Ben with his dog Molly

I’m Ben, founding designer for startups.

I run an independent fractional design practice for early/mid-stage teams, where I help shape what to build and ship 0→1 products that scale.

I believe good design should feel obvious. Intentional in every choice, crafted with care.

XLinkedIn

Playground projects

InkChinese calligraphy art and learning toolSumiDesign tool for Japanese aesthetics
WashiGenerative motion sketchbook
Kanpeki Study

Advanced Japanese learning

View website
EdtechB2CBootstrap
Time2023 – 2024
Team

Challenge

Kanpeki helps learners master Japanese, but daily practice has to feel rewarding or people stop coming back. The founder needed clarity on learners' needs and a product that made the habit stick.

How we worked

One to one with the founder: mapping learners' needs and journeys, then designing the app and landing page end to end, with a design system he could keep building on.

Outcome

A playful, expressive learning experience and a design system that let the founder keep iterating and shipping fast after we wrapped.

Matthew BowenCEO, Founder

“I loved my experience working with Ben. His thoughtful approach and creative design solutions far exceeded my expectations. The collaboration was highly valuable, it gave me clarity. The design system has made it easier to keep iterating and moving fast.”

Kanpeki Study sign-up page
Kanpeki Study: K3
Kanpeki Study: K2
Kanpeki Study home dashboard
Kanpeki Study: K1