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Nosipho Vilakazi
Johannesburg, South Africa

nosiphov16@gmail.com
LinkedIn

I’m a designer and researcher who solves problems through human-centered thinking. With formal training from Ringling College of Art and Design, I work across research, strategy, and design, particularly on projects that create meaningful impact.

My work spans product development, community research, and cultural experiences. I've conceptualized digital products, secured grant funding for educational projects in South Africa, designed exhibition proposals for the Smithsonian Institution, and curated gallery experiences that reach over 500 monthly visitors. Whether conducting research, developing a strategy, or managing complex projects, I bring both creative vision and analytical rigor to challenges that matter.

Education

Ringling College of Art and Design Sarasota, FL, USA
Bachelor of Arts in Visual Studies (Cum Laude), Minor in Business of Art and Design May 2025

Employment

Independent Contractor New York, NY (Remote), USA
Freelance Product Designer Jan 2024-Present

Design and launch responsive websites for B2C/B2B clients, translating business requirements into high-fidelity prototypes and live deliverables
Lead end-to-end product design for self-initiated and academic digital products, including a medication adherence app and a civic information platform, from problem framing through interaction design and prototyping
Develop user flows, information architecture, and interaction patterns for web and mobile experiences using Figma
Conduct competitive audits and usability assessments to optimize navigation structures and user flows

Projects for Peace Middlebury, VT (Remote), USA
Lead Researcher & Project Manager Feb 2024-Sep 2024

Secured a $10,000 grant via a research-backed proposal to diagnose learning barriers for Grade 4 learners in Mpumalanga
Led a 7-month Agile research initiative, managing a cross-functional team through planning, field data collection, and synthesis
Conducted qualitative and quantitative research, synthesizing findings into user personas and journey maps to highlight key pain points in the education delivery system

Department of Business Art and Design (Ringling College) Sarasota, FL, USA
UX Researcher & Digital Designer Jan 2023-May 2025

Led a 5-person team on a semester-long social entrepreneurship project, conducting mixed-methods research with a 1,300-student population and presenting insights to 24 institutional stakeholders, directly informing campus programming decisions
Collaborated with a four-person team on the semester-long CuiZine social impact event, coordinating research, outreach to six off-campus companies and three internal departments, and presenting deliverables to a stakeholder group of 16 plus two chief stakeholders
Produced more than four research reports, proposals, and deliverables to inform project decisions, stakeholder alignment, and operational workflows

Willis Smith Gallery/Lois and David Stulberg Gallery Sarasota, FL, USA
Exhibition Project Manager Aug 2023-May 2025

Managed end-to-end execution for three major exhibitions (valued at $100k+), acting as the bridge between curators, artists, and facilities teams
Prototyped spatial UX flows in Figma to visualize visitor traffic and test layout iterations with faculty and docents prior to installation
Designed an audience engagement strategy based on visitor journey mapping, resulting in a monthly foot traffic increase to 500+

Smithsonian Institution Sarasota, FL (Hybrid), USA

Leadership for Change Intern Jun 2023-Aug 2023

Developed a research repository in Miro to map archival findings, identify narrative threads, and organize complex datasets
Designed a 30-page exhibition proposal utilizing InDesign, focusing on visual hierarchy and accessible typography
Presented final concepts to executive stakeholders at Marie Selby Gardens and the Smithsonian

Skills

UX & Research: User Interviews, Persona Development, Journey Mapping, Usability Testing
Design & Prototyping: Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign, AfterEffects), Canva, UI Kits/Design Systems
Project Management: Agile/Scrum Methodologies, Miro, Notion, Asana, Google Workspace, Slack

Awards

Trustee Scholar Award (2024), Highest academic honour at Ringling College of Art and Design
Avante-Garde Finalist Scholarship (2024), Recognized for service and leadership
UWC Davis Scholarship (2021), Full Scholarship to Ringling College of Art and Design

Press

Nosipho Vilakazi: Faces of Ringling
2025

Nosipho Vilakazi: From Peacebuilding to Portfolio Building
2025

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Last Updated 24.10.37

Nosipho Vilakazi

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