows function" approach to design. With more than 15 years professional experience - 4 years Point of Sale, 5 years Safety Apparel, 6 years Product Design, I am ready to branch out as a freelancer. My skills will cover anything the project may require, including but not limited to; Project management, Research, Sketching, Prototyping, 3D modeling, Engineering and Designing for Manufacture.

Creative, meticulous, disciplined Senior UX UI Product Designer. I offer more than pretty visuals: I combine design thinking + product thinking + user centricity and immerse myself in the product and it’s users. I’m passionate about solving problems through considered, thoughtful and intuitive design. And I love what I do. ** What I bring: - 15+ years UX/UI and product design - Solid experience (both in-house and freelance) in B2B Saas, fintech, enterprise and complex platforms - Excellent communication skills, English first language, confident sharing design rationale - Calm, mature and collaborative yet disciplined team player - Clean, minimalist design with clear visual hierarchy - A flexible, creative and problem solving attitude ** My expertise: - User-friendly dashboards and data-visualisation - Design systems and responsive components, auto-layouts and variables - Wireframing, user flows and visual UI design - Web applications, native mobile apps, responsive websites - Conversion-focussed landing pages - Both user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing UX and UI - UX or usability audits, user research, user testing facilitation and analysis ** Where I you'll get the most value from me: - Turning rough or complex requirements into intuitive, user-centred experiences - I enjoy simplifying the complex - Advanced interactive prototyping for user testing, product validation and more realistic demos for stakeholders - User-friendly, visually refined data visualisations that communicate data effectively - Complex and data-heavy workflow based applications and enterprise platforms - Senior-level communication with clients, product leaders, engineers and end users Skills: User research & analysis | Audits & heuristic evaluation | Mockups | User flows | Wireframing | UI design | Interactive prototypes | User testing | Web saas applications | Responsive websites | Native mobile apps | Landing pages | Figma (variables, responsive auto layout, component library and design systems) Tools: Figma | Sketch | Protopie | Adobe Photoshop | Illustrator | Miro | Marvel | Flinto | Zeplin ----- A few comments from past Upwork clients: "Having written a execution engine from ground up, we've learned a great deal of the complex BPMN modeling standard over the past 5 years. We consider Lee-Anne to be exceptional in her grasp of this standard and she contributed to our own understanding in her time working with us. She is a gifted designer, able to distill complex ideas into clear designs. Unlike generative AI, she can produce a consistent well reasoned design across a domain of knowledge. She is a true teacher and trusted guide." "Lee-Anne is a pleasure to work with and provides both high-quality and fast/efficient work product." "Lee-Anne designed our whole app for us, and we loved to work together with her. We needed an expert who brings his/her own ideas to the table and is not afraid to provide critical feedback to our ideas if required - and she delivered. If the chance arises, we will choose Lee-Anne again." "Lee-Anne has a great sense of design, and we really liked her work. She communicates very well, and is delightful to work with. Our project ended early, but we will definitely hire her again when the project re-opens." "Amazing ux/ui designer, skilled, curious and passionate about solving users problems." "Lee-Anne is a very skilful designer, she made sure understood all our requirements and even went beyond doing her own research. The result was a fantastic design: visually and use. Sure we will be working again."

Hi there! I'm a UX/UI Designer & Immersive Motion Designer specializing in crafting digital experiences that feel intuitive, dynamic, and visually alive. By blending thoughtful user experience strategy with immersive motion design, I create interfaces that not only function beautifully but move with purpose — guiding users, telling stories, and deepening brand connection. From app interfaces and product dashboards to cinematic product launches and AR-inspired visuals, my work bridges design and motion to deliver experiences that are modern, cohesive, and emotionally resonant. ✨ What I Can Help You With: • UX/UI Design: Wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity interfaces that balance usability with strong visual hierarchy. • Motion for Interfaces: Animating transitions, interactions, and gestures to create fluid, user-centered motion. • Cinematic Product & Brand Videos: Bringing digital products to life through stylized motion and narrative flow. • AR & Spatial Design: Designing and animating interfaces and experiences that feel immersive and forward-thinking. • Design Systems & Visual Consistency: Establishing scalable systems that unify brand, UI, and motion across all touchpoints. 💡 Why Clients Work With Me: • Hybrid Skillset: A rare blend of UX/UI precision and cinematic motion sensibility. • Experience-Driven Design: Every animation, layout, and interaction is grounded in enhancing usability and emotional impact. • Modern Aesthetic: A clean, refined, and future-forward visual style that fits tech, SaaS, and creative brands. • Collaborative Process: Clear communication, strategic thinking, and design decisions aligned with your product goals. Let’s craft an experience that looks stunning, feels intuitive, and tells your brand’s story in motion. Reach out — I’d love to hear about your project!

Are your ads getting scrolled past? I help brands design visuals that convert—not just look good. I'm a freelance design director turned performance ad creative specialist, focused on high-converting visual assets for B2B and B2C campaigns. My work helps clients: Generate leads through LinkedIn and Meta ads Increase click-through rates on cold traffic campaigns Align brand strategy with campaign performance 🔹 10+ years experience in brand, UI, and visual systems 🔹 Now focused on results-driven design for paid media 🔹 Fluent in strategy, execution, and audience targeting I’ve worked with startups, agencies, and legacy brands—across the UK, UAE, and Europe—to create ad assets that feel bold, clean, and effective. 📩 Ready for your ads to actually perform? Let’s chat.

🔸Freelance Design Consultant + Tech Steward 🔸20+ Design Industry | 10+ Brand Design | 10+ Product Design | 10+ Upwork 🔹Visual Communication Design ~ Branding | Identity | Creative Direction 🔹Product Design ~ Research & Discovery | Ideation | UX/UI Design 🇿🇦🇪🇺 08:00 am - 06:00 pm | Cape Town (CET+1) (UTC+2) DESIGNBUOY 🟠 CREATIVE LIFESAVING Hello, I'm Charl, a creative consultant and product designer at designbuoy an international design and innovation studio with over 20 years of experience in the industry. I have over 10 years of experience in visual communication design (branding, identity, and creative direction) and over 10 years in product design (research & discovery, ideation, and UX/UI design). I've created solutions for design challenges in various sectors, including telematics, gaming, hospitality, proptech, fintech, insurtech, IoT, and telecoms. 🔸🔹 I offer a wide range of consultative services that intersect design, innovation, and business strategy. I am passionate about collaborating with like-minded individuals, start-ups, and leading brands to co-design solutions that add value to customer experience and business outcomes. 🚀 If you're interested in my design services and would like to learn more about how I can help you, I welcome you to reach out and schedule a 30-minute conversation. During this call, we can discuss your design needs and goals, and I'll share more about my skills, experience, and approach to design. This conversation will give us a chance to see if we are a good fit for working together. I look forward to hearing from you.  🔷 SERVICES 🔹Creative Consulting ~ Research & Discovery | Ideation | Creative Direction 🔹Visual Communication Design ~ Branding | Identity & Personality | Brand & Style Guidelines 🔹Product Design ~ Research & Discovery | Ideation | UX/UI Design | Design Systems 🔹Facilitation ~ Agile Workflow | Design Workshops 🔹Solutions ~ B2B | B2C | SaaS | Mobile | Web 🔶 APPROACH 🔸Human-centered Design 🔸Design Thinking 🔸Systems Thinking 🔸Continues Product Research & Discovery 🔸Agile Product Development Methodology 🔸 TECH STEWARDSHIP I launched my Tech Stewardship practice to help contribute to the positive development of technology for the benefit of all. This involves a focus on three core commitments of Tech Stewardship: advancing understanding, deliberate values, and practicing behaviors. 🔸 Tech Stewardship | Applied Ethics | Reflective Practice | Inclusive Innovation | Equity | Diversity and Inclusion | Regenerative Design | Storytelling 🔹 TOOLS Adobe Creative Cloud | Photoshop | Illustrator | Figma | Sketch | InVision | Adobe XD | Confluence | Jira | Asana | Google Docs | Slack | Notion | Maze | Dovetail | Productboard | Generative AI 🔹 DESIGN INTERESTS Design Thinking | Systems Thinking | Branding | Visual Communication | Human-centered Design | Product Design | Service Design | Ethical Design | Sustainable Design | Player Dynamics | Communication Dynamics | Community & Culture | Psychology & Philosophy | Research & Discovery | Facilitation | Education | Storytelling | Generative AI 🔸 VALUES Curiosity | Optimism | Collaboration | Ambiguity | Adaptiveness | Growth | Success & Failure | Listen to Learn | Get Things Done 🔸 PASSIONATE People | Creativity | Design | Innovation | Technology | South Africa 🔸 AVAILABILITY 🇿🇦🇪🇺 Flexible | 08:00 am - 06:00 pm | Cape Town (CET+1) (UTC+2) Palo Alto | Dallas | New York | London | Amsterdam | Berlin | Cape Town | Dubai | Mumbai | Hong Kong | Tokyo | Sydney 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇬🇧🇳🇱🇩🇪🇭🇰🇸🇬🇯🇵🇦🇺