Principal Product Designer · Barcelona
I turn complexity into something people can use.
From craft to systems, shaped by scale
Experience
I came to UX through graphic design, cinematography and photography. Today I lead with research and systems thinking; the visual training is what makes the end result land.
Since then I've worked across agencies, startups, scale-ups and global organisations - visual and UX design, service design, and the organisational systems underneath them. Each has taught me something different about pace, scale and alignment, and how much rigour you can keep when the three pull against each other.
I do my best work where constraints and ambition meet. Untangling complexity, getting stakeholders pointed the same way, holding coherence from early framing through to delivery.
Leadership
Hands-on when it matters, strategic where it counts
I'm a design leader who stays close to the craft. Leadership isn't oversight - it's knowing when to challenge and when to champion, when to lead from the front and when to get out of the way.
Many leaders distance themselves from execution. I don't. I've built my career on setting direction at scale while still delivering the work, and I mentor the same way: through trust and specifics rather than general encouragement.
The other half of the job is alignment - working across disciplines and levels to connect a creative vision to what the business can actually absorb.
Methodology
Hands-on when it matters, strategic where it counts
Good outcomes come from framing the problem properly, then being disciplined about what follows: systems thinking, evidence where it exists, and tested judgement where it doesn't. I'd rather design a durable structure than a one-off interface.
AI has changed my pace more than my process. I use it to explore more directions, test ideas earlier, and build working prototypes instead of static wireframes.
At Dell I ran AI talks and hands-on sessions across design teams: exploring new tools, testing them, sharing what actually worked.
CONTACT
Let’s talk shop
Whether it’s a role, a collaboration, or a problem worth picking apart, I’m happy to talk.
I’m open to Senior, Lead and Principal Product Design roles in Barcelona, or remote across the UK, Europe and the US. I’m happiest in teams where design has a real say in how the product, the team and the business grow.
And if you’re a fellow designer who wants to talk design or AI, needs a second pair of eyes on a case study, or is thinking through a career move, drop me a line. I’m always happy to share what I’ve learned. I believe in design cultures that are kind, curious and allergic to ego.
Coffee in Barcelona or a video call. Both work.
inna.jaakkola@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/innajaakkola