(Portfolio)
2016 to 2026
Product design, interfaces and design systems
Lisbon, working worldwide
Mara
Mara
Hollis
Hollis
Lisbon
Local time
14:32
WEST
Currently
Shaping a calmer banking app for Tessel
14:32
WEST
Currently
Shaping a calmer banking app for Tessel
Lisbon
Local time
14:32
WEST
Currently
Shaping a calmer banking app for Tessel
Independent product designer helping early-stage teams turn complex ideas into calm, useful software. Twelve years, 46 shipped products, one rule: make it obvious.
Independent product designer helping early-stage teams turn complex ideas into calm, useful software. Twelve years, 46 shipped products, one rule: make it obvious.
(00)
Hello
I work with founders and small product teams from the first sketch to the shipped interface. Fintech, AI tools, health and commerce, always with the same goal: software that feels quiet, clear and a little bit kind.
I work with founders and small product teams from the first sketch to the shipped interface. Fintech, AI tools, health and commerce, always with the same goal: software that feels quiet, clear and a little bit kind.
I work with founders and small product teams from the first sketch to the shipped interface. Fintech, AI tools, health and commerce, always with the same goal: software that feels quiet, clear and a little bit kind.
12
12
12
years of practice
46
46
46
products shipped
9
9
9
countries, all remote
3
3
3
design awards
(01)
Selected work
Work that shipped, and what it changed.
All
6
Product
3
Web
2
Brand
1
(01)
Selected work
Work that shipped, and what it changed.
All
6
Product
3
Web
2
Brand
1
(01)
Selected work
Work that shipped, and what it changed.
All
6
Product
3
Web
2
Brand
1
(02)
Services
Four ways we can work together.
Pick one, or combine them. Every engagement is run by me, with trusted specialists brought in only when the work needs them.
01
Product strategy
Workshops, research and a sharp brief. We decide what to build first, what to leave out and how we will know it worked.
02
Interface design
03
Design systems
04
Prototypes and sites
Timeline
2 to 3 weeks
Starting at
€6,000
Discovery workshop
User interviews
Product brief
Roadmap
01
Product strategy
Workshops, research and a sharp brief. We decide what to build first, what to leave out and how we will know it worked.
02
Interface design
03
Design systems
04
Prototypes and sites
Timeline
2 to 3 weeks
Starting at
€6,000
Discovery workshop
User interviews
Product brief
Roadmap
01
Product strategy
Workshops, research and a sharp brief. We decide what to build first, what to leave out and how we will know it worked.
02
Interface design
03
Design systems
04
Prototypes and sites
Timeline
2 to 3 weeks
Starting at
€6,000
Discovery workshop
User interviews
Product brief
Roadmap
(03)
Process
Seven weeks, no surprises.
A typical interface project, start to finish. You get a shared board, a weekly call and a demo every Friday.
01
01
01
Week 1
Listen
Listen
Listen
Interviews with your team and a handful of customers, a walk through the data and a teardown of what exists today.
Interviews with your team and a handful of customers, a walk through the data and a teardown of what exists today.
Stakeholder interviews
Stakeholder interviews
Product audit
Product audit
Success metrics
Success metrics
Shared project board
Shared project board
02
02
02
Weeks 2 to 3
Shape
Shape
Shape
Flows and rough wireframes, tested early with real people. We cut scope here, while it is still cheap to change our minds.
Flows and rough wireframes, tested early with real people. We cut scope here, while it is still cheap to change our minds.
User flows
User flows
Wireframes
Wireframes
Five user tests
Five user tests
Scope decision
Scope decision
03
03
03
Weeks 3 to 6
Design
Design
Design
High-fidelity screens and a small component library, reviewed with engineering every week so nothing gets lost in handover.
High-fidelity screens and a small component library, reviewed with engineering every week so nothing gets lost in handover.
High-fidelity screens and a small component library, reviewed with engineering every week so nothing gets lost in handover.
Hi-fi screens
Hi-fi screens
Component library
Component library
Prototype
Prototype
Weekly demos
Weekly demos
04
04
04
Week 7
Hand over
Hand over
Hand over
Annotated files, a recorded walkthrough and two weeks of on-call support while your team builds. Then a check-in after launch.
Annotated files, a recorded walkthrough and two weeks of on-call support while your team builds. Then a check-in after launch.
Annotated Figma
Annotated Figma
Video walkthrough
Video walkthrough
Two weeks support
Two weeks support
Launch review
Launch review
2021 to now
Independent designer
Studio of one, for startups and scale-ups
Lisbon
2021 to now
Lisbon
Independent designer
Studio of one, for startups and scale-ups
2018 to 2021
Design lead, Halden Bank
Led a team of six on the retail banking app
Copenhagen
2018 to 2021
Copenhagen
Design lead, Halden Bank
Led a team of six on the retail banking app
2016 to 2018
Senior product designer, Plume
Health tracking for 2M members
Berlin
2016 to 2018
Berlin
Senior product designer, Plume
Health tracking for 2M members
2014 to 2016
Designer, Studio Arca
Brand and web for cultural clients
Porto
2014 to 2016
Porto
Designer, Studio Arca
Brand and web for cultural clients
Teams I have worked with
Tessel
Tessel
Norvane Labs
Norvane Labs
Evenfall
Evenfall
Halden Bank
Halden Bank
Plume
Plume
Oda Ceramics
Oda Ceramics
Fieldwork
Fieldwork
Atlas Arquitetos
Atlas Arquitetos
Studio Arca
Studio Arca
Tessel
Norvane Labs
Evenfall
Halden Bank
Plume
Oda Ceramics
Fieldwork
Atlas Arquitetos
Studio Arca
“
“
Mara made a complicated product feel obvious. She shipped our whole iOS app in nine weeks, and support tickets fell by half in the first month.
jr
Jonas Reyes
Co-founder, Tessel
(05)
Contact
Have a project in mind?
Tell me what you are building and where it hurts. I reply to every email within two working days.
(05)
Contact
Have a project in mind?
Tell me what you are building and where it hurts. I reply to every email within two working days.
(05)
Contact
Have a project in mind?
Tell me what you are building and where it hurts. I reply to every email within two working days.