// Sassy SaaS

// Sassy SaaS

UX Specialist | Digital Product Design | Enterprise UX | Human Centred Design | SaaS | UX Research | Design Thinking | Art & Creative Direction | Branding | Graphic Design & Typography

UX Specialist | Digital Product Design | Enterprise UX | Human Centred Design | SaaS | UX Research | Design Thinking | Art & Creative Direction | Branding | Graphic Design & Typography

Sassy SaaS!

Maybe that got your attention!

Driving Scalable SaaS & Enterprise UX—From Strategy to Impact

With 15+ years in UX design, including 6 years in Enterprise SaaS, I specialise in user experience strategy, product design, and digital transformation—bridging the gap between business objectives and user needs. I’ve led UX for global markets (APAC, Europe, UK) across InsurTech, Quality Control & Logistics, and Carbon Tracking, simplifying complex workflows into intuitive, high-performing digital solutions.

From running my own creative business in HK to leading end-to-end product design for enterprise teams, I take a research-driven, systems-thinking approach—balancing usability, behavioural insights, and scalable design systems. One of my SaaS products started as a CRUD-based tool but evolved into a core platform for an InsurTech startup, increasing engagement and driving business growth.

Are my designs sassy? That’s subjective. But I always add a little sass to SaaS. And if not? Well, they’re definitely SaaS-y!

The site
is evolving,with
images and case studies
coming soon…

// What is in a product . . .? // What is in a product . . .?

// What is in a product . . .? // What is in a product . . .?

Design principles

  • Zoom out, zoom in—see the big picture, from macro to micro.

  • Look, read, explore. Understand the product in its full context.

  • Never assume. The path of least resistance often leads straight back to the beginning—question everything, and then question it again.

It all begins with an idea

the what, where, why and how …

Beyond UX, I’m deeply interested in systems design and behavioural design, both crucial for improving workflows and enhancing user experiences. I enjoy exploring how structured systems and human behaviour insights shape better digital products. In my own time, I follow topics like architecture, urban planning, and other design disciplines, drawing inspiration from how they influence interaction, efficiency, and engagement. These broader perspectives refine my approach, helping me design products that feel natural, intuitive, and seamlessly integrated into everyday use.

Curiousity never killed the cat… instead it opens doors to…

  • User behaviours vary across culture, age, tech knowledge, and limitations. Designing for a global audience means recognising these nuances and adapting to diverse needs.

  • Every product is part of a larger system. Understanding these interconnected elements is key to creating a cohesive and effective design.

  • Conducted research on carbon tracking in QC for a new white-label product linked to the QC SaaS, ensuring compliance with new UK/EU regulations (such as: ESG, GDPR, and ESRS/CSRD).

I've been described as T-shaped—a versatile generalist who adapts swiftly and maintains a strong focus on driving projects through to impactful development

T OR X

THE Products…

Behavioural design

ASEAN InsurTech EUX SaaS Product
Design isn’t just about how something looks—it’s about how people interact, perceive, and respond to it. Behavioural design focuses on understanding these interactions by recognising that users don’t engage with products in a vacuum. Their actions are shaped by culture, demographics, technological familiarity, cognitive biases, and even physical limitations. A seamless experience for one audience may be unintuitive for another, making it essential to design with varied user behaviours in mind.

A successful product doesn’t just guide users—it anticipates their needs, removes friction, and aligns with natural decision-making patterns. This means designing intuitive workflows, leveraging familiar patterns, and ensuring accessibility across different regions, age groups, and technical backgrounds. By embedding behavioural insights into the design process, products become not just functional, but effortless, engaging, and effective.

This is framed within the context of my experience working in Asia, where aspects were often overlooked by Western-designed apps used in the region.

  • Led design for Coherent’s flagship SaaS platform, Spark, and its companion Excel-integrated add-in, Spark Assistant. As Principal Product Designer, I defined the design system and user experience within an agile team, helping position both tools as core global products.

    • Led the transformation of Spark from beta to Coherent’s flagship SaaS product.

    • Created adaptable design systems and oversaw end-to-end product design across multiple use cases.

    • Developed Spark Assistant Excel add-in to connect insurance workflows, collaborating with cross-functional teams throughout.

  • Delivered a scalable SaaS platform adopted as Coherent’s global flagship, streamlining insurance workflows and improving user efficiency through intuitive design systems and integrated Excel connectivity.

overlooked experiences?

  • Understanding regional design preferences and local behaviours can lead to deeper connections with users, whether it’s through language, visual aesthetics, or flow.

  • While modern websites typically use LTR (left-to-right) design, honouring traditional aspects like Chinese calligraphy or Japanese vertical text can create a nuanced, culturally aware design experience.

  • Designing for age, tech literacy, and socio-economic backgrounds across ASEAN requires flexibility, ensuring products meet diverse expectations while maintaining scalability.

    Example
    Call-to-Action (CTA) Placement: Japanese users tend to scan in an F-pattern, but their CTAs are often placed lower than in Western sites.

  • Understanding the unique blend of mobile-first users in Southeast Asia and omnichannel demand in East Asia is essential for crafting seamless user experiences.

  • As Asia’s tech adoption evolves rapidly, design should cater to both mobile apps and desktop platforms, focusing on accessibility and efficiency across different devices.

Bue sky thinking

Carbon tracking

with C-live

  • Designed and developed a quality inspection and supply chain management platform for desktop and mobile, led by inspector-driven workflow improvements across diverse regions and user groups. Researched the feasibility of integrating carbon tracking and global compliance features into the SaaS dashboard to support emerging regulatory needs and future scalability.
    In this project - Power BI was selected as the data dashboard, which had numerous issues, unfortunately.

    • Workflow Optimisation: Streamlined QC inspection processes through user research and service blueprinting, resulting in a 28% productivity boost and a 30% increase in service provision.

    • Design & Innovation: Led UI design, branding, and competitor analysis to create an intuitive interface, while driving product expansion through white-label SDK development and NoCode solutions.

    • Global Compliance: Researched and implemented key EU/UK regulations (ESG, GDPR, ESRS/CSRD) to ensure robust, scalable solutions.


  • Delivered a scalable, inspector-led SaaS platform that boosted QC team productivity by 28%, expanded service reach by 30%, and laid the groundwork for white-label growth—achieved through user-driven design, NoCode development, and regulatory foresight.

market research (who is there)

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Competitive analysis

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

product offering / solutions

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

data source and TRANSPARENCY

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

data source and TRANSPARENCY

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Every product operates within a broader system—whether it's a business ecosystem, a technical framework, or a network of users and teams. Systems design focuses on understanding these connections, ensuring that every component works cohesively rather than in isolation. A well-designed system balances complexity with usability, making intricate workflows feel seamless while maintaining the flexibility to scale and evolve.

Effective systems design requires mapping relationships, identifying dependencies, and optimising interactions between different elements—whether that’s data, users, or business processes. By designing with a system-wide perspective, products become more resilient, efficient, and scalable, ensuring they not only meet immediate needs but also support long-term growth and adaptability.

Systems DESIGN

Fish tracking Project: From Ocean to Plate

This project explored the fish-to-plate journey, focusing on organic and wild-caught fish from Europe and North America exported to Hong Kong. At the time, there was a growing demand for healthier, high-quality seafood, particularly in luxury hotels and restaurants. However, concerns over counterfeit or low-quality imports—with dubious claims made at various points in the supply chain—posed a challenge.

Hong Kong, as an open port, has regulations on live and fresh food imports. This project examined how to verify authenticity, track product movement, and ensure compliance throughout the process.

System & Product Journey Considerations:

  • Tracking live fish at the source – What scale should be used (individual fish, batches, or boxes)? How practical is this in a real fishing environment given safety, weather, and operational constraints? Its provenance.

  • Regulatory & compliance checkpoints – Multiple documentation steps, including health and bio reports, origin verification, customs declarations, and international regulations, across various transit countries.

  • Tracking technology – Exploring options such as barcodes, QR codes, RFID chips, or blockchain-ledger systems to ensure transparency and authenticity.

  • Stakeholder engagement – Managing interactions between fishery providers, logistics teams, regulatory bodies, customs officials, purchasers, and end consumers (e.g., restaurant chefs).

  • Comparable models – Could a system similar to livestock tracking in Europe (used for cattle) be applied? Unlike land-based, farmed animals, wild fish pose additional challenges in tracking due to mobility and environmental factors.

  • Ensuring cost-effective investment, smooth transitions, and practical onboarding while seamlessly integrating legal and customs approvals

By considering these elements, the project aimed to create a more transparent, reliable, and traceable supply chain for premium seafood imports.

unravelling insights

  • The Fish Tracking Project explored methods to ensure the authenticity and quality of organic and wild-caught fish exported to Hong Kong, addressing concerns over counterfeit seafood and compliance with import regulations.

    • Exploratory Research: Investigated various tracking methods, including barcodes, QR codes, RFID, and blockchain.

    • Regulatory Analysis: Examined the necessary documentation and compliance requirements for seafood imports.

    • Stakeholder Collaboration: Studied how to engage fishery providers, logistics teams, and consumers in the supply chain.

  • The project provided valuable insights into creating a more transparent and reliable seafood supply chain, though no final system was implemented.

What others say . . .

"Steffan is a solid Senior UX Designer whose work on the SaaS interfaces we worked together on has consistently improved user experience. He's a team player, reliable in delivering on time, and brings a welcomed dose of new perspectives to every project. Working with Steffan is a breeze due to his genuine nature and readiness to tackle challenges. His contributions are valuable to any project. It was a pleasure working with him in Hong Kong.”

Ed Williams | TAG HK
User Experience Strategy & Platform Specialist
March 2024

"Steffan is one of the most delightful people I had the pleasure of working with when we were at the same UXUI design team at Coherent. Not only did he have a unique abilities such as photography on top of UXUI design, he played a significant role in ensuring that our solutions are thoroughly user tested, keeping our products effective as much as possible during intense crunch periods.

His empathy fostered a comforting work environment as well as for the eventual solution users. I highly recommend working with him, any UXUI team would be lucky to have him on board.
“

Tik Lee
Colleague at Coherent
Digital Media & Senior User Experience Designer
April 2024

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