About Adriana Aurel | Lead UI/UX Designer, 5+ Years

About

Lead UI/UX Designer, 5+ years into making complicated products feel simple.

I'm Adriana. I came into UI/UX from photography, not computer science, and I think it shows: I'm always looking for the composition behind a screen, not just the pixels. I'd rather build a system that holds up over time than an interface that only looks good once.

I'm an organized person, always looking for ways to stay efficient when I'm juggling multiple tasks or projects at once, and I like picking up any new technology or process that makes the work better.

In 2024, I felt the need to put a clear foundation under everything I'd learned so far, so I completed the Professional Diploma in UX Design at the UX Design Institute. It wasn't just about the diploma. It was about bringing something back into how I work that makes the process better, because I always want to be a better version of myself.

"Curiosity got me here. It still runs the show."

Professional Diploma in UX Design By UX Design Institute

UI/UX Design Design Systems Mobile Apps SaaS Platforms Accessibility (WCAG 2.2 AA) Developer Handoff Cross-Functional Collaboration Team Mentoring Attention to Detail Documentation UI/UX Design Design Systems Mobile Apps SaaS Platforms Accessibility (WCAG 2.2 AA) Developer Handoff Cross-Functional Collaboration Team Mentoring Attention to Detail Documentation

How I Got Here

A quick look at the path that led me here.

Today

Still Learning

5+ years in design, a UX Design Institute certification, and every project still carrying the same lessons: attention to detail, visual consistency, and the belief that good design always has a purpose.

Along the Way

Leading Design Teams

Stepping into that role was a real challenge: I wasn't just one voice in a team discussion anymore, I had to come in with advice from my own experience, show exactly what had worked in the way I worked, and convince the rest of the team to give it a try too. I've mentored six designers so far, helping them connect their work to the client and the business behind every screen.

2021 — Today

UX/UI Designer

Design systems, reusable components, accessibility, and a close relationship with developers. Mobile apps, SaaS products, and complex platforms, because a full flow means real research into how people actually use a product.

2019 — 2021

Graphic Designer

My first design job wasn't glamorous. I retouched event photos, corrected colors, and when it came to personalizing t-shirts or keychains, I was the one running the machines to get the final product out. That's not where I learned design. That's where I learned what it means to see a job through to the end exactly how the client wanted it, with no one else to blame if it came out wrong. That sense of ownership over the final result stuck with me, straight into UI/UX.

Where It All Began

It started in 2015, with curiosity, creativity and a camera.

Photography taught me to observe details, composition and storytelling. From there, I discovered branding and graphic design, helping businesses create visual identities that people could recognize and trust.

View on Behance

Woman in a deep purple gown and silver spiked crown, holding a flowering cherry blossom branch

Woman in a blush tulle gown beside a glowing reindeer light sculpture at night

Woman in a white lace wedding gown on a rocky hilltop before medieval castle ruins

Couple on a cobblestone path in winter, one in a motorcycle jacket and helmet, the other in a pastel tulle gown

Woman in a blush wedding gown facing castle ruins on a cliff, hot air balloons in the sky

Overhead shot of a woman with butterfly wings lying inside a vintage gold picture frame on grass

Woman in a pastel multicolor tulle gown smiling over her shoulder in a snowy pine forest

Woman in a voluminous emerald tulle gown looking over a snowy valley during snowfall

Woman in a pastel green and lilac tulle gown standing in snow, framed by dark pine trees

Portrait of a woman in a brown wide-brim hat and pink knit sweater in an autumn park

Woman in a brown hat and striped sweater walking down a leaf-covered path lined with autumn trees

How I Work

I don't just design interfaces. I help teams build better products, together.

Product Thinking

I got into this work because solving problems interested me more than making things look good, and that's still how I approach every project: the visual layer comes last, not first.

Design Systems

A lot of my work happens before anyone sees a final screen: shared components, documented tokens, patterns that hold up across light and dark mode. Good systems let teams move faster without re-litigating the same decisions every sprint.

Team Leadership

I've mentored six UX/UI designers, and most of that work is less about giving answers and more about helping people trust their own judgment. I care as much about how a team works together as what it ships.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

I spend a lot of time with product managers, business analysts, and stakeholders, turning business goals into something users actually experience. The best outcomes happen when design is part of the conversation early.

Accessibility

Accessibility isn't something I check at the end. It's a constraint I design with from day one. I'd rather a product work well for more people than impress a few.

AI-Augmented Workflow

I use Claude every day for research, structuring UX thinking, writing, and organizing what a product needs before it gets built. It doesn't replace judgment. Every design decision that ships is still mine.

This is how I work. Want to see it on your product?

Reach out, and let's talk about what you're building.

Get in touch