HZ.
Blog

Writing.

Thoughts on design engineering, brand systems, and shipping product.

Mar 4, 2026·5 min read

How I built this portfolio

A deep dive into the Design Engineering process behind this site — from brand tokens to production code.

Mar 4, 2026·4 min read

How I Built a SaaS Product in 3 Days Without a Co-Founder

Building a production-ready SaaS solo in 72 hours requires extreme technical discipline, AI leverage, and ruthless scope management. Here is the exact blueprint.

Mar 1, 2026·5 min read

Why I Design in Figma and Ship in React (And Why More Designers Should)

The traditional handoff between designer and developer is broken. Here's why eliminating it entirely by designing in Figma and shipping in React leads to faster iteration and better products.

Feb 25, 2026·5 min read

AI Tools I Actually Use Every Day as a Design Engineer

Not a listicle of shiny toys. A breakdown of the AI tools genuinely integrated into my daily workflow — Claude Code, Cursor, v0, and automation — and where they fall short.

Feb 18, 2026·6 min read

Automating My Workflow: How I Use n8n and Make as a Solo Builder

How I save 20+ hours per week as a solo builder using n8n and Make to automate social media, lead tracking, content repurposing, and client management.

Feb 10, 2026·6 min read

Design Engineer vs. Product Designer vs. Creative Technologist: What's the Difference?

I use all three titles. Here's what each role actually means, how they overlap, and why the hybrid design engineer is the most in-demand title in tech right now.

Feb 3, 2026·6 min read

Designing for Trust: What E-Commerce Pages Need to Convert

In e-commerce, beauty is secondary to belief. How I used trust signals, typography hierarchy, and A/B testing to drive a 23% conversion lift on Disney product pages.

Jan 27, 2026·5 min read

Framer vs. Webflow vs. Custom Code: When I Use Each One

Most designers know one tool. I use all three. Here's my decision framework for choosing between Framer, Webflow, and React/Next.js based on real project requirements.

Jan 20, 2026·6 min read

How I Built a Design System for Riot Games' Arabic Esports Ecosystem

No existing framework. Two languages. Hundreds of assets across broadcast, digital, and physical. How I crafted a bilingual design system that scaled for two years.

Jan 6, 2026·6 min read

The Design Decisions Behind Shotframe's UX

Every UX decision in Shotframe was filtered through one constraint: get users from screenshot to finished asset in under 60 seconds. Here's the product design case study.

Dec 28, 2025·7 min read

The Stack I Use to Build SaaS Products Solo

React, Next.js, TypeScript, Tailwind, shadcn/ui, Stripe, Vercel. The exact tech stack I use to ship SaaS products as a solo design engineer, and why each piece matters.

Dec 20, 2025·4 min read

What Vibe Coders Get Wrong About Launch Day

You built the app. Your Product Hunt graphic looks like a PowerPoint slide. The visual credibility gap is killing your launch — here's how to fix it.

Dec 15, 2025·6 min read

The Design-Engineering Gap Is a Myth

Why the artificial separation between design and code is the single biggest bottleneck in modern product teams — and how to eliminate it.

Dec 10, 2025·7 min read

Working with Global Brands as a Freelance Designer (What Nobody Tells You)

Working with Mastercard, Disney, and Riot Games isn't about creative freedom. It's about navigating brand guidelines, approval loops, and cultural adaptation. Here's what nobody tells you.

Nov 2, 2025·8 min read

Building Brand Systems That Actually Scale

A practical framework for creating design systems that survive contact with real teams, real deadlines, and real content.