Freelance UX & Graphic Designer
2022–Present · San Francisco Bay Area
Websites, interfaces, prototypes, visual identities, and marketing assets for small businesses and independent clients.
♥ moving on
UX Designer & Researcher · San Francisco Bay Area
I turn research into focused products for stressful, real-world moments.
I design clear, testable experiences across mobile and desktop—grounded in interviews, synthesis, prototyping, and usability testing.
3 UX case studies2 solo projects1 college team project
Selected work
Three projects. Three different product problems.
Quick summaries below; each case study includes the full research, process, prototype, testing, and reflection.
Park Pal
Solo project · Mobile + responsive web
Park Pal
One system for the fragmented parking journey.
View case study
Share Plate
DVC team project · Mobile app
Share Plate
Designing trust into food-resource discovery.
View case study
About me
UX first. Visual craft supports the experience.
I’m Zafar Sahel, a UX designer and researcher in the San Francisco Bay Area. I focus on products people use while stressed, overwhelmed, or navigating unclear systems.
My graphic-design background gives me strong visual judgment, but research, structure, interaction, and usability stay at the center of my work.
1Understand the real problem before committing to features.
2Connect research findings directly to product decisions.
3Test labels, hierarchy, and flows—not only polished screens.
Skills
UX is the primary discipline.
Research, product thinking, interaction design, and testing come first. Graphic and motion design strengthen the final communication.
UX research & synthesis
Discover and define
User interviewsSurveysSecondary researchCompetitive analysisAffinity mappingResearch synthesisPersonasEmpathy mapsJourney maps
Product & interaction design
Structure and design
Information architectureUser flowsWireframingRapid prototypingHigh-fidelity UIInteraction designResponsive designDesign systemsAccessibility
Testing & delivery
Validate and communicate
Usability testingTask analysisMaze testingIteration planningDesign critiqueStakeholder communicationDesign handoffHTML & CSSDocumentation
Secondary: visual & motion
Support the product story
Graphic designBrandingTypographyPhotoshopIllustratorAfter EffectsMotion graphicsCinema 4D
Tools
Modern design and AI-assisted workflows.
I use AI for synthesis, critique, structure, accessibility review, and front-end iteration while keeping research evidence and final design judgment human-led.
Figma
Interface design & prototypes
FigJam
Synthesis, flows & workshops
Adobe Suite
Visual design & motion
ChatGPT
Research, critique & code support
Claude
Long-form review & structure
Experience & education
Visual-design roots. Product-design direction.
Experience
Product & Graphic Designer — Moby Group / TOLO TV
Oct 2014–Dec 2017 · Kabul, Afghanistan
Digital interfaces, broadcast graphics, marketing assets, and visual systems in a fast-paced media environment.
Education & training
Associate Degree in Digital Art
Diablo Valley College · 2022–2025
UX, web design, visual design, digital media, motion, and creative production.
Google UX Design Professional Certificate
Coursera
Research, wireframing, prototyping, accessibility, and usability testing.
Need the full résumé?
Download the PDF for detailed experience, education, tools, and qualifications.
Let’s build something useful.
I’m open to UX and product-design roles, freelance work, and conversations about products for people navigating difficult systems or difficult days.