Hello! I’m Ruwanthi (Ru) Somatilaka, a UI/UX designer with an MSc in User Experience and Interaction Design (Distinction). I’m passionate about turning user needs into thoughtful, impactful products through clear design processes and collaborative problem solving. I’ve led diverse projects across web and digital platforms, always focusing on usability, accessibility, and measurable results. I thrive on turning complex ideas into intuitive interfaces and end-to-end user journeys, backed by strong research, prototyping, and hands-on development. My strengths include applying design principles to create tailored solutions, working with cross-functional teams, and improving conversions and engagement through CRO strategies and data-informed iterations. I’m proficient in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Cloud, and front-end technologies, and I enjoy mentoring students and collaborating with researchers to drive thoughtful, user-centered design.

Ruwanthi Somatilaka

Hello! I’m Ruwanthi (Ru) Somatilaka, a UI/UX designer with an MSc in User Experience and Interaction Design (Distinction). I’m passionate about turning user needs into thoughtful, impactful products through clear design processes and collaborative problem solving. I’ve led diverse projects across web and digital platforms, always focusing on usability, accessibility, and measurable results. I thrive on turning complex ideas into intuitive interfaces and end-to-end user journeys, backed by strong research, prototyping, and hands-on development. My strengths include applying design principles to create tailored solutions, working with cross-functional teams, and improving conversions and engagement through CRO strategies and data-informed iterations. I’m proficient in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Cloud, and front-end technologies, and I enjoy mentoring students and collaborating with researchers to drive thoughtful, user-centered design.

Available to hire

Hello! I’m Ruwanthi (Ru) Somatilaka, a UI/UX designer with an MSc in User Experience and Interaction Design (Distinction). I’m passionate about turning user needs into thoughtful, impactful products through clear design processes and collaborative problem solving. I’ve led diverse projects across web and digital platforms, always focusing on usability, accessibility, and measurable results. I thrive on turning complex ideas into intuitive interfaces and end-to-end user journeys, backed by strong research, prototyping, and hands-on development.

My strengths include applying design principles to create tailored solutions, working with cross-functional teams, and improving conversions and engagement through CRO strategies and data-informed iterations. I’m proficient in industry-standard tools such as Figma, Sketch, Adobe Creative Cloud, and front-end technologies, and I enjoy mentoring students and collaborating with researchers to drive thoughtful, user-centered design.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

UIUX Designer and Front end Developer at MLT Digital
April 16, 2024 - August 12, 2025
Associalte Lead Designer at WSO2
June 16, 2016 - September 12, 2022
UI/UX Designer and Front-end Web Developer at MLT Digital, United Kingdom
August 1, 2024 - August 1, 2024
Translated customer needs into end-to-end experiences by creating user stories, personas, journeys, and flows; translated complex ideas into wireframes and interactive prototypes; collaborated with Product Owners, Customer Journey Managers, and Engineers to prioritize requirements; led discovery sessions with Designers, Product Owners, and Engineers; supported UX research and usability testing (interviews, A/B testing) to validate concepts; documented UX requirements for development; implemented CRO strategy based on heuristic evaluation and analytics; revamped end-to-end flows to support multi-account connections and financial habit tracking, increasing conversion by 30% via user behavior analysis with Microsoft Clarity and Google Analytics; contributed to the Recep tIO AI chatbot project managing UX requirements, branding, UI, development, and iterative improvements, achieving a 12% lift in leads.
Module Tutor, HCI and UI/UX Modules at Glasgow Caledonian University
October 1, 2023 - November 18, 2025
Mentored BSc and MSc students in Computing, Digital Design, and UXID; led the Human-Computer Interaction module, delivering lectures and mentoring junior staff; collaborated with university research groups and served as lead designer on a research project; engaged in design interviews, surveys, and workshops; coordinated with UX professionals from BBC, Lloyds Bank, and ScottishPower to enrich student learning experiences.
Associate Lead Web Designer/ Front-end Developer at WSO2
September 1, 2022 - September 1, 2022
Recognised among the top 5% of global performers (2021) based on 360° feedback from cross-functional collaborators; developed responsive websites for internal events across multiple regions (USA, Brazil, UK, Australia) using Bootstrap; provided technical leadership and Agile project management for the WSO2 website; coordinated planning, execution, optimization, and stakeholder communication; contributed 1,000+ responsive email templates and webpages using HTML/CSS and tools like Pardot, Hotjar, and Google Analytics; applied user-centered design principles to large-scale projects and collaborated with product managers, customer managers, sales teams, events teams, graphic designers, and engineers to prioritize product requirements and timelines.
Design Mentor at AD PList, Singapore
February 1, 2023 - November 18, 2025
Design mentoring role, leading design workshops and constructive feedback sessions; supported learning and skill development for mentees within the program.

Education

MSc User Experience and Interaction Design at Glasgow Caledonian University
September 16, 2022 - November 29, 2023
Master of Science in User Experience and Interaction Design (Distinction) at Glasgow Caledonian University
September 1, 2022 - September 1, 2023
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Communication Design at University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
June 1, 2010 - January 1, 2015

Qualifications

Gen AI for UX Designers
June 1, 2025 - November 18, 2025
Usability Testing - Interaction Design Foundation
October 1, 2021 - November 18, 2025
Design Mentor - AD PList
February 1, 2023 - November 18, 2025
Mentor in Research (Top 1% Award)
March 1, 2023 - November 18, 2025

Industry Experience

Software & Internet, Computers & Electronics, Education, Financial Services, Media & Entertainment, Travel & Hospitality, Professional Services, Other