Francesca ashley-cooper a.k.a Chess
product designer
PRODUCT MANAGER / CX guru
team leader
I AM a heavy-weight Product designer and CX Specialist with a strong focus on all things digital. With more than 20 years experience across digital design and development and team management, I apply myself to getting web and mobile apps pixel perfect, I live and breathe all things FIGMA and and I am quite content with using html and css. I am a true #uiuxnerd, I love spending time-solving technical challenges, am reliable, and very organised. I like leading projects from initial brief to wireframe, through to an interactive mockup (using FIGMA).
I have built teams and managed them, through all steps of team leadership and mentorship. From 2022-2025, I was the co-lead of the Interaction Design Foundation’s Cape Town chapter. This was an exciting endeavour for me as it brings together knowledge sharing and the chance to set up some really interesting speakers for the monthly meet-ups.
What I do
My days are generally spent working on product management and Cx of our native app. I aim to end each project ‘pixel perfect’ with a user friendly UX and UI. My ‘home’ languages are HTML and CSS. I have been the team leader for a dynamic group, ranging from developers and designers, to social media managers and interns. I enjoy being able to troubleshoot problems, both technical and human. I also spend time with digital designs for my company’s needs. I work with Visual Studio, FIGMA, GIT, Adobe CC, and work in an Agile / Scrum environment.
Product Manager
I am passionate about designing and researching excellent product designs. I love creating prototypes in FIGMA and using all the features this app brings. I always keep an ear to the ground on what is happening in the digital space.
CX
I have been working as a senior CX Specialist at Omnisient. I bridge the gap between what customers want and what your business delivers. I am responsible for the learning academy that I build from the ground up, as well as our help centre, which contains usership articles that I have written, an AI bot I have trained and ensuring seamless interactions across every touchpoint.
Team Leadership
In most of my job roles, I have found myself swaying towards leadership. Having started this managing restaurants in 2001, I have an established background in looking after teams and being a thoughtful and trusted leader. I have run teams from 5 people up to 30+ people.
Design
I have designed everything from corporate identities, to illustrations for City of Cape Town and Pick n Pay. I have a strong knowledge of the print trade – and I know the difference between CMYK and RGB 😉
My Skills
Design
My heart belongs to the digital world. I love spending my days working through a strategy for an effective Product Management CX and help shaping squad work.
I am highly skilled in all things front-end web design, with a strong skillset in HTML, CSS, UI and UX. I can read PhP and work my way through the code.
I am also an experienced designer, having done illustrations for the City of Cape Town, and Pick n Pay.
- Project management 98%
- customer Experience (cX) 90%
- uiux – 95%
- team leadership- 95%
- css – 98%
- GRAPHIC DESIGN
WIREFRAME PROCESS in FIGMA
UI PROCESS in FIGMA
Years experience
websites built
WEB AND MOBILE APP UI AND UX
Cups Of Coffee consumed
some of my GRAPHIC DESIGN
AND WEB Work
(2019 -2021 work in my current role is under a confidentiality clause)
Video showing process
From previous Clients
and employers
Here are my references from past clients and employers. You’re welcome to contact them directly for a reference.
I have known Francesca and worked with Francesca since 2008. Not only is she talented and able to deliver creatively, she is genuine, caring and warm and this adds a personable approach to her work.
When working on a project or piece of work, she will immerse herself passionately and will be available for consultation as well as offer good insight to any gaps.
She is a pleasure to interact with, is open to changes to briefs, willing to go the extra mile where needed in terms of flexibility and timing, is honest and realistic, and has a quiet confidence about how to deliver the end product.
I wish her well in all her career and life endeavours. You are welcome to contact me on mandy@carlson.co.za
I have worked with Francesca for many years, first within a corporate environment where she worked on all Mazars’ electronic and digital materials and projects. She was instrumental in creating our electronic internal
newsletter, emailers to clients as well as assisted us with website, intranet and general digital marketing materials for use across various platforms.
She was always most willing to provide input and give advice where necessary, and she turned around her work very quickly so that we were always able to meet stringent deadlines if required.
On a personal basis, Francesca completely redesigned and built my Scout Cape Town website and has been of huge assistance in giving advice on how to maximise its performance and has provided me with on-going technical assistance whenever I’ve asked for help. Without her, my online presence would definitely not be as effective as it has been.
REFERENCES (PDF)
I would love to
chat to you
ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT ME!
Let’s chat below, or email me on francescaac@gmail.com