AKHIL KUMAR.ui

Lead Product Designer

Akhil Kumar

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
  • Business Growth
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Direct lineakhiloliyil@gmail.com
Akhil Kumar portrait
+
years across design & front-end
companies, UAE & India
+
shipped product platforms
About & Philosophy

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.

Commitment to quality

What I Deliver

  • Conversion-Focused Products

    Higher conversion, engagement, and customer satisfaction through UX, CX, and AI-driven design

  • Simplified Workflows

    Simplified workflows for complex, data-rich systems

  • Scalable Design Systems

    Scalable design systems that improve consistency, usability, and delivery speed

  • AI-Assisted Prototyping

    AI-assisted design and rapid prototyping that accelerate product development

  • Strategic Product Alignment

    Strong alignment between product strategy, customer experience, and business goals

Core Expertise

Design & Strategy

AI-Driven Product DesignUX StrategyCX StrategyProduct DesignCustomer Journey MappingInteraction DesignDesign SystemsAccessibility (WCAG)Conversion Optimization

Build

ReactNext.jsReact Native

Selected work

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🛍️ Commerce & Retail

Danube Home — Mobile App

Danube Home

Led the end-to-end UX and product design of the Danube Home mobile app — a seamless omnichannel shopping experience across iOS and Android, with scalable mobile design patterns and production-ready React Native implementation.

UX ResearchMobile UXWireframing
🛍️ Commerce & Retail

Danubehome.com — E-commerce

Danube Home

Led end-to-end product design for Danube Home's omnichannel e-commerce platform — driving UX strategy, customer experience, and scalable design systems, then translating approved designs into production-ready ReactJS and Next.js interfaces with pixel-perfect fidelity.

UX ResearchWireframingDesign System
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🛍️ Commerce & Retail

Sleephubz.com — E-commerce

Danube Home

Led end-to-end UX and product design for SleepHubz.com, an e-commerce platform for mattresses and sleep solutions — creating intuitive shopping experiences, optimizing customer journeys, and building a scalable design system that lifted usability, engagement, and conversion across web and mobile.

UX ResearchCustomer JourneyA/B Testing
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🤖 AI & Innovation

YARA — AI Shopping Assistant

Danube Home

Led the end-to-end product design of YARA, an AI-powered shopping assistant that transformed the customer journey across web, mobile, and in-store retail. Defined the conversational UX strategy, AI interaction patterns, and scalable design system across an omnichannel experience.

AI UXConversational DesignUX Research
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🤖 AI & Innovation

Omnichannel Retail Experience

Concept Case Study · Lead Product Designer · Product Strategy · AI UX · Omnichannel CX · Danube Home

A forward-looking omnichannel retail concept that seamlessly connects physical stores with digital commerce — reimagining the customer journey from discovery and personalization to visualization and checkout through AI-driven experiences and connected touchpoints.

Product StrategyOmnichannel CXAI UX
🏢 Enterprise Products

Hexa — Showroom Sales App

Danube Home

Led the end-to-end UX and product design of Hexa, an enterprise mobile app for showroom sales teams — streamlining in-store operations, accelerating order processing, and improving inventory visibility through an intuitive, role-based experience with real-time insights.

UX ResearchEnterprise UXUser Journey
🏢 Enterprise Products

Order Management System (OMS)

Danube Home

Led the end-to-end UX and product design of an enterprise Order Management System that streamlined order processing, inventory management, and operational workflows across teams — simplifying complex flows, improving real-time visibility, and delivering a scalable, role-based platform.

Enterprise UXUX ResearchWorkflow Analysis
🏢 Enterprise Products

Dynamic Price Tag Editor

Danube Home

Led the end-to-end UX and product design of a Dynamic Price Tag Editor — an enterprise platform that simplifies large-scale retail pricing, catalog management, and in-store printing workflows, reducing manual effort and improving pricing accuracy across high-volume operations.

Enterprise UXWorkflow AnalysisUX Research
🏢 Enterprise Products

Product Information Management (PIM)

Danube Home

Led the end-to-end UX and product design of a Product Information Management platform that centralized product data, digital assets, and catalog management across channels — simplifying complex workflows, improving data accuracy, and supporting ERP and e-commerce integrations.

Enterprise UXUX ResearchInformation Architecture
🏢 Enterprise Products

Trade Partner Program — B2B Rewards Platform

Danube Home

Designed and developed the Trade Partner Program, an interactive B2B rewards platform for Danube Home's retail partner ecosystem — supporting four partner programs (Privilege Partner, Interior Designer, Consultant, and Holiday Home) with a unified experience for onboarding, rewards management, exclusive campaigns, and account management.

React.jsNext.jsThree.js
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.

Currently accepting projects for Q2 2025
  1. 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.

    Stakeholder InterviewsCompetitive TeardownAnalytics AuditAI-assisted Synthesis
  2. 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.

    User PersonasJobs-to-be-DoneJourney MappingTeam Alignment
  3. 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.

    Figma ArchitectureDesign SystemsAccessibility (WCAG)High-Fi Prototyping
  4. 04

    Prototype & Validate

    Interactive prototypes and usability testing to de-risk decisions early. AI-powered ideation to explore more directions in less time.

    Usability TestingInteractive FlowsAI ExplorationRisk De-risking
  5. 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.

    React / Next.jsReact NativeQuality AssuranceBridging Code & Design

Professional Experience

Sep 2020 — Present

UI/UX & CX Lead Designer · Product Designer · Front-End Developer

at Danube Home

Largest furniture and home-improvement brand in the Middle East.

United Arab Emirates · On-site

Aug 2019 — Sep 2020

Sr. UI/UX Designer / Magento Front-End Developer

at Organic & Real.com

UAE organic grocery store — certified organic, vegan, gluten-free, keto, and paleo products.

Dubai, UAE

May 2018 — Jul 2019

Sr. UI/UX Designer / Magento Front-End Developer

at Shopinc.com

UAE e-commerce marketplace connecting buyers and sellers across categories.

Dubai Marina, UAE

Dec 2016 — Feb 2018

Sr. UI/UX Designer / Web Designer / Front-End Developer

at Citrus Informatics (India) Pvt Ltd

Global IT solutions provider — healthcare apps, desktop apps, and CMS sites for primarily US clients.

Cochin, India

Oct 2013 — Nov 2016

UI/UX Designer / Web Designer / Front-End Developer

at eWoke Innovative Solutions Pvt. Ltd

Digital creative agency serving clients across the US, Middle East, Europe, and UK.

Kochi, India

Feb 2013 — Sep 2013

UI/UX Designer / Web Designer / Front-End Developer

at Eden Software

Kochi, India

Feb 2012 — Feb 2013

UI/UX Designer / Web Designer / Front-End Developer

at Viaweb Solutions

Kochi, India

Apr 2010 — Feb 2012

Web Designer / HTML Developer

at Media Crow

Thrissur, India

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

55+ tools, one stack

Design tooling and the ship-it stack, side by side

From first wireframe to production build — the design apps, front-end stack, AI copilots, and platforms that carry a project from idea to shipped.

Design

Adobe XDFigmaPhotoshopIllustratorBalsamiqCanvaGoogle Web DesignerMaterial Icons

Front-End

HTML5CSS3 / SASSJavaScript (ES6+)jQueryReactJSReact NativeNext.jsNode.jsTailwind CSSshadcn/uiFramer MotionGSAPLenisReact Three FiberBootstrapReactstrapMaterial-UI

AI Tools

ChatGPTClaudeGeminiGoogle StitchGoogle WhiskMidjourneyAdobe FireflyFigma AIGitHub CopilotCursorv0

Platforms

MagentoWooCommerceZen CartWordPressJoomla

Practice

Responsive / Mobile-firstCross-browser CompatibilityWCAG AccessibilityDesign Systems

Soft Skills

Team CollaborationTime ManagementProblem SolvingAdaptabilityAttention to DetailMultitaskingClient Relations

Languages

EnglishHindiMalayalam

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.
NVNaveen VarmaD2C & Ecommerce Platform Strategist · Danube Home
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.
RKRishal KSAssistant Manager, UI/UX · Danube Home
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.
IAIsham AzadFull Stack Developer & Technical Architect
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.
MSMuhammed ShafeelSolutions Architect — AI & ML
Hardworking, and pretty fast at what he does!
EJEldho JoyFounder & Managing Director · eWoke
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.

Save contactakhiloliyil@gmail.com+971 565862460WhatsAppLinkedIn

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