Sara is available for hire
Hire SaraSara Taiyo
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
Location
Brighton, United Kingdom
Toptal Member Since
May 28, 2018
Sara is a British digital strategist and designer specializing in crafting refined user interfaces and engaging user experiences. Sara's background lies in strategic brand and platform design, giving her a solid foundation in turning customer and business requirements into delightful, functional solutions.
Portfolio
Work Experience
Co-founder | Creative Director
2016 - PRESENT
Driftime Media
- Designed a web platform for stories, solutions, and community action to protect the ocean, tackle the climate crisis, and help build a more just, equitable planet.
- Created a digital strategy and experience for an app, unlocking the world's finest hotels' potential, and generating more revenue from luxury spas, pools, meeting rooms, and more.
- Developed the user experience and platform design for a hospitality startup, disrupting high-end, at-home dining for both world-class chefs and diners.
Technologies: Figma, Sketch, FigJam, Adobe, App Design, Platforms, Digital, User Experience (UX), Visual Design, Graphic Design, User Interface (UI), Sitemaps, eCommerce, Usability, Design Strategy, Mobile Design, Design Systems, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Agile, Design Leadership, Prototyping, Travel & Leisure, Hospitality, Branding, Strategy, Value Proposition, Product Design, Web App UX, Leadership, Team Leadership, MVP Design, SaaS Design, Web App Design, SaaS, Desktop App Design, User Journeys, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Service Design, Documentation, Miro, UX Documentation, B2B, Confluence, User Flows, Wireframing, Communication, Communication Strategy, Web UI Design, Web UX Design, Website Redesign, User Stories, Dashboard Design, User Personas, Information Architecture (IA)
Brand Strategist and Designer
2023 - 2023
Americas Frontier Fund Inc
- Created a brand strategy and audience workshops to assist the team in understanding business messaging, goals, and the appropriate creative direction for engaging with various partners and investors.
- Built a brand and visual language to enable the client to communicate complex issues and solutions simply and in a unified way.
- Designed deck materials and a website that tells a story and addresses the needs of entrepreneurs and the government. The goal was to improve connections between the two to make the US a global leader across industries in the future.
- Created a roadmap in Notion to manage all the design needs that came in from the team. This made the design process transparent and kept track of progress and priorities.
Technologies: Brand Design, Brand Guidelines, Pitch Decks, Visual Design, Graphic Design, Infographs, Figma, SaaS Design, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Documentation, B2B, Communication, Communication Strategy, Web UI Design, Web UX Design, Website Redesign, Information Architecture (IA)
Product Designer
2020 - 2023
Only One, Inc.
- Designed and improved the web application interface and user experience to match the evolving goals and KPIs of the fast-paced startup.
- Worked closely with the head of design and experience, and as part of the product team, I've both collaborated and led a range of design sprints and platform design evolutions.
- Created reports for a series of user interviews and research to inform design and functionality efficiently.
- Art directed and continually managed platform needs for illustrations and asset management.
- Organized and led workshops for the product team and the wider organization to establish the product pipeline and features.
- Created and improved a Figma design system that a team of product and communication designers used. Additionally, I developed a strategy to make updates and show which components and designs were live.
Technologies: Product Design, Video Platforms, Social Media Platforms, Branding, Visual Design, Editorial Design, Content, Web Design, Web App Design, Desktop App Design, User Journeys, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Documentation, UX Documentation, User Flows, Wireframing, Communication, Communication Strategy, Web UI Design, Web UX Design, Website Redesign, Design Systems, User Stories, Dashboard Design, User Personas, Information Architecture (IA)
UX/UI Designer
2022 - 2022
Asma Chishty
- Designed a travel app that showcases destinations across Pakistan to domestic and South Asian tourists and travelers. The designs adhere to Western standards in UI design and travel storytelling.
- Built a brand identity guide featuring color logic, type, image guidance, and how to use the brand mark.
- Created a logical organization for a wide range of editorial content by workshopping and wireframing the entire app.
Technologies: Figma, User Interface (UI), User Experience (UX), UX Design, UI Design, Web UI, Web UX, Mobile UI, Mobile UX, Mobile Design, Product Design, User Flows, Web UI Design, Web UX Design, Website Redesign
Strategist and UX/UI Designer
2020 - 2020
For Blue Pty Ltd
- Created workshops focusing on design and impact to help clients communicate their MVP services to their target audience.
- Designed concept user interfaces for profile and platform screens to assist the client with investment and partnership involvement.
- Created a deck for the client to introduce the ocean-based industries' social network platform. The deck highlights the platform's unique features and benefits for people in these sectors.
Technologies: Web Design, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Wireframing, Profile Design, Visual Design, Job Portals, Dashboards, User Journeys, User Flows, Communication, Web UI Design, Web UX Design, User Stories, Dashboard Design, Information Architecture (IA)
Brand and Web Designer
2020 - 2020
Lausanne Guide
- Designed a simple and clean brand and web app template for showcasing refined and cultural destinations in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Created mood boards and style guides to determine an editorial style and establish the brand identity.
- Created three user stories to prioritize features for design and development, identifying profitable and engaging features and saving others for future site iterations.
Technologies: Web Design, Branding, Digital Publication, Brand Identity, Brand Guidelines, Wireframing, Prototyping, WordPress, Web UI Design, Website Redesign
Founding Partner
2015 - 2020
Curate Labs & Magazine
- Defined the art direction and campaign concept for online creative content marketing aimed at luxury travel.
- Designed a platform for a UK-based recording studio, including the website, newsletters, and blog using a CMS.
- Created the information architecture and wireframes for an online educational platform.
- Worked on the editorial design and online reading experience of an online magazine.
- Produced a native Android and iOS UI for a VR historical experience app.
Technologies: Readymag Design & Development, Sketch, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Presentation Design, Visual Design, Graphic Design, User Interface (UI), Sitemaps, Usability, Design Strategy, Mobile Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Prototyping, Hospitality, Branding, Product Design, Leadership, MVP Design, Communication
Senior Designer
2015 - 2015
Brilliant Noise
- Designed an in-browser editable company presentation deck.
- Defined the creative direction for an energy company's social media campaign.
- Created extensive infographics for the newsroom of a large sports and lifestyle brand.
- Crafted the UI design and led the creative direction of a social media monitoring app built as a progressive web app.
- Defined the UX and UI for a native Android and iOS app for a luxury car company event.
Technologies: Sketch, Presentation Design, Visual Design, Graphic Design, User Interface (UI), Sitemaps, Usability, Mobile Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Hospitality, Branding, MVP Design, SaaS Design, SaaS, User Journeys, Documentation, Communication, Website Redesign, User Stories, Dashboard Design, Information Architecture (IA)
Junior Designer
2012 - 2014
Designhouse
- Created an extensive icon suite for a telecommunications company.
- Completely rebranded a London-based events company, including the digital brand usage and complete guidelines.
- Developed the brand identity for an international-airport-based retailer.
- Designed UI and wayfinding graphics for a London-based shopping center's website.
- Worked on the art direction and photography styling of a boutique hotel.
Technologies: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Presentation Design, Visual Design, Graphic Design, User Interface (UI), SaaS, Documentation, Communication, Dashboard Design
Junior Art Director
2012 - 2012
Virgin Media
- Developed the creative direction for graduates and entry-level professionals event at the Royal Opera House in London.
- Created a brand identity for an entrepreneurs-under-30 initiative.
- Defined the brand guidelines for a company that focused on online marketing and web communications.
- Designed the creative content strategy for an event.
- Developed a hand-drawn typographic font for a brand book.
Technologies: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Visual Design, Graphic Design, Branding, Documentation
Education
2009 - 2011
Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors in Graphic Design
Kingston University - London, UK
Experience
Collaboration That Works
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