Staff product designer · AI-native design engineer

I design the product and build the proof.

My career spans product strategy, interaction design, user research, technical prototyping, and production software. I use both disciplines to carry product intent from concept through launch.

Marco van Hylckama Vlieg

The short version

Two disciplines. One product point of view.

I'm a staff-level product designer and AI-native design engineer. Product design taught me to frame the right problem; engineering taught me to respect the system that has to make the answer real.

My background includes product strategy, interaction design, user research, UX engineering, and technical prototyping. Today I apply that range to AI-native products and complex enterprise systems, staying involved through implementation and launch.

Design depth
Product framing, interaction design, system modeling, research synthesis, design systems, and design leadership.
Engineering depth
Technical prototyping, frontend and native product development, API and model integration, realtime systems, testing, and deployment.
Best fit
Staff-level IC or hands-on leadership work where product judgment and engineering execution belong in the same role.

How I work

Reduce uncertainty by making the product tangible.

The goal is not more process. It is a clearer decision, a better interaction, and a product the team can confidently build.

  1. 01

    Clarify the system

    I turn an ambiguous problem into an explicit model, a product decision, and a sequence the team can act on.

  2. 02

    Make it real early

    I use working prototypes to expose interaction problems, align teams, and replace abstract debate with something concrete.

  3. 03

    Stay through the details

    I keep working through testing, edge cases, implementation constraints, and the decisions that determine whether the product holds together.

Next step

Looking for someone who can own the product decision and build the working proof?

Discuss a role