HELLO, AND WELCOME TO MY PORTFOLIO.!
HELLO, AND WELCOME TO MY PORTFOLIO.!
I’m a UX and Product Designer with a focus on complex systems, clarity-first design, and user-centered strategy. Over the past several years, I’ve worked across industries like climate tech, higher education, and digital configurators — helping organizations translate messy, layered problems into structured, intuitive tools.
Whether leading a long-term platform redesign or jumping into stakeholder workshops, I bring a calm, collaborative approach grounded in curiosity, systems thinking, and real-world impact.
Selected work from 2020–2025 across UX strategy, UI design, and digital product development.
1— Digital Experience for Euroboden’s Munich City Palace
For a luxury property in Munich, I designed a narrative-driven platform that translated architectural quality into an immersive digital experience. I led UX and product design, including an apartment configurator that lets users explore and personalize units. The result: a refined, interactive tool central to the property's sales and branding strategy.
Role: UX & Product Designer | Employed at CDLX, Berlin | Real Estate | Narrative-Driven Platform & Configurator
Project Breakdown
1.Problem
A luxury property in the heart of Munich needed a digital platform to reflect its architectural and cultural significance — and to support high-end buyer engagement. The challenge: translating the story, quality, and exclusivity of the property into an immersive online experience, while providing detailed access to apartment configurations and planning tools.
2. My Role
UX & Product Designer
Led experience design and concept development in close collaboration with developers, branding teams, and the client’s architectural vision.
3. Research & Discovery
Conducted discovery sessions with real estate and branding teams to understand user expectations in the luxury segment.
Researched digital experiences for high-end real estate to define benchmarks and opportunities.
4. Design Process
Developed the UX and UI for a narrative-driven platform, integrating brand storytelling, architectural visuals, and interactive tools.
Designed a digital apartment configurator enabling users to explore units and personalize layout options.
Collaborated directly with development teams to ensure animations and transitions reflected the intended emotional tone.
5. Outcome
A premium digital product that mirrored the exclusivity of the real estate and reinforced Euroboden’s brand value.
Positioned as a central tool in the property's sales and marketing process.
Successfully aligned complex stakeholder inputs into one coherent, elegant user experience.
Methods Used:
Concept Development – Translated architectural vision into a digital concept.
UX/UI Design – Designed interface and experience aligned with luxury real estate expectations.
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration – Worked closely with front-end and back-end teams for seamless execution.
Interactive Product Configuration – Developed tools for users to explore units and customize layouts.
2— Humboldt University; Exploring Excellence Through Questions
I created a digital experience for Humboldt University that invites users to explore academic excellence through questions rather than answers. By designing a non-linear, inquiry-driven navigation model, I translated abstract academic content into an engaging and intuitive platform that reflects the university’s intellectual identity.
Role: Concept & UX Designer | Employed at CDLX, Berlin | Higher Education | Interactive Narrative & Navigation Model
Project Breakdown
1. Problem
To mark its excellence initiative, Humboldt University wanted a digital experience that showcased its academic work — not through linear presentation, but through a dynamic question-based exploration that reflected its intellectual culture.
2. My Role
Concept & UX Designer
Led the conceptual design and experience strategy, focusing on how to bring abstract academic thinking into an engaging web format.
3. Research & Discovery
Worked closely with academic staff to understand content themes, user needs, and communication goals.
Analyzed typical university content formats and identified opportunities to deviate from conventional structures.
4. Design Process
Designed a question-driven navigation model, inviting users to explore content non-linearly and reflectively.
Created a layout and interaction system that prioritized openness, curiosity, and user choice.
Integrated user-generated content to support interactivity and participation.
5. Outcome
Delivered a unique academic platform that mirrors Humboldt’s intellectual identity.
Engaged both internal and external audiences through a narrative structure rooted in inquiry.
Helped reposition the university as both accessible and forward-thinking.
Methods Used:
Exploratory UX Framework – Designed a question-based navigation system to reflect scientific inquiry.
Engagement Design – Encouraged interaction through dynamic, user-contributed content.
Conceptual Thinking – Framed abstract academic material into an intuitive and inviting structure.
3— ISIpedia; Turning Climate Data into Public Insight
As Creative & UX Lead, I designed a public platform that makes peer-reviewed climate research accessible to non-experts. Through co-creation workshops with scientists and stakeholders, I developed a flexible UX framework and an interactive climate report configurator tailored to users ranging from policymakers to informed citizens. The platform was honored with a Silver Award from the German Designer Club for its impact and usability.
Role: Creative & UX Lead | Employed at CDLX, Berlin | Climate Science | Public Platform & Report Configurator
Project Breakdown
1. Problem
Climate impact research is rich in data but inaccessible to the general public and policymakers. The ISIpedia project aimed to bridge this gap by creating an online platform where users — from journalists to policy advisors — could explore up-to-date climate impact data in an understandable, actionable format. The challenge: making expert-level scientific content intuitive and engaging without sacrificing accuracy.
2. My Role
Creative & UX Lead
Owned the concept development, UX strategy, and interaction design. Acted as the primary link between climate scientists, technical teams, and users throughout the design process.
3. Research & Discovery
Workshops with Scientists & Stakeholders: Ran regular co-creation sessions to understand both scientific priorities and public communication challenges.
Audience Definition: Helped the team clarify target personas (non-specialist professionals, decision-makers, informed citizens) and tailor content structure accordingly.
Content Mapping: Collaborated with researchers to translate dense scientific models into modular, narrative-friendly content blocks.
4. Design Process
Interaction Design: Designed an interactive climate report configurator, enabling users to build personalized views of climate impact data based on geography, topic, and time range.
User-Centered Design: Prioritized usability, comprehension, and trust — ensuring non-expert users could navigate complex data sets with confidence.
System Thinking: Developed a flexible UX framework that supported continuous scientific updates and new content over time.
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Bridged the gap between research, design, and development to deliver a product that served both expert and public needs.
5. Outcome
Delivered a public platform that democratizes access to peer-reviewed climate data in a highly usable and educational format.
Recognized with a Silver Award from the German Designer Club (DDC) for excellence in interaction design.
Praised by both researchers and public users for successfully translating academic knowledge into practical, usable tools.
Methods Used:
Concept Development – Translated complex climate data into a user-friendly digital framework.
User-Centered Design – Balanced scientific accuracy with ease of use for non-expert audiences.
UX & Interaction Design – Created intuitive interfaces, including a climate report configurator for personalized exploration.
Collaborative Workshops – Facilitated regular sessions with climate scientists and stakeholders to align on both content and usability goals.
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration – Worked closely with researchers to ensure scientific integrity while enhancing user engagement.
Prototyping & Validation – Iteratively refined the platform based on feedback from domain experts and potential users.
4— Weizenbaum Institute; Structuring Complexity for a Research Platform
I led the UX design for the Weizenbaum Institute’s digital platform, translating a vast network of research, people, and projects into a clear and scalable structure. Through modular architecture and user flow design, I made complex academic content accessible for policymakers, researchers, and the public alike.
Role: UX Designer | Employed at CDLX, Berlin | Public Sector | Multi-Partner Platform for Cultural Research
Project Breakdown
1. Problem
The Weizenbaum Institute needed a platform to present its research, teams, and activities to diverse audiences — including policymakers, academics, and the public. The challenge was to design a scalable, future-proof structure for a large, growing research organization.
2. My Role
UX Architect & Designer
Led UX strategy and design across architecture, content structuring, and interface design — in collaboration with internal and external teams.
3. Research & Discovery
Conducted stakeholder interviews to identify key user groups and navigation priorities.
Audited existing content and user expectations to define IA needs.
4. Design Process
Designed a modular content architecture to allow for organic platform growth.
Created user flows tailored to researchers, press, partners, and citizens — supporting very different information needs.
Defined interaction models and visual hierarchies to guide users through a rich but complex institutional landscape.
5. Outcome
Launched a stable, long-term platform supporting communication, research visibility, and public engagement.
Created a design foundation that can scale as new research, publications, and events are added.
Supported interdisciplinary collaboration by making projects and people more discoverable.
Methods Used:
Information Architecture – Structured large volumes of research and institutional content for clarity.
User Flow Design – Mapped navigation for various audience types (researchers, public, partners).
UX Design – Built a coherent, intuitive platform that supports communication and discovery.
Project Coordination – Managed workflows across disciplines to deliver on both design and strategy goals.
5— Aerflux Configurator; A planning tool for ventilation systems – designed for flexibility
I led the product and UX design of a multi-market configurator tool that helps HVAC planners design compliant ventilation systems with ease. Based on interviews with over 20 users and extensive testing, I developed a modular, user-centered interface that adapts to regional regulations and real-world planning workflows. The tool is now used daily across Ubbink’s sales and technical teams in Europe.
Role: Lead Product & UX/UI Designer | Freelance Consultant | HVAC Industry | Configurable Planning Tool for B2B Partners
Project Breakdown
1.My Role
Lead Product & UX/UI Designer
Led the end-to-end design process across a 3-year project. Collaborated with engineers, internal stakeholders, and sales teams in multiple countries.
2. Research & Discovery
User Interviews: Spoke with 20+ planners, installers, and sales reps in 3 countries to understand workflows, pain points, and terminology.
Market Analysis: Compared planning processes and regulatory differences across regions (Netherlands, Belgium, Germany).
Workflow Mapping: Created detailed service blueprints to reflect real-life usage, revealing that users often started with preferred layouts — not product categories.
3. Design Processes
Information Architecture: Designed from a user flow-first mindset - reducing unnecessary friction in selection and simplifying the onboarding experience.
Prototyping & Testing: Built and iteratively refined high-fidelity prototypes; ran multiple usability testing rounds with real users to validate key flows.
Modular System Design: Created a flexible architecture to adapt to market-specific product data and planning rules, allowing easy scaling across countries.
Stakeholder Alignment: Facilitated frequent feedback sessions across departments (technical, marketing, sales) to keep priorities aligned.
4. Outcome
A configurable web-based tool now used by Ubbink’s internal and external partners for daily planning tasks.
Dramatically reduced need for manual sales support in system sizing and validation.
Positioned to scale across European markets, with strong buy-in from other Ubbink entities.
Project successfully launched into production, following a 3-year development cycle with continuous user-driven iterations.
Methods Used:
User Research – Conducted in-depth interviews with over 20 professionals (installers, planners, sales) across multiple countries to understand real-world workflows and pain points.
User Testing – Ran usability tests during prototyping to validate navigation, terminology, and configuration logic with actual users.
Research-Driven Design – Translated qualitative insights directly into interface structure, product logic, and planning flow.
Market & Regulatory Analysis – Investigated ventilation standards and compliance factors across the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
Stakeholder Collaboration – Worked across departments (technical, product, sales) and Ubbink country teams to align on requirements and feature scope.
User-Centered Design – Prioritized intuitive planning flows and system combinations based on how users actually think and work.
Iterative Development – Designed in sync with a multi-year implementation roadmap, continuously refining based on feedback and technical constraints.
Visit Configurator here:
https://nl.aerflux.ubbink.com/
6— Uni Bielefeld; Redesigning Student Tools for Bielefeld University’s 50th Anniversary
To mark its 50th anniversary, Bielefeld University introduced a refreshed identity, including a comprehensive website redesign. As part of this initiative, I led the user experience design for the Student Organization Dashboard and Study Information Module, key tools for supporting student needs.
Role: Lead UX Designer | Employed at CDLX, Berlin | Higher Education | Dashboard & Study Info Module Redesign
Project Breakdown
1.My Role
Lead UX Designer
Led the redesign of two student-facing digital tools as part of Bielefeld University’s 50th anniversary initiative. Worked alongside the university’s internal digital team and external partners to align design decisions with accessibility standards, institutional goals, and real student workflows.
2. Research & Discovery
Stakeholder Workshops
Held workshops with internal stakeholders and service staff to understand the existing tools, institutional expectations, and known pain points from the student body.Problem Framing
Identified key usability issues: scattered information, unclear task flows, and outdated visual hierarchy that made navigation difficult for students.Content & Process Audit
Mapped out the structure of existing dashboards and study info tools, revealing redundancies and inconsistent content presentation across modules.
3. Design Processes
Information Architecture
Rebuilt the navigation and structure from the ground up — prioritizing clarity, accessibility, and consistency across student tools.Task-Based User Flows
Redesigned key flows (e.g., finding study modules, organizing timetables) to reflect real student behavior and minimize steps.Visual Hierarchy & Layout
Created clear visual systems for structuring dense academic information while ensuring readability across devices.Design System Alignment
Ensured compatibility with the university’s broader design refresh, introducing reusable UI components and typography rules.Collaboration with Dev Team
Worked closely with developers to translate UX logic into feasible frontend solutions and provide implementation guidance.
4. Outcome
Delivered a refreshed, accessible, and user-friendly experience for two of the university’s most critical student-facing tools.
Contributed to the broader launch of the university’s redesigned web ecosystem, enhancing institutional perception and student satisfaction.
The redesign laid a scalable foundation for future improvements and integrations across additional modules.
Methods Used
Stakeholder Collaboration – Facilitated workshops and check-ins to align design with institutional strategy and technical feasibility.
UX Architecture & Flow Design – Reworked complex student journeys into intuitive task flows and structures.
Content Simplification – Clarified information-heavy modules by improving hierarchy, chunking, and interaction models.
Accessibility by Design – Prioritized legibility, color contrast, and clear navigation structures to support accessibility goals.
Design System Integration – Adapted existing design tokens and component rules from the university’s updated brand system.
Contact:
ivana.rubelj [@] gmail.com