Lead Product Designer · 10 years
I design complex, data-heavy platforms — specializing in bringing structure to ambiguous problem spaces, building durable foundations, and guiding teams through complexity without losing sight of trust and usability.
These five projects span 2023 to 2026 — a period when AI moved from background noise to the center of enterprise software. Each one reflects a different moment in that shift: a product built before AI was in the room, systems designed to introduce AI without breaking trust, and most recently, products where AI is the core workflow. The design challenge at every stage was the same — figuring out what users were actually ready to trust AI with, and building for that honestly.
Mid 2026 · Phase 1 release Sep 2027 · AI is the product
Using AI as a thinking partner, not a production tool — reframing how users create deals from extracted document data, then influencing the same approach across the entire enterprise.
Early 2026 · Release 2027 · AI in product + process
Digitizing a manual, relationship-dependent order entry workflow for two audiences with opposing needs — without making automation feel like a threat to either side.
2024–early 2025 · AI entering the product for the first time · Project ongoing
Introducing AI-driven automation into a trust-sensitive financial platform without eroding the system it was built on. Multi-phase design leadership across collection, extraction, mapping, and submission.
Mid 2024–2025 · AI-readiness shaped the mandate · Dev implementation ongoing
Rebuilding a fragile, platform-wide calculation engine to support sophisticated analytics — without breaking everything already depending on it.
Early 2023 · Pre-AI integration era
Turning a vague post-merger synergy charter into a user-driven product — while influencing system-level decisions that shaped how future work at iLEVEL could be built.
About
I'm a product designer with 10 years of experience designing complex, data-heavy platforms. I specialize in shaping direction in ambiguous problem spaces, building durable foundations, and guiding teams through complexity without losing sight of trust and usability.
Much of the most important design work happens before a single screen is created — especially when automation and evolving technologies introduce new layers of uncertainty.
Architectural clarity prevents fragility
The structure of a system matters as much as the surface. Good design makes underlying logic legible — to users, engineers, and future decisions.
Constraints are design inputs
Platform limitations, engineering realities, and business constraints aren't obstacles to work around — they shape better systems when taken seriously.
Stated desires must be tested against reality
What users say they want and what creates value for them are often different things. Discovery only ends when assumptions are stress-tested.
Design for change, not just v1
In fast-moving technical environments, durability matters more than completeness. The best systems reduce the blast radius of future decisions.
Open to senior IC and lead roles in product design.
racheltruong.design@gmail.com →