Hello stranger!
I am Zurika Raubenheimer,
a designer/developer. Bringing your ideas to life.

My 13-week internship at Sand Dollar Design, starting in November 2023, provided an invaluable immersion into the field of user experience (UX) design. This agency focuses on understanding customer needs to solve complex business problems, ultimately resulting in exceptional experiences for both clients and their customers. The internship program was structured in two phases:

Phase 1: Training and Practice (7 weeks)
This intensive phase immersed me in core UX principles, methodologies, and tools. I received comprehensive training in UX strategy, encompassing competitor and trend analysis, user research, persona development, journey mapping, information architecture, wireframing, UI design, prototyping, and user testing. This training equipped me with a strong foundation in UX fundamentals.

Phase 2: On-the-Job Experience (6 weeks)

• UX strategy: Defining user needs and identifying opportunities to improve user experience.
• Competitor and trend analysis: Understanding the competitive landscape and identifying emerging trends.
• User research: Gathering user feedback through surveys, interviews, and usability testing.
• Personas: Developing representative profiles of target users.
• Journey mapping: Visualizing the user's experience across touchpoints.
• Information architecture: Organizing content to facilitate user navigation.
• Wireframes: Creating low-fidelity prototypes to test and refine user flows.
• UI design: Designing user interfaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly.
• Prototype development: Creating interactive prototypes for testing and user feedback.
• User testing: Conducting usability testing sessions to identify and address user pain points.
• Report generation: Presenting findings and recommendations based on user research and testing.

Throughout the internship, I gained hands-on experience with industry-standard tools such as Figma, Google Slides, Teams, and Flutter. This internship provided me with a solid foundation in UX design principles and methodologies, as well as the opportunity to hone my design skills, work collaboratively, and contribute to real-world projects such as an application for Center On Me.

This project aimed to develop a comprehensive website solution for a non-governmental organization (NGO), utilizing my acquired skills in user experience design, project management, and development. The project unfolded through four distinct stages:

Project Definition and Planning: This initial stage involved the conceptualization and planning of the website. We collaboratively identified a plausible NGO concept focusing on environmental sustainability, ensuring its relevance and impact. To inform the website's design and strategy, I conducted a thorough marketing audit. This included a SWOT analysis to assess the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, alongside target audience identification to understand their needs and expectations. Competitive analysis and market research further enriched the planning process, providing valuable insights into the landscape and trends within the chosen domain. Finally, key resources needed for website development, including tools, technologies, and team expertise, were clearly defined. This comprehensive planning process laid a solid foundation for the project's success.

User Experience Design: With a solid foundation in place, the focus shifted to designing a user-centric experience. The second stage commenced with the development of user stories, outlining the functionalities and features that would cater to the specific needs of the target audience. This was followed by the creation of a compelling website concept, encompassing a detailed user experience flow for key features, ensuring a smooth and intuitive user journey. To further enhance the user experience, I designed a site skeleton that outlined the website's overall structure, hierarchy, and page relationships. This provided a clear roadmap for content organization and navigation. Next, wireframes for key website pages were developed, focusing on user interaction, navigation, and information architecture. The process ensured that the website would be both visually appealing and user-friendly. Finally, the visual style and branding elements were defined, creating a consistent and engaging look and feel for the website.

Website Development: The third stage involved the actual development of the website and its mobile application companion. Utilizing appropriate technologies and frameworks, the website was built following best practices in web development. This ensured its functionality, scalability, and accessibility. A mobile app was also developed to provide users with an alternate access point for information and services, further enhancing convenience and accessibility. To ensure a flawless user experience, both the web and mobile applications underwent rigorous testing, identifying and addressing any potential issues before deployment. Finally, a comprehensive deployment plan was created for both applications, outlining release strategies and infrastructure considerations to guarantee a smooth and successful launch.

Project Management and Documentation: Effective project management and comprehensive documentation were crucial throughout the project lifecycle. Asana served as the primary project management tool, facilitating efficient task management, communication, and resource allocation. To ensure transparency and knowledge transfer, I prepared detailed documentation for each project phase, including specifications, design decisions, and testing results. This documentation was then exported to PDF format for clear and consistent presentation. The adherence to the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) framework ensured a systematic and organized project execution, ultimately resulting in a functional and user-friendly website solution for the identified NGO.

At Teclogix, I honed my graphic design skills across diverse projects, crafting engaging social media graphics, custom client mousepads, and a captivating digital advertisement. My designs increased social media engagement, satisfied client needs with functional and visually pleasing products, and maximized advertising effectiveness. This experience, coupled with my design software proficiency, branding understanding, and collaborative communication skills, empowers me to tackle any future design project with confidence.

Embarking on a new challenge at Teclogix, I established a dedicated marketing department alongside a teammate. Together, we spearhead the creation and execution of customized marketing strategies for each client profile. Our comprehensive approach begins with thorough competitor research to gain a strategic understanding of the market landscape and identify potential opportunities for client growth. Subsequently, we meticulously implement SEO optimization techniques to boost client website visibility and attract organic traffic. To further amplify reach and engagement, we leverage Google Ads, crafting targeted campaigns that ensure our clients connect with the right audience at the opportune moment. Driven by data insights and creative execution, our aim is to generate measurable results and empower clients to achieve their unique business objectives.

Worked within a small but high-performing development team at W3 Technologies, building custom systems and digital platforms for Dance World Cup (DWC). Contributed to the development of scalable, performance-driven solutions that supported international event management, participant workflows, and data-driven operations used by a global audience.

Collaborated closely with fellow developers to implement functionality using PHP, JavaScript, SQL, and the CodeIgniter framework, contributing across both backend architecture and frontend experiences. The lean-team environment required adaptability, strong problem-solving skills, and ownership of features from concept through deployment.

Selected to travel internationally to Prague and Spain to monitor systems in action during live events. Provided on-site technical support, observed real-world user interactions, and identified opportunities for performance improvements and UX enhancements. This hands-on experience strengthened understanding of large-scale event operations, system reliability under pressure, and rapid troubleshooting in live environments.

Utilized GitLab for version control and collaboration, managing branches, merge requests, and code reviews to ensure efficient workflows and maintain high code quality across the team.

At Ecomplete, I collaborate with the performance and development teams to deliver user-centred UX and UI design solutions across a diverse portfolio of eCommerce clients. My work spans research, wireframing, prototyping, and visual design, ensuring that each website is both intuitive and conversion-focused. I analyse user behaviour and identify friction points using Microsoft Clarity session recordings and heatmaps, alongside data from Google Analytics 4, to inform design decisions and continuously improve the user journey.

I design wireframes and user flows from concept through to final handover for platforms such as Shopify and Magento, ensuring alignment with both business goals and user needs. My responsibilities also include creating high-fidelity UI designs, promotional banners, and marketing assets using Adobe Creative Suite. Additionally, I build interactive prototypes and landing pages in Framer and collaborate on rapid concept development and functional demos using Replit to test ideas efficiently.

Working across a wide range of brands, including Levi's, Hurley, Jeep Apparel, Safari Outdoor, and Superdry, I adapt design approaches to suit different audiences, industries, and brand guidelines. This involves conducting UX audits, improving navigation structures, optimising product listing and detail pages, and ensuring consistency across desktop and mobile experiences. My focus is on delivering clean, user-friendly interfaces that enhance usability, improve engagement, and ultimately drive measurable performance improvements.