A closer look at what I do, what you can hire me for, and how a project usually starts.
I connect the parts that are usually handled separately.
Most products fail somewhere in the gap between what's built, what's promised, and what people actually experience when they arrive. I work across that whole gap (the product decisions, the brand that explains them, and the website or interface that carries them) so what you build and what you say stay consistent.
I can work on one part of that system or all of it. Either way, the work is grounded in the same four years of practice: designing business‑critical products across health, events, logistics and small‑business tools, for teams that needed decisions that held up in the real world, not just in a deck.
Four ways to work together, each a fixed scope with a fixed fee.
01
Know what to build before you build it.
I research your users, understand the business behind the product, and run workshops with your team to decide what matters most. You leave with a clear direction, before development gets expensive.
02
Design that works on every screen it lives on.
Mobile apps, web platforms, marketing sites, and the design systems that hold them together, designed for the real conditions your users have. Quick builds available for portfolios and personal sites.
03
Something's working. Let's make it better.
For products that are live, or AI-built MVPs that people aren't using the way you hoped. I find where users get stuck, fix the flows that matter most, and test the changes with real people.
04
Product, brand and site, built as one.
For teams who want it all designed together, so what you're building, what you're saying and what people experience all point the same way.
Whether I'm starting from an idea or fixing something live, I work from what people need, what the business needs, and what has to ship. I use AI to move faster, so more of your time goes into understanding people and deciding what matters.
Step 1
Who is this really for, and what gets in their way?
Know the problem before spending money solving it.
I start with the people, the problem and the business behind it. I often begin with a team workshop to align everyone, then review what's already there, talk to users and stakeholders, and use research to understand what's actually getting in the way.
Outputs: Workshops · Research insights · Audits · User journeys · Problem definition
Step 2
What matters most, and what can wait?
Turn what we know into a clear plan.
I turn what I learn into a clear product direction: priorities, structure, flows and the decisions that need to be made before development and design work gets too far ahead.
Outputs: Product direction · Information architecture · User flows · Prototypes
Step 3
Does it work for real people in real conditions?
Make it real, then challenge it.
I design the experience, build the system around it, test the important decisions, and refine what isn't working. The goal is a product people can use and a team can build, not just a polished interface.
Outputs: UI · Design systems · Prototypes · Usability testing
Step 4
Can the team build it and keep it going?
Get it ready for the real world.
I prepare the final experience and system for handoff, launch or the next team. No disappearing after the pretty screens are done.
Outputs: Final designs · Design system · Handoff · Launch support
For tight timelines, I run a one-week UX sprint: we map the key flows, set clear design rules, build alongside your developers with AI, test with real people, and launch. Fast doesn't mean skipping the thinking. It means focusing it on what matters most.
Before we start, here's what to know about working together.
You can, and I use AI too. It helps me move faster. But AI can't sit with your users, notice where they hesitate, or tell you when you're about to build the wrong thing. That's the part I bring, and it's where most products succeed or fail.
Yes. For urgent projects I run a one-week UX sprint: we map the key flows, set clear design rules, build alongside your developers, test with real people, and launch. Fast doesn't mean skipping the thinking. It means focusing it on what matters most.
Yes, and it's some of my favourite work. Whether it's been live for years or it's an MVP your team built quickly, I'll find where people get stuck, fix the flows that matter most, and test the changes with real users.
Always. I've run co-design workshops with community health workers in Kenya and Nigeria and user research across seven countries. But research doesn't have to be big or expensive. On smaller budgets, we can do quick online chats with a few users or gather feedback from people already using your product. Even a handful of real conversations shows what's working, what isn't, and where to focus, so we land on the best solution for your users without overspending.
Yes. Some of my most meaningful work has been in community health and safeguarding, designing for people in low-connectivity, multilingual, high-trust settings. I understand both the mission and the constraints.
Yes. I'm based in Nairobi and work with teams across Africa and beyond, especially those building for African users who want to get it right the first time.
Launching something new, improving what's already live, or not sure where to start? Start with a UX Audit: three days, a fixed fee, and a clear plan for what to prioritise next.
thewambuidesign@gmail.com