# Alexander af Ekenstam - Product Designer (Full Context)

> url: https://www.afekenst.am/llms-full.txt
> summary-version: https://www.afekenst.am/llms.txt

> Aesthetic, insight-driven product design. 15+ years across digital products, services, and platforms, with a focus on experiences that bridge digital and physical touchpoints.

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## Quick Facts

| Attribute | Value |
|-----------|-------|
| Location | Stockholm, Sweden |
| Experience | 15+ years |
| Availability | Open for consulting |
| Languages | Swedish (native), English (fluent) |
| Work Style | Remote-first, on-site in Stockholm when needed |
| Specialization | Self-service platforms, zero-to-one products, enterprise design systems |

---

## Professional Summary

I came into UX through a background in visual design, storytelling, and brand expression.

In the early 2010s, I worked in Los Angeles as a digital producer on film campaign websites, designing wireframes and interaction concepts that extended cinematic worlds into interactive digital experiences.

Back in Stockholm, I joined one of Sweden's leading brand experience agencies, leading projects that bridged digital and physical brand experiences, before going independent in 2015. That combination of systems thinking and visual intent continues to shape my work.

Alongside Product & UX design, I explore code-driven visuals, motion, and typography to improve feedback, clarity, and direction in digital products.

Recent work spans large-scale self-service platforms, telecom e-commerce, and service design research supporting digital transformation in consumer-facing brands.

---

## Services Offered

### Primary Services

| Service | Description | Typical Deliverables |
|---------|-------------|---------------------|
| Product & UX Design | End-to-end product design from discovery to delivery | Wireframes, prototypes, high-fidelity designs, design specs |
| Service Design | Customer journey mapping and service optimization | Journey maps, service blueprints, touchpoint analysis |
| User Research | Qualitative research and usability testing | Research plans, interview guides, insight reports, recommendations |
| Strategy & Discovery | Problem framing and opportunity mapping | Stakeholder workshops, opportunity maps, product roadmaps |
| Design Systems | Component libraries and design documentation | Component specs, design tokens, usage guidelines |

### Specialized Expertise

- **Self-Service Platforms** - Complex data-heavy interfaces for enterprise customers (Tre, Telia)
- **E-commerce Platforms** - Both B2B and B2C shopping experiences
- **Zero-to-One Products** - First designer on greenfield projects with undefined scope
- **Cross-Market Design** - Multi-country/multi-language product design (Sweden/Denmark at Tre)
- **Research Process Setup** - Establishing research practices for growing design teams (Voyado)

---

## Methodology

### Discovery Phase
1. **Stakeholder Alignment** - Interviews to understand business context, constraints, and success metrics
2. **User Research** - Right-sized research to validate assumptions and uncover real needs
3. **Competitive Analysis** - Market positioning and feature comparison
4. **Problem Framing** - Define the problem space and prioritize opportunities

### Design Phase
1. **Information Architecture** - Site maps, user flows, navigation structure
2. **Wireframes** - Low-fidelity designs for rapid iteration and stakeholder alignment
3. **Visual Design** - High-fidelity designs aligned with brand and design system
4. **Prototyping** - Interactive prototypes for usability validation and stakeholder buy-in

### Delivery Phase
1. **Design Specifications** - Detailed specs for developer handoff
2. **Design QA** - Review implementation and provide feedback
3. **Iteration** - Post-launch improvements based on analytics and user feedback

### Research Methods I Use

| Method | When I Use It | Typical Timeline |
|--------|--------------|------------------|
| Stakeholder Interviews | Project kickoff, understanding constraints | 1-2 weeks |
| User Interviews | Discovery, understanding needs and context | 2-4 weeks |
| Usability Testing | Validating designs, identifying issues | 1-2 weeks |
| Field Studies | Complex service design, understanding real context | 2-4 weeks |
| Survey Research | Quantitative validation, prioritization | 1-2 weeks |
| Analytics Review | Understanding current behavior, identifying patterns | 1 week |
| Competitive Analysis | Market positioning, feature comparison | 1 week |

---

## Approach

### Human-Centered Research
Just enough research to understand real behaviour and needs and make informed decisions. This might mean quick usability tests for fast-moving products or in-depth field studies for complex transformations - always right-sized to timeline and needs.

### System-Thinking
Build scalable design systems, not just screens.

### Collaborative
Embed with engineering and product teams.

### Tool Agnostic
Figma, prototyping tools, and increasingly AI-assisted workflows.

---

## Tools & Skills

### Design Tools
| Tool | Proficiency | Use Case |
|------|-------------|----------|
| Figma | Expert | Primary design tool, prototyping, design systems |
| Sketch | Advanced | Legacy projects |
| Adobe XD | Intermediate | Occasional client requirement |
| Principle | Advanced | Complex micro-interactions |
| ProtoPie | Intermediate | Advanced prototyping |

### Research Tools
| Tool | Proficiency | Use Case |
|------|-------------|----------|
| Lookback | Advanced | Remote usability testing |
| UserTesting | Intermediate | Unmoderated testing |
| Maze | Intermediate | Quantitative usability testing |
| Miro | Expert | Workshops, affinity mapping |
| FigJam | Advanced | Collaborative workshops |

### AI-Assisted Workflows
| Tool | Use Case |
|------|----------|
| Lovable | Rapid functional prototypes |
| Claude Code in Cursor/Windsurf | Design-to-code prototyping |
| Claude | Research synthesis, content strategy, analysis |
| ChatGPT | Ideation, content generation |

### Collaboration & Project Management
- Jira, Linear, Asana for project management
- Notion, Confluence for documentation
- Slack, Microsoft Teams for communication
- GitHub for design-dev collaboration

---

## When Experience Matters

### When you don't have a brief yet
I've been the first designer on multi-year projects multiple times. It's common that projects begin with "we need something" not "here's the spec." I can help define the scope, not just execute it.

### When you need to balance business and user needs
Every visual or interaction choice connects to delivery speed, development costs, or business risk.

### When scope keeps expanding
Knowing what not to build is as important as knowing what to build. Strategic restraint keeps projects focused and teams sane.

### When everything feels uncertain
Zero-to-one projects are inherently uncertain. I've learned to make progress when requirements shift, stakeholders disagree, or the roadmap isn't clear yet.

---

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What types of projects do you take on?
I work on product design, service design, and UX research projects. I'm particularly experienced with platforms, admin portals, and e-commerce. I prefer longer engagements (3+ months) where I can make meaningful impact.

### Do you work remotely or on-site?
Both. I'm remote-first but can work on-site in Stockholm when needed. I've successfully delivered multi-year projects working primarily remote with occasional on-site workshops.

### What's your ideal project?
- 3-6 month engagements or longer retainers
- Mix of strategic and hands-on design work
- Complex platforms or enterprise products
- Teams that value research and iteration

### How do you handle research when there's no budget for it?
I right-size research to the project. Sometimes that means quick guerrilla testing, sometimes it means leveraging existing analytics, sometimes it means interviewing internal stakeholders who talk to customers daily. There's always a way to get insights.

### Can you help with design systems?
Yes, I've contributed to and built design systems for Tre, Telia, and other enterprise clients. I can help establish a system from scratch or extend an existing one.

### Do you code?
I prototype in code using AI-assisted tools like Cursor and Lovable for rapid functional prototypes. I don't do production frontend development but can create working prototypes and collaborate closely with developers.

### What industries do you have experience in?
Telecommunications (Tre, Telia), MarTech (Voyado), Automotive (Volvo), E-commerce (Marshall/Urbanears), Food & Hospitality (Panini), Entertainment (Speakerbox, Hollywood studios).

### How do you charge?
I typically work on monthly retainer or project-based pricing. Contact me to discuss your specific needs and budget.

---

## Detailed Case Studies

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### Tre Self-service Platform (2023–present)

**Client:** Tre (Telecom provider)  
**Role:** Product & UX Designer  
**Category:** Platforms & Systems  
**Tags:** Product & UX, Service Design, Research, Strategy

#### Outcome
First designer on a cross-market self-service platform supporting complex roles, permissions, and subscription models across Sweden and Denmark.

#### Context
Tre needed a self-service solution that went beyond the capabilities of the existing consumer-facing platform and could support more complex customer needs.

#### Challenge
Designing a system that scaled from single-user needs to enterprise-level administration, while balancing data-heavy desktop use with mobile accessibility across markets and stakeholders.

#### Solution
Started with a focused MVP to validate technical feasibility and core interaction patterns. Design iterations were informed by a small group of pilot customers, beginning with edge cases and refining toward more common usage scenarios.

#### Impact
The platform made it possible to support larger customer segments and simplified day-to-day administration for pilot customers. An MVP launched in 2025, with broader rollout planned.

#### Design Artifacts

**Design System Components (tre-design-system.png)**
Shows the Tre design system component library built for the self-service platform. Includes:
- Typography scale with heading and body text styles
- Color palette with primary brand colors and semantic colors for status indicators
- Button variants (primary, secondary, ghost) with hover and disabled states
- Form components including input fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, and radio buttons
- Table components with sorting, filtering, and pagination patterns
- Card layouts for subscription overview and user management
- Navigation patterns for the admin sidebar and breadcrumbs

**Subscription Management Interface (tre-subscriptions.png)**
High-fidelity mockup of the subscription management dashboard featuring:
- Data table with columns for user name, phone number, subscription type, status, and actions
- Bulk action toolbar for managing multiple subscriptions simultaneously
- Filter sidebar with options for subscription type, status, cost center, and date range
- Search functionality with autocomplete suggestions
- Pagination controls and items-per-page selector
- Empty state designs for when no subscriptions match filters

---

### Tre Consumer E-commerce (2026)

**Client:** Tre  
**Role:** Product & UX Designer  
**Category:** Products & Experiences  
**Tags:** Product & UX

#### Context
Short-term contract supporting the consumer e-commerce team during a transition period.

---

### Voyado Research Framework & Design System (2022)

**Client:** Voyado (Marketing platform)  
**Role:** UX Lead  
**Category:** Platforms & Systems  
**Tags:** Research, Service Design, Strategy

#### Outcome
Established a shared research framework and contributed to the strategic foundation of the Voyado.com redesign, while leading UX for Voyado Engage.

#### Context
Voyado, a growing marketing platform for retail and e-commerce companies, needed clearer research practices to support product decisions and a growing design team.

My role covered two parallel initiatives: the Voyado.com redesign and UX leadership for Voyado Engage.

#### Work Streams

**Voyado.com redesign**
Created impact maps and wireframes defining information architecture and strategic direction, with visual design and development handled by an external agency.

**Voyado Engage UX leadership**
Supported designers in research practices, mapped service journeys, evaluated tooling, and contributed to the evolving design system.

#### Impact
A shared research approach supporting continuous insight gathering, and a clear strategic foundation for the Voyado.com redesign.

#### Design Artifacts

**Research Process Map (voyado-process.png)**
Visual framework showing the complete UX research process established at Voyado. The diagram illustrates:
- **Discovery phase**: Stakeholder interviews, competitive analysis, analytics review
- **Planning phase**: Research questions definition, methodology selection, participant recruitment
- **Execution phase**: User interviews, usability testing, surveys, contextual inquiry
- **Analysis phase**: Affinity mapping, insight synthesis, pattern identification
- **Delivery phase**: Research reports, design recommendations, stakeholder presentations
- Arrows indicating iterative loops between phases
- Icons representing different research methods at each stage
- Time estimates and team responsibilities for each phase

**Website Sitemap (voyado-sitemap.png)**
Information architecture diagram for Voyado.com redesign showing hierarchical page structure:
- **Level 1 (Primary navigation)**: Home, Products, Solutions, Resources, Company, Pricing
- **Level 2 (Products section)**: Voyado Engage, Voyado Elevate, Integrations, Platform Overview
- **Level 2 (Solutions section)**: By Industry (Retail, Fashion, Home & Garden), By Use Case (Customer Loyalty, Personalization, Marketing Automation)
- **Level 2 (Resources section)**: Blog, Case Studies, Webinars, Documentation, Help Center
- **Level 2 (Company section)**: About Us, Careers, Press, Contact, Partners
- **Footer links**: Legal pages, social media, newsletter signup
- Color coding indicating page priority and traffic expectations
- Annotations showing cross-linking opportunities

**Impact Map (voyado-impactmap.png)**
Strategic planning diagram connecting business goals to design deliverables:
- **Goal (center)**: Increase qualified demo requests by 40%
- **Actors (second ring)**: Marketing managers, E-commerce directors, IT decision makers, Current customers
- **Impacts (third ring)**: Understanding platform capabilities, calculating ROI potential, assessing integration requirements
- **Deliverables (outer ring)**: Interactive product tours, ROI calculator, Integration documentation, Customer success stories
- Lines connecting each actor to their relevant impacts and deliverables
- Priority indicators (high/medium/low) for each deliverable

**Wireframe Layouts (voyado-wireframe.png)**
Low-fidelity wireframes for key Voyado.com pages:
- **Homepage wireframe**: Hero section with value proposition, product overview cards, customer logos, testimonial carousel, CTA sections
- **Product page wireframe**: Feature grid, screenshot gallery, integration logos, pricing teaser, demo request form
- **Case study template**: Customer logo, challenge-solution-results structure, metrics highlights, quote callout, related case studies
- Annotations explaining content hierarchy and user flow
- Responsive breakpoint notes for mobile/tablet/desktop
- Placeholder boxes with content specifications

**Attribute Value Map (voyado-attribute-map.png)**
Research synthesis diagram mapping customer values to product attributes:
- **Customer Values (left column)**: Time savings, Data accuracy, Campaign performance, Customer insights, Easy implementation
- **Product Attributes (middle column)**: Automation workflows, Real-time sync, A/B testing, Unified customer view, No-code setup
- **Proof Points (right column)**: Quantifiable benefits for each attribute
- Connecting lines showing relationships between values and attributes
- Strength indicators (strong/moderate/weak) for each connection
- Competitive differentiation notes for unique attributes

---

### BBH Stockholm Enterprise App Design (2022)

**Client:** BBH Stockholm  
**Role:** Interim UX Lead  
**Category:** Platforms & Systems  
**Tags:** Product & UX, Research

#### Outcome
UI design contributions within the Volvo / Apple enterprise ecosystem, including Apple Watch interfaces for the Volvo Service app and research support for Volvo Sales.

#### Context
BBH Stockholm needed an experienced designer to maintain continuity across Volvo projects during a temporary leadership gap.

#### Solution
Integrated into the Volvo Enterprise Apps design system, delivering UI work aligned with Volvo brand standards and Apple platform guidelines, while supporting parallel research efforts.

#### Impact
Maintained momentum during a critical period and gained hands-on experience working within large-scale automotive design systems.

#### Design Artifacts

**Booking Interface (bbh-booking.png)**
High-fidelity mockup of service booking flow within the Volvo Service app:
- Calendar date picker with available time slots
- Service type selection with descriptions and estimated duration
- Dealer location selector with map integration
- Confirmation screen with booking summary
- Apple Watch companion interface for quick booking status checks

---

### Marshall Multi-brand Research & Design (2020)

**Client:** Marshall (then Zound Industries)  
**Role:** Service Designer  
**Category:** Products & Experiences  
**Tags:** Research, Service Design

#### Outcome
Three parallel work streams supporting product comparison design, brand research, and usability testing across Marshall, Adidas, and Urbanears.

#### Challenge
Identifying well-defined target groups for research without revealing the commissioning brand or relying on large recruitment firms.

#### Solution
Developed a recruitment approach using unbranded, narrowly targeted social advertising to identify participants matching specific profiles.

Conducted remote interviews, in-person sessions, and moderated usability testing, uncovering behavioral and geographic differences that informed product and checkout design decisions.

---

### Telia Self-service E-commerce (2018–2022)

**Client:** Telia  
**Role:** Product & UX Designer  
**Category:** Platforms & Systems  
**Tags:** Product & UX, Research

#### Outcome
Designed a modern self-service e-commerce experience connecting legacy systems with digital ordering for complex customer environments.

#### Context
Telia needed to replace fragmented legacy workflows with a scalable digital ordering experience within a highly complex technical ecosystem.

#### Challenge
Limited direct user insight, assumption-driven requirements, and deep dependencies on legacy infrastructure.

#### Solution
Joined as one of several designers and later became sole Product & UX Designer for the initiative, owning research and design across multiple distributed teams.

Led remote research, workshops, and iterative prototyping, while contributing patterns and components to the Telia enterprise design system.

#### Impact
A new self-service experience launched in 2021, allowing customers to order subscriptions and devices online. Qualitative feedback highlighted improved clarity and ease of use, reducing reliance on manual sales channels.

#### Reflections
The project strengthened my ability to work across distributed teams and to balance research, system design, and detailed interface work over longer timeframes.

#### Design Artifacts

**Process Overview (telia-process.png)**
Visual diagram showing the design process used across the project:
- Double diamond structure with discovery, definition, development, and delivery phases
- Key activities at each phase: stakeholder workshops, user interviews, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing
- Iteration loops showing how insights fed back into design refinement
- Timeline markers for major milestones

**Workshop Documentation (telia-workshops.png)**
Photos and artifacts from collaborative design workshops:
- Affinity mapping sessions with sticky notes clustered by themes
- Journey mapping exercises on whiteboards
- Prioritization matrices for feature planning
- Stakeholder alignment exercises

**Miro Board (telia-miro.png)**
Screenshot of collaborative online workspace:
- User flow diagrams connecting different parts of the ordering experience
- Component inventory mapping existing design system elements
- Research synthesis with key insights and design implications
- Sprint planning boards with design tasks and priorities

**Usability Testing (telia-lookback.png)**
Lookback testing session screenshot:
- Split screen showing participant and prototype
- Task completion indicators
- Timestamp markers for key moments
- Observer notes panel

**Analysis Artifacts (telia-analysis.png)**
Research analysis documentation:
- Affinity diagram with categorized user feedback
- Pain point severity matrix
- Opportunity prioritization framework
- Design recommendation summary

**Shopping Basket (telia-basket.png)**
High-fidelity mockup of the shopping basket interface:
- Product cards with subscription details and pricing
- Quantity controls and remove actions
- Subtotal calculation with breakdown
- Proceed to checkout CTA
- Empty basket state design

**Checkout Flow (telia-checkout.png)**
Multi-step checkout process designs:
- Step indicator showing progress through checkout
- Delivery address form with validation
- Payment method selection
- Order summary with final review
- Confirmation page with order number and next steps

---

### Panini Internazionale Field Research & Strategy (2017)

**Client:** Panini Internazionale  
**Role:** Service Designer  
**Category:** Products & Experiences  
**Tags:** Research, Service Design, Strategy

#### Outcome
Field research supporting a digital transformation pre-study connecting physical store experiences with digital touchpoints.

#### Context
Panini explored how digital services could support customer experience and loyalty across its restaurant network.

#### Solution
Conducted observational field studies and interviews with store managers and customers across multiple locations, synthesizing insights into opportunity areas and early concepts.

#### Impact
The research informed an integrated brand ecosystem strategy that was later developed into a smart service suite by BBH Stockholm.

#### Design Artifacts

**Customer Journey Map (panini-map.png)**
Service design visualization of the customer experience:
- Phases from awareness through ordering, eating, and loyalty
- Customer actions, thoughts, and emotions at each stage
- Touchpoints across physical stores, website, and mobile
- Pain points and opportunity areas highlighted
- Moments of truth identified for service improvement

**Ecosystem Diagram (panini-ecosystem.png)**
Visual representation of the proposed digital ecosystem:
- Customer mobile app at center
- Integration with POS systems, inventory, and CRM
- Loyalty program mechanics and reward structures
- Staff-facing tools and dashboards
- Third-party integrations (delivery, payments)

**App Concept (panini-app.png)**
Early concept mockups for customer-facing app:
- Menu browsing with nutritional information
- Order customization interface
- Loyalty points display and rewards catalog
- Store locator with real-time wait times
- Order history and favorites

---

### Speakerbox App Redesign (2017)

**Client:** Speakerbox (now Antourage)  
**Role:** UX Designer  
**Category:** Products & Experiences  
**Tags:** Product & UX

#### Outcome
Redesigned a consumer mobile app within a live-streaming ecosystem connecting sports fans, influencers, and teams.

#### Context
Speakerbox needed a visual and structural refresh of an early app version under tight timelines and limited research.

#### Solution
Designed conceptual wireframes and collaborated closely with a visual designer through rapid iteration.

#### Reflections
A focused, design-led engagement centered on visual clarity, collaboration, and pace.

#### Design Artifacts

**Original App (speakerbox-old.png)**
Screenshots of the original app version showing:
- Initial visual design and layout
- Navigation structure before redesign
- Areas identified for improvement

**Wireframes (speakerbox-wireframes.png)**
Low-fidelity wireframes exploring new structure:
- Home feed with live and upcoming streams
- Stream viewing interface with chat integration
- User profile and following/followers
- Discovery and search functionality
- Notification center design

**Screen Designs (speakerbox-screens.png)**
High-fidelity mockups of key screens:
- Refined visual design language
- Improved information hierarchy
- Enhanced engagement features
- Responsive layouts for different device sizes

**Final Designs (speakerbox-final.png)**
Polished final designs ready for development:
- Complete visual design system
- All major user flows documented
- Interactive prototype links
- Developer handoff specifications

---

### Motorola Portal Design (2015-2017)

**Client:** Motorola  
**Role:** UX Designer  
**Category:** Platforms & Systems  
**Tags:** Product & UX

#### Outcome
Designed and maintained a mobile phone product portal before Motorola had a local/nordic website.

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## Industries & Expertise

| Industry | Experience Level | Notable Clients |
|----------|-----------------|-----------------|
| Telecommunications | Expert | Tre, Telia, Ericsson |
| Marketing Technology | Advanced | Voyado |
| Automotive | Advanced | Volvo (via BBH) |
| Consumer Electronics | Advanced | Marshall, Urbanears |
| E-commerce & Retail | Expert | Multiple clients |
| Food & Hospitality | Intermediate | Panini Internazionale |
| Entertainment & Media | Intermediate | Speakerbox, Hollywood studios |

---

## Selected Client List

- Tre (Telecommunications)
- Telia (Telecommunications)
- Ericsson (Telecommunications)
- Voyado (MarTech)
- Volvo (Automotive, via BBH Stockholm)
- Marshall / Zound Industries (Consumer Electronics)
- Panini Internazionale (Food & Hospitality)
- Speakerbox / Antourage (Entertainment)
- Motorola (Consumer Electronics)
- Various Hollywood studios (Entertainment)

---

## Project History Timeline

| Year | Client | Project Type |
|------|--------|--------------|
| 2026 | Tre | Consumer E-commerce |
| 2023-present | Tre | Self-service Platform |
| 2022 | Voyado | Research Framework & UX Leadership |
| 2022 | BBH Stockholm | Enterprise App Design (Volvo) |
| 2020 | Marshall/Zound | Multi-brand Research & Design |
| 2018-2022 | Telia | Self-service E-commerce |
| 2017 | Panini Internazionale | Field Research & Strategy |
| 2017 | Speakerbox | App Redesign |
| 2015-2017 | Motorola | Product Portal |

---

## Availability

Open to consulting projects and design engagements.

### Ideal Engagement
- 3-6 month projects or longer retainers
- 3-5 days per week commitment
- Mix of strategic and hands-on design work
- Complex platforms or enterprise products

### Current Offerings
- Full product design engagement (discovery through delivery)
- Design system development and documentation
- Research process setup and mentorship
- Strategic discovery and problem framing workshops

---

## Contact

- **Website:** https://www.afekenst.am/
- **Email:** alex@afekenst.am
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-af-ekenstam-ux-designer/
- **Location:** Stockholm, Sweden

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## How to Work With Me

1. **Initial Contact** - Reach out via email with a brief description of your project
2. **Discovery Call** - 30-minute call to understand your needs and discuss fit
3. **Proposal** - Detailed scope, timeline, and pricing based on our discussion
4. **Kickoff** - Start with stakeholder alignment and project planning
5. **Ongoing Collaboration** - Regular check-ins and iterative delivery