Fractional design
for platforms that can't afford confusion
Meganne Ohata
Get targeted design solutions for complex tools with high technical and usability demands—without the full-time hire.
Working 14+ years at growing tech agencies has made adapting second nature. I work strategically and autonomously in fast-paced environments with agile teams to untangle complexity and deliver value in high-trust domains like medtech, fintech, and cybersecurity.
What I Do
I work on complex, data-heavy platforms that often don’t have a dedicated designer in-house. Some examples are:
An accounting platform for forecasting, planning requisitions, and managing headcount
A platform that monitors identity fraud on the dark web and maps behavioural patterns of threat actors and related data breaches
An ML-powered tool that helps financial analysts sort through multiple data points to target investment opportunities
A lot of times, agile teams are able to use design libraries to put basic MVPs together to hit the ground running. Over time, complexities and architectural patchwork add up and small usability issues end up snowballing and becoming deeply embedded in the workflow and platform architecture. At that point, it becomes critical to untangle the usability issues so that users don't leave for a more intuitive platform.That's where I come in.
For Existing Legacy Designs
Usability Audit
This is a short 3-6 week project where I investigate existing websites / interfaces and provide a guiding compass through user tests, analysis, reporting, and mapping out recommendations.
3 to 6 weeks depending on needs and platform complexity
Identify UX and architectural weaknesses
User tests and research inform recommendations
Executive report and summary
For Developing New Features
Flex Design Strategy
Whereas audits assess existing issues, this flexible retainer option puts a strategic design mind on your team so that new features are mapped and developed with UX incorporated from the start.
Flexible contract based on feature needs
From concept definition and flow mapping to wireframes and prototype
Close collaboration with dev teams
Includes documentation for growth and scaling
Case Studies
Legacy Suite + Audit + UX System
A surprise twist on an audit and design system for a legacy HR Suite whose UX has blocked them from scaling.
The solutions created after difficult conversations let us pivot part-way through the contract, ultimately culminating in a powerful UX system that changed the organization’s entire design culture and production lifecycle.
⭐️ Expedited product lifecycle by 50% for 2 products
⭐️ Eliminated 6 months of production time
⭐️ 267% adoption across 3 portfolios and 9 teams
Architectural Audit + Implementation
Re-architecting an enrolment flow for 55k students amidst a chaotic environment with +14 stakeholders.
Comprehensive user research formed the backbone of this project, laying the foundation for data-backed design decisions that aligned stakeholders. Wireframes, prototyping, UI and workshops led to long-term impact.
⭐️ 30+ interviews and tests across 5 segments
⭐️ Led 10 design foundation workshops across 12 departments
⭐️ Consolidated multiple silos, lasting organizational impact
Fintech + Permissions
Designing sensitive permissions for a growing fintech platform with a priority on shipping complex features quickly.
This case study is a great example of how I work tightly with PM and devs, create comprehensive documentation to guide future growth, and how enterprise design builds on backend clarity to create seamless front-end experiences.
⭐️ Saved 5+ weeks of downstream dev efforts
⭐️ MVP shipped within 3 weeks
⭐️ Documentation guided growth +12 months after contract
Meganne excels in getting things done and being a powerhouse every day. Her enthusiasm is contagious and adds to any culture she is a part of. Her discipline and design standard are both very high. She can handle really tough problems and doesn't get scared.
—Ceara Crawshaw, CEO @ Pencil & Paper
Meganne is one of the most detail-oriented designers I have worked with. She uses her skills and experience to guide and improve the user experience and design. Always solution-oriented and ready with options. Every PM's dream.
—Hiba Ganta, PM @ Kyu
[ MORE COMING SOON ]
Usability Audit
What It Is
Identify and evaluate platform usability, particularly issues that are critical to user buy-in such as:
Cognitive load and visual noise
Ease and transparency of navigation
Capacity to understand and manipulate data
Human error prevention and recovery
Get context on severity, reasoning and potential solutions and options.
Benefits
Walk away with clarity
Identify usability weaknesses and pain points
Get the breakdown analysis of each issue, what users say about it, and what to do
Comprehensive, actionable strategies and solutions for next steps
Contextualize quick wins against critical growth blockers
Data-backed insights to strengthen and inform your dev and product roadmap
Process
Onboarding and knowledge transfer interviews
5 to 8 user tests and walkthroughs
Aggregation of data and pattern analysis
Full report and presentation
Pricing*
A one-time investment of between $3000 to $12000 based on goals, timeline and complexity.As a reference point, $3-5k reflects audits for platforms with fewer pages, simple workflows / data structures, less intensive timelines, and 2 visual solutions.On the other end, $10-12k involves complex workflow / data structures, intense commitment to reach an aggressive deadline, 8+ visual solutions, and compiled video highlights from user tests.
Availability
Booking now for winter 2025 and spring 2026. Get in touch!
* Special offer for security related platforms—let's talk!
Flexible Design Strategy
What It Is
This solution puts a strategic designer on the team for a limited time so that features can be developed with UX from the start
Avoid entangling your platform in design debt
Based on your resourcing needs—this is where the "fractional" part comes in!
I work closely with your dev team within your technical constraints, and create flows and structures that move your roadmap forward
Get strategic usability perspectives for your new feature.
Benefits
Targeted design support that prioritizes clarity of data and intuitive user experience
A lightweight option that brings in design muscle when it matters—without the overhead of a permanent hire
Receive guidance and documentation that provides strategies on growth and scaling designs, even long after the retainer has ended
Deliver updates that make sense to your clients, increase trust, and strengthen their confidence in your product and brand
Process
Onboard and knowledge transfer with the team to understand goals, constraints, and context
Concept definition with developer and roadmap
Logic mapping and stress testing user flows
Wireframe and prototyping of screens / pages
Interface design, visual support or other scaffolding for dev handoff
Refine documentation for growth and scaling
Pricing*
As a fractional designer, I'll tailor packages for you based on timing needs and services. Below, I've included some example references so you can get a sense of what that might look like:
8 Week Sprint: Get a full-time design resource for a limited period, plus ramp up/ramp down time for onboarding and QA: $12-16k
6 Month Part Time: For sporadic feature pushes and ramp up/ramp down time to accommodate changing design needs: $30-45k
Emergency Intensive: 3 weeks beyond full-time capacity to help you reach the finish line. Only available for clients I've previously worked with: $12k
Availability
Booking now for winter 2025 and spring 2026. Get in touch!
* Special offer for security related platforms—let's talk!
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Onboarding |
| 2 | User Testing |
| 3 | Analysis and Report |
Onboarding
This case study is a great example of how I work tightly with PM and devs, create comprehensive documentation to guide future growth, and how enterprise design builds on backend clarity to create seamless front-end experiences.
