Design leadership begins long before the first wireframe.

My philosophy is simple: I don't guess the problem, I uncover it!

By architecting a robust discovery phase, rooted in deep user research, stakeholder collaboration, and data analysis, I ensure we are solving the right challenge. Then champion a holistic, user-validated process to design solutions that are not only beautiful and usable but also strategically effective and technically feasible.

Recent Projects

360° Case Management
Fraud Management

Led design of the Case Management system, creating intuitive workflows, scalable components, and role-based experiences that streamline complex decisions while meeting regulatory requirements.

Design Team: 1 Lead Designer & Researcher, 2 UI Designers

Led the UX strategy and UI design for 2 generations of the fraud management and detection system that helps fraud analysts efficiently detect, track, and resolve fraud cases.

Design Team: 1 Lead Designer, 2 UI designer, 1 UX Researcher

Advanced Orchestration Platform
CLM System Redesign

Led the design of a composability and orchestration platform that enables seamless integration of diverse services and components into cohesive, scalable solutions.

Design Team: 1 Lead designer, 1 UI Designer, 1 UX Researcher

Contributed to the research and UX work of redesigning the Customer lifecycle management system, by conducting interviews and field studies, crafting user stories and testing the designs with end users.

Design Team: 1 Design manager, 1 UX Designer & Researcher, 3 UI Designers

AI Beyond Chatbot

Led discovery and design for integrating AI features into the platform, exploring features such as pre-prompt insights, predefined prompts, and on-demand prompts (AI assistant chatbot) tailored for advanced users.

Design Team: 1 Lead Designer, 1 UX Researcher, 1 UI Designer

Testimonials

I was working with Mary for several months on a project at Tecnotree Co. She is an enthusiastic, brilliant , highly organized and collaborative team player as well as a well-rounded UX designer with a deep understanding of the design process. At the time we worked together, Mary was thrown in a deep end, not knowing a lot about a specific area of the product, but asked intelligent questions and picked it up very quickly. She was a key member on our team who was always dedicated to solving UX problems and delivering projects to a high standard. I would highly recommend her to any growing team.

Sanaz Mehrad

Project Manager

Career and Academic Journey

💼 Work Experience

User Experience & Product Designer

2017 - Present

I began my digital design career as a UI/UX intern during my university studies, where I first applied human-centered principles to digital products. Since then, I have worked across fintech, banking, healthcare, and education, designing both mobile and web applications that solve real user problems.

Before transitioning to product design, I worked shortly as a mechanical engineer where I used AutoCAD to create precise 2D maps and technical drawings for mechanical parts and assemblies. This experience strengthened my attention to detail, and ability to translate complex requirements into clear, production-ready designs.

🎓 Education

Master in Industrial and Product Design Art University of Tehran

2015 - 2017

Besides learning about the process of designing physical products through design thinking, I also completed courses in Service Design and Human-Centered Design (HCD), where I built a strong foundation and learned about various design thinking models through hands-on, real-world projects.

Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering University of Tehran

2010 -2014

I completed a Product Design & Development course during Mechanical Engineering studies, where I was first introduced to design, gaining hands-on experience in research and user-focused product development.

Skills

🎯 Design Leadership

I lead projects end-to-end while mentoring and guiding other designers to deliver high-quality, user-centered solutions. At FICO, I drove a major product initiative where I set the design strategy, defined milestones, and managed the work of two designers, providing critiques, aligning priorities, and ensuring cross-functional collaboration with PMs and engineers. I balance leadership and craft by contributing hands-on to key flows, ensuring a cohesive vision while empowering my team to grow and take ownership.

💡 Product Design & Strategy

I translate complex business problems into elegant, intuitive product experiences. From discovery to delivery, I partner with PMs, engineers, and stakeholders to shape roadmaps, define product strategy, and drive execution. I lead user-centered design for end-to-end journeys, conducting research, prototyping, and validating solutions that meet user needs and business goals. Whether refining critical flows or envisioning entirely new products, I bring a clear point of view, a sharp eye for detail, and a deep understanding of user behavior.

🔎 UX Research & Insights

I dig beneath the surface to uncover the “why” behind user behavior. I plan and conduct research: field studies, interviews, usability testing, and analytics reviews to reveal patterns and actionable insights. My ability to synthesize findings into clear narratives informs strategy, prioritization, and product vision. I’m passionate about ensuring every design decision is backed by evidence and empathy.

Technical Design & Execution

I turn design vision into interactive, living experiences. Using Figma, advanced prototyping techniques, and design systems, I craft responsive, cohesive interfaces that feel intuitive and polished across platforms. I focus on bridging design intent with real-world execution, ensuring every interaction is purposeful, scalable, and delightful for users.