Product Designer | Based in Vancouver, BC
I specialize in B2B SaaS, designing complex operational workflows from research through developer handoff. Most recently, as the sole designer at a 10-person startup, I designed a visa management platform for HR teams — NPS +69.
Product Designer | Based in Vancouver, BC
Designing products that make everyday work easier
I specialize in B2B SaaS, designing complex operational workflows from research through developer handoff. Most recently, as the sole designer at a 10-person startup, I designed a visa management platform for HR teams — NPS +69.
Featured Case Studies
B2B SaaS | HR Tech | Complex Workflows
AIRVISA — Building a B2B SaaS Platform to Streamline HR Visa Management
As the sole designer at AIRVISA, I designed a B2B platform for HR teams from scratch, through user research and cross-functional collaboration. The platform reached an NPS of +69, and 59% of users cited the visual design and ease of use as a reason they'd recommend it.
User Research (15 interviews)
Usability Testing (8 users)
Design System
Interactive Prototyping
User Flows
Wireframes
High-Fidelity UI
Personas
B2C Web | Immigration | Conversion Optimization
AIRVISA — Improving a B2C Multilingual Visa Application Service to Boost Conversion
At AIRVISA, I worked on conversion for a B2C online visa application service. I identified the step with the highest drop-off and analyzed user behavior, then redesigned that step. Drop-off there fell from 53% to 36%.
Funnel Analytics (Microsoft Clarity)
Session Recordings
Multilingual UI
Mobile-First Design
User Flows
Wireframes
High-Fidelity UI
B2C Mobile App | EdTech | AI-Powered Learning
Learnium — Creating an AI-Powered App for Smarter Studying
As my capstone project at Langara, I led the UX process for a mobile learning app. Research showed 82% of students doubted AI-generated content, so I designed the AI output to be reviewable and editable, with its source material visible. The project won first prize at the Capstone showcase.
Designing for AI Trust
User Research (9 interviews)
Usability Testing
Information Architecture
Interactive Prototyping
Wireframes
High-Fidelity UI
Design Writing
Testimonials
"What impressed me most was her ability to turn complicated requirements into intuitive, elegant interfaces that genuinely solve user problems. She never viewed a feature as just a screen or flow — she deeply understood the underlying logic, motivations, and pain points, and designed with empathy and precision.
Wakana is a rare designer who combines analytical thinking, creativity, and genuine warmth at an exceptional level. In any organization tackling complex systems that require both design sensitivity and domain understanding, she will undoubtedly be an invaluable member of the team."
Daiki Uehara
Product Manager, AIRVISA
"Wakana has a strong ability to break down complex requirements and turn them into clear, user-centered design solutions. Even in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities, she remained composed, thoughtful, and highly collaborative with PMs and engineers — consistently driving meaningful results for the product and business.
She brings both positivity and quiet strength to any team, earning genuine respect and admiration from everyone she works with!"
Noriko Gondo
Senior Product Designer, Moz