Hi, I’m Mikaela.

I shape what we build, how we build it, and the experience we create

I’ve spent much of my career moving between design, product and leadership. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that I do my best work when I get to combine all three.

I’ve led designers, managed products and worked alongside developers to turn ideas into real experiences. I enjoy the bigger picture: figuring out what matters, where to focus and how to bring people together. But I love the details just as much. The research that changes your assumptions, the prototype that makes an idea click, and the small design decisions that make something feel effortless.

In 2021, I chose to move back into hands-on design after years in leadership. I missed making things.

Today, I’m looking to bring those worlds together again: leading teams, shaping product direction and staying close enough to the design craft to make a real difference.

Because for me, great design isn’t just about what we ship. It’s about how we get there, the people we build it with and the impact it has when it’s out in the world.

Discovery & design craft
Product & service thinking
Leading designers & development teams

See my work Get in touch View CV

Mikaela Frisk smiling, in a black turtleneck

Match your needs with my skills

Companies I’ve worked with

Liber
PostNord
Bilwebben
Byggföretagen
TRR
Baemingo
Savvy Match
Leeroy Group
Viaplay
Stockholm School of Technology
Eurotransport

Good design starts long before the interface, with understanding what’s worth building.

For me, design starts with understanding the problem. What are people trying to do? What isn’t working today? And where are the opportunities to create something better, both for the people using the service and for the business?

The first idea isn’t always the best one. Sometimes we need to test what we think we know, explore other options or realise that the problem is actually a different one.

I like working closely with users, the business and development. Getting different perspectives on the table, making ideas concrete and testing them before we’ve invested too much in one solution.

For me, design is as much about asking the right questions as finding good answers. And about staying curious, even when we think we’ve found the solution.

Experience in practice

From research to reality
I’ve led UX work and designed experiences myself, from understanding people’s needs and exploring ideas to testing prototypes and creating interfaces ready for development.
30% → 50%
During my time at TRR, the share of users with a match profile grew from 30% to 50%. One example of how improving digital services can make a measurable difference.
30 restaurant brands
As Product Manager at Leeroy, I led the development of a digital ordering and loyalty platform used by 30 restaurant brands.
Leading people and products
I’ve managed designers, shaped product roadmaps and led cross-functional teams, bringing people together around what matters and what to build next.

“Thank you, Mikaela, for helping us at Liber raise our skills in customer insight work!”

Jessica Kirchmeier · Product Director at Liber · translated from Swedish

Selected work

Making things better

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What I bring

01
Understanding people and needs

I use research, interviews and analysis to understand people’s behaviour, needs and problems. It gives a better basis for prioritising the right things and finding solutions that make a real difference.
- User research
- Problem framing
- Research strategy
- Opportunity mapping
- Ideation
- Concept development
- Validation
02
Developing services and products

I look at the whole experience, not just individual features. How the parts fit together, where there’s room to improve, and how the solution can work for both users and the business.
- Customer journeys
- Service blueprinting
- Ecosystem mapping
- Customer insights
- Operational feasibility
03
Designing and testing solutions

I like going from an idea to something concrete. I sketch, build prototypes, test with users and keep working on the details until the solution is ready to be built.
- User flows
- Information architecture
- Interaction design
- Prototyping
- User testing
- UI design
- Design systems
- Accessibility
04
Leading design and product development

I’ve led designers, development teams and product work. I like creating clarity, bringing different perspectives together and giving the team what it needs to succeed.
- Design direction
- Product strategy
- Roadmaps
- Prioritisation
- Cross-functional leadership
- Facilitation
- Coaching

How I like to work

Understand the problem first.

It’s easy to jump straight to the solution. I want to understand what we’re trying to achieve, and why it matters, first.

We learn when we test.

I believe in making ideas concrete early. A simple prototype often gives more answers than another meeting.

Good solutions grow together.

I like it when people with different skills and perspectives get to shape the work. It makes both the work and the result better.

The details matter.

A good idea doesn’t go all the way on its own. It’s often in the details that an experience becomes truly simple, clear and useful.

Tools I’ve designed and built

NewTools I’ve built, free to useAccessibility Checker and Fixer

I like exploring new ways of working and turning ideas into something concrete. Sometimes that becomes a small tool that makes work easier, sometimes something that helps me test an idea or learn something new.

Here are a few things I’ve built myself.

See the tools

Backstage

Not all work becomes a finished case. Here you’ll find other parts of my work, from experiments and my own initiatives to ideas and projects I’m curious to explore further.

Shall we make something good together?

I’m curious about opportunities where I get to combine design, product development and leadership. Where I can bring both experience and hands-on design work, together with people who want to create something really good.

A permanent role

I’m looking for a role where I take ownership of how we work, what we build and the team around it, with my hands still in the work.

View CV →

An assignment

From discovery to development-ready UI: finding the right problem, testing ideas and doing the design craft, and leading the product development work around it.

See my work →

Do you have an idea, a challenge or a role you think would suit me? Get in touch.

hello@mikaelafrisk.com +46 73 388 84 94