Hi, I'm Ines
I turn complex tasks into clear product experiences. Research first, then fewer screens and better decisions.
Experience
- Product Designer at Halden LabsJan 2025 - present · fintech tools
- Interaction Design Intern at Northwind StudioJun 2024 - Dec 2024
- UX Intern at Lumen WearJan 2024 - May 2024
- Freelance Designer2022 - present
Community
- Co-organizer, Riverside Design Meetup2024 - present · monthly critique nights
- Mentor, Bridge Design Fellowship2025 · portfolio reviews for first-generation students
- Volunteer, Open Hours Hack Week2023 · registration and wayfinding design
- Student Ambassador, Kestrel School of Design2022 - 2024
Contact
- inesokafor.exampleportfolio site
- @inesmakesdesign community handle
- hello@inesokafor.examplereplies within two days
Toolkit
Have a product that needs a clearer path?
Share the product and the problem. I’ll reply with a focused plan.
Start a conversationAbout Ines Okafor
I design useful software for work and everyday life.
Based in Riverside
How I got here
A clinic check-in project taught me to judge an interface by the task it helps someone finish.
Commerce, studio and fintech teams have shaped my practice: understand the context, prototype early and define the intended outcome.
What I believe
I care about clear type and colour, and the person trying to complete a task with one free hand.
Outside work: critique nights, cycling and pottery.
Three things I bring to a team
Curiosity before pixels
Start with interviews, support tickets and behaviour.
Systems that scale
Build components and documentation engineers can use.
Clear, kind communication
Share weekly notes and annotated prototypes.
The path so far
Full resume- 2025 - NOWProduct Designer, Halden LabsRiverside · fintech operations tools
Designing a clearer reconciliation workspace for finance teams.
- 2024Interaction Design Intern, Northwind StudioTwo-person studio · client work
Research, prototypes and handoff for Kiln Flow and Fernway.
- 2024UX Intern, Lumen WearReflective cycling apparel
Product pages and checkout for reflective cycling apparel.
- 2022 - 2024BDes Interaction Design, Kestrel School of DesignGraduated with distinction
Tidewell began as a thesis on gentler habit design.
Want the longer story?
I’m happy to walk through the decisions behind any project.
Book a chatCase studies
Five projects in commerce, operations, travel and wellbeing.
Lumen Wear
A clearer shopping experience for reflective cycling apparel.
Read the case study
Kiln Flow
A firing schedule designed for a busy ceramics studio.
Read the case study
Trailhead
Weekend routes, weather and an offline pack list.
Read the case study
Fernway
A familiar coastal booking experience with simpler search.
Read the case study
Tidewell
Daily reflection without streak pressure.
Read the case studyExplore with a purpose
Product design from the user’s point of view.
A clear task, a thoughtful flow and a visual system that supports it.
Look a little closer
- Research and flow mapping
- Interface and prototype
- Developer handover
Lumen Wear
Reflective apparel, shown in the light that matters.
The brief
The product grid hid the clothing’s reflective quality and made fit guidance hard to find.
What I found
Commuters wanted everyday clothing that stayed visible after dark.
The solution
Matched daylight and headlight views explain the product. Fit guidance sits upfront, with a two-step checkout.
- Interviews and session replays
Mapped the shopping journey through interviews and recorded sessions.
- Photography brief
Planned matched day and night product photographs.
- Prototype and test
Tested the fit finder and checkout in two rounds.
- Build and measure
Documented components and reviewed post-launch behaviour.
Lumen Wear / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01Task and navigation structure
- 02Connected interface states
- 03A reusable component system
Kiln Flow
A studio schedule made for busy, clay-covered hands.
The brief
Replace a fragile whiteboard and spreadsheet with a shared firing schedule.
What I found
Studio staff read the schedule at a distance and use it with wet hands.
The solution
Large kiln timelines, dependency warnings and a phone checklist keep the next task clear.
- Studio shadowing
Observed two days of studio work.
- Object model
Mapped orders, pieces, firings and kilns.
- Paper prototypes on the wall
Tested printed screens at the actual viewing distance.
- Build with the studio
Improved the schedule through weekly staff feedback.
Kiln Flow / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01Task and navigation structure
- 02Connected interface states
- 03A reusable component system
Trailhead
A simpler way to plan a good day outside.
The brief
Help casual hikers choose a route and prepare for the weekend.
What I found
Plans were scattered across group chats. Weather and preparation mattered most.
The solution
Route cards combine travel time, forecast and practical notes. A shared pack list works offline.
- Survey and interviews
Studied how groups choose their Saturday route.
- Content model
Wrote the route-card content before designing the screen.
- Prototype in the field
Tested the pack list offline on real hikes.
- Launch quietly
Refined sharing with the founder’s community.
Trailhead / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01Task and navigation structure
- 02Connected interface states
- 03A reusable component system
Fernway
A clearer booking journey for returning coastal guests.
The brief
Simplify search and repeated form fields while keeping the site familiar.
What I found
Guests trusted the map, host notes and visible contact details.
The solution
Map-based search and a single booking form improve the flow while preserving the existing voice.
- Guest interviews
Interviewed returning guests.
- Content audit
Organised the host photography and notes.
- Parallel prototype
Compared both search experiences with guests.
- Staged rollout
Released search and booking improvements in stages.
Fernway / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01Task and navigation structure
- 02Connected interface states
- 03A reusable component system
Tidewell
Daily wellbeing without a broken-streak screen.
The brief
Create a habit experience that welcomes people back after a gap.
What I found
The return after a missed week mattered more than maintaining a streak.
The solution
One daily ring, an evening question and a small next step keep reflection manageable.
- Diary study
Explored participants’ experiences with existing habit apps.
- Tone of voice first
Wrote supportive return messages before drawing screens.
- Prototype and pilot
Tested the experience through a four-week pilot.
- Ship and keep listening
Refined the weekly view from participant feedback.
Tidewell / Handover
What carries forward.
- 01Task and navigation structure
- 02Connected interface states
- 03A reusable component system
Resume of Ines Okafor
Product designer across commerce, operations and consumer apps. Open to selected freelance projects.
Experience
- JAN 2025 - NOWProduct DesignerHalden Labs · Riverside
Designing reconciliation, keyboard review and component documentation with a small product team.
- JUN - DEC 2024Interaction Design InternNorthwind Studio
Led research, prototypes and handoff for Kiln Flow and Fernway.
- JAN - MAY 2024UX InternLumen Wear
Redesigned product pages, fit guidance and checkout.
- 2022 - NOWFreelance Product DesignerTrailhead, Tidewell and small teams
Focused engagements from research to documented components.
Education
- 2022 - 2024BDes Interaction DesignKestrel School of Design · with distinction
Interaction design thesis: Tidewell, a habit app without streaks.
- 2025Certificate in Service DesignRiverside Institute, evening programme
Service design and journey mapping.
Community and talks
- 2024 - NOWCo-organizer, Riverside Design MeetupMonthly critique nights, sixty to eighty attendees
Host monthly critiques and invite local studio speakers.
- 2025Mentor, Bridge Design FellowshipPortfolio reviews for first-generation design students
Portfolio mentoring for emerging designers.
- 2025Talk: "Designing for wet hands"Riverside Design Meetup
A talk on physical context in operations software.
From the idea to everyday use.
- 01
Structure
Start with the visitor’s task and the content needed to complete it. Resolve navigation before polishing individual screens.
- 02
Design
Review key pages at desktop and mobile sizes. Check long headings, empty states and the transitions between pages.
- 03
Handover
Package reusable components, assets and content rules. Walk through the decisions so the site can keep growing.
Product design from the user’s point of view
Continue with a clear question.
Tell us which part of the experience you would like to explore.
Contact Ines Okafor
Share the product, its users and the problem. I’ll reply within two working days.
What happens next
A short reply, a 30-minute call and a one-page proposal with scope, timing and price.
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