Bora Alap

Product Design Lead · Design Engineering

I design product systems that make complex software easier to use, build, and scale.

I'm Bora, an Amsterdam-based product designer and design engineer with 10+ years across B2B SaaS, mobile apps, design systems, AI workflows, and product teams that need clarity fast.

Open to virtual coffee about product, AI, and design systems

Selected work

Work that moved products, teams, and systems forward.

A few examples where the work had to be useful in the product, understandable to teams, and practical to build.

01

GoodHabitz Experts Platform

A conversational AI authoring platform that helps organizations turn expert knowledge into structured learning content.

B2B enterprise clients · 16-language localization · SCORM + LTI shipped

Lead product design · AI authoring UX · Multi-tenant CMS

02

FreshBooks Connect

Mobile product design for trades teams tracking time, expenses, and mileage in the field.

40% retention lift · 25% data accuracy lift

Lead product design · Native mobile UX · Workflow design

03

FreshBricks

A design system that helped align design and engineering across FreshBooks web applications.

93% adoption · 30% faster development

Design system strategy · Component patterns · Cross-functional adoption

04

Frank Windows & Doors

A practical Next.js and Node.js implementation for a service business with conversion-focused needs.

Production build · Freelance delivery

Design · Design engineering · Technical delivery

05

Hiroo & Profillet

Brand, website, and Webflow work for early-stage companies that needed clarity fast.

Brand systems · Web experiences

Brand direction · Website design · Webflow implementation

What I'm good at

I work where product direction, interface craft, and design engineering meet.

Product strategy

Turn vague business goals into product direction, priorities, and decisions a team can act on.

Native mobile UX

Design field-ready flows that respect platform patterns, speed, context, and edge cases.

Design systems

Create component patterns, usage rules, and adoption paths that help teams move consistently.

Interaction design

Shape states, motion, empty moments, and details that make complex flows feel understandable.

Design engineering

Prototype and build interfaces close to the real medium with React, Next.js, and Tailwind.

Design leadership

Guide craft, unblock decisions, mentor designers, and keep product conversations grounded.

Operating principles

The product should feel simpler than the system behind it.

  1. 01

    Make the purpose obvious.

  2. 02

    Reduce the user's mental load.

  3. 03

    Design close to the final medium.

  4. 04

    Use systems where repetition appears.

  5. 05

    Ship the smallest useful version.

  6. 06

    Add delight only where it helps the work.

Experience

A decade of product work across EdTech, mobile, systems, SaaS, and service businesses.

GoodHabitz

Product Design Lead

AI implementation for EdTech products, design-system work, and clearer learning experiences.

FreshBooks

Product Design Lead

Mobile product strategy, design systems, workflow design, and cross-functional adoption.

Ceridian

Senior Mobile Product Designer

Native mobile UX for HRM products and complex employee workflows.

Rogers Communications

Senior Mobile Product Designer

Telecom product experiences across mobile touchpoints and customer journeys.

Compass Digital Labs

Senior Product Designer

Product design for commerce and service experiences.

Testimonials

People I worked with noticed the bridge between design craft and engineering.

Scott Williams

Director of Design

Bora is an exceptional design professional who combines strong technical skills, a deep understanding of engineering practices, and a keen user-centred mindset.

Kiley Meehan

Head of Design

An intriguing mix of technical and craft talent, Bora brought a systems-thinking approach to all aspects of his work.

Vishal Assija

Senior Engineer Mobile

Every engineer dreams of working with designers who understand feasibility, complexity, and how to support the engineering team.

Yvonne Shek

VP of Design

Bora is strong in understanding intricate requirements and translating them into clear design options.

Build notes

Experiments, prototypes, and things I'm learning.

Small threads from the builder side of my work: AI workflows, voice UX, systems, mobile patterns, and implementation details.

Prototype

AI receptionist workflows

Mapping intake, routing, and handoff flows for service businesses using AI voice agents.

Exploring

Multilingual voice UX

Testing how language switching, confirmation, and trust cues should work in voice products.

Learning

Design-system explorations

Trying lighter component rules that help teams ship without turning systems into bureaucracy.

Archived

Mobile interaction patterns

A personal library of navigation, empty states, and task-heavy mobile interaction ideas.

Shipped

AI-assisted product operations

Small automations that reduce repetitive product and client operations work.

Learning

Front-end playgrounds

Interface experiments in React, Next.js, Tailwind, motion, and practical implementation details.

Contact

Have a complex product problem that needs clearer shape?

I'm always interested in thoughtful conversations around product design, design systems, AI workflows, mobile UX, and teams trying to ship better software.