Crafting experiences since 2008

FERNANDA
YAGIMA

I am a Lead Product Designer passionate about creating digital experiences for humans.

Hello, there. Nice to meet you!
Portrait of Fernanda Yagima

I'm Brazilian with Japanese roots, currently living in Vienna and building my story here.
In my most recent role at adidas, I began my journey into leadership and have been growing into the more strategic side of design, where I support the business by driving impact through thoughtful experiences.

Leading with intention

I believe the best design happens in transparent, inclusive environments where people feel safe to challenge ideas and contribute openly. I foster collaboration across disciplines and support team growth by creating space for learning, ownership, and shared problem-solving.

Building with humans at the core

Humans are incredible, and that’s why I love experience design. What I enjoy most about being a designer is solving complex problems with clarity and purpose to create meaningful experiences. I aim to balance data-driven decisions with just the right amount of human emotion.

Pixels, strategy, and a lot of figuring it out
Directed a team of 5 Product Designers in an interim role, driving the strategic vision and hands-on execution of design initiatives for the adidas Running app, aligning UX outcomes with KPIs and business goals. I led the team through a period of uncertainty following layoffs and during the complex integration of adidas Runtastic into the broader adidas organization. Led long-term engagement and retention initiatives in the adidas Running and Training apps, guiding users through structured progression journeys. Some of my projects includes the end-to-end creation of the adidas Running training plans and the complete redesign of the News Feed experience. Collaborated with British Telecom teams to design user experiences for complex CRM systems, aligning UX improvements with enterprise business needs, focusing on building high-fidelity interactive prototypes for complex business flows, validating multiple business cases and aligning user requirements with development specs. Designed and delivered UX and UI for pre-installed Sony Android apps, ensuring seamless onboarding and feature discovery across devices. I collaborated with multiple cross-functional teams to maintain design consistency across projects, from wireframing to final UI implementation. As a co-founder, I balanced business processes, user experience, and product strategy. I collaborated with clients and internal teams to understand real challenges and shape them into practical product solutions. This experience laid the groundwork for how I approach design today.
Projects that made it out of the Figma jungle
Redesigning the adidas Running training plans from static content into a dynamically adaptable experience. Leading and empowering the Product Design team to envision a future adidas Running experience that aligns motivation and joy with our new strategic direction.
Mentoring, mics, and meaningful chats
A family project where my sister and I narrate my parents' chronicles, offering a unique experience to their reflections and personal journey through self-consciousness. In Brazilian Portuguese. I have been mentoring on ADPList as a way to give back to the design community and support people with their career journeys.
Don't take my word for it, take theirs
Fernanda led the Design team for the adidas Running app at adidas with a strong growth mindset and drive for innovation. She balances user-centricity with business goals, embraces change, and brings people along through collaboration and vision. Even during uncertainty, she kept her team motivated and creative. She’s empathetic, inspiring, and a respected design leader I’d gladly work with again. I saw Fernanda’s growth from IC to Head of Product Design and I truly appreciate the work she has done. She brought her strategic design vision to successfully drive one of the main product initiatives while also leading and fostering a positive and creative working environment for her team to thrive. She’s kind, open minded, and a great design leader. I worked with Fernanda for 3 years at adidas Runtastic on product development topics. She's great at involving others in UX topics and creating quick, meaningful feedback loops that work. What stood out was how genuinely open she is to learning and feedback, as well as her self-awareness and natural leadership on big product initiatives across the company. Fernanda has been a great support, even before I joined the company. She guided me through onboarding with feedback and encouragement and helped shape our team culture. As Director of Experience Design, she set clear expectations, supported growth, and pushed me to expand my skills. She leads with empathy, drives user engagement, and fosters collaboration. Her leadership is a strong example for any team. Fernanda and I co-founded neoCompany in 2008, bringing together design and technology. From our very first project, she showed talent in creating user-focused solutions, with attention to detail and constant reinvention. Her organization improved timelines and processes, balancing strategy with execution. Fernanda combines creative sensitivity with efficiency—she’s a dedicated, versatile, and brilliant professional.