Product Designer · 5+ Years
I turn complex ideas into products people love using.
I'm Maria, a product designer used to wearing many hats. I work across SaaS, mobile, and web: design systems, user research, illustrations, animations, you name it. I'm happiest when I get to own the whole problem.
Approach
Thoughtful design that balances user needs, business goals, and technical reality.
01
User advocate first
I start with the person using the product. Every decision is anchored in real needs, validated through research and iteration.
02
End-to-end ownership
From first sketch to shipped feature, I stay involved across the full design lifecycle — strategy, systems, and specs.
03
Feedback as fuel
I treat critique as a resource. Regular check-ins and clear documentation keep teams aligned and momentum high.
Working with AI
Working with AI
I get why everyone's excited, but I also think the risks get glossed over too easily, and I want to be thoughtful about where I bring AI in. I treat it as a tool, more like a capable assistant or a junior teammate than a replacement. It's there to help me move faster and pull things together, not to think for me.
RESEARCH
Pulling sources together
Docs, tickets, chat threads, notes — into one place I can actually work from.
DESIGN
Past the blank canvas
Figma AI when I want something to react to instead of nothing.
DESIGN
Flow audits
Catching missing screens before review does.
COPY
Copy rewrites
From functional to sounds-right. Usually takes a few passes.
WORKFLOW
Automations
Invoices, job pipelines, file organisation — things that used to happen manually.
DOCS
Writing & planning
Notion drafts I'd otherwise procrastinate on.
Selected Work
What It's Like to Work With Me
I bring structure to ambiguity
When scope is unclear and timelines are short, I'm comfortable making a call, documenting the reasoning, and moving forward, adjusting as new information comes in.
I ask questions early
Before I open Figma, I want to understand the user, the constraint, and the goal. It's faster to question the brief than to redesign after launch.
I give honest, kind feedback
I believe good critique makes teams better. I'll tell you what I actually think, and I genuinely want to hear the same in return.
I adapt quickly
Whether it's a new design tool, a different industry, or a language I don't speak yet. I'm used to being the new person in the room and finding my footing fast.
baida.masha@gmail.com