Available to hire
I’m Kenji Wada, a UX/UI Visual Designer and Researcher with over 10 years of experience combining academia and industry, focusing on data visualization, GIS, and front-end development. I turn complex data and socio-technical challenges into clear, user-centered designs that enable informed decision-making and better user experiences.
I enjoy collaborating across disciplines—from researchers and product teams to front-end engineers—through workshops, usability testing, and design systems. Based in Leiden, I work as a freelance UX/UI designer in the Netherlands, with a track record across academia and industry, and I’m authorized to work for any EU employer.
Skills
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Language
English
Fluent
Japanese
Fluent
Chinese
Advanced
Work Experience
Freelance UX/UI Visual Designer & Researcher at Self-employed
March 1, 2024 - PresentConduct design research (surveys, personas, and customer journey mapping) for a Mobility-as-a-Service project in Japan. Design and develop a web application to display congestion data using Svelte and D3. Design and develop a scrollytelling website for a UK-based education company with AngularJS and D3.
UX Designer at De Nederlandsche Bank
February 29, 2024 - July 16, 2025Designed UI for internal and public-facing applications in a Scrum team using iterative cycles. Communicated with stakeholders to understand and manage design project expectations. Updated an internal digital manual applying visual theories including composition and typography. Planned and created reusable UI component libraries (Design Systems) on Figma with other UX designers.
PhD in Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
September 30, 2022 - July 16, 2025Prototyped, designed (UI), and developed (front-end) a data platform and visualization application containing various health-related datasets for expert decision-making. Facilitated workshops, interviews, co-design sessions, and usability testing with stakeholders. Planned and executed design research complying with GDPR. Published and presented scientific papers at international conferences and journals.
Freelance Visual/UX/UI Designer, Front-end Developer, and GIS Analyst at Various
April 30, 2018 - July 16, 2025Maintained, improved, and created about ten real estate websites (front-end) for FOURDIGIT Inc. Renewed website UI and front-end development, conducted web marketing, and created visual reports for a Japanese media company, J weekly. Designed and developed multi-device video streaming services with back-end engineers at Create Entrance B.V. Created GIS data using ArcGIS for San Francisco Department of the Environment and organized GIS maps for a collective design firm.
Visual Journalist (Intern/Contract) at Metropolitan Transportation Commission
May 31, 2015 - July 16, 2025Designed and developed web map applications showing major regional transportation projects collaborating with planners, engineers, and PR officers. Conducted field research on travel behavior in the San Francisco Bay Area. Created a transit diagram promoting public transportation.
Product Development at BE-S Co., Ltd.
July 31, 2011 - July 16, 2025Managed the entire bicycle production process including marketing, design, quality control, importing/exporting, photo shooting, and copywriting.
Export Sales at Icom Inc.
December 31, 2008 - July 16, 2025Communicated in multiple languages with distributors in various countries to perform sales and export activities.
Freelance UX/UI Visual Designer & Researcher at Self-Employed
March 1, 2024 - PresentConducted design research including surveys, personas, and customer journey mapping for a MaaS project in Japan. Designed and developed a web application to display congestion data in Japan using Svelte and D3. Also developed a scrollytelling website for a UK-based education company using AngularJS and D3.
UX Designer at De Nederlandsche Bank
February 29, 2024 - July 16, 2025Designed the UI of internal and public-facing applications in a scrum team through iterative cycles. Communicated with stakeholders to manage expectations on design projects. Updated an internal digital manual considering visual theories such as composition and typography. Planned and created reusable UI component libraries (Design Systems) on Figma with other UX designers.
PhD in Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
September 30, 2022 - July 16, 2025Prototyped, designed (UI) and developed (front-end) a data platform and data visualization application with health datasets used by experts. Facilitated workshops, interviews, co-design sessions, and usability testing. Planned and executed qualitative and quantitative design research compliant with GDPR. Published and presented scientific papers at multiple international conferences and journals.
Freelance Visual/UX/UI Designer, Front-end Developer, and GIS Analyst at Various
April 30, 2018 - July 16, 2025Designed and developed websites and web services adapting to multi-device environments. Maintained and improved real estate websites. Created GIS data and maps for organizations including the San Francisco Department of the Environment and a collective design firm. Provided web marketing and visual reporting for media companies.
Visual Journalist (Intern/Contract) at Metropolitan Transportation Commission
May 31, 2015 - July 16, 2025Designed and developed web map and internal web applications showing transportation projects with multidimensional data. Conducted field research on travel behavior. Created transit diagrams to promote public transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Product Development at BE-S Co., Ltd.
July 31, 2011 - July 16, 2025Managed bicycle production process including marketing, design, quality control, importing/exporting, photo shooting, and copy-writing.
Export Sales at Icom Inc.
December 31, 2008 - July 16, 2025Managed sales and exports communicating in multiple languages with distributors across countries.
Freelance UX/UI Visual Designer & Researcher at Self-employed
March 1, 2024 - PresentConduct design research including surveys, personas, and customer journey mapping for a MaaS project in Japan. Design and develop web applications displaying congestion data in Japan using Svelte and D3. Create scrollytelling websites for UK-based education clients using AngularJS and D3.
UX Designer at De Nederlandsche Bank
February 29, 2024 - July 16, 2025Designed UI for internal and public-facing applications within a scrum team using iterative cycles. Managed stakeholder communication to align expectations on design projects. Updated an internal digital manual applying visual theories such as composition and typography. Planned and created reusable UI component libraries (Design Systems) using Figma alongside other UX designers.
PhD Researcher in Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
September 30, 2022 - July 16, 2025Prototyped, designed UI, and developed front-end of a data platform and visualization application containing health-related datasets for expert decision-making. Facilitated workshops, interviews, co-design sessions, and usability tests. Executed design research complying with GDPR. Published and presented scientific research at multiple conferences and journals.
Freelance Visual/UX/UI Designer, Front-end Developer, and GIS Analyst at Various
April 30, 2018 - July 16, 2025Maintained and created real estate websites (front-end) for FOURDIGIT Inc. in Japan. Renewed websites and conducted web marketing/visual reports for the Japanese media company J weekly in the US and Japan. Designed and developed multi-device-adaptive video streaming services working with back-end engineers at Create Entrance B.V. in the Netherlands. Created GIS data for San Francisco Department of Environment internship and organized GIS data/maps for a US design firm.
Visual Journalist (Intern/Contract) at Metropolitan Transportation Commission
May 31, 2015 - July 16, 2025Designed and developed UI and front-end web map applications showing major transportation projects with multidimensional info. Collaborated with planners, engineers, and PR officers. Developed internal applications to organize GIS data. Conducted field research on travel behavior and created transit diagrams promoting public transportation in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Product Development at BE-S Co., Ltd.
July 31, 2011 - July 16, 2025Managed entire bicycle production process including design, marketing, development, quality control, import/export, photo shooting, and copy-writing.
Export Sales at Icom Inc.
December 31, 2008 - July 16, 2025Communicated in multiple languages with international distributors to perform sales and manage export operations.
UX Designer at De Nederlandsche Bank
February 29, 2024 - October 15, 2025Design the UI of internal and public-facing applications in a scrum team; communicate with stakeholders to understand and manage expectations on design projects; update an internal (digital) manual; plan and create reusable UI component libraries (Design Systems) on Figma with other UX designers.
PhD Candidate / Doctoral Researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology
September 30, 2022 - October 15, 2025Prototype, design (UI) and develop (front-end) a data platform and a data visualization application containing health-related datasets; facilitate workshops, interviews, co-design sessions, and usability testing; plan and execute design research (qualitative and quantitative) complying with GDPR; publish and present scientific papers at international conferences and journals.
Freelance Visual/UX/UI Designer, Front-end Developer, and GIS Analyst at Various
April 30, 2018 - October 15, 2025Maintain, improve, and create about ten real estate websites (front-end); UI design and front-end development for Create Entrance B.V.; GIS data creation using ArcGIS; organize GIS data and create maps for a collective design firm; web marketing and visual reporting for clients.
UI/Front-end Designer at Create Entrance B.V.
April 1, 2018 - October 15, 2025Design (UI) and develop (front-end) services adapting to multi-device in a video streaming site; collaborate with back-end engineers.
GIS Intern at San Francisco Department of the Environment
December 1, 2015 - October 15, 2025Create GIS data using ArcGIS for the department; work on GIS data organization and mapping.
GIS Analyst at lowercaseproductions
December 1, 2015 - October 15, 2025Organize GIS data and create maps for a collective design firm.
Visual Journalist at Metropolitan Transportation Commission
May 31, 2015 - October 15, 2025Design (UI) and front-end development of a web map application showing major transportation projects; conduct field research on travel behavior; create transit diagrams.
Product Development at BE-S Co., Ltd.
July 1, 2011 - October 15, 2025Manage bicycle production process including marketing, design, development, quality control, importing/exporting, photo shooting, and copy-writing.
Export Sales at Icom Inc.
December 31, 2008 - October 15, 2025Communicate in multiple languages with distributors in several countries to perform sales and export.
Education
PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology
May 1, 2018 - September 30, 2022M.A. at San Francisco State University
September 1, 2011 - May 31, 2014B.A. at KANSAI GAIDAI University
April 1, 2004 - July 31, 2007PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology
May 1, 2018 - September 30, 2022M.A. at San Francisco State University
September 1, 2011 - May 31, 2014B.A. at KANSAI GAIDAI University
April 1, 2004 - July 31, 2007PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology
May 1, 2018 - September 30, 2022M.A. at San Francisco State University
September 1, 2011 - May 31, 2014B.A. at KANSAI GAIDAI University
April 1, 2004 - July 31, 2007Master of Arts (M.A.) in Industrial Arts at San Francisco State University
January 1, 2009 - July 1, 2011Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in International Communication (Chinese) at Kansai Gaidai University
April 1, 2004 - July 1, 2007GIS Certificate at Extended Learning program (San Francisco State University)
January 11, 2030 - October 15, 2025Qualifications
GIS Certificate
January 11, 2030 - October 15, 2025Industry Experience
Software & Internet, Education, Government, Transportation & Logistics, Financial Services, Real Estate & Construction, Media & Entertainment, Healthcare, Professional Services
Skills
Experience Level
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Expert
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
Intermediate
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