Product Design Teams

Product and UX, End to End. Previously Product Owner and Head of Innovation. UX First.

  • Product strategy, discovery and prioritisation, shipped with teams.
  • UX/UI, systems and clarity, less friction, calmer interfaces.
  • Data-informed decisions (Mixpanel, GA), Agile and Lean delivery.

Copenhagen based. I like distributed collaboration and turning complexity into movement.

Portrait of Frederik Smal

About me

I build digital products that feel intentional. My background moves between UX design and product leadership, so I naturally think in systems: what the user needs, what the business is trying to achieve, and what the team can realistically ship.

Clarity over noise
Discovery to delivery
Systems thinking
Calm collaboration

I like messy problems. The ones where priorities collide, the interface is doing too much, or the product has grown without a clear spine. I bring structure to that kind of chaos: framing the problem, aligning people, defining the smallest useful scope, and iterating toward something calmer and more durable.

Since March 2025, I’ve been running an independent chapter: focused client work when it’s a strong fit, and sustained time for long term personal projects. I’m ready for a role where I can own outcomes, work closely with strong teams, and ship.

Work Experience

Mar 2025 · Present
Independent
Copenhagen · Remote
Product, UX & Studio Practice
  • Selective product and UX work (strategy, IA, UX/UI) on focused scopes.
  • Studio work and exhibitions (including curation and installation), plus volunteering on community digital projects.
Jun 2022 · Mar 2025
Novorésumé
Copenhagen
Head of Innovation
Mar 2024 · Mar 2025
  • Drove innovation initiatives across UX/UI and information architecture.
  • Led cross functional collaboration from discovery to delivery.
  • Expanded product solutions and supported growth through new concepts.
Product Owner
Sep 2022 · Mar 2024
  • Owned backlog and prioritisation using agile delivery practices.
  • Translated insights into requirements and shipped improvements end to end.
  • Led UI and UX execution to improve engagement and clarity.
UX Designer
Jun 2022 · Sep 2022
  • UX/UI and information architecture for innovation projects.
  • User research, interviews and synthesis to inform decisions.
2019 · 2022
Independent
Copenhagen · Remote
Freelance, volunteering & studio work
  • Freelance product design and UX on short, focused scopes, supporting digital experiences and clarity.
  • Expanded studio practice (drawings, exhibitions, installations) and contributed through volunteering and community projects.
Jan 2016 · Mar 2019
Shopbox ApS
Copenhagen
Lead Product Manager
  • Streamlined agile processes for a distributed development team.
  • Prioritised roadmap and backlog and communicated product direction.
  • Owned UX/UI processes and negotiated B2B solution work.
Jan 2014 · Apr 2014
Basta Digital
Bratislava
SEO, UX & UI Intern
  • Worked with SEO and usability, web design, and analytics tooling.
  • Supported small UX/UI improvements and basic reporting to help teams make clearer decisions.
May 2010 · Jul 2012
Regional EU initiatives
Slovakia
Team Leader & Project Manager
  • Led community projects, planned events, managed teams and delivery.
  • Early foundation in leadership, coordination, and real world constraints.

Skills

Product
Core
Product management
Product strategy and prioritisation
Innovation management
Agile and Lean delivery
Leadership and collaboration
Design and research
Strong
UX and UI design
Information architecture
User research
Data informed decisions
Communication and writing
Tools
Daily
Figma and Adobe XD
Jira and Trello
Miro
Google Analytics and Mixpanel
Confluence / documentation
Languages
EnglishFluent
Slovak / CzechFluent
DanishLearning
GermanElementary

Hobbies

Art and museums
Painting
Traveling
Analog photography
Kayaking
Motorbike
Movies
Cooking

Inspiration: Rothko, Miró, Pollock, Bacon

Made with ♡ in Copenhagen.

Let’s work together.

Personal info
Name
Frederik Smal
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
Portfolio website
Download resume
Signature of Frederik Smal