Fractional design engineering for AI startups
I'm a seasoned startup designer focused on implementing design systems that allow AI agents to build amazing UX.
Client profile:
- Venture-backed B2B tech startups (around series A)
- Complex data domain (AI, healthcare, finance, etc)
- High bar for UX
- AI-forward engineering team
Curious about working together? Read on, browse the services I offer, or book a free consultation.
My background
I've been a YC founder, solo indie hacker, Director of Design, product manager, and design teacher at the University of Michigan.
- Multi-time technical founder (Both YC/investor-backed and bootstrapped)
- Equally at home in design and code
- Experienced design leader and educator
- Built and launched multiple full-stack SaaS products (Spooky, Shuffleboard)
Past projects
Client work
I've worked with multiple AI platform clients, as well as clients in B2B SaaS, healthcare, weather tech, agriculture, autonomous vehicles, food systems, higher education, and more.
Most of my work is behind NDAs. Please book a call with me for more detailed examples.
As a founder
Spooky (2025-present) - an AI agent that builds professional brands, websites, and sales materials.
Precip (2023-2025) - high-precision rainfall estimation
- Co-founder, Y Combinator winter 2024 batch
- Responsible for designing and building the product
- Reached #3 in App Store weather category
- 100,000+ downloads
Shuffleboard (2019-2023) - a brainstorming tool for remote teams. I recorded the whole process on YouTube - read the article, or watch the videos .
Other projects
FarmLogs (2012-2017) - precision agriculture data platform
- First employee, hired during YC batch
- We built the first web-based platform for managing precision agriculture fertilizer prescriptions
- Downloaded by 1/3 of American farmers
- Acquired in 2022
My process
My first goal is always building a product your users love.
This means rolling up my sleeves and shipping a great product.
- Making your product simple, beautiful, and easy to use.
- Simplifying complex features
- Self-serve onboarding flows that convert
- Creating design systems to use across all products
- Understanding the founders' vision and bringing it to life
My second goal is making great design part of your company’s DNA.
The key to lasting great UX is building systems that support design as your company scales.
This usually involves setting up AI tooling for UI code generation, hiring great designers, setting up usability testing, establishing good engineering habits, and educating founders about design.
A typical engagement for me includes:
- Lightweight advising and prototypes during early seed stage (optional)
- One or more intensive design/build phases (~4 months each), usually after raising a seed or series A.
- Supporting the transition to an in-house design team (also optional)
Services
I act as each client's go-to resource for product design and UX, from strategic direction through execution details.
Design systems
Any stage
I build design systems that help everyone in your company execute great design with AI agents, while keeping product decisions aligned and quality high.
The system reflects your brand's unique constraints and standards so teams can move faster without sacrificing consistency.
Read my article on designing for LLM agents.
Price varies · Contact for availability
Product design
Seed to series A
This is for startups ready to invest in a world-class product.
I'll run my UX Strategy Workshop, design prototypes, gather feedback, iterate until the details are right, and work with engineers to bring your complete vision to life.
Price varies · Contact for availability
Fractional leadership
Later stages
Get the benefits of a design director without having to hire. Best for companies scaling design teams.
This is a highly-customized service. Past projects have included design leadership, hiring, coaching, product management, and brand strategy.
Price varies · Contact for availability
Clients
I’m Frodo, and Sam’s my Gandalf. I’m so grateful to have Sam on this project, I don’t know where I would be without him (probably pulling my hair out). If you’re struggling with a big design project, my advice is this: get yourself a Sam.
Sam is a UX god. We were blown away by how quickly he broke down our complex goals into a simple, beautiful, intuitive design. Not only did we launch an awesome product on time, but the work went way above and beyond our expectations. He taught us a ton about building great products, and he laid the foundation for our engineers to keep building great designs. Our only regret is that we didn’t book more of his time!
I’ve hired Sam for design and executive level storytelling projects at JSTOR twice. He was my first choice because he focuses on organizational impact and hard work, never about his own ego. He’s the only consultant I’ve ever been completely comfortable bringing onto my team, and working daily with our executive team when called for. Sam’s more than a great designer, he’s an expert in coaxing out product strategy and prioritization. I’m regularly looking for more ways to bring him back to support our team!
We needed that je ne sais quoi that would take our product from functional to fabulous. Turns out, it was Sam. I initially contacted Sam because I admired his work at FarmLogs, and we needed a similar level of design polish. But what we got was so much more: a better understanding of the journey our prospects take before they become customers, a documented design language that we are applying not just in our product but across our marketing materials, and an appreciation for what is needed at our business’s stage of growth. I could not recommend Sam more highly.
We brought Sam in to polish our web app's design, expecting him to simply tidy up the rough edges. He did that brilliantly, freeing our team to move faster while keeping the bar high. What we didn't expect was that his UX workshop for our engineers would become one of the most valuable investments we've made. Our team now instinctively thinks about user experience as they build.
Sam is an incredibly talented product designer and coach. He was instrumental in helping FarmLogs design a product and brand that quickly became recognized for our ease of use, igniting years of rapid growth for our company.
Sam's work was simple, concise, and elegant—I can tell that he loves his work. He was super calm, knowledgeable, and patient, and his ability to jump and quickly understand a business and its issues was awesome. Definitely recommended.
Articles
Working details
Timing
I generally work with one client at a time. Clients are first-come, first-served. Please contact me for availability.
I prioritize existing clients over new projects. I also never reserve my time until a proposal is signed.
I do not outsource work to subcontractors. My clients always work directly with me.
Fees
Design projects come with a fixed rate, a fixed scope, and a guaranteed outcome. Fees vary by project and scope. I rarely track hours for design work - the project is not done until the work is finished, my client is happy, and the customers love the product.
Engineering projects are less predictable, so I usually charge an hourly rate. For design systems I generally work ~20/week per client for a period of ~6 months, though it varies.
My fees are on the high side of market rate, suitable for VC-backed companies. As a rough guide, you can expect a total project to cost a significant fraction of a senior full-time SF-based design engineer's salary.
Legal
Before working with a new client, I sign a contract covering IP, liability, etc. I am very happy to sign your standard contractor agreement, or feel free to use my paperwork.
We then renew each phase of the project with a short proposal to sign as necessary.
I work as an independent contractor based out in New York. All agreements are done through my Michigan business entity, Directed Works LLC.
Contact
Curious about working together? Have a question about product or design? Grab some time with me—I love meeting founders.
Other ways to get in touch:
- Follow me on LinkedIn
- Sign up for my email list
- Email me directly at sam@directedworks.com