ABOUT | Aja Deren

SO YOU WANNA GET TO KNOW ME?

My Background

People obsessed product designer, design-thinking communicator and curiosity-driven facilitator, with a knack for crafting exceptional experiences at the intersection of user and business needs in the PaaS and SaaS space.

Hey! I'm Aja (pronounced like the continent "Asia" only spelled way cooler). I studied Communications & Information Design at Mount Royal University, where I explored UX/UI, augmented reality, visual design, service design, exhibit design, and data visualization. In essence, I became a design generalist with a passion for solving human problems.

From there, I launched my career as a UX/UI designer, diving headfirst into high-pressure, high-impact projects. This is where I thrived. The more I excelled, the more I was trusted with bigger, more complex challenges. In the past couple of years as a senior designer, I’ve worked with a over a dozen Fortune 500 companies, leading projects worth over seven figures, and collaborating with stakeholders at some of the largest organizations in the world. I’ve designed for industries that power nations, explore space, push the bounds of technology and everything in between.

I have a knack for charming clients, collaborating with teams, and creating product experiences that are impactful for both users and businesses. The more complex the challenge, the more I lean in, because at the end of the day, solving real problems for real people is what I do best.

When I am not at my desk, I am probably running with my dog, show jumping with my horse, hiking mountains, travelling, reading, nerding out on podcasts, or hosting friends for dinner and games.

WHERE I LEARNED IT ALL

The Resume

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Education

Calgary, Canada

Mount Royal University

Bachelor of Communications & Information Design. Minor in Social Innovation

Experience

2020 - Present

Thirdera, A Cognizant Company

Hybrid (Office + Remote) | Canada

5 years of experience designing and leading PaaS and SaaS B2B products. Delivered 40+ high-impact solutions across industries, driving $20M+ in project value with a 100% on-time design delivery rate. Partnered with 12+ Fortune 500 companies

04 / 2024 - Present

Senior UX UI Designer

Designed and launched 40+ PaaS/SaaS products across industries, serving 1M+ global users and generating $20M+ in value in partnership with Fortune 500 clients.
Defined long-term product strategies and experience roadmaps for enterprise platforms, aligning customer needs with business goals across global markets.
Led end-to-end product design lifecycle from scoping and user research, to wireframes, mockups and prototypes, testing, implementation.
Influenced cross-functional senior leadership by presenting product strategies and user-centric, data-backed insights.
Facilitate stakeholder meetings, end-user workshops, conduct user research and testing, and leveraged iterative prototyping to ensure products met both business goals and user needs.
Defined and scaled UX strategy, design systems, and product roadmaps to drive adoption and business outcomes.
Mentored designers to foster skill growth, collaboration, professional development and a shared design vision within multidisciplinary product teams
Delivered award-winning designs recognized in Top 5 Best Employee Portals (2024, 2025) in a $273B industry.
Invited as an industry expert speaker at ServiceNow Knowledge 2024 (20K+ attendees) presenting on enterprise product design best practices.
Improved user satisfaction by analyzing feedback, closing experience gaps, and implementing iterative enhancements based on testing & data.

04/ 2020 - 04 / 2024

UX UI Designer

Thirdera Digital (Acquired by Cognizant Dec 2024)

04/ 2020 - 04 / 2024

UX UI Designer

APPOXIO (Acquired by Thirdera October 2021)

Side Projects

05/2024 - Present

Mount Royal University | Slate Innovation Lab

Hybrid (Office + Remote) | Canada

Product Design Mentor - Tech Liftoff & HealthTech

Subject Mater Expert (SME) mentorship for Mount Royal University's incubator program supporting Business, Comp Sci, and Data Sci university students from idea conception, research, design iterations, tech stack and app build, providing UX/UI and product expertise, design strategy, and usability guidance.

Toolkit

These are the tools I use regularly, but I’m always learning, adapting, and adding new ones to my skillset.

Figma

Maze

Adobe CC

Office 365

Google Suite

Notion

Optimal Workshop

Skills

PRODUCT DESIGN

USER RESEARCH

DESIGN SYSTEMS

USABILITY TESTING

DESIGN THINKING

PRODUCT ROADMAPPING

DESIGN LEADERSHIP

RAPID PROTOTYPING

ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE

HTML & CSS

WORKSHOP FACILITATION

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

SALES & SCOPING

DATA VISUALIZATION

COPY WRITTING

THE GOOD STUFF

What It's Like To Work With Me

I prioritize relationships, whether with clients, coworkers, or the office dog!

Think of me as your go-to teammate, the kind of person who brings high-quality work, thoughtful ideas, and always trying to bring delight and positivity to the table. I’m always open to feedback, brainstorming, or an impromptu design critique.

At the end of the day, I just want to make cool things with cool people. Learning, growing, and pushing great product designs forward while making the process enjoyable for everyone involved.

FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVED TO TELL THE TALE

What The People Had To Say

Vic Mach

PRODUCT DESIGN MANAGER

1. Something you value about working with me?

What I value most about Aja is her ability to make anyone feel at ease. As an introverted person, I tend to be reserved and keep things to myself. Aja creates a welcoming and supportive environment. She makes it easy for me to open up and share my thoughts without fear of judgment.

2. How would you describe my approach to tackling challenges?

Aja tackles challenges head-on but with intention. She makes sure to ask questions and gather any necessary information before diving in. She’s not afraid to admit when she’s unsure and takes the time to fully understand the situation before moving forward.