Available to hire
I’m Maria João Abrantes, a Senior Product Designer with 8+ years across SaaS, B2B platforms, and AI-assisted tools. I blend product strategy, UX research, and high-fidelity design to move ideas from research to prototype, shortening development time and improving user outcomes. I thrive in cross-functional teams across NL, UK, US, and EU markets, and I’m comfortable working fully remote.
I’ve mentored 60+ UX/UI designers across two schools and independently since 2021, and I’ve shared my work as a speaker at Figma Layers Portugal 2025. I enjoy building scalable design systems, conducting usability studies, and turning complex flows into intuitive experiences.
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Language
Portuguese
Fluent
English
Fluent
Spanish; Castilian
Advanced
Dutch
Beginner
Work Experience
UX UI Mentor at TheStarter
February 1, 2024 - PresentMentoring students through Beginner and Intermediate UX UI courses, providing technical instruction on projects, career guidance and overall helping them on their UX UI journey.
Sr. UX UI Designer (Design Systems) at OutSystems
November 1, 2021 - PresentLeading the design work of the new OutSystems Design System and UI Kit directed to serve more than 1k users across the globe. Focusing on mobile and web apps for more than 5 industries, including Banking, Insurance and Retail. In charge of research, design, prototype, documentation, testing and handoff to development.
UX UI Instructor at Workforce Institute Intl
February 1, 2022 - October 10, 2025Tutoring, guiding and evaluating assignments of 2 classes of beginner UX UI students, while overseeing the course’s syllabus.
Product Designer at Namecheap
September 1, 2020 - October 10, 2025In charge of designing one of Namecheap’s latest product (Spaceship) and evolve the user experience. Collaborating mainly with Product, Tech and Marketing teams while designing user flows, prototypes and contributing to the Design System.
Graphic & Web Designer at Fonte Online
March 1, 2019 - October 10, 2025Rebranding of the company’s graphic identity, website design and FE+BE development; digital illustration and e-commerce design experience.
Sr. UX UI Designer (Design Systems) at OutSystems
November 1, 2021 - PresentLeading the design work of the new OutSystems’ Design System and UI Kit directed to serve more than 1k users across the globe. Focusing on mobile and web apps for more than 5 industries, including Banking, Insurance and Retail. In charge of research, design, prototype, documentation, testing and handoff to development.
Product Designer at OutSystems
January 1, 2021 - November 1, 2021Leading the UX processes of the Sample Apps team, conducting user and market research, and translate it into easy-to-use sample apps for our customers. This concluded in the research, design and user testing of internal OutSystems’ Apps for 9 different industries.
UX UI Instructor at Workforce Institute Intl
September 1, 2021 - February 1, 2022Tutoring, guiding and evaluating assignments of 2 classes of beginner UX UI students, while overseeing the course’s syllabus.
Product Designer at Namecheap
April 1, 2019 - September 1, 2020In charge of designing one of Namecheap’s latest product (Spaceship) and evolve the user e xperience. Collaborating mainly with Product, Tech and Marketing teams while designing user flows, prototypes and contributing to the Design System.
Graphic & Web Designer at Fonte Online
September 1, 2017 - March 1, 2019Fully in charge of the rebranding of the company’s graphic identity, website design and development (FE+BE). Digital illustration and e-commerce design experience.
Senior Product Designer - AI and SaaS (Freelance) at Constructer AI
November 1, 2025 - PresentLed end-to-end product design - strategy, user research, UX, and working React prototype in 4 months; developer audit confirmed 35-45% reduction in frontend dev time; 5-hour drafting process reduced to 1 click, 2-day issue identification to 3 clicks
Senior Product Designer - AI and SaaS (Freelance) at Teton AI
November 1, 2025 - PresentEmbedded product design consultant - conducted full UX audits with prioritised findings and development-ready action plans; built AI-powered workflows and structured work systems to reduce manual overhead and centralise team-wide visibility
Senior Product Designer - AI and SaaS (Freelance) at Bits&Co
November 1, 2025 - PresentDesigned Factory Floor Manager SaaS - full UX/UI, design system, WCAG audit, and product backlog; optimised for 40+ non-tech-savvy manufacturing floor managers
Senior UX/UI Designer - Design Systems at OutSystems
November 1, 2021 - January 31, 2026Built Mobile UI Kit from scratch - a new native mobile framework for 8,000+ active designers and developers; achieved ~70% reduction in component detachment, ~40% reduction in dev time for complex components. In parallel, re-architected OutSystems UI (mature web kit) in Figma - updated component structure, variants, and foundations; reduced design-to-production style deviations ~30% using tokens as single source of truth. Led research, usability testing, design critiques, documentation, and cross-team workshops across 5+ industries including Banking, Insurance, and Retail
UX/UI Designer at Namecheap, Spaceship
April 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020Spaceship: end-to-end UX/UI design for domain management, renewals, and checkout - complex transactional flows at global scale under SCRUM. AutoBackup: UX/UI design for a data-heavy internal SaaS app - table-based and configuration-heavy screens
Graphic, Web & E-commerce Designer at Fonte Online
September 1, 2017 - March 31, 2019Rebranding, web design and development (fullstack dev, HTML/CSS/JS/PHP), e-commerce design (Mercadão, Vinha.pt); video, photography and digital illustration for socials
Senior Product Designer - AI and SaaS Freelance at Constructer AI
November 1, 2025 - PresentLed end-to-end product design including strategy, user research, UX, and a working React prototype in 4 months; developer audit confirmed a 35-45% reduction in frontend dev time; 5-hour drafting process reduced to 1 click, and 2-day issue identification reduced to 3 clicks.
Product Designer - OutSystems at OutSystems
January 1, 2021 - November 1, 2021Internal Research App (83% reduction in request time, 7 hours saved) – end-to-end research, UX/UI design, and usability testing; Sample Apps for 9 industries (PoC in under 10 mins, 4/5 usability score); Internal Directory App – design system contributions.
Senior Product Designer at Constructer AI
November 1, 2025 - PresentLed end-to-end product design including strategy, user research, UX, and a working React prototype in 4 months; developer audit confirmed 35-45% reduction in frontend dev time; 5-hour drafting process reduced to 1 click, 2-day issue identification to 3 clicks.
Graphic Designer at Fonte Online
September 1, 2017 - March 1, 2019Rebranding, web design and development (full-stack HTML/CSS/JS/PHP), e-commerce design (Mercadão, Vinha.pt); video, photography, and digital illustration for socials.
Education
VR and 360 Video Production Certification at Google Daydream / Coursera
December 1, 2019 - October 10, 2025Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
October 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017Post Graduation in Web Design at Lisbon School of Design
September 1, 2017 - February 1, 2018Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017Post Graduation in Web Design at Lisbon School of Design
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
October 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020Certification in VR and 360 Video Production at Google Daydream / Coursera
December 1, 2019 - January 13, 2026Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2020Post Graduation in Web Design and Development at Lisbon School of Design
January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2018Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2017Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2020Post Graduation in Web Design and Development at Lisbon School of Design
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2018Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2020Post Graduation in Web Design and Development at Lisbon School of Design
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2018Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017Qualifications
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI)
October 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020Post Graduation in Web Design
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017Certification in VR and 360 Video Production
December 1, 2019 - October 10, 2025Certification in VR and 360 Video Production
December 1, 2019 - January 13, 2026Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI)
October 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020Post Graduation in Web Design
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017Bachelor in Graphic Design
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017Industry Experience
Software & Internet, Professional Services, Media & Entertainment, Education, Retail, Financial Services, Manufacturing
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
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