I'm not being self-centered by putting my photo at the top. I'm just working with Notion's layout quirks! Horizontal images display better across desktop and mobile views, so here we are. đź«
My name is Naning, a researcher, design manager, and knowledge designer from Indonesia. With 10+ years of experience, I help teams build meaningful, scalable product experiences that connect insights to impact. You’re probably here because you’ve read my cover letter. This page is a quick intro to who I am, what I bring, and how I approach design leadership.
Whether you're looking for a full-time teammate, a project-based partner, or a workshop facilitator, I’m available flexible ways to collaborate based on your goals and timeline.
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My philosophy is simple: great design happens when empathy meets structure. I believe in empowering designers not just as executors, but to balance user needs, business impact, and organisational realities.
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As a design leader, I don’t just shape interfaces. I shape environments where designers can thrive. Over the past decade, I’ve led product design teams across Southeast Asia, scaling operations, mentoring designers from junior to principal level, and championing systems that blend rigour with creativity. From mobile apps and SaaS platforms to in-store experiences, I’ve helped build products across domains and markets. And in every team I lead, I bring the same energy: enablement, clarity, and a deep respect for craft.
If you’d like to understand my leadership and working style, I wrote this blog post specifically for hiring managers: An Open Discussion on My Management Approach: Preparing for a Manager Interview.
Here are a few examples of the kind of work I’ve led or contributed to across research, design management, and cross-functional operations.
Drove the end-to-end design of a high-impact feature from discovery to delivery, improving user experience around cashback tracking. Relevant stories:
Set up the foundational systems that enable design teams to thrive including career ladders, hiring rubrics, operating rhythms, resource planning, and tooling optimisation. These efforts supported long-term growth, team autonomy, and craft excellence across multiple markets. Relevant stories: