Leonard is available for hire
Hire LeonardLeonard Latescu
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Location
Bucharest, Romania
Toptal Member Since
December 18, 2015
With over ten years working as a product UI/UX designer, Leonard has created memorable experiences for web and mobile platforms using strategic and innovative approaches. From medical database platforms with cross-functionality to improving usability for SaaS apps, he aims to use UX principles and deliver high-end UI solutions. Always a team player and in trend with the latest techniques and tools, Leonard adds value by exploring and developing new ideas.
Work Experience
Full-stack UX/UI Designer
2009 - PRESENT
Alkaleo Design
- Conducted user research to understand user needs and behaviors. Analyzed demographics, preferences, and pain points to ensure the design aligned with user needs. This involved methods like interviews, surveys, and analytics data.
- Defined the information architecture and user flows to create a logical and intuitive structure for the application based on research and analysis. Collaborated with stakeholders to ensure alignment with business goals.
- Created low-fidelity wireframes to test navigation and interactions and ensure the design met user needs, allowing for rapid iteration and feedback.
- Prototyped and iterated the design based on user feedback by refining it, improving usability, and analyzing user behavior to inform design decisions.
- Developed a high-fidelity visual design aligned with research findings and user feedback, including color schemes, typography, and graphics. Created style guides and mood boards.
- Built a design system with reusable components for consistency by creating design patterns and UI libraries and collaborating with the development team for proper implementation.
- Conducted A/B testing to identify the most effective design, analyzed metrics like click-through and conversion rates, and made informed decisions based on data-driven analysis.
- Tested usability with users by evaluating the design, identifying improvement areas using user feedback and analytics data, and conducting user testing using heat maps and clickstream analysis.
- Iterated and refined the design based on user feedback and data analysis. Used Agile methodology, conducted sprint reviews and retrospectives, and prioritized improvements based on user feedback and business goals.
- Collaborated closely with the development team to ensure proper implementation and alignment with user needs. Created design specifications and conducted design reviews and testing.
Technologies: InVision, Figma, Sketch, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Web Design, UI Design, Mobile App Design
Product UX/UI Designer
2020 - 2023
Global Freelancing Platform
- Conducted extensive UX research, analyzed data, and created wireframes for new functionalities for the growth team, increasing user engagement and customer satisfaction.
- Designed a talent marketplace with user-friendly features as part of a team, increasing engagement by 30%. Conducted UX research and worked with developers for seamless implementation.
- Collaborated with Teams Team to innovate and establish a solid UX for setting up teams, resulting in improved team communication and productivity.
- Led an initiative to improve the UX of a messaging app on all platforms, which involved conducting UX research and creating interactive prototypes and resulted in a 25% increase in user engagement.
- Contributed to the enterprise by enhancing product features, improving navigation, and aligning design for consistency across the product. This resulted in increased customer satisfaction and a 15% reduction in customer complaints.
- Conducted usability testing and made design improvements based on user feedback, resulting in a final product that met or exceeded the client's expectations for all teams.
Technologies: Figma, UX Design, UI Design, Design Systems
Senior UI/UX Designer
2021 - 2022
Atos
- Led design for IT Entry/Exit System (EES) used in Europe to monitor third-country nationals' entry and exit as part of the EU's ETIAS visa waiver system. Ensured seamless and efficient user experience for border guards and third-country citizens.
- Conducted user testing and research to identify pain points and user needs, which informed the design of the EES.
- Developed a comprehensive and user-friendly design system that included a style guide, reusable components, and design patterns to ensure consistency and efficiency across the system.
- Created low-fidelity wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes to plan, visualize, and validate the user experience of the EES with stakeholders and end-users.
- Collaborated with developers and stakeholders to ensure the design was implemented correctly and met the client's requirements.
- Ensured that the final design of the EES was accessible, user-friendly, and compliant with relevant standards and guidelines such as WCAG and GDPR.
- Monitored and evaluated the EES user experience to identify areas for improvement and ensure that it remains efficient, user-friendly, and meets the needs of border guards and third-country nationals.
Technologies: Figma, Agile, User Flows, Responsive Design, UX Design, UI Design, Mobile UX
Product UI/UX Designer
2021 - 2021
tinyEmail
- Conducted a comprehensive competitor analysis of other email marketing platforms by analyzing their strengths and weaknesses and identifying areas for differentiation to ensure that our platform stood out in a crowded market.
- Determined user personas for the platform's target audience. Conducted user research and analyzed data to identify key characteristics and needs, ensuring the design aligned with user needs and behaviors.
- Conducted internal interviews with stakeholders and potential platform users to determine the main pain points and challenges the target audience faces, thus informing design decisions and identifying areas for improvement.
- Collaborated with stakeholders and the development team to create the site architecture for the platform, ensuring alignment with business goals and user needs.
- Built low-fidelity wireframes by exploring and iterating different options until reaching a stable version. Tested navigation and interactions to ensure the design met user needs and promoted engagement.
- Developed an interactive prototype of the email marketing platform to test it in-house with the team, identify any loose ends or bad UX, and refine the design based on feedback.
- Created a comprehensive design system with reusable components for the email marketing platform. Developed design patterns and UI libraries and collaborated with the development team for proper implementation.
- Developed a high-fidelity visual design for the email marketing platform using mood boards to choose 2-3 winning design lines aligning with research findings and user feedback.
- Conducted usability testing with the platform users. Evaluated the design and identified areas for improvement using user feedback and analytics data to inform design decisions and optimize the user experience.
- Used Agile methodology to iterate and refine the design based on user feedback and data analysis. Conducted sprint reviews and retrospectives and prioritized improvements based on user feedback and business goals.
Technologies: Figma, UX Design, Product Design, Web UX, Web UI, Web App UX, Web App UI, Responsive Web Apps, Responsive Web Design (RWD), UI Design, Prototyping, Annotated Wireframes, Competitor Analysis & Profiling, User Research, UX Flows, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Wireframing, Marketing Technology (MarTech), Email Marketing, Russian-English Translation
Senior UI/UX Designer
2020 - 2020
TalkInArabic
- Led the entire design process for a complex language-learning platform. Collaborated with cross-functional teams, conducted research, defined a design vision, and ensured the final product aligned with business goals and user needs.
- Built a comprehensive style guide for the platform, defining colors, typography, and iconography and aligning it with the brand's values to ensure a consistent user experience across multiple touchpoints.
- Developed a design system in Figma by creating reusable components and design patterns that increased efficiency and consistency throughout the design process and saved time.
- Built a responsive and accessible interface for a complex language learning platform, ensuring the design works seamlessly across multiple devices and platforms, and met WCAG accessibility guidelines that ensure inclusivity for all users.
- Created an interactive prototype for a language learning platform to gather feedback from stakeholders and users, ensure alignment with business goals and user needs, and save time and resources.
- Conducted user testing of the platform and used analytics data and user feedback to optimize the design and improve user experience, ensuring the target audience's needs were met and engagement promoted.
Technologies: Web App Design, UI Design, Figma, UX Design, Responsive UI
UI/UX Designer
2016 - 2018
Beag.ly (via Bravo Group)
- Created a complex data-survey web application with a team, using industry UX best practices to optimize user flow for both web and mobile environments, which resulted in increased user engagement and satisfaction.
- Led the development and implementation of a UI style guide and branding assets, ensuring a consistent and visually appealing user experience across all touchpoints.
- Designed the visual interface of a web application based on the branding and UI style guide, resulting in an intuitive and aesthetically pleasing user interface.
- Developed an interactive demo using InVision, showcasing the flow of screens and pages and allowing for easy collaboration and feedback with stakeholders.
- Conducted weekly scrum meetings, identifying and solving design and development problems promptly and efficiently to ensure the project remained on track and within budget.
- Gathered and analyzed user feedback through various methods, such as surveys and usability testing, incorporating insights into the design process to improve the user experience continuously.
Technologies: Wireframing, Prototyping, InVision, Adobe Photoshop, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI)
Product Designer
2016 - 2018
LUMINA Medical Solutions
- Developed branding guidelines for a medical application, including color schemes, logo design, and typography, ensuring a professional and trustworthy appearance that resonated with the target audience.
- Designed the user experience of a data-heavy application and conducted user research to ensure an intuitive and user-friendly interface that enabled users to find the information they needed quickly and efficiently.
- Created a visually appealing UI design for a medical web application, using the established branding guidelines to ensure consistency and cohesiveness throughout the product.
- Adapted the user experience for the iOS platform by conducting user testing to ensure that the interface was optimized for mobile devices and provided a seamless experience across all touchpoints.
- Created an interactive InVision prototype that demonstrated the flow and functionality of a medical web application, allowing stakeholders and users to test the product and provide feedback before launch.
- Conducted regular design sprints and scrum meetings to identify and resolve design issues, ensuring the final product met user needs and business goals in the medical field.
Technologies: InVision, Adobe Photoshop
Freelance Web UX Designer
2016 - 2016
United Muslim Relief (via Toptal)
- Developed the UX for a web donation platform that allows people from all over the world to contribute to different programs for building water wells, education, food security, and more.
- Designed the visual design (UI) based on the branding guideline.
- Built an interactive demo that shows the pages' flow with InVision.
- Created the concepts, which were dark or bright depending on the different scenarios.
- Built a shopping cart system for donations with a complex UX, but easy for people to use.
Technologies: InVision, Adobe Photoshop
Product and Email Designer
2009 - 2015
Emailwing.ro
- Created the email design completely. Performed the design, coding, and testing for a variety of clients from different industries.
- Helped build the website design using Photoshop and through coding via Drupal.
- Developed email strategies that were customized for each client.
Technologies: Mailchimp, CSS, HTML, Adobe Photoshop
Web Designer
2012 - 2013
Wirestorm Innovations
- Developed concepts and interfaces for new projects.
- Created UI designs and demo presentations for new products.
- Developed full process projects, creating wireframes, UX frames flow, design mockups, and interactions.
Technologies: Basecamp, Citrix Podio, Balsamiq, Adobe Photoshop
Education
1999 - 2003
High School Diploma in Graphic Design
Arts Lyceum Braila “Haricleea Darclee” - Braila, Romania
Certifications
JANUARY 2023 - PRESENT
Mobile User Experience (UX) Design
Interaction Design Foundation
JANUARY 2023 - PRESENT
Agile Methods for UX Design
Interaction Design Foundation
NOVEMBER 2022 - PRESENT
Google UX Design
Coursera
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