At the intersection of Brand, User Experience & Interface Design.


Design leader & design systems advocate.
I’m focused on creating
meaningful experiences through design.

Passionate about design, tech & all things digital.

About me.

I’m a seasoned design leader with over two decades of experience in UX, UI and branding, specialising in building scalable design systems & leading cross-functional teams to create customer-centred, impactful digital experiences.

Throughout my career
, I’ve had the opportunity to work with agencies, startups & large corporates, gaining a wealth of diverse perspectives that have shaped my approach to design. I  freelance & consult on a variety of projects, allowing me to stay ahead of industry trends while continually refining my skills & mentoring emerging talent.

For me, good design is intentional. It requires a balance of technical expertise & creativitymerging problem-solving with artistic insight. I believe design is at its best when it integrates both rational, analytical thinking & inspired, artistic vision. Whether in UX, UI, CX, product design, information architecture, motion graphics, branding or any other discipline, I strive to create seamless, user-centric experiences that drive business results.

What sets me apart is not only my design expertise
, but the synergy of my experience, technical know-how, strategic thinking and a relentless passion for excellence.

Designing since 1999

Some of my work...

Creating a brand and digital product from the ground up.

For D2L, a fintech start-up, I defined the brand identity, product UX & design system simultaneously — building the foundations for a trustworthy, scalable platform designed to grow with their business.

Unifying two business news brands under one scalable system.

I redesigned the Engineering News & Mining Weekly websites to modernise their user experience, streamline navigation & build a modular design system that improved efficiency & brand consistency across platforms.

Transforming an educational resource site into a smarter, user-centred platform.

By redesigning the Studychamp website & automating key systems, I created a more engaging, cost-effective experience for parents and teachers — saving the client over 50% in monthly operating costs while improving sales conversions.

UI Experiments

Sometimes its just fun to play & without having to think to much, this is just me, having some fun.

My ethos.

🤩

Outcomes driven 
Define goals & crush them

😘

Customers first

Build stuff people love & want to use

🤓

Growth led

Strive to be better, keep learning

🤖

Data driven informed
Numbers are useful 

😶

Lean products

Incremental steps, keep improving

🥳

Celebrate

the wins
Enjoy the journey along the way 

My experience & skills.

Sometimes the best introductions come from others...

Shane and I worked together on the RMB brand refresh where he brought invaluable design & usability insights to the mix.

His attention to detail & design knowledge is at the highest level; but what truly stood out was his passion for the RMB brand, and how it was represented through the work we were doing. He understands the impact well-considered & crafted design experiences have on a brand's perception, which in today's world is priceless!

Denton Pretorius

Design Director

Shane is one gifted individual. He is the quintessential all-rounder who is not only brilliant at designing, animation and programming, but I’ve also got to know his brilliance at strategising and conseptualising complex issues. He should also be commended for his ability to always see the bigger picture. What counts in Shane’s favour is that he also has brilliant people skills, a wicked sense of humour and above all, a strong sense of responsibility and commitment. His work thus far on the new RMB website has been nothing short of brilliance! Shane continues to astound me with his ability to make sense of complex, abstract financial concepts that he transforms into more user-friendly, digestible and more rewarding end products. Shane is a real asset to Corporate Marketing, RMB and the greater bank.

Ella Janson

Editor and Designer

On a personal level, Shane is a truly exceptional individual. His personality consists of qualities that make him not only a great colleague and mentor but also a remarkable human being. Shane's innate empathy and ability to connect with others on a personal level create an environment of trust and camaraderie. He is someone you can always rely on for support, advice, or simply a friendly chat. His positivity and genuine concern for the well-being of those around him make him a pleasure to work with and be around. Furthermore, Shane's adaptability and open-mindedness in personal interactions mirror his professional skills, making him an approachable and relatable person both inside and outside of the workplace.

On a professional level, Shane stands out with a combination of both creative and strategic mindset. His leadership qualities, evident in his ability to organize, inspire and motivate teams, are a cornerstone of his professional persona. Shane's strategic thinking and effective communication skills have consistently driven successful projects and collaborations in the workplace. His proficiency in problem-solving and adaptability to evolving circumstances make him an invaluable asset in any workplace. Shane's conflict resolution abilities and commitment to team development have not only enhanced his professional relationships but also contributed to the growth and success of the organizations. Overall, Shane's exceptional blend of personal and professional qualities positions him as a strong leader.

During my time working under Shane I was encouraged to sharpen my talents and push boundaries.

If you work under Shane you are in good hands.

Mduduzi Dube

Human Centred Designer

Shane is a natural thinker, always interested in growing in a personal as well as in a professional capacity. His problem solving abilities enables him to simplify and making it as easy as possible for an end user to accomplish the task at hand. We share a common idea in that: simplicity can be derived through problem solving. He is driven to find solutions that work, and not just to the point where anything goes, but to a point of excellence. These abilities make him a valuable member of any team, and an asset for any organisation that cares about advancing in new ways through technology and innovative problem solving abilities.

Chris Greyling

Graphic/Digital Designer, Videographer and Photographer

I have had the pleasure of working under the leadership of Shane for the past 4 years and along side him for 8 years, and I can confidently say that he has been a transformative force in my career as a design expert.

Shane not only served as my line manager but also took on the role of a mentor, guiding me through the intricacies of the design industry. His commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning has had a great impact on my professional growth.

One of Shane's greatest strengths lies in his ability to impart knowledge in a way that is both insightful and empowering. His guidance went beyond technical skills, extending to strategic thinking and creative problem-solving. I credit him for instilling in me a deep appreciation for design thinking and a holistic approach to my projects.

Beyond the field of design, Shane exemplifies exceptional leadership skills. His ability to inspire and motivate the team is truly commendable. Under his guidance, I witnessed firsthand how a collaborative work environment can lead to not only individual success but also collective achievements.

Shane is a leader who leads by example, consistently demonstrating a strong work ethic, effective communication, and dedication to achieving excellence. His leadership style creates a sense of trust and camaraderie within the team, fostering a collaborative spirit that drives us to deliver our best work.

In conclusion, I am grateful for the impact Shane has had on my career. I recommend him for his outstanding leadership, mentorship, and the lasting influence he has on those who have worked alongside him.

Masixole Msumza

Digital Designer

I've had the pleasure to work with Shane and Visionar on the redesign of my website for my company StudyChamp.


Shane is not just incredibly professional in his approach, but also completely invested in my success. He communicated with me almost on a daily basis, making sure that we were on the same page and working towards the goal that I had in mind.


For a micro-business like mine, it is extremely difficult to find service providers that are willing to put in the extra hours without being paid a fortune. Shane treated my company and my needs the same way he would treat a big corporate company.


I am so impressed with his knowledge and approach and would highly recommend Visionar and Shane for your next project!

Estelle Barnard

Website Owner at StudyChamp

Shane’s endless pursuit for perfection is commendable on all the projects he works on. His knowledge and drive to bridge the gap between dev and design has contributed to the success of many projects. He has shown complete diversity in his skill set and this has been evident to his approach with the various website projects. He will think of the non-obvious tactics in completing tasks and I think this gives him and the team an edge. Shane’s ability to communicate simplicity out of complexity is a talent that is rare and is one of his signature traits. He presents thoughtful and intelligent solutions to design problems. He thoroughly interrogates briefs and never acts without due consideration

Wendy Burmeister

Digital Marketing Head

If not for Shane Williams’ mentorship and guidance, I’m not sure I would be where I am today. It was his patience and willingness to share what he knew—tips I still consider to this day to be trade secrets—that gave me the foundation I needed to flourish as a designer.

Lionel da Silva

Design & Experience Leader

I had the pleasure of collaborating with Shane on blogging efforts for Design Systems Collective. Shane brings a thoughtful and articulate voice to the conversation around design systems, always contributing insightful perspectives and high-quality content. His collaborative spirit and clear communication made working together both productive and enjoyable. Highly recommend him for anyone seeking a strong and strategic thinker in the design space.

Samer Tallauze

Lead Product Designer

Shane is an incredible design visionary, leader, and colleague. He shares his passion for design with the design team and makes time to allocate workshop sessions for the team to together find ways to improve, optimise and streamline work processes. This enables our team to work smarter in unison to in turn deliver high quality design work aligned to the brand guidelines. Shane is always on top of his game by ensuring that he is aware of the latest software features, design trends and skills. It is a privilege to work with Shane. He is in my view a leader in his field of expertise.

Caren Shaw

Designer

Shane has done an excellent job at filling multiple roles across multiple projects – from designer, project manager and UX specialist. Shane has done by himself what our competitors do with teams of 20+ resources – designed a digital brand. His toolkit will truly change the way we think about digital within RMB, and it will enable many teams to roll out projects quicker and consistently. Shane built a framework that can be applied to any project which include documentation for gathering business objectives, persona worksheets, persona cards, design components, design files for using these components. All of these elements are applicable to any web project and will have a tremendous impact on the rest of RMB’s client facing websites

Vernon Joyce

Marketing Technology Platform Lead

Shane was in the employ of Graphicor. His skills lay in formal design training coupled with experience in multimedia applications. He was hired for the express purpose of designing and producing Graphicor's multimedia work, including CDs, presentation material, desktop applications and printed work.


Shane is a designer first and foremost, and having conceptualised a design will then use whatever technical skills to realise his work. We have also utilised these skills to design award-winning corporate websites, a skill where Shane is developing expert status in this country.

He is dedicated to the task at hand and always has his jobs under control. He never panics and is solution-oriented. 

 
I've worked with Shane over three and a half years. I honestly regret his leaving Graphicor, but I appreciate his reasons for career and personal development. Any employer would be fortunate to enjoy the reliability, creativity and technical strength Shane brings.

Derek Abdinor

Design Specialist