I’m Maria João Abrantes, a Senior Product Designer with 8+ years designing end-to-end experiences across SaaS and B2B platforms, including AI-assisted tools. I combine product strategy, UX research, and high-fidelity UX/UI design to help teams move faster, make better decisions, and improve outcomes for real users—often translating research insights into prototypes and development-ready artifacts. I’ve led design work across multiple markets (NL, UK, US, and EU) and built scalable design systems and token-driven UI frameworks used by thousands of designers and developers. Alongside client and internal projects, I’m also an active mentor (60+ designers since 2021) and a speaker at Figma Layers Portugal 2025, with a strong focus on uniting design and engineering for measurable impact.…

Maria João Abrantes

I’m Maria João Abrantes, a Senior Product Designer with 8+ years designing end-to-end experiences across SaaS and B2B platforms, including AI-assisted tools. I combine product strategy, UX research, and high-fidelity UX/UI design to help teams move faster, make better decisions, and improve outcomes for real users—often translating research insights into prototypes and development-ready artifacts. I’ve led design work across multiple markets (NL, UK, US, and EU) and built scalable design systems and token-driven UI frameworks used by thousands of designers and developers. Alongside client and internal projects, I’m also an active mentor (60+ designers since 2021) and a speaker at Figma Layers Portugal 2025, with a strong focus on uniting design and engineering for measurable impact.…

Available to hire

I’m Maria João Abrantes, a Senior Product Designer with 8+ years designing end-to-end experiences across SaaS and B2B platforms, including AI-assisted tools. I combine product strategy, UX research, and high-fidelity UX/UI design to help teams move faster, make better decisions, and improve outcomes for real users—often translating research insights into prototypes and development-ready artifacts.

I’ve led design work across multiple markets (NL, UK, US, and EU) and built scalable design systems and token-driven UI frameworks used by thousands of designers and developers. Alongside client and internal projects, I’m also an active mentor (60+ designers since 2021) and a speaker at Figma Layers Portugal 2025, with a strong focus on uniting design and engineering for measurable impact.

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Skills

Experience Level

Language

Portuguese
Fluent
English
Fluent
Spanish; Castilian
Advanced
Dutch
Beginner

Work Experience

Senior Product Designer - AI and SaaS (Freelance) at Freelance
November 1, 2025 - Present
Led end-to-end product design for AI-focused SaaS initiatives, including strategy, user research, UX, and rapid React prototype work. Worked on developer audit and iteration loops that reduced frontend development time and streamlined complex drafting/issue identification flows. Provided embedded product design consulting through UX audits, prioritized findings, and development-ready action plans. Designed AI-powered workflows and structured team-wide systems to centralize visibility and reduce manual overhead. Delivered full UX/UI and design system work (including WCAG audit) for a Factory Floor Manager SaaS, optimizing flows for non-technical users.
Senior Product Designer at Constructer AI
November 1, 2025 - Present
Led 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.
Senior Product Designer - AI and SaaS Freelance at Constructer AI
November 1, 2025 - Present
Led 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.
Senior Product Designer - AI and SaaS (Freelance) at Bits&Co
November 1, 2025 - Present
Designed Factory Floor Manager SaaS - full UX/UI, design system, WCAG audit, and product backlog; optimised for 40+ non-tech-savvy manufacturing floor managers
Senior Product Designer - AI and SaaS (Freelance) at Teton AI
November 1, 2025 - Present
Embedded 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 Constructer AI
November 1, 2025 - Present
Led 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
UX UI Mentor at TheStarter
February 1, 2024 - Present
Mentoring students through Beginner and Intermediate UX UI courses, providing technical instruction on projects, career guidance and overall helping them on their UX UI journey.
UX UI Instructor at Workforce Institute Intl
February 1, 2022 - October 10, 2025
Tutoring, guiding and evaluating assignments of 2 classes of beginner UX UI students, while overseeing the course’s syllabus.
Senior UX/UI Designer - Design Systems at OutSystems
November 1, 2021 - January 31, 2026
Built 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
Sr. UX UI Designer (Design Systems) at OutSystems
November 1, 2021 - Present
Leading 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.
Sr. UX UI Designer (Design Systems) at OutSystems
November 1, 2021 - Present
Leading 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
September 1, 2021 - February 1, 2022
Tutoring, guiding and evaluating assignments of 2 classes of beginner UX UI students, while overseeing the course’s syllabus.
Product Designer - OutSystems at OutSystems
January 1, 2021 - November 1, 2021
Internal 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.
Product Designer at OutSystems
January 1, 2021 - November 1, 2021
Leading 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.
Product Designer at Namecheap
September 1, 2020 - October 10, 2025
In 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.
UX/UI Designer at Namecheap / Spaceship
April 1, 2019 - September 1, 2020
Spaceship: delivered end-to-end UX/UI for domain management, renewals, and checkout, handling complex transactional flows at global scale under Scrum. Focused on UX improvements for conversion-critical journeys and clear interaction patterns for account and billing tasks. AutoBackup: designed UX/UI for a data-heavy internal SaaS app, producing table-based and configuration-heavy screens that supported efficient user workflows.
UX/UI Designer at Namecheap & Spaceship (Freelance/Employment)
April 1, 2019 - September 1, 2020
Designed end-to-end UX/UI for domain management, renewals, and checkout with complex transactional flows at global scale under Scrum. Improved usability across critical purchase and configuration steps. Designed a data-heavy internal SaaS experience (AutoBackup) focused on table-based and configuration-heavy UI patterns, ensuring clarity and efficiency for power users.
UX/UI Designer at Namecheap, Spaceship
April 1, 2019 - September 30, 2020
Spaceship: 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
Product Designer at Namecheap
April 1, 2019 - September 1, 2020
In 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
March 1, 2019 - October 10, 2025
Rebranding of the company’s graphic identity, website design and FE+BE development; digital illustration and e-commerce design experience.
Graphic Designer at Fonte Online
September 1, 2017 - March 1, 2019
Rebranding, web design and development (full-stack HTML/CSS/JS/PHP), e-commerce design (Mercadão, Vinha.pt); video, photography, and digital illustration for socials.
Graphic, Web & E-commerce Designer at Fonte Online
September 1, 2017 - March 31, 2019
Rebranding, web design and development (fullstack dev, HTML/CSS/JS/PHP), e-commerce design (Mercadão, Vinha.pt); video, photography and digital illustration for socials
Graphic & Web Designer at Fonte Online
September 1, 2017 - March 1, 2019
Fully in charge of the rebranding of the company’s graphic identity, website design and development (FE+BE). Digital illustration and e-commerce design experience.

Education

VR and 360 Video Production Certification at Google Daydream / Coursera
December 1, 2019 - October 10, 2025
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
October 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020
Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017
Post Graduation in Web Design at Lisbon School of Design
September 1, 2017 - February 1, 2018
Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017
Post Graduation in Web Design at Lisbon School of Design
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
October 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020
Certification in VR and 360 Video Production at Google Daydream / Coursera
December 1, 2019 - January 13, 2026
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2020
Post Graduation in Web Design and Development at Lisbon School of Design
January 1, 2017 - December 31, 2018
Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
January 1, 2014 - December 31, 2017
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
January 1, 2018 - December 31, 2020
Post Graduation in Web Design and Development at Lisbon School of Design
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2018
Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2020
Post Graduation in Web Design and Development at Lisbon School of Design
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2018
Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2020
Post Graduation in Web Design and Development at Lisbon School of Design
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2018
Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI) at ESMAD Porto
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2020
Post Graduation in Web Design and Development at Lisbon School of Design
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2018
Bachelor in Graphic Design at ESAD Porto
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017

Qualifications

Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI)
October 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020
Post Graduation in Web Design
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017
Certification in VR and 360 Video Production
December 1, 2019 - October 10, 2025
Certification in VR and 360 Video Production
December 1, 2019 - January 13, 2026
Master in Interactive Media and Systems (HCI)
October 1, 2018 - November 1, 2020
Post Graduation in Web Design
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017
Bachelor in Graphic Design
September 1, 2014 - June 1, 2017
Speaker - Figma Layers Portugal 2025
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Guest speaker - Designando Podcast (2023)
January 1, 2023 - January 1, 2023
Official selection - Berlin Lift-Off Film Festival (2022)
January 1, 2022 - January 1, 2022

Industry Experience

Software & Internet, Professional Services, Media & Entertainment, Education, Retail, Financial Services, Manufacturing

Skills

Experience Level