Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?
Hi, I’m Cindy Shontan — a Senior Product Designer, author, digital creator, and most proudly, a mum.
My journey into tech wasn’t linear. I studied Biochemistry at university because I initially wanted to become a doctor, but life had other plans. After graduation, I took a course in project management that opened my eyes to the world of tech, and from there, I joined an internship as a frontend developer. It was during that program I found my home in UI/UX design. Design was something I had always loved without knowing the name for it. As a child, I was that girl making hairstyles on my grandma, drawing, painting, and creating things out of nothing.
Today, I lead the design of digital products that improve people’s lives — mostly in education, health, and finance sectors. I work cross-functionally with engineers, product managers, and stakeholders to design experiences that are not only usable and inclusive but also meaningful. I’ve led the design and launch of platforms like Pedagogy with AI — an AI-assisted learning tool empowering thousands of teachers across Africa and the UK.
Beyond work, I’m also deeply committed to giving back, mentoring early-career and mid-level designers, supporting women transitioning into tech, helping build design systems, and have led design teams — all while raising my amazing son, who is now six years old.
I’m also the author of The Solo Designer’s Survival Kit — a practical guide for product designers navigating the early and often lonely stages of their careers, especially when working without a design team. It’s based on lessons I learned while being the only designer at a startup, figuring things out one challenge at a time.
If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?
Oh gosh! It’s like balancing on a tightrope, laptop in one hand and a lunchbox in the other — while still learning to show up with a full heart— both challenging yet deeply rewarding.