Saad Bin Waqas

Saad Bin Waqas

Lead UI UX & Product Designer in Peshawar, Pakistan

About

Product Designer with 7+ years of experience designing usable, accessible, and user-centered digital products for mobile and web. Working across publishing AI-driven SaaS solutions, finance & payments, e-commerce, and web3 industries making complex ideas into simple products. Proven track record of enhancing user engagement and product adoption through intuitive, data-driven designs. Skilled in design systems, agile methodologies, and cross-functional collaboration.

Contact

WhatsApp
LinkedIn

Work Experience

2022 — Now
  • Led a comprehensive design overhaul, introducing intuitive navigation, multi-language support, and enhanced security features, driving a 45% increase in daily active users.

  • Conducted user research and usability testing, identifying key pain points that led to a 30% drop in support queries.

  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams (product managers, developers, marketers) to deliver a unified brand experience across web and mobile platforms.

  • Spearheaded strategic UX enhancements, including gamification features, resulting in a 60% increase in feature adoption rates.

  • Led the creation of a design system and component library, ensuring brand consistency and accelerating development timelines.

  • Launched a redesigned platform and admin dashboard, boosting user satisfaction scores by 20% and establishing Roqqu as a trusted fintech platform.

2020 — Now
Switzerland
  • Led a strategic redesign of the Eyowo mobile finance app, improving usability, navigation, and accessibility for a diverse user base.

  • Conducted 100+ user interviews to identify pain points, leading to a 30% increase in daily active users post-launch.

  • Designed and implemented an intuitive homepage structure, improving feature discoverability and simplifying financial transactions.

  • Developed a component library and high-fidelity designs, ensuring a seamless cross-platform experience for web and mobile users.

  • Introduced expense tracking and quick-action navigation, helping users manage finances more efficiently.

  • Collaborated with product managers and developers to deliver a user-centric financial platform, leading to a 40% increase in app downloads.

  • Helped raise the app store rating from 2.1 to 4.1, reflecting improved user satisfaction and engagement.

2018 — Now
Wyoming
  • Increased user engagement by 40% and customer retention by 25% through product redesigns

  • Accelerated development by 30% by implementing a design system, reducing inconsistencies by 80%

  • Boosted product adoption by 20% through user research, improving satisfaction scores by 35%

  • Reduced time-to-market for new features by 40% using agile design methodologies

2023 — 2024
New York
  • Led the development of the Pugpig Design Kit, a Figma-based toolkit that simplified app customization, making it accessible to non-technical users.

  • Conducted user research and usability testing, identifying key pain points and improving the customization process, leading to a 70% increase in user confidence with design tools.

  • Developed a comprehensive Figma component library, reducing reliance on support engineers and accelerating app deployment times.

  • Designed and documented a user-friendly customization guide, addressing the needs of 85% of users who wanted more extensive personalization options.

  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams (product managers, iOS & Android developers, web developers) to ensure seamless integration of custom designs into fully functional apps.

  • Streamlined the app design-to-deployment workflow, increasing customer retention and satisfaction, while expanding Pugpig’s accessibility in the publishing industry.

2021 — 2023
Virginia
  • Increased iOS app membership conversion by 40% through UX redesign

  • Improved information accessibility for Mission Cloud's internal tool

  • Boosted user satisfaction by 25% across multiple client projects

2020 — 2022
Tangerine Africa
  • Led UX research, conducting 38+ user interviews to understand financial behavior and improve the platform’s usability.

  • Designed an intuitive financial services platform that allowed users to bank, save, invest, and manage their money in one app.

  • Developed a component library and high-fidelity designs, ensuring a consistent user experience across web and mobile platforms.

  • Introduced personalized financial product recommendations, increasing user engagement and product adoption.

  • Designed educational tooltips and Tangerine Hub, demystifying insurance for younger demographics and increasing product awareness.

  • Collaborated with product managers, iOS/Android developers, and web teams to execute a seamless digital transformation.

  • Helped digitize traditional financial services, making insurance and investments more accessible to African users.

Volunteering

2019 — Now
Peshawar
  • Led the brand identity and visual design for Google DevFest Peshawar 2023, blending Google’s guidelines with local creativity to create an engaging and unique experience.

  • Designed a pop art-inspired digital revolution theme, driving a 35% increase in event attendance year-over-year.

  • Spearheaded social media content strategy, resulting in a 50% boost in engagement across platforms.

  • Ensured 98% compliance with Google’s brand guidelines while pushing creative boundaries to enhance event visibility.

  • Mentored and trained 967+ junior designers, with 80% reporting significant skill improvement in branding and digital design.

  • Successfully aligned design, marketing, and event teams to create a cohesive, high-impact digital presence for DevFest.

Speaking

2023
Peshawar

At the DevFest Peshawar Annual Conference, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of aspiring UI/UX designers.

My talk focused on the growing importance of UI/UX in our digital world and offered a clear roadmap for students looking to break into the field. I explained the differences between UI and UX, outlined the key skills needed for success, and discussed various educational paths, including both traditional degrees and self-taught options.

I also emphasized the value of a strong portfolio and provided practical tips on gaining real-world experience through internships and freelancing.

My goal was to inspire and guide the next generation of designers, equipping them with the knowledge to kickstart their careers in UI/UX.

Education

Awards

2023
The Best UI UX Designer from PK Award
2020
The Best User Experience Designer from Civic Hackathon
2018
Best Freelancer Award from KP Govt

Side Projects

2023

Passgeni.online is a powerful tool designed for generating secure and customizable passwords with ease. It offers a range of features, including options to set the password length, include or exclude special characters, numbers, and uppercase or lowercase letters, and ensure the generated password meets specific security requirements. Users can quickly create strong, unique passwords for various online accounts, helping to protect against unauthorized access and enhancing overall cybersecurity. The intuitive interface and flexible settings make it an essential tool for anyone looking to enhance their online security.