Portfolio — Dubai, UAE
Akhil Kumar
Lead Product Designer · UI/UX & CX · Design Systems
Lead Product Designer shaping AI-driven, user-centered experiences end to end — from research and design systems to production React, Next.js, and React Native. Six years at Danube Home driving e-commerce, OMS, and mobile platforms, turning UX and CX decisions into measurable business growth, with prior work across marketplaces, healthcare apps, and CMS builds.
- AI-Driven Experiences
- Design Systems
- React · Next.js · React Native
- E-commerce · Banking · FinTech · Healthcare · Marketplace · Dashboard · Design Systems
- Business Growth
- +
- years across design & front-end
- companies, UAE & India
- shipped product platforms
UI/UX → Code
About
I design AI-driven digital products and customer experiences that don't just look good — they perform.
With 16+ years as a UI/UX & CX lead designer and front-end developer, I build scalable, conversion-focused products across e-commerce, mobile apps, and complex web platforms — turning business goals, customer expectations, and user needs into intuitive, AI-enabled experiences that drive measurable results.
What sets me apart is bridging UX, CX, AI, and engineering. I don't just design interfaces — I create seamless end-to-end customer journeys and make sure they're practical, scalable, and built efficiently. Combining AI-powered design workflows with hands-on front-end work closes the design-to-development gap, accelerates delivery, and keeps experiences consistent across every touchpoint.
What I deliver
- Higher conversion, engagement, and customer satisfaction through UX, CX, and AI-driven design
- Simplified workflows for complex, data-rich systems
- Scalable design systems that improve consistency, usability, and delivery speed
- AI-assisted design and rapid prototyping that accelerate product development
- Strong alignment between product strategy, customer experience, and business goals
Core Expertise
Design & Strategy
Build
Selected work
Design Process
How I work
A repeatable, outcome-focused process that connects business goals, customer needs, and engineering reality — from first research to shipped product.
- 01
Research & Discovery
Start with the business goal and the user. Stakeholder interviews, competitive teardown, analytics, and AI-assisted synthesis to find where the real friction is.
- 02
Define & Map
Turn findings into clarity — personas, jobs-to-be-done, and end-to-end customer journeys that align product, CX, and engineering on what to build and why.
- 03
Design & Systemize
Wireframes to high-fidelity flows in Figma, built on a scalable design system so patterns stay consistent, accessible, and fast to ship across web and mobile.
- 04
Prototype & Validate
Interactive prototypes and usability testing to de-risk decisions early. AI-powered ideation to explore more directions in less time.
- 05
Build & Handoff
Hands-on front-end in React, Next.js, and React Native — I bridge design and code, so quality holds from concept through production with a clean handoff.
Experience
Danube Home
Sep 2020 — PresentUI/UX & CX Lead Designer · Product Designer · Front-End Developer
Largest furniture and home-improvement brand in the Middle East.
United Arab Emirates · On-site
- Led end-to-end UI/UX & CX for e-commerce and mobile apps — AI-driven, user-centered experiences that lifted engagement, conversion, and satisfaction
- Designed scalable, AI-enabled design systems for consistent, accessible experiences across web and mobile
- Ran UX research, journey mapping, usability testing, and data analysis — with AI tools — to surface pain points and optimize journeys
- Redesigned critical journeys like onboarding and checkout, reducing drop-offs and increasing conversion through data-driven UX
- Partnered with product, engineering, and cross-functional teams to ship responsive, customer-centric products aligned to business goals
- Bridged design and development hands-on in React, Next.js, and React Native, using AI-assisted workflows to speed prototyping and handoff
Organic & Real.com
Aug 2019 — Sep 2020Sr. UI/UX Designer / Magento Front-End Developer
UAE organic grocery store — certified organic, vegan, gluten-free, keto, and paleo products.
Dubai, UAE
- Built the Magento e-commerce site from scratch — themes, layouts, and checkout
- Responsive front-end in HTML5, CSS, jQuery, and Bootstrap, optimized across devices
- Custom modules to extend catalog functionality, performance, and usability
- Brand-aligned visuals designed in Adobe XD, Photoshop, and Illustrator
Shopinc.com
May 2018 — Jul 2019Sr. UI/UX Designer / Magento Front-End Developer
UAE e-commerce marketplace connecting buyers and sellers across categories.
Dubai Marina, UAE
- Designed and built a Magento multi-vendor marketplace from the ground up
- Responsive, engaging UI in HTML5, CSS, jQuery, and Bootstrap
- Optimized navigation, search, and multi-vendor management
- Brand-cohesive visuals in Adobe XD, Photoshop, and Illustrator
Citrus Informatics (India) Pvt Ltd
Dec 2016 — Feb 2018Sr. UI/UX Designer / Web Designer / Front-End Developer
Global IT solutions provider — healthcare apps, desktop apps, and CMS sites for primarily US clients.
Cochin, India
- UI/UX research for healthcare mobile apps, desktop apps, and CMS websites
- Designed user-centric product UIs aligned to client objectives and trends
- Built and maintained responsive CMS sites on Joomla and WordPress
- Created design systems and style guides for consistency and scalability
- Ensured accessible, inclusive designs to usability standards
eWoke Innovative Solutions Pvt. Ltd
Oct 2013 — Nov 2016UI/UX Designer / Web Designer / Front-End Developer
Digital creative agency serving clients across the US, Middle East, Europe, and UK.
Kochi, India
- Built responsive e-commerce sites on Magento, ZenCart, CodeIgniter, and Yii
- Delivered shopping cart, payment gateway, and customer-management features
- Customized and optimized storefronts to client requirements
- Conducted UI research and product design for intuitive navigation
- Enhanced scalability and cross-device responsiveness
Eden Software
Feb 2013 — Sep 2013UI/UX Designer / Web Designer / Front-End Developer
Kochi, India
- Designed and built web interfaces with Google Web Designer and Adobe tools
- Delivered responsive, user-friendly e-commerce designs
- HTML5, CSS, jQuery, Bootstrap, WordPress, and Magento
Viaweb Solutions
Feb 2012 — Feb 2013UI/UX Designer / Web Designer / Front-End Developer
Kochi, India
- Designed and built web interfaces with Google Web Designer and Adobe tools
- Delivered responsive, user-friendly e-commerce designs
- HTML5, CSS, jQuery, Bootstrap, WordPress, and Magento
Media Crow
Apr 2010 — Feb 2012Web Designer / HTML Developer
Thrissur, India
- Designed and built web interfaces with Google Web Designer and Adobe tools
- Delivered responsive, user-friendly e-commerce designs
- HTML5, CSS, jQuery, Bootstrap, and WordPress
Education
Bachelor's Degree, Mathematics
Sree Sankara College, Kalady
2007 — 2010
Higher Secondary, Science (Biology)
NSS HSS Manikamangalam
2004 — 2006
SSLC
ASRAM Higher Secondary School
2004
Toolkit
What's in the layers panel — design tooling on one side, the front-end stack that ships it on the other.
Design
Front-End
AI Tools
Platforms
Practice
Soft Skills
Languages
Testimonials
What people say
I had the pleasure of working with Akhil at Danube Home, where he consistently demonstrated exceptional skills as a UI/UX Designer, Web Designer, and Front-End Developer. He has a keen eye for design and a deep understanding of user experience principles, which he seamlessly integrates into his work. His ability to create visually appealing and user-friendly interfaces is truly impressive — and he ensures his designs are not only beautiful but also functional and responsive. His attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work make him an invaluable asset to any team.
Akhil is an excellent UI/UX React front-end developer with a strong eye for design and functionality. I had the pleasure of working with him on several projects, and he consistently delivers visually appealing, user-friendly designs while ensuring smooth functionality and performance. He combines strong React expertise with a deep understanding of UI/UX principles, and he's a great team player — always open to feedback and highly collaborative. I highly recommend him for any UI/UX React front-end role.
I've worked with Akhil on multiple projects, and he's one of the most talented and versatile designers I've met. As a UI/UX designer he has a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of what makes a user experience truly exceptional — his designs are always visually stunning, intuitive, and user-friendly. What sets him apart is his ability to bring those designs to life with front-end skills in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React, turning complex concepts into fully functional, responsive, pixel-perfect web apps. If you want a designer who can also ship the code, look no further.
Akhil excels in UI/UX design, combining a keen eye for aesthetics with a deep understanding of user behavior to create seamless, engaging digital experiences. His commitment to enhancing customer experience is evident in every project, where he skillfully balances functionality with visually striking designs. His ability to translate complex ideas into user-friendly interfaces makes him a standout professional and a true asset.
Hardworking, and pretty fast at what he does!
Open to lead product design & UX/CX roles
Let's design something people actually enjoy using.
Based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Available for full-time roles and select freelance product work.
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