Carolina Arai, Senior Product Designer
I make complex products easier to build, scale & maintain.
About Me
I am a product designer who creates structure and direction in ambiguous spaces. When business goals, technical constraints, and team capacity do not fully align, I help reframe the problem, clarify assumptions, and define realistic trade-offs so product decisions can move forward with intention.
My focus is on systems that scale: information architecture, design systems, AI-driven workflows, and accessibility built in from the start, not added at the end. I prioritize work that is sustainable, documented, and feasible over work that is merely visually polished.
Selected Work
Most recently, I designed and built an AI-driven content production system from scratch for a digital marketing agency. I owned the project end to end: defining agent roles, building prompt libraries, establishing interaction logic, and creating governance standards. The system reduced content production time by approximately 90%, from one week to 4 hours per piece, from request to client-ready draft..
Earlier in my career, I led a company-wide accessibility initiative at Real Estate Webmasters, restructuring internal frameworks, defining implementation standards across platforms, and training over 50 people across design, development, QA, and sales on WCAG 2.0 and ADA compliance.
What I am looking for
I am looking for senior product roles where complexity requires thoughtful prioritization, cross-functional collaboration, and durable system design.
I work remotely and am open to roles across Canada.
Specializations
- Information Architecture
- Design Systems
- AI-Driven Workflows
- Accessibility (WCAG 2.0 / 2.2)
I thrive where there is no existing structure.
Hard problems with durable solutions are where I do my best work.
My Experience
-
Webtools Group
Senior Product Designer, Systems and AI Initiatives
Jun 2025 – Feb 2026
Designed and built an AI-driven content production system from scratch, replacing a fragmented 8-role manual process with a structured pipeline that reduced content production from approximately 40 hours to 4 hours per piece, from request to client-ready draft. Owned the project end to end: diagnosed the root cause, designed the knowledge architecture, built four specialized AI agents, and delivered complete documentation and governance standards for handoff.
-
Webtools Group
Product Design Lead
Jan 2025 – Jun 2025
Built the company's first formal design system and modular component library from scratch. Led two client-facing web redesign projects end to end, managing design direction, stakeholder communication, and implementation. One project was executed simultaneously as designer, project manager, front-end developer, and QA.
-
SISA Energy LTD
Product Designer
Jun 2023 – Feb 2025
Sole product designer for a client-facing data platform. Restructured the platform's information architecture, labeling, and interaction flows to align with WCAG 2.2 standards. Built a modular design system for the Data Collection feature from scratch, defined component behavior and documentation standards, and trained the development team on accessibility implementation. Redesigned the corporate website, increasing traffic by 43% in the first quarter post-launch.
-
Outcomes
Senior Web Designer
Dec 2021 – Jul 2023
Improved web performance, SEO, accessibility, and user engagement of the corporate site, increasing traffic by 37% and sales revenue by 28% in 12 months. Redesigned the online service portfolio and pitch presentation, resulting in a 69% increase in sales revenue in the first quarter.
-
Real Estate Webmasters
Product Designer
May 2020 - Nov 2020
Led the company-wide Web Accessibility Implementation Campaign. Documented best practices and trained 50+ employees across design, development, QA, sales, and customer success on WCAG 2.0 and ADA compliance. Redesigned the Vision template for accessibility, including new mockups, front-end implementation, and full documentation for the Professional Services team.
-
Real Estate Webmasters
Senior Web Designer
Oct 2018 - May 2020
Implemented front-end and UX improvements across 50+ client websites, including SEO, information architecture restructuring, rapid prototyping, and mockup design. Redesigned the corporate website end to end: information architecture, wireframes, high-fidelity mockups, front-end development, and ongoing maintenance.
-
Prizm Media - RxtoMe
UX/UI Designer
Nov 2017 - Jun 2018
Improved usability of the RxtoMe desktop app and Pharmacy Portal through information architecture restructuring, rapid prototyping, and high-fidelity mockup design. Established the company's first design standards and cross-team processes between development and marketing, resulting in more efficient handoffs. Conducted usability testing with internal teams and restructured labeling based on findings.
-
CareCru
UI Designer
Oct 2016 - Oct 2017
Improved the usability of the Patient Management by restructuring the user flow, creating wireframes, and a high-fidelity prototype.
Actively participated in discussions regarding best usability practices.
-
Telus
UX/UI Designer Volunteer
Sep 2017 - Oct 2017
Redesigned the UI of the medium fidelity prototype that got the approval for the Green Tracker Team to get the budget to finance the real app.
Improved the usability and functionality of the beta version by synthezing the data, restructuring the information architecture, creating a more consistent labeling to create a more user friendly experience.
-
British Columbia Institute of Technology
New Media Design and Web Development Certificate
Oct 2016 - Oct 2017
Studied this twelve months certificate to strengthen my coding, user interface and user experience design skills.
Graduated with honours.
-
mLabs
Visual Information Designer
May 2016 - Jun 2017
Improved the usability and flow of the Fresh Meal Plan website. Restructured the information architecture and created high-fidelity wireframes.
Improved consumer engagement of Foresight Financial and SAFWRX by developing branding strategies and managing the social media presence.
-
Upwork
Visual Information Designer / Product Designer
Jul 2012 – Present
Independent contracts across brand development, editorial design, data visualization, and web design for clients in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Over a decade of parallel freelance work alongside full-time roles..
-
Kansai Gaidai University
Asian Studies Exchange Program
Sep 2011 - May 2012
Study abroad in Hirakata, Osaka, Japan for a year.
-
Graduated Cum Laude
Student Council Treasurer (2010-2011)
General Editor of the Cain Murray Monthly Gazette (2009-2010)
-
100% Full Scholarship Award
Universidad De Las Americas de Puebla
Aug 2008
Won First Place in the Academic Scholarship Contest of Arts and Social Studies. Earned a 100% full scholarship for my bachelor's education.
Licenses & Certifications
Interaction Design: Interface
Course completed on Apr 18, 2023
Certificate ID: AQKLE1n72WLZW4OLkqpTPB0_X0LZ
Issued by LinkedIn Learning.
WAI0.1x: Introduction to Web Accessibility
Course completed on September 22, 2020
Certificate ID: 5c8a9d9bbf7843879e4010bea1b541c1
Issued by edX LLC.