Johan Raes

Hi, I'm Johan

a senior product designer with a systems mindset and a calm, strategic approach.

I design clear, accessible, and scalable products that help teams move faster and think better.

With a background spanning web, mobile, and platform work, I combine systems thinking with hands-on craft, from shaping product strategy to prototyping AI-powered workflows.

Recently, I’ve been focused on designing with and for AI: exploring LLMs, building agent workflows, and turning raw capabilities into useful, intuitive tools.

What I Do

UX strategy

From vague ideas to structured flows, I help teams make confident decisions by clarifying goals, constraints, and trade-offs.

UX strategy

From vague ideas to structured flows, I help teams make confident decisions by clarifying goals, constraints, and trade-offs.

UX strategy

From vague ideas to structured flows, I help teams make confident decisions by clarifying goals, constraints, and trade-offs.

User research & testing

I talk to real users, surface patterns, and test assumptions early to reduce risk and design with purpose.

User research & testing

I talk to real users, surface patterns, and test assumptions early to reduce risk and design with purpose.

User research & testing

I talk to real users, surface patterns, and test assumptions early to reduce risk and design with purpose.

Interaction design

Clean, intuitive flows that support the task and get out of the way. Always grounded in real-world use.

Interaction design

Clean, intuitive flows that support the task and get out of the way. Always grounded in real-world use.

Interaction design

Clean, intuitive flows that support the task and get out of the way. Always grounded in real-world use.

Design systems

I create components and logic that scale. Not just visually, but structurally, across teams and platforms.

Design systems

I create components and logic that scale. Not just visually, but structurally, across teams and platforms.

Design systems

I create components and logic that scale. Not just visually, but structurally, across teams and platforms.

Accessibility (WCAG)

I design inclusive, standards-compliant interfaces that don’t treat accessibility as an afterthought.

Accessibility (WCAG)

I design inclusive, standards-compliant interfaces that don’t treat accessibility as an afterthought.

Accessibility (WCAG)

I design inclusive, standards-compliant interfaces that don’t treat accessibility as an afterthought.

Mobile, web & connected interfaces

From responsive apps to cross-device tools, I design for context screen, input, environment, and task.

Mobile, web & connected interfaces

From responsive apps to cross-device tools, I design for context screen, input, environment, and task.

Mobile, web & connected interfaces

From responsive apps to cross-device tools, I design for context screen, input, environment, and task.

Human-AI interaction design

Zooming out beyond the screen. Mapping services, roles, tools, and data flows. Designing clarity into complex environments, one decision at a time.

Human-AI interaction design

Zooming out beyond the screen. Mapping services, roles, tools, and data flows. Designing clarity into complex environments, one decision at a time.

Human-AI interaction design

Zooming out beyond the screen. Mapping services, roles, tools, and data flows. Designing clarity into complex environments, one decision at a time.

Why work with me?

Deep experience in designing complex web, mobile, and platform products
Strong in accessibility, design systems, and working closely with developers
Generalist mindset with sharp focus. I go wide when needed, deep when it matters
Comfortable across tools and code: Figma, Framer, Cursor, HTML/CSS, React, SwiftUI
Fast thinker, clear communicator, low ego
Always stretching my thinking. Recently through AI-driven workflows, solo product builds, and conferences like STRAT Europe and Hatch

Selected cases

Side B

A record store discovery app built for vinyl lovers who dig deeper. Designed, built, and shipped by me, using React, Supabase, and AI-assisted workflows.

Side B started as a personal itch and turned into a full product. It’s where I explore taste-driven UX, invisible interactions, and new tools like Cursor and Claude, outside the limits of client briefs.

User Research for Zigbee Puck

Niko

Niko was developing a new line of Zigbee-based mini modules ("pucks") for smart lighting control. I was brought in to validate the product with real users and uncover where it fit best — renovation, prefab, or new-build contexts.

Battery Monitoring MVP

TVH

TVH wanted to explore what they could do with data from sensors installed in forklift batteries. The idea: use that data to help customers get more life out of an expensive part of the machine. I joined as the UX designer in a small, agile team to build the MVP that would lead to the GemOne spin-off

Mobile Banking App Redesign

CPH Banque

CPH Banque wanted to rebuild their mobile banking app from scratch. The old version was outdated and getting bad reviews. I joined as the UX/UI designer in a small external team alongside an iOS dev, Android dev, and product owner.
In under 9 months, we delivered an app that doubled the App Store rating.

Experience

Infrabel

Senior UX/UI designer

Nov 2024- Current

Conducting workshops, ideation, wireframing, UI design, user tests, and Customer Journey Mapping

Focusing on web accessibility (WCAG)

Collaborating on the Infrabel Design System

Infrabel

Senior UX/UI designer

Nov 2024- Current

Leading end-to-end design work across internal tools, from ideation to user testing and implementation

Embedding accessibility best practices (WCAG) into daily workflows

Shaping and applying Infrabel’s design system across teams and products

Infrabel

Senior UX/UI designer

Nov 2024- Current

Conducting workshops, ideation, wireframing, UI design, user tests, and Customer Journey Mapping

Focusing on web accessibility (WCAG)

Collaborating on the Infrabel Design System

NMBS

NMBS (Belgian Railways)

Meta (Facebook)

Senior Product Designer

Sep 2023 – Nov 2024

Redesign of the NMBS ticket purchasing flow

Simplified the ticket purchase flow across platforms, aligning teams around a shared UX vision

UI design of the NMBS chatbot

Simplified the ticket purchase flow across platforms, aligning teams around a shared UX vision

Focus on web accessibility (WCAG)

Improved accessibility across key flows, driving WCAG compliance forward

Worked closely with frontend developers to ensure smooth Figma-to-code handoff and consistent implementation.

iO

Senior Service Designer

Oct 2022 – Sep 2023

Designed WCAG 2.1 compliant, user-centered interfaces for government websites: FOD Finance, FOD WASO, Brussels-Capital Region

Wireframing, design, prototyping

Tools: Figma, Miro, Adobe Creative Suite

iO

Senior Service Designer

Oct 2022 – Sep 2023

Designed WCAG 2.1 compliant, user-centered interfaces for government websites: FOD Finance, FOD WASO, Brussels-Capital Region

Balanced stakeholder needs with end-user priorities through iterative prototyping

Advocated for WCAG 2.1 compliance and inclusive design practices

iO

Senior Service Designer

Oct 2022 – Sep 2023

Niko

UX Designer/Researcher

Oct 2021 – Sep 2022

Conducted UX design and usability testing for mobile apps and configuration software

Led user interviews and tests with digital and physical prototypes

Contributed to the Niko design system

Niko

UX Designer/Researcher

Oct 2021 – Sep 2022

Led usability testing for mobile apps and smart home configuration software

Conducted in-depth user interviews using both digital and physical prototypes

Helped evolve Niko’s design system through close collaboration with dev teams

Niko

UX Designer/Researcher

Oct 2021 – Sep 2022

ArcelorMittal

UX lead

Jan 2020 – Dec 2021

Coach for the UX team

UX research, interaction design and design system for ScaleUp, AM’s supply chain software

Wireframe, design, prototype,

ArcelorMittal

UX lead

Jan 2020 – Dec 2021

Coached the internal UX team while defining the UX strategy for ScaleUp, their logistics and supply chain platform

Unified research, interaction design, and system-level thinking into one coherent design practice

Established a shared design language for complex industrial workflows

ArcelorMittal

UX lead

Jan 2020 – Dec 2021

CPH Banque

Product designer

2018-2019

Information architecture, user research, wireframing, prototyping, UI design and design system for a new CPH mobile banking app.

UX research, UX/UI design

New mobile banking app in 9 months

CPH Banque

Product designer

2018-2019

Designed the information architecture, UX flows, and UI for a new mobile banking app

Conducted research and testing to ensure usability and trust across user segments

Delivered a full MVP app in 9 months with a small cross-functional team

CPH Banque

Product designer

2018-2019

TVH

Senior UX Designer

2017

Lead UX for TVH’s IoT platform and various webshops

Information architecture, Wireframing & Prototyping, Usability testing

Coaching of more junior designers

TVH

Senior UX Designer

2017

Led the UX effort for an IoT platform and e-commerce tools used in industrial equipment rental

Built out wireframes, prototypes, and test flows to support both business and technical teams

Mentored junior designers and helped shape internal UX standards

TVH

Senior UX Designer

2017

Belfius

UX researcher

2016

Belfius

UX researcher

2016

Belfius

UX researcher

2016

Hudson

UX/UI Designer

2015

Hudson

UX/UI Designer

2015

Hudson

UX/UI Designer

2015

KBC

UX Designer

2014

KBC

UX Designer

2014

KBC

UX Designer

2014

Certifications

UX Research Specialty (2021)

Usability Testing

Remote User Research

Personas: Turn User Data Into User-Centered Design

Journey Mapping to Understand Customer Needs

Discoveries: Building the Right Thing

Interaction Design Specialty (2020)

Application Design for Web and Desktop

Designing Complex Apps for Specialized Domains

Emerging Patterns in Interface Design

Web Page UX Design

Information Architecture

Journey Mapping to Understand Customer Needs

Design thinking camp (2021)

Outside of work

Badmeaningood @ Urgent.fm

I host a weekly radio show focused on jazz and related grooves. I also collect vinyl and have a long-standing interest in sound, rhythm, and overlooked records.

Listen here

Badmeaningood @ Urgent.fm

I host a weekly radio show focused on jazz and related grooves. I also collect vinyl and have a long-standing interest in sound, rhythm, and overlooked records.

Listen here

Badmeaningood @ Urgent.fm

I host a weekly radio show focused on jazz and related grooves. I also collect vinyl and have a long-standing interest in sound, rhythm, and overlooked records.

Listen here

Let's talk

Get in Touch

Got a project in mind, a question, or just want to say hi?
Feel free to reach out — I’m always open to a good conversation.

Or connect with me on LinkedIn