Hola, I’m Nicole

Product Design Lead

I own the end-to-end design of complex, high-stakes platforms, from defining the product and shaping the roadmap to delivering scalable systems.

I work at the intersection of strategy and execution, translating ambiguity into clarity through strong cross-functional partnership.

How I work as a Design Lead

I approach design leadership as shared ownership, not handoff. My role is to create clarity, alignment, and momentum across teams — especially when the problem is complex or still taking shape.

Ownership with accountability

I take responsibility beyond design execution, owning decisions through ambiguity and tradeoffs. I’m comfortable being accountable for outcomes, not just artifacts, and I stay close to problems from definition through delivery.

Collaboration over handoffs

I work in close partnership with Product, Engineering, and leadership from the start. Rather than designing in isolation, I bring teams into the process early to build alignment, expose constraints, and move forward together.

Clarity through process

I use structure and process to reduce ambiguity, not add overhead. Whether defining a roadmap, framing a problem, or preparing work for build, my goal is to make decisions easier and progress more visible for everyone involved.

Selected Work

These projects show what it looks like to lead and own products end-to-end, from early definition through delivery in complex, high-stakes environments.

Featured
Designing a unified financial platform to replace fragmented workflows
Product Strategy, Product Design, Platform Architecture, 0→1 Ownership
Designing a unified financial platform to replace fragmented workflows
Product Strategy, Product Design, Platform Architecture, 0→1 Ownership

Led the strategy, UX, and launch of a new B2B client portal, replacing fragmented internal workflows with a unified, systems-driven platform that reduced manual onboarding and supported real-time financial operations.

Product Strategy, Product Design, Platform Architecture, 0→1 Ownership
Creating a scalable design system to reduce ambiguity and increase velocity
Design Governance, Design Systems, Cross Functional Collaboration, Product Design
Creating a scalable design system to reduce ambiguity and increase velocity
Design Governance, Design Systems, Cross Functional Collaboration, Product Design

Established a modular design system in close partnership with Engineering, creating a shared source of truth that improved consistency, accelerated development, and enabled teams to move faster with confidence.

Design Governance, Design Systems, Cross Functional Collaboration, Product Design
Unifying brand, content, and experience across a fragmented patient journey
Web Design, End-to-End Ownership, Content Strategy, Brand Strategy
Unifying brand, content, and experience across a fragmented patient journey
Web Design, End-to-End Ownership, Content Strategy, Brand Strategy

Led the clinic’s digital transformation by defining a cohesive brand and web experience, aligning content strategy and information architecture to create a clearer, more trustworthy patient experience.

Web Design, End-to-End Ownership, Content Strategy, Brand Strategy

How I lead products

I stay close to products from early definition through delivery and iteration. I focus on guiding teams through complexity by making decisions visible, tradeoffs explicit, and progress tangible over time.

Define

Frame the problem, understand constraints, and shape direction before solutions are explored. I focus on clarifying what matters most so teams are solving the right problem, not just the visible one.

Align

Bring Product, Engineering, and stakeholders into the process early to surface tradeoffs and build shared understanding. Alignment at this stage prevents downstream rework and keeps decisions moving forward.

Design

Translate direction into scalable systems, flows, and experiences. I prioritize decisions that balance user needs, business goals, and technical reality over surface-level polish.

Deliver

Stay involved through implementation, partnering closely with Engineering to ensure design intent holds while adapting to real-world constraints. Delivery is a team effort, not a handoff.

Evolve

Learn from real usage, feedback, and performance to improve the system over time. I view launch as a milestone, not the finish line.

I’m motivated by work that has real stakes and real impact—where thoughtful decisions, collaboration, and care shape what gets built. I’m always interested in opportunities where clarity, trust, and shared ownership matter.

If you’re curious to see how these values show up across different contexts, view my work across other domains:

Explore Background Work